Hockey Prospects, NHL Draft, Hockey Scouting,OHL Draft

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.

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.

On a veteran squad looking to make a statement, most rookies are vying to find their place among their teammates. With unforeseen talent and the mental game to back it up, Nathan Chiarlitti stood out above the rest He started out as a mature 16-year-old with the Sarnia Sting, playing a sixth defenceman role, but had the awareness and knowledge of the game well beyond his years. At that time it became clear he was going to be a key component to the organization for years to come.

In only his second Ontario Hockey League season, Chiarlitti was taken under the wing of captain, and hometown fan favorite, defenceman Jordan Hill, who now plays in the American Hockey League for the Manchester Monarchs; affiliate to the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. “Jordan Hill was a great leader,” Chiarlitti said of his former captain. “Not only on the ice, but no one worked harder off the ice on the little things. “It's funny because just this summer we figured out we're almost identical players, good at everything but not great at one thing; players who could be utilized in every play of the game and be trusted to do the dirty things needed, like shot blocking or take necessary hits (to make the play).”

Aware of his strengths and humble about his skill, Chiarlitti didn't go unnoticed by his former teammate and mentor.“Char (Chiarlitti) was a good kid from day one,” Hill expressed. “He had the right attitude from the start, and was ahead of his fellow rookies. He knew when to have fun with the boys and when to get focused and work hard. “[Chiarlitti] is a kid everyone loves in and outside the locker room and his positive attitude makes everyone around him better. He's a guy that puts a lot of responsibility on himself and his play; leads-by-example type of Captain. I know players see that and follow.”

When Hill was traded to the Saginaw Spirit later in the season, Chiarlitti took over the leadership duties at the young age of 17, but he wasn't alone.  His defensive partner and close friend, Brent Sulllivan, was right by his side The blueliner already knew Chiarlitti had an unseen talent, but his intangibles were what set him apart.“Determination and heart,” Sullivan said candidly. “He wasn't the 'rah rah' type of captain, but no one has ever led more by example on the ice. “He'd go through a wall for his team and wants to be the best he can be. 30 NHL teams have all messed up not drafting or signing this kid, and 29 will regret it when one does sign him and he turns out great.”

Chiarlitti was faced with the tough task of leading a team through a tumultuous 2010-11 season. One of which was full of constant changes within the organization. Midway through, long time coach, and general manager for Sarnia, Dave MacQueen, was relieved of his duties. Rookie assistant coach, and former NHLer, Trevor Letowski, stepped up to help the team through the remaining two months of the season. Despite the loss, Chiarlitti didn't let it affect his motivation and outlook towards the sport he loves so much. “Just taking things day by day and trying to find the positives in each game was really the main thing I tried to do. Coach Letowski did a good job keeping us focused on achieving realistic goals and implementing important values to take into next year,” he said. Now, less than six months later, the Maple, ON native is ready to lead the rebuilt Sarnia Sting with a new look and a better attitude. Off to a strong start this 2011-12 season, the squad is living up to its high expectations, sitting second in the Western Conference and fifth in the nation. New coach and GM, Jacques Beaulieu, removed all captaincy tags at the beginning of the season, but it wasn't long before Chiarlitti reclaimed his role as team leader, wearing the “C” on his chest once again. “It's definitely been an honour to be named captain this year for a team that is so highly touted,” he added. “But with the title comes so much responsibility and a ton of pressure. I remind guys we haven't gotten anywhere yet, we haven't won anything. We just have to stay focused on our end goal of winning a Memorial Cup.”

Ryan Yessie, a scout for HockeyProspect.com, has seen Chiarlitti play well over 100 times in his OHL career, and thinks highly of the blueliner's mental and physical games. “Chiarlitti stands out with his defensive awareness and hockey sense,” Yessie said. “He has taken on the top line of the opposition consistently for three years now, and has done an outstanding job shutting them down. He has excellent body position and shows very well in one-on-one situations. “He battles hard down low and in front of the net, and reacts almost instantaneously to a situation that is developing. He has improved in his skating and physicality areas. Although they aren't strong areas of his game, it's his high level of hockey sense, work ethic, and awareness that compensates for these areas and makes him as steady of a defenceman as you'll find in the OHL period,” he continued. “Nathan has been given adequate power play time for the first time in his career. Although it's not his game, he showed the ability to move the puck very effectively, and his improved point shot has been effective. It has also given Sarnia some insurance when a turnover takes place, as it has given Sarnia a player who will be able to defend effectively against shorthanded opportunities.”

Chiarlitti is currently on pace to set personal bests in nearly every statistical category, despite being given the duty of being the team's top shutdown defenceman once again this year.

Nathan Chiarlitti was ranked 104th Overall by HockeyProspect.com in 2010.

Subway Super Series Game Stats for November 10th Game vs Russia.