OHL: Ryder Staal’s Majors

The Peterborough Petes enter the 2004/05 season with eleven NHL-drafted players on their roster, as well as another big Staal kid at center. With all kinds of talent, their legendary coach Dick Todd has returned to lead them to playoff glory from behind the bench. However, Peterborough’s offence sputtered in this contest against a stingy defensive effort from the Majors, failing to convert numerous power play opportunities en route to a 1-1 tie. OHL correspondent Doug Evinou files this report on some of Peterborough’s top skaters, as well as the Majors’ feisty NHL draft-eligible rookie Travis Elder.

Daniel Ryder (2005), C, Peterborough

Michael Ryder’s younger brother centers Peterborough’s top line alongside Edmonton draft pick Liam Reddox and OHL super-pest Patrick Kaleta, property of the Buffalo Sabres .. none of the three have imposing size, but they intimidate with their total speed and puck savvy .. assisted on Kaleta’s powerplay marker that opened the scoring in the first period .. worked the puck to the point and Kaleta pounced on a goal-mouth scramble after Peter Aston’s point shot hit some traffic on the way to the net .. has filled out since last year, and looks stronger on his skates when harassed while carrying the puck .. still needs some work in the face-off circle .. Ryder and Reddox paired for some dangerous looking chances in overtime, but were stymied by Justin Peters .. will be heavily scouted for the 2005 NHL draft.

Jordan Staal (2006), C, Peterborough

The third Staal to suit up in the Ontario Hockey League, Jordan looks to be the biggest in physical stature yet .. a decent skater who loves to carry the puck in the opposition’s end on the cycle .. has the ability to protect the puck with his size and reach .. his shot needs some work yet, as he takes too much time on the release, and has unimpressive power at this point .. getting eased into the line-up on the third line, although he was used in overtime and in some key defensive face-off situations .. fought hard behind his own net to win a puck in overtime, and clear the zone .. this Staal has all the tools to follow in his older brother Eric’s footsteps in Peterborough, and become an impact player for the Petes as early as the second half of this season.

Eero Kilpelainen (Dal), G, Peterborough

The goaltending-rich Dallas Stars have another quality goaltending prospect in this first-year Finnish keeper .. looks to have claimed the starting spot over veteran Jeff McDougald .. a tall, lanky keeper, he has good agility in his crease and moves from side to side easily .. his puckhandling is a little suspect, as his touch with the puck is shaky, and his decision-making sometimes shakier still .. nearly turned the puck over to the Majors in the first period behind his net .. missed Ryan Wilson sneaking in from the point, and was rescued by his post when Wilson took a cross ice pass and hit the iron instead of the yawning cage .. made several clutch saves with his quick glove hand, and preserved the tie for the Petes by making 31 saves .. was named the game’s First Star and has served notice that the Petes may have resolved their goaltending problems of the past few years.

Jordan Morrison (PIT), C, Peterborough

The Petes drafted this speedster in the first round of the 2002 OHL draft, and are still waiting for him to break out offensively for them .. centers a line with veteran captain Jamie Tardiff and Montreal pick Greg Stewart, and they work well together in the neutral zone moving the puck with speed .. a slight forward, his darting skating style makes him an elusive target for opposition rearguards .. the tight confines of the St. Michael’s Arena seemed to constrict his ability to beat defenders to the outside .. his ability to provide secondary scoring for the Petes will be a definitive component of any success they enjoy this season.

Aaron Dawson (CAR), D, Peterborough

Huge former third-rounder of Carolina had a hard-luck season in ’03/4, missing most of it with a shoulder injury .. looks to bounce back this year on what looks like an impressive group of defenseman on paper .. a solid if unspectacular all-around rearguard at the Ontario Hockey League level .. a punishing hitter, he is a policeman in front of his own net, protecting his keeper from unwanted intruders .. the main concern is his footwork and agility; he got caught flat-footed on a few occasions, and didn’t have the quickness to get back in the play.

Trevor Hendrikx (CBJ), D, Peterborough

Hendrikx was the Petes’ strongest blueliner on the day, playing well in all zones .. a man playing against boys in the OHL, and uses his strength to his advantage well .. Peterborough’s biggest problem thus far this season is their lack of a true powerplay quarterback; miscast in the particular role, he has put in a yeomen’s effort despite not being naturally suited for the job .. similar to Dawson, he has the strength and size to play professionally, but must still upgrade his footwork and general quickness if he is to succeed at a higher pace of play.

Travis Elder (2005), LW, St. Michael’s

Elder is making a splash as a 2005 NHL draft prospect after being an obscure 13th round OHL draft selection by the Majors in 2003 .. an aggressive forward with grit, he plays with intensity and has not been intimidated by any of his opponents in his rookie campaign .. after earning a spot on the Majors’ top line with talented forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Tyler Haskins, Elder is more then willing to do the dirty work for the pair .. drives to the net with abandon, and has become a thorn-prick in the side of OHL goaltenders .. has pro-size at 6-2 and 195lbs; combined with his skating abilities and tenacity makes him a strong draft contender.