OHL
OHL Draft: Don Mills Flyers vs Kingston Jr. Frontenacs – Marlboros Holiday Classic
Dec 27, 2012. Don Mills Flyers vs. Kingston Jr. Frontenacs (Marlies Holiday Classic) 3-1 DMF
DMF#4 F Liam Dunda. Big, strong and physical power forward. Skating has improved from the beginning of the season, hard, long strides allows him to generally be in the right position in the offensive zone as…
[sociallocker] well as be an effective back checker when needed. Worked very hard along the boards in this game winning puck battles and gaining possession for his team. Worked well with #87 to create scoring chances and were constantly in the offensive zone when they were on the ice. Needs to work on his hands and scoring skills in tight as #87 sets him up in nice positions but he sometimes fails to bury them. Has showed some progression as the season has advanced, needs to show he can be effective without #87 to really become a dark horse candidate.
DMF#87 F Mitchell Marner. Showcased a variety of elite offensive skills in this game. Was essentially a threat to score or create offensive chances every shift. Great skater can use his speed to beat defenders outside or straight down the middle at any moment. Showcases soft hands with a variety of dekes and dangles that make many defensemen look silly. Showed good vision and selflessness setting up the first goal on a nice backdoor feed. Makes line mates and teammates better by setting them up in quality situations to succeed. Scored a beautiful goal on an end to end rush at the end of a two minute power play after playing the full two minutes, beating one defender with outside burst and driving to the net before deking the goaltender. Negative is definitely his size, as he is one of the smaller players at this age group, has shown he can be elite at his current level.
KGN#9 F Josh Leblanc. Was very effective showcasing his offensive skills down low in the offensive zone in this game. Showcased high-end vision and smarts, finding open players with creative passes and nifty plays. Hard player to knock off of the puck uses his body effectively to shield the puck when working behind the net or along the boards. Worked well with #19 creating chances after the team fell behind to try and generate a comeback. Saw time in all situations and was effective on the power play working off the half wall and down low to the side of the net.
KGN#16 D Chase Hawley. Twin tower on defense with #18 anchoring the top pair for a strong Frontenac blue line core. A very big kid uses his size knocking players off of pucks and winning corner battles. Effective use of an active stick, kept majority of rushers outside. Showed good offensive instincts on the power play, moving the puck and utilizing a heavy shot when given space to get it off. Worked hard in front of the net in the defensive zone, using his size to move smaller forwards out of the goaltenders view. Skating is an area that needs improvement in order to be successful at the next level. Transition improvements from forward to backward would go a long way to ensuring that proper angles and positioning are kept to engage attackers earlier.
KGN#18 D Matthew Scott. Another massive defender who along with #16 is part of the twin tower defense pairing. Better skater than his partner, uses strong strides and good foot placement to remain in effective positioning in all situations. Effective use of a long stick, breaking up passes and creating turnovers. Showed good vision throughout this game making solid outlet passes and consistently finding open teammates. Showed a powerful slap shot on the power play for the single Kingston score. Team captain, showed good leadership on the power play gesturing where players should go and helping to keep puck movement quick and effective.
KGN#19 F Aaron Luchuk. Was effective in this game in the offensive zone for the Frontenac. Showed nice outside speed on a number of occasions beating defenders wide, but was unable to finish any of the resulting scoring chances. Showcases a strong work ethic, consistently being hard on the puck when he was on the ice. Was effective in the faceoff circle, winning majority of draws. Showed some good 1-on-1 skills against defenders, but again was unable to finish. Stick handles with confidence at an elite speed when coming through the neutral zone, will catch flat footed defenders with surprise if they are not moving their feet. Was strong on the power play, setting teammates up and generating a number of quality scoring chances. Helped out in the defensive zone when needed, needs to keep it consistent in order to really make a difference in the defensive end. Needs to consistently work on finishing scoring chances to see his name climb further up the draft rankings. [/sociallocker]