OHL Priority Selection: Oshawa Generals

Life without John Tavares signals that the rebuilding process is well underway. This was the first draft coordinated by Head Scout Mike Kelly and his revamped team of scouts. The Oshawa Generals had a balanced draft but the emphasis was on acquiring scorers with their first two picks. Fewer teams scored less than the Generals but the additions of Boone Jenner and Tyler Biggs (if he reports) should inject some immediate firepower into their lineup. The Generals took back-to-back defensemen with the 44th and 45th pick in Colin Suellentrop and Kyle Hope both players who have the potential to wear the GM logo. Fifth round selection Brain Hughes may be the dark horse of the draft. McKeen's profiles these players.

Boone Jenner (2011), C, Oshawa

Another top-ranked prospect to come out of the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs Midget program, Jenner is the younger brother of Leo Jenner, a 1989 undrafted defenseman for the Plymouth Whalers. Jenner should be able to step into the OHL and add his name to the scoresheet. He led the Alliance in scoring with 63 points in 32 games. However, Jenner was extremely effective and elevated his game in tournament play adding another 17 goals and 40 points in 22 games. He was instrumental in helping the Chiefs win the Alliance Championships with another spellbinding offensive performance with 29 points in 15 playoff games. Jenner's ability to dangle and create offence with any set of linemates was indicative of his high draft position. He lost his RW Luke Heitkamp for prolonged periods of time during the year and still managed to succeed. The coaching staff consisted of only Jenner's father and Jenner - the team captain - took nothing for granted displaying a strong work ethic and solid efforts on both sides of the puck. His game is very similar to Ryan O'Reilly, as he distributes the puck very well, has great on-ice awareness but like O'Reilly his skating is a drawback. His hockey sense will compensate for his skating flaws but he will need to make improvements in the off-season. Jenner is not afraid and approaches the game with reckless abandonment. At a solid 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he bangs and crashes and is constantly in motion to pester the puck off an opponent. His remarkable balance and strength helps him inch closer to the net where he is lethal in the paint. Jenner played in a handful of games for the St.Mary's Lincolns (Western Jr. B) and did not look out of place nor will he at the OHL level. He enters an ideal situation and will get every opportunity to play a regular shift. He more than likely will suit up along Brett Parnham, last season's leading scorer and the two of them could form instant chemistry with Jenner chalking up the points.

Tyler Biggs (2011), LW, Oshawa

The Generals will do everything in their power to sign Biggs, a standout winger who has already committed to the US Under 17 program. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, he already has pro size and coupled with his offensive talents (72-40-46-86) he could be a big time player at the OHL level. Biggs was slated to fall in the top 10, however two weeks before the OHL draft he announced his commitment to play for the US program taking advantage of his dual citizenship. Biggs is a prototypical power forward who has drawn comparisons to Josh Brittain. When he plays a physical game he is effective, however there were times during the season that he tried to rely more on his finesses skills and did not take advantage of his imposing frame. At times, he tried to over stickhandle and it did not garner favourable results. His play in front and ability to stimulate offence from transition is good and he eagerly attacks the net, this is what makes him effective. His skating is strong but not his forte. He will also need to work on his defensive positioning, as he tends to bite on moves by flashy forwards. Biggs comes from good hockey bloodlines, as his father Don Biggs was an 18-year pro splitting time between three leagues in that time (AHL, IHL, and NHL). Ironically, Don Biggs started his junior career with the Generals and after a year with the US program, the younger Biggs may follow in his father's OHL footsteps.

Colin Suellentrop (2011), D, Oshawa

The Generals rolled the dice again on yet another American with their first pick of the third round. Suellentrop is cut more from a defensive defenseman cloth, and was arguably the most consistent defender on the Detroit Compuware team that saw a total of 10 players get drafted, including five defenseman. Suellentrop is a no nonsense defender who tips the scales at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. He brings a nice blend of size and physical aggression and rounds out his skill set with tremendous mobility for a player of his stature. Suellentrop is very effective when defending down low. He can swallow up ice on opposing forwards quickly and literally blankets them with his size and reach rendering them ineffective. His puck skills need work but to his credit, he does a good job of identifying his man under pressure and making a strong outlet pass. He recorded 20 points in 54 games this season. Raised in Florida, Suellentrop realized at an early age that moving to a hockey hotbed (Michigan) was in his best interest to further his playing career. This season he will be faced with another important choice as to whether he should choose the NCAA route or that of Major Junior.

Kyle Hope (2011), D, Oshawa

A series of injuries hampered Hope for much of the season but he still managed to put up some decent numbers on a mediocre Chatham-Kent Cyclone team. Scouts were drawn to his sheer offensive ability and the fact that he was able to recover from his injuries and continue to play his all out kamikaze style of play. He has the makings of being an offensive-minded defenseman who can and will architect breakouts and lead the rush. His puck skills and more importantly his confidence with it will undoubtedly make him a viable option to run the Generals PP at some point in his junior career. He will make his share of mistakes but he also gives the Generals a dimension that they are lacking - a genuine puck-rushing defenseman. Hope, much like a young colt, still needs plenty of work on his positional play. He tended to skate all over the ice with little to no purpose but this can easily be fixed as coach DePiero has done a great job of getting the most out of his young players; helping them to understand the role they play in team success. With roster spots to win out of training camp, a strong showing could see Hope start the year with the Generals.

Brian Hughes (2011), C, Oshawa

The captain of his Barrie Jr. Colts team had a sensational season scoring 49 goals and recording 91 points in 68 games. Hughes excels in his attention to detail, as he is a solid two-way player with great faceoff skills. He is a competitor and his willingness to sacrifice his body was a key reason the Colts were able to raise their overall team play. The play of goaltender John Chartrand (80th overall Niagara) helped the Colts steal some games, however it was Hughes who led the offensive attack. Hughes is not a great skater and this will inevitably hold him back. He did his best to overcome his weakness by constantly being in motion and he does have a solid frame (6-0, 180) that is difficult to knock off the puck. His ability to cycle the puck around the perimeter without losing it makes him appealing to the Generals, as he could be a very complementary, third-line player in a few short seasons.