Hockey Prospects, NHL Draft, Hockey Scouting,OHL Draft

Binnington played in 22 games for the Owen Sound Attack as a rookie in 2009/2010. The Richmond Hill Ontario native posted a 6-10 record on a non playoff team with a 4.38 goals against average.  Jordan had a couple of rough outings which inflated his numbers a bit . The rookie tender had a rude welcome to the league as the Barrie Colts fired 49 shots his way en route to a 9 goal outburst.

This season was a different story after taking over for injured started Scot Stajcer. Binnington led the charge in the regular season and came to the rescue in the playoffs. Jordan did nothing to hurt his draft stock in 2010/2011.

Binnington was selected 40th overall by the Attack as their second pick in the 2nd round of the 2009 OHL draft. Jordan was the 3rd goalie selected behind Tyson Teichmann (Belleville 1st round) and Matt Mahalak (Plymouth 2nd round) Binnington was chosen out of the Vaughan Kings organization.

The Interview:

HP: How did you go about choosing to play hockey, and goalie specifically?

JB: When I was younger, playing hockey as my favorite sport. I just tried goalie and liked it so I pursued it.

HP: Did you feel pressure this season at Owen Sound after being a high pick in the OHL Draft?

JB: Well, I try not to worry about that stuff but there is always pressure with everything. I try to block it out as much as I can; but my teammates and family have helped me out a lot in terms of staying calm.

HP: Overall how did the season go for you at Owen Sound?

JB: It was all right. There were definitely some games where I got “lit up” for lack of a better word. It was obviously tough, but it went pretty well. As the season went on I matured a lot. Without those couple of tough games, my season would've looked a lot better on paper.

HP: So what style goalie do you see yourself as?

JB: I would say probably a hybrid goalie. I play up and down. I'm pretty flexible so I can make the desperation saves.

HP: What was the most difficult thing to adjust to in the OHL as a goalie?

JB: For sure the speed of the game. Everything develops a lot faster so you have to improve your reaction time; even as a goalie.
HP: What do you think improved most about your game this season?

JB: I would say without a doubt my mental toughness. I think I have grown a lot in that area as both a goalie and a person

HP: In terms of mental toughness, say you let up a soft goal; how do you about bouncing back from that?

JB: Well, in minor hockey I had a problem because I got too angry after stuff like that. I've started not to worry about it though. I try just to get past it and not think about it. That has worked out well for me.

HP: You play to make the next save instead of worrying about the most recent one ?

JB: Yeah, that's what works.

HP: So, what do you consider as some of your strengths on the ice?

JB: I consider my strengths to include my technique, my flexibility, learning how to read the play better and my position in the crease. I would say I'm also good at playing the puck.

HP: What about some things you want to improve on?

JB: Some things I still want to improve on are my flexibility and my strength. That is one thing I'm working on a lot this summer. You can also never go wrong by working on mental focus.

HP: How do you go about working on “mental focus”?

JB: Well preparation for the games is definitely one. You just want to always be ready to go in that sense.

HP: What are you doing this offseason to work on that?
JB: Yeah, I have a personal trainer who I've been working with since the end of the season. I've been gaining a lot of weight, which is good. I'm definitely getting bigger, stronger and faster.
HP: What is the best piece of advice you have received from a coach?

JB: My goalie coach is always giving me good insight and keeping me motivated. Picking one specific thing is tough. But, the best thing he reminds me of is to keep battling; to do whatever you can to make the save.

HP: What are you goals for the upcoming season?

JB: Obviously to play as well as I can. I have also been setting some goals for myself in terms of lower numbers. I just want to have a strong season.

HP: Have you had any nerves about the 2011 Draft?

JB: No, I'm trying not to worry about it. I'm going to do what I can, work hard and just try not to worry about.

HP: Who has been the toughest offensive player you've had to go against?

JB: That's another tough one. Thinking about the guys that have scored against me. Windsor is a tough team to play against for sure. Also, Nazem Kadri has given me some trouble along with Peter Holland on Guelph.

HP: Do you have any NHL or CHL goalies you like to model your gaem after?

JB: Yeah, Marc-Andre Fleury is a big one. I've watched him for a couple years now ever since he reached the NHL. I love his technique and how he reads the plays. I like to watch that; and another NHL games just to study the goalies and what they do. I watch him the most though.

