OHL: Winning Spirit

The Saginaw Spirit has taken the steps to be a major contender this year. With management feeling they can go all the way, they acquired the services of Ryan O'Marra, Andrew Hotham, and Cody Bass at the OHL trading deadline. Already backed by a formidable defence many consider the best in the league, the Spirit have all the ingredients to be playing hockey come time for the Memorial Cup.

McKeen's was on hand for a recent Spirit contest and files these notes on several players.

Jan Mursak (Det), LW, Saginaw

Continues to add to point totals but has cooled off since January .. extremely quick and fluid skater, his top speed is established in a few quick strides .. eagerly pursues pucks and is very successful in retrieving them with quick hands and ability to control hard passes or unruly pucks .. always skating with his head up, and is able to find teammates, as vision is one of his strong suits .. could plough the net more, despite modest frame .. attempts to throw his weight around but the majority of the time is on the losing end of checks .. protects the puck on the rush keeping it to his side making it harder to be pressured off the puck .. can generate great scoring opportunities with his ability to beat the first man into the zone with his agility, dexterity, and ultra- quick hands.. if Mursak can add more strength to the upper body, he should have no problems competing at a higher level as his skills and skating ability make him worth monitoring in the Detroit organization.

Tomas Zaborsky (StL), LW, Saginaw

Is best utilized with a clever playmaker on his opposite side .. has a blistering shot that he unloads yet could be more selfish with the puck .. creates room with great stick preparation keeping it relatively low when blasting home a shot which defenders are slow to pick up.. plays a smart game as his decisions with the puck help launch an attack, however he lacks true puck handling skills .. average skater but deceptive speed allows him to join the rush .. approach to the game will need to change being completely devoid of any physical involvement, and will be tested come playoff time

Ryan O'Marra (NYI),C, Saginaw

After winning a second consecutive gold medal at the WJC, O'Marra returned to major junior and struggled to find the back of the net .. marred in a little slump for the month of January but has rebounded and found his game .. an extremely smart player with uncanny hockey sense, he is capable of making small subtle plays that go unnoticed to the untrained eye .. plays a pro game as his time in the AHL last season clearly helped him in terms of moving the puck faster and finding the open man .. not a dynamic skater, but is surprisingly fast and can cut down a shooting or passing lane .. actually skates faster with the puck on his blade .. understands how to play both sides of the rink however, he could show more urgency in coming back .. will always put the puck in front on the net and battle for loose pucks, as his intensity and toughness around the net is unrivalled .. his leadership ability and experience in high-pressure games bodes well for Saginaw's playoff hopes, as he will play an integral part in team success and a long run in the post season.

Tom Pyatt (NYR), RW, Saginaw

One of the finer two-way players in the league, Pyatt has carved quite a niche for himself in the OHL .. widely respected by the opposition, Pyatt plays a very honest game .. shows some feistiness and is strong along the boards .. plays in any situation as coach Mancini relies on him heavily .. agile and quick, he can get to the outside and drive a defenseman out of position while shielding the puck .. has the hands to bury from in close and a shot that is always on the mark .. finds the puck in the slot and is more than willing to compete in front and contribute anyway possible .. will play close to 28 minutes a game and has the desire to be a hockey player as he is committed off the ice in terms of strength and conditioning.

Cody Bass (Ott), C, Saginaw

Was a first-line forward with Mississauga, but now centring the third line in Saginaw due to the overwhelming depth of the organization .. still garners considerable ice time with his ability to play a solid defensive game and strong faceoff skills .. a mainstay on the PK .. effortless skater, his stride and leg strength helps him navigate the ice freely and backed by his rock-solid physique, goes unmolested by checkers or the opposition .. is an absolute tank who will look for the hit, but at times his timing is off and would be better served just to stay with the player stride for stride and be more patient in when to take him out of the play .. has developed quite a reputation in the league and does not take on too many challengers when a skirmish arrives .. for the most part, he makes good plays to clear the zone but needs to take an extra second to see the ice before he just throws it up the middle .. a vital cog in Saginaw's playoff drive, as he will be expected to play in the dying minutes in close hockey games to preserve the lead.

