OHL: Everything Should be Fine

After several successful seasons, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs. Scoring goals has been a difficult task and with only three players to have double digits in goals through thus far, it is easy to see why they currently sit in last in the West Division. McKeen's looks at several Greyhound prospects including the improving play of Michael Fine the maturing play of Bryce O Hagen and a trio of youngsters that appear to be in the Greyhounds long-term plans.

Michael Fine (2009), C, Sault Ste. Marie

The most improved Greyhound, he has already surpassed his offensive output of last season at the half way mark .. centring the first line, Fine has been given prime opportunities to pad his offensive stats, as he has become one of the few options for coach Lambert .. he is a good skater, he doesn't have blazing speed but he is quick and strong on his skates .. his first step has improved from last season .. he pumps his feet and can hold off a defender while driving outside to the net .. due to his strength and balance on his skates he will fight in the trenches .. he could still stand to gain some more muscle to win more one-on-one battles .. his game is primarily dependant on his ability to produce offensively .. he has good hands in close and can easily pick up loose pucks in front and slide them by an unsuspecting goalie .. he needs to improve his play away from the puck and do things that can help his team win other than by scoring goals .. too often, he gets caught deep and is slow to recover .. prone to slumps, to his credit he does record many of his points in 5-5 situations .. Fine needs to become stronger and show a willingness to play a more involved game.

James Livingston (StL), RW, Sault Ste. Marie

After a breakthrough campaign last season, Livingston (70th/2006) has regressed and taken a step backwards .. expected to lead this season, Livingston wears a letter but is a selfish player who takes long shifts and will not back up his robust style of play with his fists .. skates with little purpose and appears to be going through the motions this season, as his play lacks the same sense of determination that he exhibited last year .. reacting to the play as opposed to initiating it, he tends to watch the play too much and does not move his feet .. he needs to get involved to be effective, use his size and natural ability to create .. he does boast understated hand skills and vision .. his emotions tend to get the best of him and he needs to set a better example as not only an assistant captain but as a third round, NHL-drafted player .. needs to turn it around and fast.

Brandon Archibald (2010), D, Sault Ste. Marie

Archibald played Midget last season for the Detroit Honeybaked hockey club .. has a sizeable frame (6-4, 190) that he surely will grow into .. this season will be the ultimate test for fourth round 69th overall pick, as even though he played against older competition last season, the level and speed of the OHL game is more intense .. he has played admirably all things considering, mainly a lack of strength to contain forwards has been his biggest setback .. he does a good job of using his mobility and athleticism to aid him in defensive assignments .. at times, he can be too passive in the defensive zone but his game is more designed at angling a player away from a scoring chance rather than straight arming him when he attacks his wing .. still very raw in handling the puck, his offensive totals will not dazzle, however he will need to learn to implement an effective first pass .. has shown that he can play at this level and should continue to develop nicely, perhaps in the same mold as an Andrew Campbell.

Brock Beukeboom (2010), D, Sault Ste. Marie

Like father like son, Jeff Beukeboom played for the Greyhounds before becoming a first round NHL draft to the Oilers and capturing three Stanley Cups .. the younger Beukeboom is hoping to follow in his father's footsteps and thus far has played well .. named to the Team Ontario Under 17 team, he will provide the team with a calming, steady influence on the backend who takes care of his own zone while being able to contribute offensively .. he does many things good but not well at this point .. he is still lured out of his defensive assignments, as he has a tendency to do too much .. he needs to recognize his time and space better and step up on guys at the line .. this will come with maturity and adjusting to the pace of the league .. he is leaning on the side of caution, which is certainly the approach he should be taking in his rookie season .. he is learning to play a smart positional game and does not get involved in low-percentage offensive plays .. as such, he usually falls back into defensive mode rather than risk getting caught flatfooted in the neutral zone .. has been experimented on the PP and shown some poise with the puck but is far from being heralded as an offensive defenseman .. Beukeboom has size and modest skill and will be a big part of the Greyhounds rebuilding backend.

Brendan Childerley (2010), RW, Sault Ste. Marie

'Chilly' made the team out of camp after being a 6th round selection due to his commitment away from the puck and work ethic .. he posted good numbers last season as a member of the Huron Perth Lakers Midget program and even dressed for four playoff games for the Jr. B Stratford Cullitons as an underage player .. works well in a straight line in terms of speed but his agility and coordination have not caught up to his body, as his pivots and turns are not crisp .. he is an aggressive forechecker and will play any role to help the team .. he is the ultimate utility player .. he lacks upper body strength so he cannot drive thru guys but this does not stop him from making contact with the opposition .. he plays well within the system and gives an honest effort each shift .. he has been playing fourth-line minutes and has not had a chance to chip in offensively .. at this point his hand skills are very raw but given time, he could develop into a decent OHL scorer in his third or fourth season.

Bryce O'Hagan (2010), G, Sault Ste. Marie

O'Hagan did not have much of an off-season, as he backstopped Team Canada at the Under 18 following a stellar gold medal shutout win against Team USA in the finals of the Under 17 .. O'Hagan has struggled slightly this season but to his credit, he does not exactly have a stellar defence in front of him .. mechanically, he is very solid, as he is very efficient in his crease .. he limits his movements and always stays in the centre of his net .. he is largely a stand-up goalie but he incorporates some butterfly technique .. he has a quick glove and lively limbs, as he is very athletic and flexible .. he handles the puck ok but could be more active in playing it .. patience is a quality to his game, as he makes the puck come to him and makes the shooter work for his openings .. he maintains his focus to watch the play through screens .. he reads the ice well and is constantly surveying the ice for developing plays .. he has matured considerably with the increased playing time but still needs to work on eliminating bad games, as he has had his fair share of them .. inconsistency still plagues him, however when he is on he is one of the better goalies in the league.