OHL: Tall Staal

The Peterborough Petes appear to be the only antidote to another London Knights reign of the Ontario Hockey League this season (both teams have a league-high 20 wins to date). The reason for Peterborough's success has been a deep roster of skilled players including Jordan Staal, the McKeen's fourth-rated prospect for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. We have progress reports on Staal and several other Petes of interest.

Jordan Staal (2006), C, Peterborough

Still looks lackadaisical at times in the neutral zone and needs to develop a greater urgency for the puck .. a brainy player who is very good at positioning himself in areas in front of the net .. he is very tall and elastic so even when the defender thinks he has his stick tied up Staal has a way of angling his body to get a step on the opponent, keeping his stick on the ice in the process for an easy tap-in or deflection .. can finish in-close and battles hard down low .. beautiful long stride but doesn't really exhibit high-end speed .. solid in his own end, clearing the zone and winning loose puck battles alongside the boards and his big frame powers over guys .. willing to get his body involved in traffic but isn't overly aggressive .. so much potential to grow here but must be brought along carefully.

Burke MacDonald (2006), D, Peterborough

A reliable stay-at-home defender .. nothing flashy about his game, just makes simple plays .. decent skater with a limited first step and acceleration .. benefits when forwards support him by coming back further into the defensive zone so he can easily dish it off to them to create the transition game .. big body and clears the front of the net and zone .. strong but needs to hone h his aggression as he will almost certainly be on the losing side of the stick as far as penalties are concerned.

Mark Pawlowski (2006), D, Peterborough

Has really elevated his game and is making a nice transition from Jr.B .. great skater with superb mobility .. decision making is frequently questionable as he gets into misadventures when trying to create plays .. quite positionally raw although a very good open ice hitter and made some crushing hits .. has a bad habit of abandoning his position around the side of the net, just chasing guys into the corner, but is making very slow gradual adjustments in terms of intensity and conscientiousness .. many good tools to like here, enough to go on day two of the draft potentially.

Jason McDonough (2007), LW, Peterborough

Younger brother of Ryan has speed to burn just like his sibling .. great acceleration coupled with a low centre of gravity makes it hard to knock his off the puck .. has a bit of an aggressive streak to his play as he likes to finish his checks and play tough .. competes on every shift and works hard especially in the corners .. attacks the net and has a quick stick .. diligent defensively, ties up his man .. work ethic and passion for the game are contagious.

Zach Harnden (2008), RW, Peterborough

Tall, lanky pivot benefits greatly from the hard work generated by linemates .. injury last season in minor midget limited him to few games and as a result he saw his draft stock drop .. a competent offensive player with quick hands and a wide stance that protects the puck when entering the offensive zone .. strong but will be even better once he puts some weight and muscle to his imposing frame as he is already able to lean hard on players and force turnovers.

Justin Soryal (2007), LW, Peterborough

Competitor does not take shifts off and was consistently dangerous with McDonough and Harden .. very positive viewing saw him get a Gordie Howe (goal, assist, fight) .. tough and menacing in the corners, he willingly creates space through sheer determination .. limited offensive skills as he knows he has to work for everything .. average skater but has a strong stride .. role player for now but has potential to produce in junior.

Trevor Cann (2007), G, Peterborough

Small goalie is a perfect 7-0 so far .. agile, quick moves well laterally .. goes down in the butterfly a little early and leaves the top portion of the net exposed too early .. good reflexes and decent puck control .. had some trouble handling the puck, once coughing it up for an easy goal against due to being hesitant and struggling with the backhand.

Fredrik Naslund (Dal), RW, Peterborough

Mammoth forward hasn't lived up to expectations so far .. a decent all-around skater who covers much of the ice with his frame with nice cuts and turns .. utilized mostly for his size to dig and muck for the puck .. made a few nice passes but looked like a none-factor offensively.

Trevor Solomon (2006), D, Sault Ste. Marie

Acquired on Halloween after missing time will an injury sustained in training camp, wearing a full face shield as a result of a puck in the face .. great skater in all directions .. a conservative defenseman who sees regular time on the PK and is relied upon to check top offensive opponents .. must add additional strength to truly excel in his role .. his physical efforts contain forwards but seldom for a prolonged period of time .. decent passer with some vision but had trouble getting the puck out of the zone on occasion .. does not shoot the puck very often.

Scott Restoule (2006), C, Sault Ste. Marie

Provides an injection of offence to the club .. showed some offensive dangle and vision .. doesn't hesitate to shoot but shooting skills leave much to be desired .. willing to get himself into shooting lanes and make the simple play .. very average wheels without a lot of top-end speed .. feisty and gets involved in the corners .. expanded role on new team could lead to a breakout second half.