OHL: Sizzling Otters

Last year marked the first time in franchise history that the Erie Otters drafted first overall. The Otters are a team on the rise and during a recent road trip, they beat the two OHL finalists of last season, Sudbury and Plymouth. Despite their poor record last season, three players were selected in the NHL entry draft. The future is very promising as the Otters have a surplus of young and capable forwards and a rebuilding defense that is high on skill but lacking only experience. Goaltending will continue to be their Achilles heel, as they gave up a league leading 378 goals last season. McKeen's reviews several Otters poised to make their mark this season.

Jordan Skellett (2008), LW, Erie

Three coaches in as many years, a series of injuries and a trade are all things Skellett has had to deal with before he became NHL-draft eligible .. a silky-smooth skater who commands the ice with his long, graceful stride .. capable of picking up his acceleration, he turns and can pivot well from both sides and feet .. a creative winger who opens up room for others by displaying patience and quick maneuverability on the half boards .. he can make plays in tight spaces but does not rush the net .. he could do a better job of moving his feet without the puck .. sadly, he lacks any type of physical dimension to his game .. rarely does he compete for loose pucks or show a willingness to get his nose dirty .. he found his offensive confidence last year averaging close to a point a game in his final 28 contests with Erie however, with no physical element to his game he may be overlooked on draft day.

Kelly Geoffrey (2008), LW, Erie

Geoffrey exceeded everyone's expectations except his own last year .. surprising rookie totals, as he notched 14 goals and demonstrated the grit needed on a daily basis to be a mainstay in the lineup .. this season he appears to have lost that extra bit of toughness that made him a target but also got him involved in the play .. he has great finishing skills and he can bury in close, as he stays with his chances for second and third opportunities .. he is tricky in traffic, he can stick handle close to his body and his shiftiness is a strength that eludes defenders .. defensively he is very undisciplined .. his offensive rushes usually result in him being trapped deep and he shows very little commitment to return back to his own zone .. his play away from the puck is alarming, as he does not know what to do .. needs to regain his confidence from last year to be an impact player.

Mitch Gaulton (2008), D, Erie

It would appear Galton's game has digressed, as he was not invited to the Team Canada Under-18 evaluation camps, despite being drafted higher than many peers who made the team .. Gaulton's strengths lie in his puckmoving ability and shot .. he has a rocket of a blast however, too often he lacks the lateral agility to position himself to take it .. he is more of a stationary player, as he does not move his feet, making it easy to cover him on the PP despite his gifted QB skills .. his lack of foot speed hinders his overall game .. when he takes offensive chances too often, he runs the risk of losing the puck and a breakaway occurring in the other direction .. his lack of foot speed is a direct result of him being too top heavy .. he simply cannot pivot to his right side, as he favors his left but still gets caught scrambling when there is a break in the neutral zone .. he has a choppy stride .. has the potential if he can put it all together .. his offensive skills make him a premium prospect however, he needs to show a better commitment to health and fitness .. must apply himself more and play with heightened desperation, as much more is expected of him this season.

Brian Shaw (2008), D, Erie

Played a quiet role for the team last year soaking in the experience to better prepare himself for this season .. played 64 games last season albeit sparingly, as he was the seventh defenseman in most games .. Shaw provides the backend with size and toughness .. not an overly gifted skater .. he is gangly, produces limited speed and is rigid in his lateral movement .. he is effective in closing off lanes by his sheer size .. he can easily be caught out of position though and needs to monitor his positioning more closely .. limited offensive capabilities, he shows the occasional decent first pass out of his zone but for the most part, his game is better suited to compliment a more mobile offensive-minded defenseman.

Robyn Sertic (2008), D, Erie

The former eighth-round selection of the 2006 OHL draft has defied the odds and claimed a spot on this roster .. a slick and mobile defender who handles the puck well .. his downfall is his lack of size .. he has decent height but has not been able to put on the weight .. he has a difficult time with bigger players and relies more keenly on his defensive acumen than being physically imposing .. loses corner and wall battles constantly as a result .. he sees the PP but he does not own a powerful shot .. he is more capable of drawing players out of position and then executing a perfect pass to create a scoring opportunity .. can be tentative with the puck, as too often he was pushed back deep into his zone forcing his players to re-group and organize their positions, thus giving the opposition a chance to read the play .. his play has come along however, he suffers from inexperience and is still adjusting to the pace of the league .. he should be a continual supporter on the backend for a few years.

Zack Torquato (Det), C, Erie

Fell well below projected rankings in last years NHL Entry Draft, as he was scooped up at the bargain basement price of 178th overall by the wily and intelligent Detroit Red Wings .. a smart and highly gifted playmaking centre, he has the capacity to make others around him better .. he can melt the ice with his passes, as they are always tape-to-tape and in open areas of the ice .. he is especially dangerous on the PP .. he needs to shoot more, as he has developed into too much of a playmaker and now the opposition plays the pass when he has the puck.. has crafty in-close finishing skills .. he waits for goalies to drop down and open areas of their net and gently slides the puck on the ice .. does not over muscle or over power his game, as he takes things at a very relaxed pace .. he is still quite slow on his feet .. his first step prohibits him from vaulting himself into the open where he could take advantage of the room he creates with his superior puck skills .. his game is becoming more complete and he may be able to land a spot on an AHL team should he continue to process the game better.

Nick Palmieri (NJ), Erie

Survived a few rounds of cuts while attending the Devils training camp .. positive experience has helped to renew his confidence and instill a more desired work ethic .. skating remains the same, as he is an up/down skater .. he thrashes about on the ice as his choppy stride and violent crossovers paint the picture of a reckless skater .. he uses his size well but would still benefit from crashing the net more .. has a patent move where he swings from the half boards to unload a shot .. he does a good job with this move, as he opens up space for himself by shielding the puck and has a very hard wristshot that most goalies cannot contain .. he needs to see the ice better and use his size in that regard to open up ice and then distribute the puck .. he eagerly defends his teammates .. is the type of player that will help the Otters, as he commands respect and has a good skill set .. expect a jump in offensive totals this year.

Ryan O'Reilly (2009), Erie

The first overall selection has not disappointed and leads all Otters in scoring after the first four games, averaging over a point a game .. quick transition to the league has seen him play on both the PP and PK already .. relied upon heavily in all situations and for obvious reasons, as he could be the smartest player on the team .. his anticipation skills help to offset his lack of skating ability .. he is able to get there but his first step needs work .. he uses his body to create penalties, as he does not stop working especially down low and boxes players out with his growing frame .. not afraid to assert himself physically .. is versatile as he can play the wing or centre .. had a good faceoff technique when called upon the circle .. steadily gaining confidence in this league, as he has matured significantly in a matter of weeks playing at this level of competition .. has leadership qualities and is cut from the same mold as a young Kirk Muller.