OPJHL: Tricky Trivino

The Stouffville Spirit surprised everyone after advancing to the third round of the OPJHL playoffs in the North Conference. After finishing in fourth place in their division, the Spirit defeated the Couchiching Terriers in straight games and then defeated the top-ranked Huntsville Muskoka Otters in seven games after a dramatic OT winner scored by highly regarded NHL prospect Corey Trivino. McKeen's correspondent David Burstyn has notes on Trivino, who is currently ranked No. 17 on McKeen's Midterm Rankings for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, as well as teammates James McIntosh and 2009 draft hopefuls Ethan Werek and Patrick McEachen.

Corey Trivino (2008), C, Stouffville, Committed to Boston College

Trivino led the team in points in the postseason, as he took his game to another level .. he has been a member of every International team he went to training camp for, including the Under 17 team and the World Junior A Challenge .. an offensive-minded centre whose skill marries well with his feet .. he does everything in mach speed, as his hands and feet work in unison with one another .. he can control the pace of the game when he enters the offensive zone, as he shrewdly weaves his way in and out of scoring areas .. his passing skills are superior to anyone in the OPJHL .. his ability to make plays in traffic and find the open man is awe inspiring .. he literally dances around the opposition and is a wizard with the puck .. goes to the net with his stick down and is always prepared .. showed more attention to detail away from the puck in the playoffs .. he engaged in the corners and behind the net for the puck and is a gifted soccer player, as he often used his feet to alleviate pressure .. his forte is creating offence, however he needs to shoot more .. he is tricky to get a read on but has developed more of a reputation as a passer .. has all the tools to be a player, however his weight is a serious concern .. while it is not inconceivable for him to add some weight, some NHL teams might be scared off, as many prospects weigh more than his listed 160 pounds .. because of his slender frame, he does get pushed around in the slot but to his defense, he comes back, often eluding coverage much like Mike Bossy did in his NHL career .. given his gifted offensive imagination and skills, Trivino should see himself land in the bottom half of the first round, as his game is a mirror image to that of Mike Ribeiro.

James McIntosh (2008), C, Stouffville Committed to Bowling Green

An original draft pick of the Owen Sound Attack, McIntosh showed no interest in playing in the OHL, as he was determined to go the school route .. labored through a mediocre year last season, which resulted in him not being selected for the NHL entry draft .. renewed confidence resulted in higher point totals this year .. he also limited the amount of bonehead plays unlike last season .. still suffers from momentary lapses and needs to be disciplined .. his skating could be the best among draft-eligible players, as he has a pro glide and is effortless in his change of directions .. he was originally slotted as a defenseman and plays that position at times .. his reverse movement and lateral movement rivals that of some NHL pros .. he can get carried away when the play shifts and does not always come back, as he is often found deep in the opposition's zone .. he takes wide turns in the defensive zone and generally looks lost without the puck .. he needs to protect the puck and play with more jam in the corners .. his shot is good but he can be too selfish and wants to do it all by himself .. he needs to work on the timing of his release .. there are many holes in his game but he is such a dynamic player in terms of speed and raw ability that he should get drafted.

Ethan Werek (2009), LW, C, Stouffville Committed to Boston College

Werek enjoyed a fine campaign, as he led the team in scoring as a rookie and participated in both the Under 17 and World Jr. A Challenge .. not used much in the Under 17 team Ontario gold medal victory but was a dominant player who saw plenty of ice on the World Jr. A team that finished in second place .. slick skater with soft hands and uncanny vision .. plays on the first PP unit and controlled the game at the half boards making timely passes .. at times, he looked lost and struggled to identify the changes in the game .. particularly in the Aurora series, as he did not adjust to the Tigers neutral zone trap .. his strength is a major concern as well .. he gets pushed around too often, however at 16, he is not supposed to bulldoze over the opposition .. nonetheless, he is very ineffective along the boards .. plays a wide-open game, curling and dragging the puck to get into better position .. Werek played out of position for the most part of the playoffs and season and it showed in his game .. a natural centre, he rode shotgun to Trivino on the left-hand side .. while this helped to pad the points, it also crippled his development somewhat .. should continue to be a major point producer next season and will undoubtedly be a player who is mentioned in the NHL entry draft.

Patrick McEachen (2009), D, Stouffville Committed to Maine

McEachen slipped to the sixth round of the OHL draft last year when he made it perfectly clear he would not report .. slotted to go much higher, McEachen has had no problems adjusting to the pace of the OPJHL in his rookie season .. still makes rookie mistakes but brings a lot to the table .. played a ton of minutes in the playoffs, as the Spirit usually went with a five-man-defensive unit with McEachen being the centrepiece .. responded well to the added responsibility, as he lined on the PP and more importantly was given a chance to improve the defensive side of his game with some much-needed PK time .. great stick to pry away pucks, he is active and positions himself very well to intercept passes and break up plays .. his skating still has a hitch in it .. his crossovers and overall lateral movement is still choppy and his first step needs some work .. he is beaten at times down the wing, which forces him to gamble .. when he keeps his game simple, he is effective and he has done a good job of that this season .. he will use the boards to rid the puck out of the zone and is smart about moving the puck out of the zone as well .. his shot at the point is also a strong weapon, which he should use more often .. a character player with a strong mental game, McEachen has strong mental resolve and is quick to forget a bad shift or play .. should be a name mentioned in NHL draft circles next season.