OHL: Harpooned Whale Showing Signs of Life

The Plymouth Whalers floundered to start the season, eventually costing coach Stefan his job. The team has been riddled with injuries and inconsistent play from their goaltending. There have been few bright spots for the Whalers this season, however a series of trades recently has restored optimism. The Whalers have crawled out of the Western basement and are improving. McKeen's looks at a handful of prospects eligible for the NHL Entry Draft.

Beau Schmitz (2009), D, Plymouth

Schmitz arrived with much fan fare and anticipation but so far he has struggled this season adjusting to the OHL game after a year with the UNTDP .. not a big defender but has a stocky build and all-compass mobility .. his footwork and skating are well equipped with agility, balance and speed .. this combination of skating skill marries well with his hand skills and puck rushing ability .. he has not fully tapped into his offensive ability and does not display the full on dashes up the ice this season as he had done last year .. he has struggled to establish a solid defensive game .. he is partnered with Jordan, the most responsible defender on the roster to help offset his mistakes .. he is easily drawn out of position and does not close the gap quickly enough .. has a great skill set to draw from but does not feel the game .. he does far too much unnecessary skating and needs to simplify his approach to situations .. a talent with a physical mean streak to his game, he will be on the radar of NHL scouts

Vern Cooper (2009), C, Plymouth

Cooper has never grown since his draft year and size continues to be his biggest drawback .. a gifted playmaker with a graceful skating style .. has explosive speed .. his stride is crisp and fluid .. he is in top speed within his first two steps .. very lean, Cooper is still small despite being in the league for three years, as he is routinely knocked off the puck and unable to battle down low for prolonged periods of time .. he plays more of a wide open game and looks to get into positions to score .. he is a dynamic one-on-one player with a rash of stickhandling moves .. he can drive a defender wide but does not have the tenacity or strength to drive to the net .. his shot is on the money, as his wristshot explodes off his stick .. used more as the F1, he seems to neglect his defensive duties when the puck crosses his blueline .. currently boasts a team low minus-13 .. Cooper has an uphill battle to reach his NHL aspirations.

Jamie Devane (2009), LW, Plymouth

Joined the Whalers this season after a successful season in Midget, which saw him dress for the All-Star game and also extend his run with the Vaughn Vipers all the way to the Central Regional Championship .. was instrumental in helping Vaughn capture the GTHL crown, as he was the most improved player from the start to the end of the year .. still raw in his skating and overall approach to the game .. he is slowly adjusting to the pace of the league but shows flashes of brilliance from time to time with his decision-making skills .. he lacks the speed to be the first man on the puck and will need to add some power to his stride .. Devane continues to get better when one considers where the 7th round pick was two seasons ago, as he has already defied the odds by making an OHL roster .. he will be an intriguing prospect but needs time to mature and develop.

Tyler Seguin (2010), C, Plymouth

Last season's first round selection has put together an impressive first half to his OHL rookie season with 22 points thru 27 games .. he is a scoring machine and has exceptional hand skills .. he is slowly beginning to operate better in traffic which has helped him score more .. he is an opportunist and only needs a small opening to cash in on a scoring opportunity .. Seguin can just as easily beat you with a quick flick of the wrist or a head fake to gain the line .. he is very successful at getting the puck to open ice and putting himself in areas to score .. he controls the puck very well when he is skating .. modestly built (6-0, 170), Seguin is a healthy skater but not a strong one .. he must continue to work on his tenacity to get to loose pucks and capitalize on his ability to create by putting in the hard work that is associated with scoring a goal.