OHL Priority Selection: Owen Sound Attack

The Owen Sound Attack finally enjoyed some success last season due to the healthy selections they have made in past drafts. Since taking over the GM duties, Dale DeGray has done an admirable job considering how void the organization was in both prospects and picks when he took the job. DeGray has the final decision but he works closely with Director of Scouting Ian MacLellean. Both identified needs this season and addressed them nicely on draft day. They helped to shore up their defensive unit with Crombeen (9th overall) and Kuzmyk (49th overall). They also got bigger up front with Tyler Morgan (29th overall) and helped to shore up their goaltending by selecting Jordan Binnington, the first goalie selected out of the GTHL.

Curtis Crombeen (2011), D, Owen Sound

In an effort to rebuild their backend, the Attack wisely selected Curtis Crombeen. Crombeen comes from good hockey stock, as his first cousin is BJ Crombeen (St. Louis Blues) and his father Pat played five successful seasons in the OHL with the Cornwall Royals and London Knights. The swift skating, left-handed shot was a fixture on both the PP and PK, as the Lambton Jr. Sting only dressed five defenseman all year. Crombeen plays a game very similar to Nick Crawford of the Saginaw Spirit. He has strong mental composure and can slow down the pace of the game. Poised and comfortable with the puck, Crombeen added layers to his offensive game by adopting new techniques during the course of the season to make him more of an offensive threat. It was common for him to attempt to sneak in backdoor for the opposition to take notice of him, thus leaving his other linemates open. Crombeen is a healthy skater, not a strong one but he has a nice efficient stride and should have no problem adjusting to the pace of the OHL. He played with the Sarnia Legionnaires (Western Jr. B) during the course of their playoff run to the Sutherland Cup. Injuries derailed his season and he was unable to participate actively in the round robin portion of the Sutherland Cup. Nonetheless, he recorded 5 points in 17 playoff games, competing against players five years older. Crombeen was able to stay involved in the play due to his uncanny hockey sense. He used his body position to win loose puck battles along the wall, as well as an active stick in the neutral zone to poke the puck up ice. At times, Crombeen would even take a half second to look into the glass to see how much time he had to make a play. At 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, Crombeen will need to add some weight to his frame and given a rigorous training program in the off-season, he should be able to report to camp at 175. Crombeen will be a rock on the backend for the Attack for years to come.

Tyler Morgan (2011), LW, Owen Sound

This year should be the ultimate test for Morgan, as it will mark the first time in his hockey career that he will be split apart from his twin brother (Brett 37th overall, Kingston). The higher of the two twins selected, Tyler's numbers were actually lower than the numbers of his brother, as he recorded 48 points in 50 regular and tournament games. The Attack are lacking size up the middle, as they only had four forwards dress a regular shift that were above six-feet. Morgan is a big guy who can score goals but will need to find some definition in his game. At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, he already becomes one of the biggest players on the team and has all the tools to be a dominant player in the league if he can shed his passive behaviour. Morgan is the more talented of the brothers but he does not always work that hard for his chances. He prefers others to do the work for him unless he is positioned in the offensive zone, then he does not mind working. A slick skater who is remarkably agile for a player of his size, he has a great wingspan and shelters the puck in his feet before locating a passing option. Morgan is difficult to knock off the puck, something that will become even harder once he gets older. Morgan possesses many tangibles, however it will be up to him to decide his reputation as a player.

Jordan Binnington (2011), G, Owen Sound

The first goalie chosen from the GTHL, Binnington is a nice blend of size and athleticism. The Richmond Hill native stuck with his Vaughn team even though many of his bantam teammates disappeared to other teams. Binnington was lured to join other centres but remained loyal and benefitted from a team system that was based around him being the focal point. The Vaughn Kings were not an overly skilled team but they played a very aggressive forechecking system and relied primarily on their backend and goaltending to win them hockey games. Binnington played a large role in team success with his ability to make successive saves and expend little to no effort in the process. Binnington plays a butterfly style and covers a large portion of the net. He has yet to fill out and appears much wider than his 6-foot-0, 145-pound frame suggests. He relies on his size to make saves and has a quick glove hand. His puckhandling ability is also mature. Binnington needs to learn to stay up for shots, as his first instinct is to drop down to the butterfly. Remarkably, he was not beaten up high much this season, but was beaten down low on pointshots, as he had a difficult time seeing the puck through traffic. The Attack will more than likely deal Tyler Beskorowany at some point this season leaving the backup role open for either Jeff Flagler or Binnington to secure the job. Binnington has a bright future and should he stick with the Attack early and get some OHL experience under his belt, then he would be almost a guarantee to make the Under 17 camp, as he has already advanced to the main evaluation camp.

Jack Kuzmyk (2012), D, Owen Sound

The need to address toughness on the blueline was never more evident than this year's opening round playoff loss where the Attack were pushed around by the Spitfires and eliminated in four straight. The answer may come in the form of Jack Kuzmyk - a punishing, hard-hitting defender that relishes the physical aspect of the game. Kuzmyk improved considerably throughout the course of the season - most notably his skating and his defensive positioning. At the beginning of the season, he tried to physically manhandle guys and would sacrifice his gap control looking for the big hit. As the playoffs approached, he made some modifications to his defensive positioning, which helped him become more effective. Kuzmyk will not be known for his offensive fortitude so it is important for him to play his man correctly. His skating needs refinement. His first step and overall athleticism are ok but not at an OHL level yet. A year of additional strength and conditioning and improving his coordination at the Tier II level should go a long way into his development. Considering his late birth date the Attack would be wise not to rush him.