For Immediate Release
Wednesday June 29, 2011

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the final results of the 2011 CHL Import Draft.

The two rounds included a total of 62 players selected from 10 different countries.

The OHL’s London Knights made a trade with the Barrie Colts to acquire the first overall pick which they used to select Finnish defenceman Olli Maatta, a 16-year-old eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.  After a trade with the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, the Quebec Remparts selected 2012 NHL Entry Draft prospect Russian forward Mikhail Grigorenko.  The WHL’s Calgary Hitmen maintained the third overall pick and selected Swedish forward Victor Rask who was also chosen by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round 42^nd overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft June 25 in Minnesota.

Each team in the CHL is permitted to carry two European Import players each season.  These players are selected annually at the Import Draft, with the order of selection rotating through each of the three leagues in the CHL using an inverse order of their final regular season standings from the 2010-11 season.

Draft Picks by Country:

Czech Republic – 15

Russia – 11

Sweden – 9

Slovakia – 7

Germany – 5

Switzerland – 5

Norway – 4

Latvia – 3

Finland – 2

Belarus – 1

Draft Picks by Position:

Forward – 42

Defence – 12

Goaltender – 8

Draft Picks by NHL Status:

2010 Drafted – 5

2011 Drafted – 7

2012 Eligible – 47

2013 Eligible - 3

Last season the Prince George Cougars used the first overall pick to select Edmonton Oilers prospect Martin Marincin, before the Sarnia Sting selected this year’s OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year and 2012 NHL Entry Draft prospect Nail Yakupov.  With the third overall pick the Halifax Mooseheads selected 2012 NHL Entry Draft prospect and Czech Republic National Junior Team member Martin Frk.

A total of 18 CHL players were selected in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft that are products of the Import Draft including five players chosen in the first round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft on June 24 in Minnesota including Gabriel Landeskog of the Kitchener Rangers who went second overall to the Colorado Avalanche, Sven Bartschi of the Portland Winterhawks who went 13^th overall to the Calgary Flames, Vladislav Namestnikov of the London Knights who was picked 27^th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nicklas Jensen of the Oshawa Generals who was chosen 29^th overall by the Vancouver Canucks, and Rickard Rakell of the Plymouth Whalers who was chosen 30^th overall by the Anaheim Ducks.

The 2011 CHL Import Draft results are listed online along with a seven-year historical recap of the draft which can be viewed at http://www.chl.ca/draft/chl

Slater Koekkoek had an impressive rookie season while playing on a last place team in Peterborough.  Although the team success wasn't there, this may have actually been a blessing in disguise for the 16 year old defenseman as he was able to get ample ice time and play in every situation.  By logging over 25 minutes a night, Koekkoek was pushed to play defensively against opposing teams top lines, as well as given free range to use his creativity when it comes to his offensive game.  Koekkoek is a smooth skating defenseman that uses his frame and strength to his advantage.  He loves to join the rush and can be counted on to use his hockey IQ in knowing when to jump up or stay back.  His shot is quick and accurate which makes him even more of a threat when he decides to wheel with the puck.
If Koekkoek continues to improve his footwork and outlet passing, he will be that much more of a threat as opposition will begin to think twice about dumping the puck into his corner.  One of the underrated areas of Koekkoek's game is the fact that he has experience not only playing in high pressure games but excelling in these games; a quality that a lot of players in the 2012 draft don't have.  Off the ice, Koekkoek is a laid back individual who is keen to listen which makes him very coachable; something that NHL teams view as extremely important if a prospect wants to make the jump to the next level sooner rather than later.  By maintaining a great work ethic, there's no reason why Koekkoek won't be a high selection in the 2012 draft which is very deep when it comes to defensemen.

Career Highlights

Slater Koekkoek has witnessed the highs and lows during his young career which serves as an important learning lesson for any young prospect.  Beginning with winning the Telus Cup as the National Midget Championship with Notre Dame in 2010, Koekkoek captured the title of MVP in the final game tacking up a goal and an assist.  This capped off a season where the 15 year old collected 43 points (16 Goals and 27 Assists) and 91 penalty minutes in 44 games.  Koekkoek's play led to the Peterborough Petes selecting him 7th overall in the 2010 OHL priority draft.  Early in 2011, Koekkoek was named to Team Ontario to play in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge where he collected 3 points (1 goal and 2 assists) and 8 penalty minutes in 5 games on the way to winning the gold medal in a game where he assisted on the game winning goal.  After the Pete's season came to an end, Koekkoek's season didn't, as he was picked as an underage player for Team Canada at the IIHF U-18 Tournament where he recorded 2 points (1 goal and 1 assist) in 7 games while just finishing out of the medal round.

