OHL: Troops Falling in Line

The Battalion has resembled their team. Led by a core group of younger players the Brampton Battalion are in rebuilding mode. There is an outside chance of them making the playoffs, which would give their inexperienced players some exposure to what is required in later years.

McKeen's correspondents Jeff Rayner and David Burstyn were present for a recent Battalion game and file these reports.

Matt Smyth (2007), RW, Brampton

Much more was expected from Smyth and with six goals in his first 50 games; one has to wonder how bad he wants to be drafted .. plays in key offensive situations alongside Cody Hodgson on Brampton's second line.. owns a smallish but compact frame .. displays a jumpy skating style with smooth acceleration .. effectively uses his speed to aggressively fore check and bear down on loose pucks.. spent some time on the PP where he was positioned in front of the net/slot area.. battles hard to keep stick free and stays aggressively involved off the puck.. capable of throwing unyielding checks however and needs to ensure that he maintains position in doing so.. also displayed lazy back-checking tendencies off the rush.. challenges defenders and drives to the net, however he needs to better utilize his line mates and avoid 'tunnel vision' when in the offensive zone.. what Smyth lacks is sense, too many times, he fails to understand where he needs to go and is always a step behind the play .. has not made the necessary adjustments to be successful at this level ..

Justin Levac (2007), LW, Brampton

Built well at 6'2-190 lbs., he could make better attempts to utilize his size .. avoids traffic areas, had a brief appearance in front of the net during a 5-3 PP but other than that really lacks a physical presence in front .. plays a lurk-in-the-weeds style of game, quietly disappearing away from the play in the offensive zone only to emerge for a scoring chance.. all too often though is simply standing still offering no support to his line mates as they look for passing opportunities.. needs to actively search out open ice in order to present better scoring opportunities.. he shows some offensive upside, as he owns soft hands, but rarely flashes consistently as he allows others to carry the puck and establish the play .. plays the PK where he displayed a surprising willingness to block shots .. needs to work on his awareness and work ethic .. his decision making with the puck should hopefully improve once he is thrust into more offensive situations .. .

Thomas Stajan (2007), C, Brampton

Recently acquired center acquitted himself well in his first appearance with the Battalion after coming over along with Dalyn Flatt from Owen Sound for Howie Martin and Phil Oreskovic .. logged many minutes on the PK where he displayed fluid agility to close shooting and passing lanes exceptionally well .. skating style has a very 'light on his feet' appearance.. shows some versatility as he was used at both center and wing.. recognizes his defensive responsibilities very well and displays a keen sense of his options in different situations .. playing style is eerily similar to that of his cousin Matt Stajan of the Toronto Maple Leafs .. needs to work on puck separation techniques, however added weight and strength should lead to improvements here, as he weighs a mere 165 pounds .. needs to ensure that he keeps his head up through the neutral zone .. does not own much offensive upside that may result in teams passing him over in the up coming draft .. he is incredibly reliable defensively and should improve Brampton's PK unit immensely ..

Brad Albert (2007), D, Brampton

Has quietly earned his ice time and is assuming a greater role on the back end .. a smart, reliable player who minimizes his mistakes by making the safe play .. getting more used to the league which has enabled him to be smarter, waits an additional second to make a play and/or pass and in general picking his spots better than he did at the beginning of the year .. occasionally jumps the line and is showing more offensive fortitude .. perhaps not overly prolific of a player for this year's draft, he should be able to warrant at the very least an invitation to an NHL camp ..

John Hughes (2007), C, Brampton

Was riding a 15-game point streak entering the game.. a skilled and gifted playmaker that plays on the first PP unit.. he is not particularly large in stature, and at times plays that way.. needs to be more assertive in corner battles and show that he is willing to pay the price for a goal .. always elects to take the plays to the outside, stick handling and eluding defenders in the process, prefers to slow play down when in possession of the puck .. shows above average anticipation in the defensive zone intercepting pucks as his attention to detail has improved in this area of the ice .. takes foolish and lazy penalties .. has already been passed over in the draft and while he may receive an invite to an NHL training camp it is very likely he will be honing his skills at that level ..

Dalyn Flatt (NYR), D, Brampton

The change of scenery allowed Flatt to step out of the shadows of Bob Saguenetti and Theo Peckham in Owen Sound .. has emerged as the go-to-guy on the Battalion as he is critical in all situations and logs in excess of 30 minutes a game .. anchor on the blue line, he is employed on the PP to coordinate the systems and execute them .. at times, he is too aggressive as he pinches at inopportune times but has the ability to recover .. was turned inside out when Nikiforov caught him flat-footed at the line .. plays a tough, punishing style, as he is eager to lay the body .. should emerge as a good number two defenseman until the Battalion adds a legitimate number one through either the draft or a trade ..

Cody Hodgson (2008), C, Brampton

Battalion's first rounder is showing that he is capable of assuming the load, saw limited ice time mid-way through the game however still mustered 3 points (2g, 1a) .. is already playing on the first line PP unit .. shows flashes of incredible vision, threading passes through multiple pairs of legs .. hides intentions and looks off defenders successfully.. has quick hands in tight, resulting in an ability to make something out of plays that appear broken.. drives hard to the net with the puck as he is able to make sharp cuts and turns with the puck to elude opposition defenders .. his skating is a little off, while he can get to where he needs to go it is still an area of considerable concern especially at the pro level .. face off skills are great, not only can he win draws with ease but also is so quick that he often gets a shot off in the process .. looks to be the corner stone of this rebuilding franchise ..

Conor O'Donnell (2008), LW, Brampton

First year forward was a surprise addition to the team as his hard work during training camp landed him a roster spot albeit on the fourth line .. a bigger forward who is very active off the puck and alert toward opponent positioning.. defensively mature, especially for a 16-year old.. does not jump the defensive zone early as many youngsters are prone to do yet aggressively challenges forwards especially at the point .. uses his size very effectively, most noticeably along the boards where his style of play is best suited.. uses his body to successfully separate opponents from the puck, as well as protect it when in possession.. willingly throws his solid frame around, even against larger opponents.. sees time on both the PK and PP.. offensive upside is still in debate, as he will need to line up with better players to receive chances ..

Mike Lomas (2008), C, Brampton

Shows considerable promise and potential .. is the type of player that should improve considerably next season with some added weight and off ice conditioning .. already a strong and wiry player he does not take on any guff and willingly sacrifices himself .. very skilled and crafty with the puck, opponents under estimate his skills and often are burned as a result .. slick skater, he is fluid and very agile on his skates .. displays a strong work ethic and shows the type of intensity required to win close hockey games .. a player who most likely will wear a letter once he is finished in the league ..