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OHL Priority Selection: Sarnia

The Sarnia Sting will be in rebuild mode for a few years. They did a good job of adding size, grit and talent with their first four picks. The addition of first round selection Brett Ritchie gives them a hulking forward up the middle. The selection of local talent Hottot, gives them some much-needed grit on the wings. Adding the likes of Brandon Francisco (should he report) gives them a slick playmaker and the addition of Jamie Phillips gives the Sting a legitimate starter in two seasons. McKeen's profiles these players.
Brett Ritchie (2011), RW, Sarnia
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One of the biggest players available in the draft (6-3, 190), Ritchie is a character player who eagerly sticks up for his teammates and has decent hands to score the occasional goal. He had the luxury of playing with talented linemates all season, as he was shuffled on both the top two lines of the OHL Cup winning Toronto Marlies. He also saw a bulk of icetime on the PP, as his size was utilized in front to bang away at loose pucks. He benefitted from the exposure of playing with such a winning team but he also designed many offensive plays as his 69 points in 71 games can attest. Ritchie improved on his overall play away from the puck, as he had some lazy habits to start the season. He relied more on his reach and the work of other linemates to retrieve the puck. Once he understood to move his feet quicker he became more of a factor. Ritchie's skating is a concern but considering that he added two inches and 25 pounds to his frame during the course of his draft year, adjusting to his growth spurt and coordination must be taken into consideration. Ritchie has the potential to be a tough, power forward that will be strong along the boards and dominate down low. He understands how to use his size and shelter the puck. Ritchie was also a force in the playoffs and many major tournaments, scoring clutch goals and thriving in tight, close-checking hockey games. He engaged in a few fights and has a powerful left and right, as his hands are like oven mitts. Ritchie is cut from the same cloth as a Colton Gillies. He will be tested early and will be relied upon to give the Sting some much-needed team toughness.
Craig Hottot (2010), RW, Sarnia
All 20 OHL teams could have had Hottot as a 15th round selection last season, however lack of exposure scared off many teams. Hottot left his home centre of Lambton to play for the Notre Dame Hounds. He had a sub par year offensively, as he was experimented on defence and never found his rhythm all year. Hottot was barely seen in his OHL draft year and a poor showing at the Under 17 evaluation camps in Woodstock also left little to be desired. Hottot returned to Sarnia and immediately secured a spot on the Sarnia Legionnaires (Western Jr. B). Under the watchful eye of coach Abercrombie, he developed into a very useful role player who could not only score but get under the skin of the opposition. He won the Western Conference Rookie-of-the-Year after leading the league in rookie scoring with 24 goals and 49 points in 52 games while also racking up an impressive 112 PIM. Hottot is fearless and will go hard to the net. His reckless and abrasive style of play cost him several games to injury but it is also what set him apart from his peers. His stock soared and drew the attention of many OHL scouts in the opening month of the season when he started to rack up the points on the third line of the Legionnaires. Despite being injured for the course of the playoffs, he still managed to post respectable totals with 16 points in 18 postseason games and he added three goals in the Sutherland Cup round robin. Hottot is still undersized and his durability will be tested more at the Major Junior level where players are considerably bigger, stronger and faster. He does have heart and determination and should he work on adding some muscle mass during the off-season, he should be a welcome addition to a Sting team that is desperate for scorers.
Brandon Francisco (2012), C, Sarnia
One of the more dynamic players available for the draft, Francisco made his intentions clear at the start of the season by announcing his verbal commitment to Maine. Francisco is a very elusive player with a tricky skill set. He often forces forwards to pokecheck him only for him to slither past them. His hand skills are sensational and he could be one of the best stickhandlers of the 1993-born forwards. Francisco would surprise you with his passing skills. Although, he could be guilty of holding onto the puck for far too long, he did dazzle and surprise teammates with his ability to thread the needle in tight spaces. Always aware of his position on the ice and the clear and present danger of his excessive stickhandling in traffic, Francisco never got tagged with a big hit all season. His on-ice awareness coupled with his shiftiness allowed him to be one of only nine players to record over 100 points amongst draft-eligible talent. Francisco played differently without top dog Daniel Catenacci in the lineup, as he was more of a team player. The two had healthy competition for one another but you have to wonder if it did not bring out negative aspects to Francisco's game, as he often tried to do too much when Catenacci played. His biggest struggles will be adding some much-needed height and weight, as he is painfully small (5-9, 155). Both his parents are small in stature as well so he may not grow that much. His game is well suited for the NCAA route and given his late birth date, he has plenty of time to mature physically while honing his overall game. Francisco's game mirrors that of Corey Trivino.
Jamie Phillips (2011), G, Sarnia
Certainly one of the more colourful goalies available for the draft, as his dreadlocks drew attention to him. Phillips maintained his position amongst the elite of goaltenders available in the draft but his stock plummeted considerably after an average SCTA playoff and lacklustre OHL Cup performance. Phillips relied on his skill set throughout the season and did not always prepare himself for tough mental challenges as wins came easy for him in the SCTA and his division leading St.Catharines Falcons. Phillips would cheat a little bit on his shuffle, did not always protect his five-hole and struggled with long shots. However, Phillips does boast strong technical skills and is very poised in his crease, always cutting down the angles and challenging shooters. He led all goalies with 11 shutouts and had the lowest goals-against average (1.39) of all goalies to play a minimum of 40 games. He still needs a year to start and develop at the Tier II level, as the adjustment to the OHL this year would be too much of a culture shock for him. For an organization that lacks depth in most positions, especially goaltending, Phillips stands a strong chance to prove himself and be the Sting's goalie of the future.
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