OHL: Halischuk on Upwards Curve

With the OHL season rapidly approaching we take a look at select newcomers aspiring to make the OHL. Focusing on 1988 and 1989-born players, we examine the play of Kitchener Rangers forwards Nick Spaling, Yves Bastien and Michael Pelech as well as St.Mike's Majors forwards Matt Halischuk, Matt Caria and Adam Zamec.

Yves Bastien (2007), LW, Kitchener

Impressive skater .. able to blow by defenders with excellent jump .. can stickhandle and make plays at top speed .. receives passes without breaking stride .. strong balance and is extremely agile .. quick transition from offence to defence .. beats players to loose pucks and charges net with breakaway speed .. made several nice cuts to the net ..varied assortment of moves .. play thus far is reminiscent of Derek Roy however he may have to take a back seat in offensive situations due to a strong returning offensive unit ..one to watch out for in the future.

Michael Pelech (2008), C, Kitchener

Improved considerably on his skating in the off season; seems to have a more compact stride where in the past his big legs were everywhere .. still choppy but improving .. lack of acceleration prohibits him from breaking away from his defenders .. however long reach and long stride can create enough distance for him to make a play .. effective along the boards as he distributes and cycles very well .. capable of making saucer and soft touch passes .. good hands for a big man .. adjustment this year should be a slow one however he does show poise with the puck and played with adults last year with the Buzzers so he shouldn't get pushed around.

Nick Spaling (2007), LW, Kitchener

Tall and lanky forward with deceptive speed and play making abilities .. able to convert and make the most of his chances, scored a beautiful one timer goal in contest against Barrie .. works hard and compliments his line mates with dirty work and ability to take a hit .. uses an active stick and can make plays on both the fore hand and back hand side .. good lateral movement for a player of his size .. should crack the Rangers top three lines as he has the youth and certainly the skill to contribute at this level .. late birth date will enable him two solid years to make an impression, certainly NHL draft worthy ..

Matt Caria (2007), C, St. Mike's

Probably could have made the Majors last season, but they could only protect two 88's .. a scorer, he readily takes abuse in front of the net and has the build of a solid OHLer .. skating is an area of concern .. he is not fluid, but he gets the job done, though will not win any foot races .. possess good hand-eye coordination and is adept at banging away loose pucks in front of the net .. displays an impressive shot.

Matt Halischuk (2006), RW, St. Mike's

Former second rounder spent majority of his time last season in Tier II with the Buzzers .. the opportunity to play on the top two lines helped his overall game and confidence .. plays an aggressive forechecking role with hands that could score 20-plus goals .. a work horse in all three zones .. improved on his skating with off season development and increased leg strength .. good vision, he would benefit from playing with a finisher .. does many things right and is a smart player .. expect to see his offensive totals increase this year as well as his ice time .. he is ready to make an impact this year.

Adam Zamec (2009), LW, St. Mike's

This season's second rounder will need to produce as the Majors will be without the services of their first rounder Brendan Smith who has committed to the NCAA .. stalky player who has a nose for the net .. quick release coupled with okay skating skills .. hit and took the body when he could .. still a little raw in defensive zone coverage as well as keeping up with the pace of the game.. will be given every opportunity to shine as coach Stefanski was shuffling lines to see which player he'd warm up to.