OHL: Sarnia Sting - Life After Stamkos

A year after producing their first ever first overall NHL selection in Steven Stamkos, the Sarnia Sting find themselves in rebuilding mode, yet again. The Sting are short on talent and depth following a series of trades last year that left them without several of their younger prospects. It will be a long year for the Sting who suffered yet another blow when Ben O'Quinn decided to quit on the team, one of the few 1991-born players to play a regular shift for the squad last season. McKeen's Chief OHL correspondent David Burstyn looks at a handful of Sarnia Sting players looking to make a impact this season.

Miroslav Preisinger (2009), C, Sarnia

Star of HC Bratislava was a first round import selection going 31st overall .. a fixture on Slovak national teams including the Under-17 and Under-18 squads where he lined-up as a first line centre .. a steady skater, whose speed is offset by a poor first step .. played tentative in his debut but did manage to score a goal due to his persistence in-close .. not afraid even though he was targeted all game, as players took liberties on him .. played on both special teams, including the first PP unit, as well as the second PK unit .. offensively fuelled player who can make healthy plays with the puck .. lost his man defensively as he was not use to the pace of the game, however he did an admirable job of staying with a man once he had him marked .. should see ample time in the top-six forward unit this year and returning NHL drafted players should help to mature his modest skill set.

Daniel Broussard (2009), D, Sarnia

North Carolina native played midget hockey for the LA Jr. Kings before committing to the Sting in August .. a naturally aggressive defender with good mobility and on-ice awareness .. he struggled in his debut and saw very few shifts .. had a hard time containing his man down the rush and was often the victim of a Taylor Hall breakout .. he tried to assert himself physically but could not catch the players along the boards .. consistent with the puck, he can handle it rather well but once again was not given any opportunity to shine on the PP .. should be able to work himself up the depth chart throughout the course of the season and if he continues to play with toughness he should get noticed.

Brett Sullivan (2009), D, Sarnia

Bypassed in last year's NHL entry draft, the Kanata native saw action in 27 games last season failing to make an impression on the NHL brass due to his lack of playing time .. this year Sullivan is poised to be in the top-four rotation to be used more in a shutdown capacity .. long wingspan and above-average mobility aid his game .. his range of motion helps him in tight spaces, however he can get easily tricked by smaller, speedy players in open ice .. if he is able to establish position down low, he is successful if the play comes to him .. if he needs to move to the play he can get into trouble .. very limited in terms of handling the puck and being an offensive option, as he was not an accomplished scorer in minor or in the CHJL as a member of the Brockville Braves where he was mentored under the watchful eye of ex-Maple Leaf defender Todd Gill .. could be a fringe pick at this point but will need to step up his aggressiveness.

Joe Rogalski (2010), D, Sarnia

Rogalski enjoyed a fine debut season and even though he registered very few points, his game matured considerably away from the puck .. big and rangy defender who has shown more resiliency in his play and is trying to play a more solution-based game .. handling the puck regularly and wants to be a factor in the offensive zone .. has been given added responsibility and more reign this season to manufacture offence .. skating is still gangly, as his limbs tend to flail all over the place, but he is difficult to contain when mounting a rush .. coordination is slowly starting to catch up to his expansive body structure, which should benefit him next season when he becomes draft-eligible.

Gregg Sutch (2010), RW, Sarnia

First round selection had a tumultuous season battling through injuries that cost him the better part of his OHL draft year, effectively stunting his development .. however, he did show enough in the early stages of the year to warrant a first round selection (11th overall) .. power forward in the making has a slightly bow-legged style of skating, as he tends to generate his speed from his trunk and not necessarily his legs .. competes and did not shy away from physical areas of the ice however, despite his size (6-2, 190), he was easily pried off the puck .. failed to establish proper positioning, as opponents were to quick to set up positionally, often leaving him on the wrong side of the puck .. showed resounding determination and was rewarded late in the game with PP time .. has the frame to create room for himself and can stickhandle well for a player his size, as he is athletic and coordinated .. will need time to groom into the projected player he is supposed to be, but could be an absolute force once he turns 18 and adds much-needed functional strength.