Matia Marcantuoni is a well rounded player heading into the 2012 NHL entry draft.  Marcantuoni is a versatile forward that can play on the wing and down the middle where he relentlessly tries to use his biggest asset; that being his powerful skating ability.  Marcantuoni uses his explosive skating style and speed to help position himself at both ends of the rink where he can become a major threat to any defenseman in transition, or back-check to eliminate a scoring opportunity.  At 6'0” and 189 pounds, Marcantuoni doesn't shy away from the physical play, especially when on the offensive attack.  Marcantuoni has shown that he's more than willing to use his solid frame in making a genuine effort to drive to the net all while working hard to establish a net front presence upon arrival.  All of these skills help Marcantuoni make himself a threat every time he's on the ice, where he not only is a great finisher, but he can also deliver the puck very well.  For a 17 year old, Marcantuoni possesses a high level of maturity which translates into strong leadership qualities on and off the ice.  The former first round selection (18th overall) of the Kitchener Rangers, Marcantuoni captained Team Ontario to a gold medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge earlier this year where he tallied 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) and 4 penalty minutes in 6 games with one of his goals being a game winner.  With his performance at this tournament coupled with a good rookie season, Marcantuoni has been invited to attend Team Canada's Under-18 selection camp this summer in Calgary Alberta where he will try and earn a spot on the team where they will compete in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August.

Going into this season, Marcantuoni will seek to keep improving his defensive game and if he can continue to advance his faceoff ability, he would become even more appealing to NHL scouts. In midget hockey with the Toronto Marlies, Matia had a bad habit of skating himself to deepinto the zone with the puck. He made good strides in all areas of his game this year in Kitchener, including his puck possession game.  Missing a prolonged period of time with an ankle injury (which kept him out for the latter 2 months of the season), Marcantuoni will have to take all the precautions necessary to stay healthy because he will be given a greater opportunity to contribute for Kitchener this season as they will undoubtedly try to utilize him more due to the possible departure of Gabriel Landeskog.  With all of the tools Marcantuoni already holds, and still with room for improvement, there's no reason why Marcantuoni can't become a future captain in the OHl and possibly the NHL where he has a chance to be selected in first round in next summer's NHL Entry Draft.

We are happy to announce the release of something new this season. In the Spring of 2012 we will be releasing Draft Year: Brendan Gaunce. Brendan, along with his family and agent, have been kind enough to allow us to follow along as the top prospect makes his way through his NHL Draft season. The journey begins this past summer and continues following Brendan all season long as June and NHL Draft day in Pittsburgh approaches. As we make our way towards June, we will occasionally post some outtakes from the book. Here is a our first preview from lead author John Matisz:

In a season with a million and one expectations, 17-year-old draft eligible forward was named an assistant captain of the Belleville Bulls prior to season puck-drop.

When asked whether he felt any additional weight on his shoulders with the official leadership role, Gaunce opened up about said role.

"Before I got the 'A,' one of my goals this year was to be a better leader. As a rookie (in 2010-11), you can kind of say stuff but you could be stepping on guys' toes because you're only 16 while some guys are 20 years old. And, if you're trying to give them advice, it's a little awkward on your end, just because you don't know how they're going to take it. It's kind of like your younger brother giving you advice - which no one likes. Overall though, I was planning on being a better leader this year. The letter on my jersey just adds some extra motivation."

The book will be available in May 2012 on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and in digital format. More details will be available as release date approaches. Check back often for more previews!

Nail Yakupov is in a much different position than he was 12 months ago. Last year Nail Yakupov was selected 2^nd Overall in the CHL Import Draft. Expectations are high when you’re picked at that spot, but you never really know what to expect. On the first day of training camp, he unleashed the biggest one timer I’ve ever seen out of a 16 year old. At that moment I knew Yakupov was something special. Nail is arguably the best prospect available in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft for several reasons. First and foremost is his skating. He maintains a low centre of gravity, great strength in his lower body and his quick footwork allows his first few steps to be very strong, giving him exceptional acceleration.