Patrick McNeill (Wsh), D, Saginaw

The captain has been hampered by lingering injuries and has not been 100 percent this season .. plays in many key situations and continues to mature and show poise in his puck possession game .. an ok first pass, he is more susceptible to join the rush himself and try to generate offence that way .. has decent speed when handling the puck and skating is not a major concern, but could improve .. is able to match most players stride for stride in the defensive zone because he is always in position .. a very smart player who is a rock on the back end .. his strength needs to improve as he had a hard time containing players down low .. often elects to stick check but when bigger bodies drove to the net, he was hard-pressed to slow their progress .. another player who the Spirit will lean on heavily for a run to the Memorial Cup.

Nigel Williams (Col), D, Saginaw

Joins the Spirit after leaving the USA Under 18 program .. was an offensive dynamo when he joined the OHL scoring 18 points in his first 15 games .. towering defender handles the puck well and has a hard shot .. is very raw as his decision-making leaves much to be desired .. will often cough up the puck and seems to lack sense in his approach to the game .. needs to understand that simple plays can be made and not every rush will result in a goal .. has good size but is routinely beat down low as he lacks strength on his skates.. has good mobility but does not move his feet fast enough and is caught flat-footed too often .. needs to play within his portion of the defensive zone and not overextend himself .. players have already recognized this and he has become his own worst enemy .. needs to make adjustments by planting his feet and using edges better .. good upside but has many holes in his game.

Tyler Haskins (F.A.), C, Saginaw

When Haskins is in the lineup, his work ethic is contagious and the Spirit plays much better .. brings many intangibles to his game and is a good leader .. fearless, he will challenge anyone, and does not have to be told to drive the net .. at times, his pugilistic approach to the game does not suit him as he puts himself in many uncompromising positions and is vulnerable to hits .. an average skater but gets to where he needs to be .. has good offensive polish, he keeps his head up and shelters the puck at the same time .. needs to work on his one timer .. plays a very dedicated game and will do anything to win .. entering his last season in junior should bring added incentive come playoff time to make a final impression and leave a mark on his OHL career.

Jack Combs (2007), LW, Saginaw

Garners a fair bit of respect from the coaching staff and used in many situations getting his share of icetime .. a strong player along the boards .. his awareness with the puck and ability to make a good simple play is what makes him endearing .. average first step and is a choppy skater but lower-body strength allows him to motor around the ice .. his wide stance allows him to dig into the ice .. keeps a goalie guessing by disguising shot or pass intentions .. his work ethic, determination, and heart make him an effective utility player .. was bounced back to the third line with the recent additions but seems content to be part of the team and contribute.

Chris Chappell (2007), W, Saginaw

A versatile forward who provides great size up front .. has good hands for a big man despite not being developed into an offensive role .. moves very well and is able to change directions .. not afraid of playing in front of the net, he serves a purpose by screening the goalie but also boasts the hand/eye coordination to follow and tip loose pucks .. there is some Kelsey Wilson in him with the capabilities to explode into a productive goal scorer in this league.

Andrew Clouthier (2008), C, Saginaw

Played sparingly this season as he was a surprise to make the team .. is a good up and down skater but has a hard time stopping and changing directions, as his agility is not up to par .. balance is also an issue, his limps are everywhere giving him an awkward look .. was behind the play on many occasions and must learn to move to the play .. struggled to contain guys down low, he is a big kid and still growing but the strength is just not there .. should continue to develop but it is doubtful he will be a scorer of any great magnitude .. his role is better suited as a bang and crasher, which should help him, mold a spot on this club in later years.

Nick Crawford (2008), D, Saginaw

Has been playing with such poise and maturity it is hard to believe he is a rookie .. even more surprising is that on a team boasting the best depth on defense, he has played in all but five games this year .. not only does he play but also contributes, his plus/minus totals are a perfect illustration how well he plays the game .. while the points have not come with regularity, his presence on the back end is felt earning his ice with calm, calculated decisions with the puck .. never over extending himself, he does a tremendous job of gapping and squaring off the shooter .. has an average first step but his mobility compensates this deficiency .. needs to develop a meaner streak as he is a tad passive down low and allows players too many liberties .. with added strength and confidence, he should develop into a good No. 1 or 2 defender.