OHL: Young Colts

McKeen's correspondent David Burstyn looks at the several prospects from the Barrie Colts, a team that is struggling despite adding some key ingredients before the trading deadline. Players Alex Hutchings, Kyle Clifford, Darren Archibald, Michael Sgarbossa, Ryan O'Connor and NHL draft picks Josh Brittain and Stefan Della Rovere are featured.

Alex Hutchings (2009), W, Barrie

Hutchings is picking up where he left off from last year and is once again leading this team in goal scoring .. a natural finisher whose shot from the opposite wing has helped him score goals .. plays the half boards well and sets up well when shooting, getting his entire body into the shot .. he is very stealthy as he comes in and out of the circle and forces defensemen to be constantly aware of his position .. sees the ice well and can make quick, short range passes and then utilize his speed to get into the open .. he is not overly adept at carrying the puck up the ice, as his stickhandling moves are underdeveloped .. uses his edges well and has good short-term speed .. his first step is healthy .. he likes to battle down low against bigger defenders and has generally successful results largely in part to his balance and quick hands .. competes but needs to show more consistent efforts away from the puck as he needs to learn to work hard all the time .. needs to be more patient when distributing the puck in his own zone in defensive situations, as he tends to over rush plays .. Hutchings is small but is an accomplished scorer, it will be an uphill battle for him to compete in the NHL but he does have the skills to get drafted.

Kyle Clifford (2009), LW, Barrie

Clifford has quietly established himself as a key member to this rebuilding Barrie team .. he combines brute strength with a modest amount of skill .. the offensive side of his game is improving, as he is learning to get into the slot more and use his terrific shot .. not overly agile and lacks some jump, he is a powerful skater with a good head of steam once he gets going .. he is becoming more responsible in the defensive zone and has earned his ice in that regard .. works well in traffic and uses his size to shield the puck and obscure the vision of defenders .. he plays a straightforward power game and does a good job of patrolling up and down his wing .. his best formula is playing the dump and chase, as he does not handle or play the puck overly well .. his chances are manufactured by creating off the forecheck and bullying his way to the net .. a solid character player who has an NHL-built frame already, he could find himself selected in the later stages of the draft.

Darren Archibald (2009), LW, Barrie

A late bloomer, Archibald joins the Colts this season after playing last season in the OPJHL .. has stepped in and produced well with 34 points in his first 51 games including 20 goals .. his versatility has served him well as coach Williamson has been able to rotate him on both the centre and wing position and with a host of other players .. has improved on his finesse skills and put in the effort in the off-season to become more of a difference maker this year and it shows .. able to keep up with the pace of the league, his skating has improved and in particular his first-step quickness .. has a strong feel for the game and maintains healthy pressure in the zone with not only his decision making with the puck but his keen positioning .. he goes to areas to score, has quick hands to make plays and has the poise to find the open man .. if he is guilty of anything it would be he tends to stop moving his feet at times and needs to dictate a play rather than watch it .. he has a good-sized frame but is till very slender .. Archibald may see himself get drafted in the later stages of the draft, as he could become a very good utility forward down the road and has already showcased his talents by scoring 20 goals in his rookie-OHL season.

Michael Sgarbossa (2010), C, Barrie

Sgarbossa has slowed down in the month of January but has exceeded everyone's expectations with 29 points through 50 games .. a cerebral player with uncompromising hockey sense and an outstanding feel for the game .. not a speedster, he does put on a burst when it appears he is about to come to a stand still .. he is a sensational passer in traffic and can make a series of moves that suck the defenders to him only for him to find his outlet .. very difficult to dislodge off the puck and he literally coaxes defenders to try and poke check him .. he can turn a seemingly dead play into a scoring chance .. packed with many individual tools, Sgarbossa understands how to use his teammates .. even with all the new additions to the club he has not been knocked off his perch as No. 1 centre, a feat that not too many 1992-born players in the OHL can boast.

Ryan O'Connor (2010), D, Barrie

A member of Team Ontario's Under 17 gold medal win, he was relied upon heavily to not only produce but defend .. O'Connor has become a completely different player in the second half, as his confidence and coordination have almost synched at the same time .. the Colts coaching staff has utmost confidence in him to get the job done offensively and have already passed down the torch to him, as he plays in all PP situations on the point .. his shot is an absolute rocket and he has a very limited wind up meaning, as he can get it off in an instant .. absolutely lethal in open ice, as he can control the tempo of the game on the PP .. has improved on his overall footwork, as it is not as clunky as it used to be .. he is extending his stride and getting more power and speed as a result .. has become more acclimatized to the pace of the league and has been given free reign in his offensive rushes .. eager to push up in offensive situations, sometimes his enthusiasm gets the best of him .. O'Connor has stepped in and played to the expectations of a sixth overall pick, as the backend looks secure with him spearheading the offence, however the Colts will need to add depth to their backend this year through the draft.

Josh Brittain (Ana), LW, Barrie

Acquired at the beginning of December for a handful of younger prospects, Brittain has failed to have the impact that Colts management would have liked .. an exceptional talent equipped with speed, skill and size, however his game is littered with flaws .. does not use his size advantageously and likes to administer hits but not receive them .. refuses to put in the effort and takes wide looping circles to get back into the play .. he needs to play more of a north/south game and utilize his stop and starts better .. tends to be too stationary and does not develop plays, rather reacts to them and is usually too slow .. there is no doubting his abundance of skill, however he could be another player that relies solely on it and not understand the work associated in being a better player and ultimately a pro.

Stefan DellaRovere (Wsh), RW, Barrie

A surprise invite to Canada's WJC, he played an instrumental role on the fourth line giving the team much-needed size and strength .. was effective when he was not taking penalties, which occurred often as he still needs to learn to curb his aggression at times .. a tall upright skater with good straight-ahead speed .. is a big freight train once he gets moving and is difficult to stop .. he has a nice glide to his game and uses it well to cover the ice .. often coming back and playing all 200 feet of ice, he leads by example and wears the 'C' as a result .. bullies his way into the zone and his balance and overall footwork have improved for him to get into traffic areas, fend off players and get his shot off .. has a decent shot which is heavy .. Della Rovere's career has been all about surprises, as he originally went to the draft to accompany his friends and found himself getting drafted himself .. he beat out many other players to earn a spot on Team Canada and earned a gold medal for his efforts .. this type of determination bodes well for his NHL playing chances, as he has marked considerable improvement since coming into the league.