OHL: Sanguinetti Bloody Good

With a formidable offence and a solid back end the Owen Sound Attack will once again be strong contenders in the OHL West. Leading the pack on defense is a couple of draft eligible rearguards in Bob Sanguinetti and Theo Peckham, both mature beyond their years. We have progress reports on these two as well as additional analysis on the likes of James Delory, Cal Clutterbuck and Matthew Kang.

Bob Sanguinetti (2006), D, Owen Sound

It's no wonder the Attack missed him so much during the playoffs last season .. has elite skating skills and is capable of making end-to-end rushes .. effortless stride which creates top end speed enables him to recover should he get caught up ice .. skating allots him liberties in offensive opportunities with solid reverse movement .. smart player with a compact approach without unnecessary flash .. smooth and in command of his body .. goes to the slot and pinches effectively, always getting ready to jump into the offence .. loves to fire the puck up the ice; the new rules suit him perfectly as he frequently sends it end-to-end, through three lines .. all the tools to land in the first round are there.

Theo Peckham (2006), D, Owen Sound

Rough-and-tumble defender is a great crease clearer .. has adjusted to new rules and is rather effective in his approach .. in an 8-3 loss Peckham still managed a +1 rating .. fast feet which make him quick to react to changes in the offensive zone .. rarely caught flat footed .. strong on his skates and is often the victor of corner board battles .. solid defensively, not fooled by fast skaters or quick moves, effectively playing the man .. made a strong play on a 2-1, not overcommitting to the puck carrier and nullifying a scoring opportunity .. plays with desperation to rid the puck out of the zone .. early play this season is reminiscent Mark Fraser of the Kitchener Rangers last season during the playoffs.

Matthew Kang (2007), LW, Owen Sound

Still finding his groove in the OHL .. can certainly keep up with the pace of the game with his quick stride and fast feet .. broke free a few times but failed to convert on breakaway chances .. offensively gifted and knows what to do with puck even though he sometimes is guilty of forcing a play; this may have worked last year in Tier II but with limited-to-no success in the OHL .. played with many different linemates and flourished with Ryan as they had many positive shifts, cycling the puck down low and completing crisp passes .. not afraid to put his small 5'11 (generous) frame at risk by charging full throttle to the net or taking a hit to advance the puck .. competes on all shifts and is active in puck pursuit .. offensively he has been a little slow out of the gate but certainly has the tools to produce in this league.

Payton Liske (2007), LW, Owen Sound

Struggling to live up to expectations thrust upon him, with no goals and a mere 4 assists in his first 11 games .. at 6-foot-5, he is the tallest player on the team but is very thin and brittle .. rarely uses his size to outmuscle opponents in one-on-one situations .. a decent skater .. has quick hands and potential to produce but has yet to establish himself .. tends to try and stickhandle through whole team and do too much by himself .. once tried to manoeuver past around three guys, lost the puck and wound up taking an unnecessary penalty when trying to get back in position .. must use his teammates better.

Joshua Bailey (2008), C, Owen Sound

Making the adjustment to the OHL better than former teammate Lukas Pither .. already seeing first PP unit time .. coach Struthers has been impressed with his two way play so far .. makes very good decisions with the puck, does not overplay it and shows veteran mentality when in possession .. made countless centring feeds that resulted in scoring opportunities .. average skater but anticipates and positions himself well .. goes to the net but doesn't stay long .. darts in and out of danger areas and takes abuse at times but does not get discouraged and attacks the net again the very next shift .. makes good plays away from the puck as he used his stick to beat players along the boards as his hesitation allowed him positional advantage .. shows promise as a go-to-guy and his work ethic coupled with skill makes him a potential commodity.

James DeLory (2006), D, Oshawa

Imposing and very physical .. shows more confidence than last year in playing the puck .. was even found deep behind Owen Sound net working the puck down low .. has improved on his mobility and overall movement .. still looks to throw thunderous checks which ignite teammates but severely hamper his defensive positioning when he misses .. connects a little more than half the time .. added strength in the off season is apparent in his game as he appears faster with the puck and quicker to react to changes in the flow of the game .. takes more chances offensively as opposed to passive hang-back approach witnessed in his rookie year .. should contend for defensive scoring on Oshawa.

Cal Clutterbuck (2006), RW, Oshawa

Really starting to look like his 200 pounds, thick upper body and big arms .. a complete player who has benefited by playing with team Canada Under 18 world team .. returns for his third year in the OHL as a solid leader and team player .. sacrifices his body for the good of the team .. playing primarily with Tavares .. drives to the net and his spirited play inspires teammates to perform better .. decent speed and sound anticipation skills result in many potential scoring chances .. continuing to further his draft status with solid two-way play and excellent understanding of the game .. has fine-tuned his game considerably and looks better with every passing match.