OHL Prospect Report: Plymouth Whalers vs. Barrie Colts

Photo courtesy of the Barrie Examiner

By Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell)

I haven’t done a prospect write-up in a while here at TheHockeyGuys, and I figured I need to bring you guys some more OHL coverage than I was so that’s what I intend to do.

Last night I took in the Plymouth Whalers, who are the best team in the OHL in my opinion, Barrie Colts game. Though the game was pretty evenly played, the scoreboard shows otherwise. Here are some notes on Plymouth’s 4-1 win over the Barrie Colts.

Barrie Colts

C – Mark Scheifele (0G, 0A), WPG – Being the huge game that it was, I figured that Scheifele and the Colts would have some big time jump in the first. I was wrong. Scheifele, like most of the other Colts, was very quiet in the first period. He didn’t create much and wasn’t really effective at all. In the second and third periods respectively, it was a different story. Scheifele started to create much more offensively and he was very solid on the defensive side of the puck. He just ran into a darn good goaltender in Scott Wedgewood.

LW – Tanner Pearson (0G, 1A), 2012 – Pearson was pretty invisible last night. He made a couple nice plays on a powerplay that led to the Colts only goal but besides that he didn’t do too much. He didn’t have many chances and he wasn’t near as good defensively as he usually is. He finished with a -2 rating.

LW – Anthony Camara (0G, 0A), Bruins – I loved Camara’s game against the Whalers. He was physical and really intimidated a very tough and physical Whalers team. He really showed that the Colts made the right move going out and getting him. He’ll be an awesome 3rd liner on the Bruins in a few years. He definitely fits their style of play.

RW – Gregg Sutch (0G, 0A), Sabres – I also really liked Sutch’s game against Plymouth. He’s only been back for a couple weeks since returning from a concussion but he was very physical as per usual. He hit every Whaler that moved and even asked a Whaler to scrap with him. That I found surprising considering he just returned from a concussion. It speaks volumes of the toughness he has though. He’s not a Sabres style player per say but I think he’ll be a good fit there in a few years.

D – Reid McNeill (0G, 0A), Penguins – Though he was -1 and didn’t tally a point, I thought he was very good yesterday. He played a ton of minutes against the Whalers big line and did a pretty good job of shutting them down. He moved the puck well and he was very physical. He had a heck of a scrap with Mitch Heard, who attended the Maple Leafs training camp in September on a tryout basis.

Plymouth Whalers

RW – Tom Wilson (1G, 0A), 2012 – Wilson was absolutely fantastic against the Colts. He was a force each and every shift and dominated the Colts; especially down low. He scored, was very physical and also played well in his own end. He also showed a ton of guts by blocking some very heavy shots from the point while short-handed. He’s projected to go in the 2nd round this year but with a few more performances like that he could hear his name called in the first round.

RW – Stefan Noeson (0G, 1A), OTT – Noeson, like most of Plymouth’s top players, had a great day yesterday. He only tallied an assist but he was much, much better than that. He’s a big, bulky player who isn’t afraid to play physical. He displayed great vision, hockey IQ and you can see he is oozing with talent. Obviously it was only one game but the Senators look like they made the right decision in drafting him.

LW – Jamie Devane (1G, 0A), TOR – Leafs fans, let me tell you, you are going to love Mr. Devane. He’s a big body who throws his weight around like there’s no tomorrow. He’s skilled, gritty and can play in all situations. I’m not sure what I project him to be in the NHL but I could certainly see him sporting a Leafs jersey in 2-3 years. He’s a Brian Burke type player, folks.

C – Rickard Rakell (1G, 0A), ANA – Well, there’s no way to put it other than this: Rakell had a heck of a game. He’s a big, strong kid who can skate well for his size and is loaded with talent. He plays a lot like members of the Ducks big three. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s on the Ducks next year playing a big role with the team. I’d imagine as a second line player.

D – Austin Levi (0G, 0A), CAR – Yesterday was the first time I’ve seen Levi in a long, long time and boy did he impress me. He’s a big, and I mean big, defenseman who is physical and responsible in his own zone. He moves the puck very well and is a very good skater for his size.

G – Scott Wedgewood (stopped 35 of 36, W), NJD – Last but not least we have Scott Wedgewood. He was absolutely brilliant yesterday and is the reason the game looked a little lob-sided on the scoreboard. He came up with big stop after big stop and made two game-changing saves. He’s athletic, quick and he can read plays like a book. He plays the puck well too. The Devils look like they have a good one in Wedgewood.

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