OHL: Freezing the Competition

The IceDogs made a strong statement by trading for overage goalie Sebastian Dahm, who led the Sudbury Wolves to the OHL finals last year. Riddled with injuries, they have not been able to ice their entire roster this season but boast formidable depth and with the acquisition of Dahm, they are legitimate contenders to come out of the East. McKeen's looks at several IceDogs, including projected first round pick Alex Pietrangelo.

Alex Pietrangelo (2008), D, Niagara

Leading his team in scoring on the backend and just outside the top ten in league scoring among defenseman despite missing six games with a lower body injury .. he lacks true explosiveness in his stride but since he is such a big player, he gives off this perception that he is not moving very fast when even though he is .. his overall athleticism is impressive, as he is so coordinated for a player his size .. he can stop and go and curl away from pressure .. he marries his skating with his puck rushing skills and is a threat every time he leaves the zone .. defensively he can lose focus .. he does not appear to have a good handle at times when opponents run picks .. was tested against a strong Sault Ste. Marie team and struggled considerably .. he made countless poor decisions and ended up a minus-two for the night .. was easily pushed aside by some of their bigger, stronger players and coughed up the puck on numerous occasions .. his hockey sense came into some serious contention after this game .. will have to continue to monitor, as this type of performance against better competition is usually what sets top prospects apart.

Chris Desousa (2009), F, Niagara

Desousa is another small player on this Niagara roster but is tough as nails and will never give up an inch .. he is incredibly balanced and likes to play a physical, hard-nosed game .. blessed with a healthy offensive skill set, he is equally adept at shooting as he is passing .. he made many clever passes this contest that sparked offence .. he also managed to score a goal after a defenseman blew a tire, nonetheless, his shot was a laser beam and very accurate .. slowly moving up the lines and getting his chances on the PP .. he is establishing himself as an NHL draft pick next season, however, size will be a determining factor.

Alex Friesen (2009), C, Niagara

Friesen did not have to travel very far to play Major Junior A hockey .. a product of the Niagara Falls Thunder minor hockey program, the second round selection of the IceDogs brings an element of grit and offensive skill to the table .. another player who is generously listed (5-10) on this IceDogs roster but plays much bigger than his size .. he is pure heart and emotion and takes on all challengers .. he fearlessly went after Anthony Peluso, a player who is 6 inches taller and weighs 50 more pounds .. he is a peppy skater with short crossovers that generate better than average speed .. he can change gears effortlessly .. slows the game down with his stickhandling ability and when the puck is in his possession .. should be able to make quantum leaps in the points department when he gets prime-time minutes next year.

Gianluca Caputi (Pit), LW, Niagara

Has already matched his totals from his breakout season last year that saw him be drafted by the Penguins as a result .. is the sixth leading scorer in the OHL .. a great special team's player, yet has only registered six of his 64 points on the PP .. exhibits patience with the puck, as he can pull it back and let go of a quick snapshot that fools most goalies .. he will charge to the net and score garbage goals .. eagerly attacking the net, he is a massive body that is difficult to contain and/or stop once he gets going .. his skating has improved, however, it still needs considerable work .. he does not have so much of a stride, as it is a gallop .. he has the appearance as if he is jumping on the ice to gain speed .. with the puck, he is lethal however, without it he is very much a liability .. he shows little enthusiasm for coming back below his own blueline but he is constantly awarded with icetime so this could be chalked up to coaching .. he looks very confused in the defensive zone, often a step behind the play .. should continue to be an offensive dynamo at junior but he will need to make major refinements to his game at the pro level.

Drew Schiestel (Buf), D, Niagara

Schiestel could be the most improved player this year .. he approaches the game considerably different from last year, as he has developed an offensive dimension to his game .. he makes plays this year that he never would have tried last year .. he is much more daring with the puck and does not just shoot it in deep, rather he takes an extra second to explore his options .. curling or stepping of the line, faking a shot and backhand saucer passes are all part of his resume now .. he is using his mobility and solid skating skills to manufacture more offensive chances .. responsible in his own end, he does not overpower the opposition but stays with them stride-for-stride swallowing up their ice .. he makes things look relatively effortless but Schiestel is constantly in motion and always moving to where the puck will be .. should he continue to play like this, there will most certainly be a spot in Rochester for him in a few short seasons.