Toronto Jr. Canadiens: Johnny on the Spot

The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are stacked with a collection of some of the finest 1992-born hockey players in the world including forward John McFarland. They appear primed to have four players go in the first round of the 2008 OHL Priority Selection and have a dozen prospects with NHL potential. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese reviews several budding Jr. Canadiens.

John McFarland (2010), LW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

A blue-chip prospect that is the odds on favorite to be the first overall selection in the 2008 OHL Entry Draft thanks to his elite skating and dominant finishing ability .. powerful skater that makes the opposition appear to be standing still, as he flies past them with scary regularity .. executes prodigiously at full speed, as he demonstrates a dynamic release with great accuracy and velocity that he unloads on the fly with precision .. a great passer, although he is a bit selfish with the puck .. can find and exploit the open seems in the defense masterfully with his great passing game, as he is capable of threading the needle when he wants to .. has that natural goal-scorers-knack for disappearing in the offensive zone only to reappear in prime scoring territory awaiting a pass .. displays great determination with the puck however, it appears too easy for him at this level, as he's bit of a whiner when things go bad and will need to prove he can conform to a team game in the OHL.

Ryan O'Connor (2010), D, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Savvy, puck-moving defenseman with remarkable hockey sense and vision .. demonstrates agile and crisp footwork with a strong stride as he moves around the ice quickly with ease .. possesses soft hands and is a slippery defenseman to contain on the forecheck .. owns a booming pointshot that he keeps low and gets on net .. quarterbacks the powerplay creatively and makes smart outlet passes, as he is a prodigious puckmover that can control the pace of the game .. smart as they come, as he never commits a soft play and is always in position .. just average in height but he's strong and neutralizes his man quickly .. could be a special defenseman.

Chase Balisy (2010), RW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Elite playmaking winger that can thread the needle with the best of them .. decent skater, although he seems to favor slowing the game down while in possession, as he demonstrates his striking patience with the puck .. possesses soft hands and can control the puck well along the wall thanks to his deft, in-close puck control .. phenomenal at seeing the ice and can see the play developing while the puck is on his stick like few others can, as he's a creative setup man who is unselfish to a fault, as you would like to see him shoot more .. does not compete all that hard and often elects to stay to the perimeter .. should develop into a premiere playmaking winger in the OHL.

Tyler Toffoli (2010), C, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Possesses all the skill, speed, and smarts to be a player but he is currently a bit soft .. strong and effortless skater with good speed, although he does not generate much offense with it as he tends to coast .. sees the ice well and can make NHL-caliber passes but he needs to compete harder in front to use his quick and accurate wristshot more often .. enigmatic and does not compete hard, as he can be soft on the puck .. some team will likely take a chance on him in the first round of the OHL draft for his pure skill.

Scott Somerville (2010), D, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Big and naturally aggressive defenseman with adequate skill and smarts .. moves well in all directions for such a big kid, although his feet could be quicker .. he sees the ice well enough and makes mature decisions moving the puck .. plays with a physical edge and is an imposing presence on the backend .. thinks the game adequately, as he is never caught out of position or chasing the play.

Cody McNaughton (2011), RW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Gritty sparkplug that owns one of the nastiest mean streaks out there along with decent offensive upside .. nimble skater with a great motor, as there is no quit in him .. owns an adequate skill set and offensive awareness, as he runs give and goes from out of the corners .. goes hard to the net and scores most of his goals through his tireless work .. wins the majority of one-on-one battles and you wish that all players would compete as hard as he does.

Devante Smith-Pelly (2010), LW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Big and strong power forward with an imposing physical game ..strong skater who is sturdy on his feet .. plays with a nasty attitude and can land some big body checks with devastating authority .. sees the ice adequately and handles the puck with maturity but he just cannot finish.

Riley Brace (2010), RW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Smart and gritty player with adequate skill .. fluid and nimble skater with decent hands, although he is not a top-end offensive guy .. smart player that is on the puck a lot and despite his modest size, he competes hard and never hesitates to get his nose dirty .. owns a detailed two-way game and is an asset to the penalty kill.