OHL: Jenks Stock Harpooning

The Plymouth Whalers have gone through many changes since last season's dramatic run to the Memorial Cup. They lost many of their top scorers and the coaching staff has been completely revamped. The Stefan brothers now run the ship and have done a good job considering the graduations. The Whalers strength lies in goal where Jeremy Smith continues to play at a level that keeps them in the top five in the Western conference. Chris Terry continues to lead the way offensively and is in the top five in league scoring. Newly acquired Ryan Hayes from the USNDP has been a pleasant surprise, averaging over a point a game since his arrival 10 games ago. McKeen's looks at several Whalers including AJ Jenks (pictured), a projected second round pick in this year's NHL entry draft.

AJ Jenks (2008), C, Plymouth

Jenks excelled in the Top Prospects skill portion of the event, as he registered the second hardest shot with 94 mph but only had an ok Top Prospects game going pointless and being a plus-1 .. Jenks continues to put up the points but he is not a gifted scorer and usually needs several whacks at the puck to convert on his chances .. his skating is fine for a player his size, as he is quick out of the gate .. he does not always move his feet and tends to glide a lot .. skates with no purpose or reason and takes the long route in defensive situations .. his hockey sense needs to be further evaluated .. plays more of a power game, as he relies on his brute strength .. good along the boards, he plays on a line that relies on him to get the puck down low and centre it in front .. he is a favorite amongst his teammates because he will always defend them .. for all his aggression though, he often pays the price and is called for far too many sticking infractions .. improving his draw skills .. he appears to have grown an inch and a half since the beginning of the year .. his desire to go to the net and play a physical game will be something some NHL teams will fall in love with, however his projection at this point does not appear to be more than a third or fourth centre in the NHL.

Michal Jordan (2008), D, Plymouth

Acquired in a deal that sent Michal Neuvirth to Windsor .. was a member of the Czech U20 team in December and played admirably .. could turn out to be quite a steal for the Whalers, as he already logs ample minutes and has done a great job defending his own goal .. known more for his defensive skills, he does have a deceptive skill set .. he often trails the play late but makes things happen .. he is a very subtle player but effective nonetheless .. his skating, especially laterally and in reverse are strong points to his game .. he does not over commit and plays a dependable game, which gives the coaching staff utmost confidence in him .. makes smart dump-ins and keeps things simple, never trying to play outside his limits .. even though he could burst into an opening, he plays well within the team system .. he has good size, however he needs to fill out .. his mental toughness has been on display daily and considering how well he has adjusted to a new style of game in a different country, he should garner some attention come NHL draft day.

Ryan Hayes (2008), RW, Plymouth

Whalers sixth round pick in the 2005 OHL entry draft joins the Whalers after a productive two-year career with the USNDP, in which he collected multiple medals in various international tournaments including a gold medal in the 2005-06 U18 .. a highly skilled offensive player who notched close to a point a game while with the USNDP .. great hands in close and an exceptional passer .. his shot release could be quicker .. healthy skater, he is not a burner but he does manage to keep up with most plays especially when coming out of the zone .. a smaller player but he does not take crap, as he willingly defends himself and will lower the boom to find an open-ice hit .. looked out of place positionally without the puck, as he appeared confused at times .. this can be chalked up to him joining the league and not being use to the pace yet .. has already added instant offence to a team that struggles to find the back of the net.

Vern Cooper (2009), LW, Plymouth

Cooper's season started incredibly slow but to his credit, he has been finding the back of the net with more regularity in the past two months .. appears to lack confidence with the puck, as he is far too hesitant with it .. does not shoot when in prime areas of the ice .. passes are usually hurried, as he does not realize how much time he has .. has put on weight but it still grossly underdeveloped .. he bounces off guys and cannot make a statement in a physical contest .. knocked off the puck far too easily at this point .. developing more into a playmaker but his wristshot is very strong .. with the PP, he is dangerous, as the extra time and space given to him allows more time to display his puck skills .. surprisingly, he only has one point on the PP due largely to the fact that he only sees the tail end of them .. his body language coming off the bench is also discouraging, as his shoulders are dropped and he looks generally distraught in his own play .. still learning the ropes.

Chris Terry (Car), LW, Plymouth

Terry is on pace for 100-plus points this season and has only failed to score in eight games this season .. the straw that stirs the drink, Terry is everything for his team .. an offensive dynamo, he is a shifty stickhandler and will always challenge a defenseman to the outside or directly to the net .. skates very similar to Martin St.Louis in that he takes many small strides and crosses over frequently .. his extra strength is the biggest reason for the jump in points .. when he broke into the league, he was approximately the same weight but it was not functional strength .. now he is able to fend off guys with one hand while pumping his feet forward .. this determined approach usually results in the opposition forced to haul him down .. he never stops moving his feet and down low he is very hard to contain .. he will try to do too much at times but that is almost because he feels he needs to put the team on his shoulders each night to win .. showing more attention to detail in the defensive zone, as he always comes back .. often criticized for not being intense enough, Terry shows a willingness to compete on a daily basis .. his renewed style of play has translated well on the scoresheet and for an organization that lacks overall prospect depth, Terry has an outside opportunity to shoot up to the pro's faster than one might think.