OHL: London Not Getting Their Phil

Mckeen's correspondent David Burstyn takes another look at several 2008 NHL draft-eligible prospect from the London Knights and Kitchener Rangers including Mikkel Boedker and Philip McRae, who are currently listed at No. 11 and No. 28 respectively on McKeen's Preliminary Draft Rankings.

Philip McRae (2008), C, London

Consistency has continued to plague the young McRae .. he is still growing and has not managed to coordinate his size with his skill set .. he has grown another inch this year and now stands at 6-foot-3 compared to 6-feet, when he first broke into the OHL .. a good skater with potential game-breaking abilities, as he can make some dynamic plays .. tends to fade into obscurity and lack of prime time PP minutes does not help his overall game .. unlike his father, he does not mix it up and usually is the first to back off after the whistle if a skirmish should erupt .. he certainly has the potential however, with a deep draft he may find his stock slip if he is not able to dominate games.

Vladimir Roth (2008), D, London

Roth continues to shine in his OHL-debut season .. playing more minutes and becoming more comfortable with the pace of the league .. his footwork and skating ability are already at a pro level .. he moves effortlessly in all directions .. his decision-making skills in general are safe, economical ones .. he rarely springs into an attack and is very cautious even of crossing the red line .. he brings stability to a defensive unit that is in complete shambles, which in recent games has seen Aliu return back to defense (a position he played in minor hockey) .. steadfast in his positional play and defensive zone coverage .. he cheats at times in the box only because he knows he can recover .. subtle puck skills, he does not get an opportunity to display his puck acumen but he did show signs of improvement especially when given PP time .. does not appear to have a mean streak and is beanpole thin, as he has not fully matured .. draws similar comparisons to Matt Pelech, (without the toughness), a former first round pick .. Roth will likely be an early second selection.

Mikkel Boedker (2008), RW, Kitchener

Producing over a point-per-game clip while playing in the shadows of the No. 1 unit of Azevedo, Halischuk and Spaling .. benefits from not getting the tougher checking assignments and is able to weave around the ice more freely .. plays the point on the PP due to his blistering shot but needs to be more aware of when to release it, as his shots were blocked on numerous occasions .. swift and agile skater, he has outstanding mobility and deft quickness .. he has an abundance of clever moves, as his stickhandling is mature .. he sees the ice very well and makes strong passes .. a finesse player through and through, he is selective when he decides to engage but appears to have good preservation skills as not to be hit .. he willingly comes back and did so early in the contest, which resulted in a goal the other way giving the Rangers a crucial lead at the time and inevitably resulting in the win .. interchangeable, he saw time with a multitude of linemates but performed his best when partnered with Kadri .. has all the tools and it should be interesting to see how he handles himself during the playoffs, with the ultimate test being if he will be intimidated off his game.

Scott Timmons (2008), C, Kitchener

Former Hamilton Reps captain is enjoying a breakout campaign after starring for the Rangers last season in 42 games .. with the recent departure of Martello and Zamec, Timmons finds himself with more icetime and has responded perfectly, meshing on the third line with Masciloi and Duco to provide a very formidable and dangerous third unit .. healthy skater with strong leg thrusts and power behind his stride .. supple hands, he gets top marks for competing and showing second efforts in scoring areas .. scored two goals in this contest - a breakaway goal where he exhibited patience and another where he battled through two checkers and diving to bang home a loose puck displaying the ways in which he can score and contribute .. more of a finisher than a playmaker .. he shows grit and plays with some jam .. a good role player that should be key for coach DeBoer's Memorial Cup run, granted he is not traded first.

Mike Mascioli (2008), RW, Kitchener

Last season's transgression that saw him earning little to no icetime with the Rangers and subsequently not being able to stick with the Kitchener Dutchmen (Jr.B) are long behind him .. the former second round pick came to camp focused and managed to put on some weight to his wiry frame .. employing the roll of a pest, he has a good set of hands and is not afraid to jump into traffic .. due to his quickness, he is often the first on the puck in the corners .. he is smarter in his approach now than he was last year where he motored around the ice with no purpose .. he picks his spots better and it has resulted in his better offensive totals .. when he cannot contribute offensively, he is at least trying to make a difference by finishing his checks and picking up his defensive assignments .. yet another player who has impressed this year in a limited role for the Rangers however, his status as a player for the Rangers could be in limbo if coach DeBoer is serious about bulking up for a Memorial Cup run.

Nazem Kadri (2009), C, Kitchener

Has already duplicated his offensive totals from last year at the quarter mark of his second season .. a highly energetic, workhorse-of-a-player .. he competes and backchecks with zest .. plays a gritty game but is not goaded into taking penalties, as he has harnessed his aggression better this season, a sign of maturity .. he is very strong on his skates and is able to slither his frame behind players and gain positional advantage to strip them off the puck .. usually the deepest forward inside the offensive zone and fully recovers to backcheck as far back as behind his net .. a somewhat choppy skater but he gets there and although it is not pretty, it certainly does not prohibit him from launching a play .. good faceoff skills, he won many key draws .. improving in all facets of his game, as the confidence he has gained this season has been invaluable .. a clutch player who thrives in close contests, he should be a difference maker this year come playoff time.

Philip Varone (2009), W/C, Kitchener

Actively joins the Rangers this season after playing in a handful of games last year and has been their most improved player earning valuable icetime while playing a defensively conscious game .. shows patience in his play, as he is a mature puckhandler .. played well in his own zone and did not rush into the offensive zone to chase opportunities but rather using his speed and winning loose puck battles .. continues to gain confidence and is slowly working his way up, even seeing icetime on the third line and minimal PP time.