He likes to keep moving, and is not a player who likes to stand still at any point except when setting up his shot. He can explode on the outside, but also has excellent lateral agility and can go outside/inside better than most players in the CHL. He is a threat regardless of the talent and size of the opposing defencemen. The release on his shot is powerful and accurate, none more so than his one-timer. Goaltenders simply need to hope that the puck hits him, because when he connects it’s just a blur. Although he’s clearly more of a finisher than a set up man, he has at times made some great reads on the play and set up some very nice goals. Offensively Yakupov is a devastating weapon, and several times last year he turned an out of reach game into a close battle. It will be interesting to watch what he does with a team with the talent Sarnia currently has. Unlike many Russian players, and very much like one that currently plays in Washington, in addition to his outstanding offensive skill set, Yakupov has excellent core strength, and centre of gravity which allows him to be capable on a team with several players 6’3”+ to throw the biggest hits in a game. He has gained a reputation of being able to level opposing players. Despite all these strengths, Nail needs to improve his play within his own zone. He did make steps to improve last year, but will need to continue to get better.

He will likely never be used as a specialist in defensive situations, but if he can prove he can take care of his own zone effectively while still putting up big offensive input for his team, it will go a long way in helping him in his attempt to secure the #1 Overall spot. Maybe the easiest way to compare Nail Yakupov is a smaller version of Alexander Ovechkin. Although it is extremely unlikely for Nail to reach Alexander’s 6’3” 225lb size, he plays a very similar game and has a great number of similar traits. It’s too bad the London Knights were unable to grab Mikhail Grigorenko with the 1^st Overall pick in the CHL Import Draft, because both players will be battling for that #1 spot the entire year. However we also can’t write off Nail’s teammate Alex Galchenyuk, from that race.

OHL Announces Darrell Woodley as Director of Central Scouting

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Darrell Woodley is the new Director of OHL Central Scouting effective immediately.

Woodley, a 34-year-old native of Kitchener, ON, has spent the past nine seasons working with the Barrie Colts Hockey Club. He takes over for Rob Kitamura who accepted an Amateur Scout position with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning in June.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge and am excited for the opportunity to work in this league by assisting the 20 member clubs, their management, and scouting staffs,” said Woodley. “I would like to thank the Barrie Colts for all of their support throughout my years as both a player and as a member of their staff.”

Woodley played three OHL seasons from 1994-97 beginning his career with the Oshawa Generals before playing his final two seasons in a Colts uniform.  Following one season of professional hockey, Woodley continued his education pursuing a diploma in Business Administration Management Studies at Conestoga College where he graduated in 2002.  Prior to joining the Colts for the 2002-03 season, Woodley also coached minor hockey in the Cambridge Hawks AAA program at the Minor and Major Bantam levels. In the Colts' front office, he served two seasons as a Skills Development Coordinator followed by two seasons behind the bench as an Assistant Coach. He spent the last five seasons as Director of Player Personnel coordinating and overseeing all aspects of their scouting department.

The OHL Exhibition Schedule begins on Friday September 2, 2011, when the London Knights host the Sarnia Sting, while Regular Season play commences Wednesday September 21, 2011, when the defending champion Owen Sound Attack host the Plymouth Whalers.

Hope was drafted out of the Detroit Honeybaked system; the same system that saw the Windsor Spitfires select Grant Webermin in the 1st round. The Sting chose to select Hope in the 3rd round of the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. Easily one of the best goaltenders available, the pick was seen by some as a little risky, due to strong pushes from NCAA recruiters, due to Brandon's ability both on the ice and in the classroom. The gamble payed off, as it took a little while but they were able to convince Hope to join the OHL's Sarnia Sting. Entering camp, Hope was facing two veteran goaltenders, however with Shayne Campbell being traded near the end of camp, Brandon was able to grab up the back-up position for the Sarnia Sting, en route to playing more minutes than any other 1994 born goaltender in the entire CHL.

