OHL: No Subbing for Subban

The Belleville Bulls finished first in the Eastern division this season. Following a ten-point improvement from last year, the team has gradually made upgrades at all positions and many young players have made their stamp on this club, making the Bulls a team to be reckoned with for a number of years to come. McKeen's reviews several young Bulls who have already made an impact this season.

Bryan Cameron (2007), RW, Belleville

More than doubled his point production this season and improved on his horrific plus/minus totals from a year ago .. skates extremely well, as his acceleration and straight away quickness generate ample scoring opportunities .. he does not always move and at times, you really have to look for him .. can make clever plays along the wall, as he often gets out of tight spaces with the puck due to his agility and low centre of gravity .. he goes to the net and is a capable finisher but does not drive the net with the puck, and whether it is a fear or confidence issue has yet to be determined .. a smart player who positions himself well in open areas .. would benefit from showing greater consistency and playing the type of solid two-way hockey that made him a first round selection in the OHL .. should be able to hear his name come draft day and together with a productive playoff, he could climb the charts.

P.K. Subban (2007), D, Belleville

One thing that is certain is P.K. does not stand for penalty kill .. although his defensive awareness has been getting better, he is still an offensive defenseman .. his skating and mobility has improved considerably since the start of the season .. there is no shortage of confidence in terms of handling the puck, as Belleville's breakouts have him carrying the puck up the ice .. he employs many head fakes and shoulder twists to throw off the opposition and is fairly successful .. even though he can get the puck up the ice, too often he looses his options and puts his forwards in bad spots failing to generate anything off the rush .. his slapshot is a boomer, but he needs to be more aware of when to unleash it because all too often he shoots in blocked shooting lanes .. his balance and body frame serve him well along the boards where he can out muscle players and retrieve the puck .. has improved and come a long way since being a sixth- round pick and will most likely be drafted, however his game is still flawed and he will need to settle down and think the game considerably better.

Eric Tangradi (2007), RW, Belleville

The big, strapping American-born winger has improved his all around play and as a result, has been receiving more icetime .. still struggling to keep up with the pace of the league, as he cannot seem to find the open ice and take a pass .. his skating is getting better considering he is still growing into his body, as size and coordination are still an issue .. his reverse movement is awful and he simply cannot move backwards .. more of an up-and-down winger .. his hands are ok, as he did not make any stellar moves with the puck but seemed able to control it down low .. likes to cycle the puck more than handle it in open ice .. a player with considerable potential and upside, as he was able to score with reasonable success at his prep school, however this is a much more competitive league.

Michael Neal (2007), LW, Belleville

The younger brother of Plymouth Whalers' forward James Neal (drafted by Dallas) has shown vast improvement in his game after being in-and-out of the lineup last season as a rookie .. plays more of a PK role as his size, large skating stride, and reach enable him to be effective .. does not possess blazing speed, but it is deceptive and he can always catch up to players .. he exhibits quick bursts of speed that can surprise an opponent but his leg strength cannot maintain that speed for prolonged periods .. dominates down low, where he drives his body to the net from the half boards and given the restrictions on defenders, he gets ample scoring opportunities by constantly moving his feet .. should be able to grow a few more inches and given his pedigree, he has an outside chance of being drafted.

Mike Murphy (2007), G, Belleville

The tall and thin Murphy played last year with Kingston of the OPJHL and posted respectable numbers .. needs to put on weight desperately not only for endurance sake, but to cover more of the net as well .. was beaten cleanly on two wristshots in this contest alone because of his inability to cover the net .. an ok puckhandler .. plays a butterfly style but goes down too early and really struggles in terms of being able to recover .. his play in traffic is also hindered by the fact that he is not moving enough .. more of a reflex goalie than a technical one .. his rebound control is average and his glove hand could use considerable work .. given the status of current No. 1 starter Kevin Lalande, Murphy should make a good backup next year, but will undoubtedly be usurped by rookie Edward Pasquale in due time.

Shawn Matthias (Fla), C, Belleville

Newly acquired Florida Panther was the key player in the deal that sent Todd Bertuzzi to Detroit .. a big, agile super-talented centre that has NHL size and speed .. has improved his offensive totals and takes advantage of his lightning release by catching many goalies by surprise .. can shoot off either wing or either foot .. great stick preparation, as he is always ready .. plays a pro game with his quick decisions, timely passes, and the way he commands the play with the puck in his possession .. is able to draw players to him and with his size, he can easily go around them or burn them with an accurate pass to an open teammate .. no longer viewed as a complimentary forward he can carry a line with his skill set and ability to make those around him that much better .. given the rapid development of several young stars in this game, he will be playing in the NHL in a few short seasons, making his mark as a third-line PK player with some offensive jam.

Matt Beleskey (Ana), LW, Belleville

The prototypical power forward Beleskey has added to his totals in each of his three seasons in the league .. drafted three years ago after the Bulls finished in last place and his emergence as a leader or go-to-guy has resulted in Belleville's first Eastern crown since the 2001 campaign .. a grinding, physical specimen who drives the net hard with or without the puck .. has ok vision but he likes to shoot and has an extremely hard shot .. at times, is a tad selfish and he will not pass the puck .. has quicker hands than feet and his skating has not improved substantially, although it does not prohibit him from joining the play at this level .. should be at the NHL training camp next year but is many years removed from even AHL play.

Matt Pelech (Cgy), D, Belleville

Calgary's first rounder finds himself on his third OHL team in as many seasons .. acquired in the off-season from the London Knights to help bolster the Bulls back end and give them more size .. was given free reign in Belleville this season and produced his best offensive totals to date besting his three other seasons combined .. played a much more aggressive game this season and really manhandled the opposition .. punishes opponents with his ability to line up players and deliver thunderous body checks .. his pucks skills down low are still very raw .. handled the puck more in the Belleville system and did make some improvements but when receiving a pass while standing still, he still has a tendency to bobble the puck when he initially skates with it .. taking more chances and encouraged to do so .. Calgary management will be hard pressed to decide what to do with Pelech, as the option to play another year of junior is still available for him.

Marc Cantin (2008), D, Belleville

It would appear that another sixth-round defenseman is earning his stripes on this Belleville team .. after a successful campaign with Lindsay of the OPJHL, Cantin joins the Bulls largely in part to the injury of first-round pick Shawn Lalonde .. lacks strength and he took many penalties in the game just to keep up .. he is a fluid skater and can move the puck up the ice fairly well .. he needs to establish position much quicker and close off the gap faster .. should make strides in development next season with added ice time.

Matthew Tipoff (2009), RW, Belleville

Has played sparingly this season and did not register a single goal in the 49 contests he suited up for .. gives you an honest effort and competes .. has a hard time settling down pucks and is learning that the play comes at him much faster, as he had a hard time adjusting all year .. has good acceleration despite his slightly awkward stance .. balance tends to be an issue as far as strength on his skates is concerned .. does not have the strength to drive the net rather, he elects to go around guys but often he gets pushed around .. late birth date should give him ample time to make an impression in the NHL scouting fraternity.