OHL: PPP Report

Many things have changed for the Oshawa Generals in recent years. They moved into a new state-of-the-art facility and in a span of three years, they have transformed themselves into Memorial Cup contenders. While the arena upgrade was a long time coming, the gradual rise in the standings can be attributed to key, low draft picks panning out and producing. Besides the obvious contributions from John Tavares, McKeen's reviews several role players including Michael Del Zotto, Ziga Pance, Brett Parnham and Anthony Peters, who have all contributed to team success.

Michael DelZotto (2008), D, Oshawa

Nearly led the OHL in points from the backend as a rookie, as the highly skilled defender oozes offensive ability .. able to generate scoring chances due to his smoking shot and vision .. can locate his outlet and deliver a pass with laser accuracy .. struggles to set his position when defending and adjusting to the transition game, as he does not move his feet quick enough for the changes in the play .. will use his hands and body to defend and is not against getting his gloves up in another player's face .. employed this tactic on Bogasian, only to find out that he met his match, as he was beaten cleanly in the fight .. likes to finish checks when player's heads are down .. needs to settle down, as he can get mouthy and earns penalties or even misconducts as a result .. has all the offensive tools to succeed now, but must put it together defensively and also be tough enough in physical contests.

Dean Howard (2008), RW, Oshawa

Second year player should feel more comfortable in his surroundings, as he is projected to be a key contributor in the Generals push for the Memorial Cup .. partnered with Tavares in the early going and the two have formed good chemistry already, as he is more of a playmaker to Tavares' finishing skills .. can over handle the puck and will need to make quicker decisions with .. he can be inconsistent with his decision-making and especially his passing as it varies from shift-to-shift .. needs to focus and become mentally stronger .. has ok speed, which is complimented by his ability to maintain his stride when handling the puck and his quick reads in the neutral zone, which leads to breakouts the other way .. could surprise NHL scouts with his smarts and if he continues to play with Tavares, he should see a steady rise in his point totals .. one to monitor.

Marco Franchini (2008), C, Owen Sound

Impressed in training camp enough for GM Selwood to make a deal for him prior to the season, as he was dealt to Owen Sound for a series of draft picks .. a surplus at the centre position made him expendable however, he should get a chance to flourish in Owen Sound .. a speedy player who's skating is slightly awkward but nevertheless his best weapon .. he can be tricky and clever to contain in open-ice situations due to his shiftiness, but his lack of size (5-8, 155) prohibits him from being more dangerous .. maintains his position on the perimeter as a result .. he has a great wristshot and is a clever stickhandler .. he protects himself well but is the type of player the opposition love to hit .. has good persistence on the puckcarrier but is a terrible backchecker .. can be caught deep in the offensive zone and neglects to exhibit the same passion on the backcheck .. not certain how he will mesh for the Attack but given their loss of many key forward's he could see some substantial minutes.

Ziga Pance (2008), RW, Oshawa

Did not get a chance to flourish last season, as he spent a bulk of the season battling injuries and adjusting to life in North America .. looks more comfortable and as a result, is establishing a niche for himself similar to that of Cal Clutterbuck but without the offensive skill set .. an aggressive forechecker who is relentless and rarely gives up on a play .. willingly engages down low and tries to create with a series of head fakes and full-on charges to the net .. sacrifices himself for the good of the play and team, as he will dive to block a shot, or to intercept a pass .. he competes and wants the puck at all times .. much better this season at expecting a hit and getting out of the way quicker .. showed good poise on the PP with his patience on the half boards and ability to locate cross-ice passes .. has a decent second gear, which allows him to jump into a play and come back when necessary .. a character player whose work ethic and overall play is essential for success.

Brett Parnham (2008), C, Oshawa

The small but diminutive centre is expected to take huge steps in his offensive game this season .. lightning-quick skater, as his feet do not even appear to touch the ice, rather he dances on it .. shifty and explodes with the puck on his blade .. has innate ability to lose defensive coverage and get behind defenders, thus enabling him to go to the front and try to deflect tips and rebounds .. has good hand/eye coordination .. he takes abuse and is not overly strong however, he can fend for himself by staying low to the ice and skating by bigger defenders .. his vision serves him well and often he can find a pass when it appears he has run out of real estate .. should be a good secondary scorer however, aspirations of playing pro other than the ECHL might be too lofty.

Kory Nagy (2008), C, Oshawa

Yet another player passed over last season, Nagy is a great junior player, as he encompasses a work ethic unrivalled by his peers .. strong on the faceoff circle, he wins the majority of his draws and is often on the ice in the dying minutes of a close game .. he can shutdown the opposition and with the added 20 pounds he put on in the off-season, he can be a more physical presence in tight-checking games .. a better-than-average skater, who can cycle down low and escape coverage to make a break to the net .. a valuable role player who may not see a steady increase in points but should be a heavy favorite already to be an overage player in a few seasons .. his future with the Generals is very promising.

Anthony Peters (2009), G, Kingston

Was given the backup job to start last season but buckled under the pressure and performed miserably in his limited starts posting a 1-5 record .. was sent down to the Wellington Dukes where he regained his confidence going a perfect 6-0 in the regular season and started in five playoff games .. very nimble and athletic, he relies heavily on his reflexes .. his movement is aided by improvements he made to his style and overall skating, as he is able to push harder on his back leg allowing maximum coverage .. much like his brother before him, he is a pit bull in his crease .. follows plays well and has a good concentration level .. openly challenges shooters while cutting down the angles .. will need to show more consistency, as he can allow soft goals from time-to-time .. has plenty of time to prepare himself for the draft, as he should see plenty of playing time this season.

David Corrente (2009), D, Oshawa

Plays a similar game to his older brother Matt (NYJ - 2006/30th overall), as he has a cannon of a shot from the point .. registered a hat trick against the Petes in preseason with two coming off a pointshot and the other when he jumped directly into the play .. plays a physical game and always looks to rub out his man along the boards .. put on considerable weight in the off-season, as he now stands 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds .. he is always looking to jump into the offence by being the fourth man in .. he has decent vision on the PP and plays a steady game with the puck when given time .. his footwork is an immediate concern and will need to be addressed .. should be groomed slowly as the addition of McGinnis on the backend and other returning defensemen has him on the outside looking in.