OHL: Knight Watch

What a difference a year can make, especially for the London Knights. After losing the nucleus of the team, the Knights have yet to register a win this season in four tries. They did manage to pick up hotshot Sergei Kostitsyn, while the return of Frank Rediker, the maturation of Steven Ferry and the emergence of Corey Syvret, a first round pick, should help the back end. We also observe players on Guelph's second line - Matt Lyall, a centerman who missed time due to injuries last year and import selection Rafael Rotter, a dynamic forward with sensational speed and outstanding stick handling abilities.

Sergei Kostitsyn (Mtl), RW, London

A talented winger who plays the half boards on the PP .. not overly physical, he can be chippy ay times .. shows limited imagination in far as decision making is concerned .. able to see the ice well but is rather predictable in his actions .. relies heavily on his offensive abilities and needs to keep his feet moving at all times to be more effective and involved in play .. nice shot selection including wrist and slap shot .. relatively strong on his skates but not overly fast, limited lateral movement but surprisingly is able to show a burst of speed when needed; beat players to loose pucks to create chances for himself in two separate occasions .. uses his skate to make plays when stick is tied up .. saw a lot of ice time, made nice inside-out move on defender but is rather stationary on the PP .. would like to see him charge the net more to draw penalties and create more chances for himself.

Frank Rediker (FA), D, London

Originally drafted by Boston but had re-entered into the draft due to injury issues the past two years .. bad knee has cost him the better part of two seasons .. is a smart capable defender who is built like a tank and does not play outside his limits .. a defensive defenseman who plays two-on-ones to perfection and keeps the puck in play in PP situations .. looked a little slow as far as skating was concerned but positional play and safe approach with the puck made up for his skating deficiencies.

Steve Ferry (2006), D, London

A small defender who is not overly flashy but is dependable .. could be the best skater on newly revamped defence unit of the Knights .. shows great reverse movement which enables him to recover well and get back into the play .. successful in one-on-one battles .. capable of getting the shot off in a hurry and is equally adept at rushing the puck up the ice when the opportunity presents itself, however his offensive decision making needs to be addressed.

Corey Syvret (2007), D, London

Saw limited action as is typical of Dale Hunter's approach to handling rookies .. was slow to react and showed that more time will be needed on his part to adjust to the speed of the game, however lack of shifts could be a factor in this as well .. learning the ropes slowly .. a decent skater with a good-sized frame should be able to succeed in the future .. missed a few assignments and left his man alone in front, which lead to a scoring chance the other way and even less minutes for him after that.

Matt Lyall (2006), C, Guelph

Missed majority of the season last year with an auto-immune disorder .. a tall and smooth skater who charges the net and has a soft touch around the goal .. has good breakaway speed which resulted in a goal on a breakaway, his first of his OHL career .. made nice dekes, including shoulder dips .. appears to be very comfortable with the puck in scoring situations and shows no ill side effects from last season's injury .. astute in defensive zone awareness .. not a great first step but can hit a nice stride .. unique skating style as he pushes off heavily on his back foot to get top flight speed .. always moving which helps his overall game .. supporting his defence with conscious back checking .. skinny frame will need to bulk up to be more dominant so he can stay on his feet in front of the net.

Leigh Salters (2007), LW, Guelph

Second round OHL pick was perhaps the tallest player in the Alliance minor midget league last year and is certainly one of the biggest on the Storm, 6'3 and still growing .. smooth, shifty skater - remarkable for a player his size .. finishes checks and is at his best when he is laying out the body .. has ability to ignite teammates and crowd with strong big hits .. showed flashes of this with two strong shifts where he was all over the ice making things happen .. still getting used to the offensive side of the game and keeping up with the changes in pace .. agile and can slip in behind defenders to steal the puck and make centring passes .. intensity level should increase, thus making him more of an effective player in the future, a legitimate second liner next season.

Rafael Rotter (2006), C, Guelph

A small player with quick feet and outstanding offensive instincts .. able to stick handle through a whole team .. elusive and crafty with the puck .. relentless on the forecheck due to his strong skating skills .. great lateral movement, shifty and always buzzing around the ice, constantly moving his feet .. PP specialist with great vision .. draws penalties due to his size, 5'8, and his knack for attacking the front of the net, and is not afraid to get hit in the process .. anticipates very well , blocks shots and dives to rid players of the puck .. electric player who has gained not only the players' but also the fans' respect for his hard work and ability to get on the score sheet; so far has 9 points in 5 games .. new rule changes are certainly geared to help players of his skill set-type to succeed.

Harry Young (2008), D, Guelph

Biggest defender on the Storm at 6'4 .. decent skater with lateral movement that keeps him involved .. guilty at times of being caught flat footed .. defends the net and is cautious not to get lured out of position by stickhandling forwards .. plays the man as opposed to the puck .. challenges guys while he retains his position .. adapting to new rule changes and not allowing his large body to take needless penalties, rather leaning on forwards as opposed to interfering with them .. will continue to be a rock on defence for next couple of seasons and should complement his other highly skilled offensive defensemen on the team.

NHL PROSPECT WATCH

David Bolland continued to impress and is easily the Knights' best player this season. The team captain has played with intensity and competitive desire.

Bolland is delivering thunderous checks, showcasing his strength, and has been virtually impossible to knock off the puck, effectively working along the boards. Bolland's skating and hockey sense enable him to constantly be involved in the offence. After registering six points in the opener, he currently has 12 points in five games (six goals).

An experienced OHLer, Bolland will dominate this year and is all but guaranteed a spot on Canada's World Junior team. He is making healthy strides in fine-tuning his game for the professional ranks next season.