Brandon first and foremost has excellent leg movement. He is able to throw the pad out at a quick rate, and above the learning curve for goaltenders his age. The balance he possesses with the movement allows him to recover strong, and allows him to reset himself quicker than the average junior goaltender. His reflexes; particularly in his glove hand are also ahead of the curve, and he has thrown it out there to steal a sure goal more than once. His angles are strong, however earlier on in the season he appeared to get a little lazy by the 3rd period, but he appears to have shaken this habit, and maintains solid positioning in general throughout the game. Not being a big net minder, it's important for Hope to come out and appear bigger to shooters, and he appears to does this with good positioning. One of the few negatives against Brandon, due to his size, is his ability to see the puck through traffic at times. This would improve with a bit of a growth spurt, but his awareness helps him out, and he follows the play very well. The mentality in the net that Hope displays is strong. He has let in his share of bad goals, which will hopefully disappear through development, but Hope was not a goaltender who's game was affected by this, he seemed to shake this fairly well and, generally you wouldn't see this happen again. He displays a positive demeanor, and is a well liked player in the dressing room. Another skill that you don't see in goaltenders very often is Hope's ability to drop the gloves, or should we say glove and blocker. At a game in Niagara, Hope threw down with Dalton McGrath. Hope actually had trouble getting his one arm loose, McGrath used this opportunity to try and get the jump on Hope a little, and it didn't turn out well. Needless to say, it's become a popular you tube video, and Hope has proven he can stand up for himself when needed. Going forward there aren't a lot of holes in Hope's game, he just needs to continue to gain experience. One thing that gave him some issues at times, was rebound control, but you really need to break down Brandon's game to pick out areas of improvement.

In order to fully benefit from his draft year he will need to excel when called upon; due to shared ice time with overage net minder Brandon Maxwell. However Jacques Beaulieu has made several adjustments to the team this year, and if Hope excels in training camp, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Hope get more than 50% of the starts. He is one, in a group of 4 goaltenders who all show great potential in the OHL with Matthew Murray (Sault Ste. Marie), Malcolm Subban (Belleville), and Jake Paterson (Saginaw). Being able to see all 4 goaltenders in multiple starts, has left me believing the 2012 goaltending crop out of the OHL looks solid. Although Subban is the highest regarded goaltender available in the OHL right now, I would be shocked if by the end of the year Brandon Hope is at the top of a lot of lists in that area.

Bignell is a slightly undersized defenceman from the Kitchener-Waterloo area. He was selected out of Culver Academy in his OHL Draft year, and was taken in the 5th round of the OHL Draft. Bignell quickly turned out to be a huge steal for the Belleville Bulls. He contributed right away showing his maturity and hockey sense, particularly in the defensive zone. Bignell has great awareness of the play going on around him. He’s a smooth skater technically speaking, and was one of the better 16 year olds last year.

One of the biggest question mark’s for Bignell is his size considering his style of play. He is only listed at 5’11” 162lb. There are other listings that place him bigger than that, and it is still possible for him to grow. Regardless he was very effective in 1 on 1 situations, and surprised us with his ability to protect his own net. He has a good understanding of when to pinch and when to get back into defensive positioning, holding the line at appropriate times, but he didn’t come off as a player with a ton of offensive upside. However with an increased role, that could change. He has the skating ability, body positioning and core strength to handle bigger stronger forwards. There will be plenty of question marks out there for the young Bignell. Will he grow? If so how much? How much ice will he receive in Belleville? Belleville had a number of solid defencemen, and will again this year, not to mention the newest Subban, Jordan. Bignell appeared to grab top 4 minutes at times during his stronger games, but will need to fight for those minutes again.

Belleville in itself is a tough situation to predict. Although their defense is stacked up fairly well, they appear to require more firepower up front. The Bulls already moved defenceman Alex Basso, but brought in another in Brady Austin. The transactions may not stop for Belleville, and we may see them move out another defenceman before their season starts on September 23rd. Although ice time will be an important factor, Adam impressed us every time we saw him this season, and remain confident that he will establish himself as an attractive prospect for teams in the middle rounds of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Matt Murray of the Soo Greyhounds is a 2012 NHL Draft prospect, and the starting goaltender for the Hounds. Murray is a Thunder Bay, Ontario, native and the former Thunder Bay King is in his second season with the Greyhounds. Murray is a tall slender goalie who plays big in his net. He is very solid technically and is one of HockeyProspect.com's top rated goaltenders as we get the 2012 NHL draft season underway. Melissa Perri spoke to Matt about his game, and if he feels any pressure entering his draft season.