OHL: The Buzz On Pelech

NHL teams looking to improve their defensive depth selecting right around the third or fourth rounds will be taking long, hard looks at the following OHL rearguards. Our scouts break down the play and progress of Sarnia's Matt Pelech (right) and Nick Tuzzolino, with additional notes on Kitchener's Mark Fraser and Barrie's Todd Perry.

Matt Pelech (2005), D, Sarnia

There are questions as to whether he is a half-empty or half-full prospect .. can look like a dominating force down low when playing his man and being physical .. suddenly can shift into finesse mode at other times .. will stickcheck the attacking puckcarrier and get burned .. usually plays an aggressive physical game .. will occasionally cross the line with nasty crosschecks .. needs to get stronger on his feet and seems to fall down quite a bit on some nights .. consistency issues are a concern; on some nights he shows range and confidence, while on others he is simply plain .. a poised and skilled puckhandler who can beat forecheckers one-on-one and makes a strong first pass out of the zone .. a gutsy competitor who will drop the gloves and enforce .. punishes crease intruders .. nasty demanour.

Nick Tuzzolino (2005), D, Sarnia

Brazen, no-nonsense type .. makes aggressive pinches deep along the wall to keep plays alive .. likes to seep down from the point and showed increasing confidence in offensive forays as the season went along .. needs to develop patience and game-reading skills .. must learn when to pinch and when to lay back .. gangly; still growing into a massive skater .. needs to refine agility, cuts and turns .. looks a bit shaky on his feet still, but gets around pretty well for a big man .. feisty warrior is very active and looking to get involved .. always willing to jump into the rush when the opportunity presents itself .. breaks up a lot of plays with sheer determination .. displays excellent upper-body strength however .. will pin the biggest forwards along the boards and can knock them off their feet .. handles the puck well and has a good, lively wrist shot .. at times makes risky bids in the neutral zone to lay a big hit or disrupt an attack .. a tad susceptible to outside speed, but never gives up on plays .. finishes all of his checks .. needs to get quicker and smoother while transitioning from back to forward skating .. also shows enthusiasm on offense, constantly looking for ways to sneak into the slot on the power play .. will challenge defenders one-on-one with the puck.

Mark Fraser (2005), D, Kitchener

Stock soared down the stretch and in the playoffs .. big rangy body with lots of room to add muscle .. rugged, physical and respects danger, elevating his intensity to meet the level of the threat .. good skater for his size, though his first few strides need to get quicker and smoother .. cuts are a bit wobbly at times, particularly his transitions from back to forward skating .. plays a safe game; uses size and great reach effectively .. possesses a hard one-timer from the point that he keeps low and on-target mostly .. needs to keep refining his finesse skills, handling and passing.

Todd Perry (2005), D, Barrie

Primarily a puck moving, stay-at-home type who shows some instincts for offense .. seeing very limited PP time this past season .. has gotten more comfortable in the OHL with each shift .. good puckhandler who moves the puck quickly and safely most of the time .. still attempts some dangerous passes .. big, solid frame; fairly thick through the waist and legs, though he got knocked of his feet going should-to-should for a loose puck .. much more effective when he gets physically aggressive; did well to win one puck battle against two opponents .. however he doesn't play a rugged game consistently yet .. would like to see him a little meaner .. long reach .. not an explosive skater but is good in all areas; agility, acceleration, speed, balance .. makes sharp, tight turns well for a big man .. looks quite stable going backwards and is strong positionally .. did a nice job defending one-on-ones; shows excellent poise and doesn't commit early .. seems to have a strong sense of what is going on around him .. not overly physical but uses his body well .. needs to upgrade his tempo slightly, though he seems to be getting better.