OHL: Downies Power Rangers

When the Kitchener Rangers acquired Steve Downie, they sent a message to the rest of the league. Already considered strong contenders for an OHL championship, the acquisition of Downie gives them a proven playoff warrior who has shown he is capable of producing in clutch situations. Downie joins a Rangers team that is deep and poised to avenge their opening round loss last year in the playoffs.

McKeen's was on hand for several Kitchener games and files these reports.

Nick Spaling (2007), C, Kitchener

A very smart and dependable two-way player he has played his way onto the top line .. though he plays on the top unit, his offensive skills are far from mature .. his shot lacks power and he seems to freeze up in offensive situations .. he makes clever plays in terms of passing and is more of a playmaker than a natural goal scorer .. positionally he is ok, he understands where to be, and once again, that comes back to his superior hockey sense .. he is able to maintain good balance on his skates and his wide stride helps him get around however his speed may be an issue .. good face off skills .. continues to show NHL scouts his mettle and a solid playoff run could bolster his draft stock ..

Yannick Weber (2007), D, Kitchener

Has really blossomed in Kitchener and is a solid contributor on the back end .. plays a physical game, he relishes in looking for a well-placed hit that can change the complexion of the game .. puck skills are at a premium, he works the line so well, and offensively he knows when to jump into the plays .. he comes back well when he is deep in the offensive zone as his footwork and mobility give him that luxury .. his shot accuracy is a concern and which shot he decides to use in certain situations is troublesome .. very solid defender who should warrant considerable NHL draft consideration ..

Dan Kelly (2007), D, Kitchener

Has come along well considering his lack of experience at this level .. slowly becoming more adept at handling the puck though puck skills and passing accuracy could be worked on .. plays on both the PP and the PK .. still prone to making rookie mistakes, as he gets pressured along the wall and coughs it up .. he is beaten a little too often but it is the only way for him to learn and get better .. defensively he maintains his position in front of the net and competes hard to remove players from the crease .. is coming along slowly however draft aspirations may be lofty ..

Robert Bortuzzo (2007), D, Kitchener

Has improved leaps and bounds in his play since the start of the season .. the puck is still like a grenade to him, as he needs to be very cautious when handling it .. when he plays simple, he is effective .. confidence is improving and he does not panic as much as he used too .. he has a long, thick stride and is developing into his mammoth six-foot-four frame .. can make a decent first pass out of the zone .. his shot is very erratic and his release needs to be quicker .. he is able to get to most guys when defending because his stick is so long and he covers so much ice .. showing that he is NHL draft worthy as his upside and potential continue to grow much like him ..

John Murray (2007), G, Kitchener

The trade of Mark Packwood has made him the number one starter .. very hard to beat when he is on top of his game as he is one of the leagues best in all goaltender statistical categories .. follows plays and shows good concentration .. forces shooters to beat him with a perfect shot, as he simply does not go down .. has quick pads down low however, he spits out too many rebounds and needs to be aware of this .. decent stick handler .. his play should determine how far the Rangers go in the playoffs ..

Matthew Martello (2007), C, Kitchener

Since coming over from the OPJHL (Vaughn) the 2006, 6th rounder has managed nearly half a point a game .. a scoring sensation in the OPJHL he will need some time to learn the ropes in the OHL .. tries to stick handle through the entire team and needs to pass the puck faster .. displays very good speed however, he is guilty of not moving his feet enough, which results in some scoring chances the other way .. lazy back checker and has to realize that skill alone will not be enough at this level .. is beaten too many times one-on-one as he opts to play the puck as opposed to the man in the neutral zone .. he is a decent passer and has offensive tools however his dedication to the defensive side of the game will speak volumes for the amount of ice time he receives ..

Matt Halischuk (2007), RW, Kitchener

Although he has slowed down in the goal-scoring department, he still gives the Rangers considerable depth on their second line .. always works hard and getting back into position .. his work ethic is very endearing .. he can score but also plays a solid defensive game that shuts the other teams down, common for him to be on the ice in the dying seconds of a close game .. lacks top end speed to drive the net or make a dash up the ice nevertheless his puck distribution skills are good and he can often find the right spots to be on the ice, burying rebound shots .. could make a splash at the NHL entry draft with his improved play this season ..

Kevin Henderson (2007), RW, Kitchener

It is amazing what a little confidence and some playing time can do for a player, as Henderson looks completely revitalized this season .. after a successful training camp in L.A., he is posting his best offensive totals to date .. big presence on the ice, he has finally learned how to use his massive frame to his advantage as he bulldozes through players and no longer takes the long way to the net .. long thick stride he is able to get from point A to point B with moderate quickness .. puck skills are good but he is more of a shooter .. continuing to make strides in his game ..

Peter Tsimikalis (Col), C, Kitchener

Returns to the OHL after playing a handful of games for Albany of the AHL .. offensively gifted, he knows how to score .. has good hands and hockey sense when the puck is in his possession .. too often, he does not exhibit the desire to want the puck, only when it is in his sights .. defensively he lacks any type of commitment as he rarely comes back over the blue line .. his skating is average yet he always manages to get into prime scoring chances .. gives the Rangers another offensive weapon ..

Steve Downie (Phi), RW, Kitchener

Acquired to give the Rangers the much-needed heart required to be successful in the playoffs .. his third team in as many years Downie adds instant offence for this team as he is averaging two points a game in his first 10 games with the Rangers .. creates down low, as he is able to hold onto the puck and protect it well as his strength on his skates is unreal .. average speed, he will not win any foot races but he is sufficient enough in the way he approaches the game that it is not a factor .. very agile, can twist and turn off players, drawing players to him only to make a quick pass to the open man .. controls the game when puck is in his possession, his puck skills and vision make him a threat at all times, and opponents are weary of rushing him .. will be the go-to-guy in the playoffs and provide the type of leadership the Rangers were lacking in last year's short playoff run ..

Nazem Kadri (2009), C, Kitchener

Shows patience with the puck and the type of savvy in his decision making to suggest he will be a future offensive leader for the Rangers .. his quick bursts of speed and first step quickness make him the prototypical player to succeed in this league .. plays with an edge .. the only thing he lacks is experience, as Coach DeBoer does not generally rush rookies, however it is promising that he is picking his spots better and improving on little things to earn his ice time ..