OHL: Storm Warnings

McKeen's looks at several prospects on the Guelph Storm.

Luke Pither (2007), C, Guelph

The problem with Pither is consistency as some nights he looks like a legitimate prospect and other nights he is invisible .. refuses to get involved physically which hurts his draft stock .. slowly starting to buy into team concepts of an aggressive fore check and hard work .. although he has a great shot, he is not selfish enough and often dishes the puck off in key scoring areas .. an average skater, though he managed to initiate some breakouts using his speed but he was playing up high all night and did not support the defence as much as he should have .. his contributions have not been as plentiful as coach Barr would like.

Rafael Rotter (2007), RW, Guelph

Could possibly be one of the fastest skaters in the league .. he motors around the ice with ease and the way he can weave in and out of traffic makes him a constant threat to score .. often drives forwards to the outside and uses his slick hands to get a shot or forces the defender to haul him down and draw a penalty .. he has great imagination and creativity with the puck, and is incredibly hard to contain one-on-one especially with the new rules .. plays with an edge and although he is very small he does not take any guff, often throwing his weight around or throwing punches .. one of the more talented players on this team he gives coach Barr a viable option on the PP.

Leigh Salters (2007), LW, Guelph

A big forward who skates well, he has struggled to receive ice time this year .... his hands are not as quick as his feet and he fails to capitalize on his scoring chances lacking the instincts and skills to be a finisher .. is more productive in a checking role, as he is defensively conscious .. uses his big frame to drive the net and cause a general disturbance but rarely finishes what he starts .. should see his ice time increase next year and an NHL team may take a chance on him because of the intangibles he brings.

Matt Kennedy (2007), RW, Guelph

No one plays harder or with more fire than Kennedy earning the respect of coach Barr and has even played with better linemates as a result .. his hands are not great but he can open up room for better players with his aggressive style of play .. his skating is decent and he gets where he needs to but could use his edges better as his appearance still looks a tad awkward .. plays much better when he simplifies his approach to the game but at times, he wants to contribute too much offensively .. sacrifices himself for the team and continues to be a good third line role player.

Brandon Buck (2007), C, Guelph

The transition to the OHL has not been an easy one for Buck often looking lost on the ice where the pace of the league appears too fast for him .. he is an energy-type player who tries to make an impact on every shift .. a healthy skater with decent anticipation he can navigate around the ice for the most part, so it may be a case of finding the right linemates.

Thomas McCollum (2008), G, Guelph

The surprise story of the year, the young New York native has been nothing short of spectacular in his rookie season .. gives his team a chance to win every night .. cool, calm approach to the game he is always in position and rarely caught scrambling .. fundamentally sound, square to the shooter and always ready for the rebound .. sees shots in traffic although like most goalies, he goes down a tad too early .. challenges deep, and comes out of the paint frequently .. his league leading goals-against average is one of the main reasons the Storm remain competitive in the Western Conference.

Drew Doughty (2008), D, Guelph

It is hard to imagine how good Doughty has become as every aspect of his game has improved, most notably his play away from the puck .. he does a very good job of separating himself from the man and the net, giving the opposition nothing but the outside .. not fooled by one-on-one moves .. he hits and is very effective when lining someone up often taking them out of the play .. has learned to conserve his energy and while he is capable of making mad dashes up the ice he reserves judgement, often waiting for the best time to pounce, showing a pro mentality .. speed is very deceiving as he looks to be going slow but can quickly turn on the after burners leaving players unable to keep up .. a top three selection for next year's NHL entry draft.

Jamie Arniel (2008), C, Guelph

Has shown that he can play at the OHL level tripling his point production from last year .. what makes Arniel so effective is his impressive skill and patience with the puck, allowing him many opportunities .. has a healthy scoring touch and generally knows where to be but his skating is average and would benefit greatly by constantly moving his feet .. he will also need to put some weight on for his draft year so he is not bumped around .. should continue to lead the Storm in scoring next year, which should help his draft chances.

Anthony Nigro (2008), LW, Guelph

Still adjusting to life in the OHL, he shows flashes of brilliance with the puck but too often, gets knocked off it .. he is making strides to work harder but his lack of physical involvement hinder any chances to produce .. he has shown some determination to crash the net but must do it with more regularity .. has a decent stride with a hunched over skating style .. coach Barr has tried to spark his confidence by lining him up with better players but offensive production this season may be too much to ask.