September 11, 2014

Victor Mete, Logan Brown, and Why They Aren't Cheating the System

Victor Mete (Brian Watts / OHL Images)

Victor Mete has been getting a lot of negative comments sent his way in the last few weeks. Some of them have been direct - which in itself is ridiculous - and a lot of them have been indirect remarks.

It was well circulated prior to the 2014 OHL Priority Selection that Mete and his representatives had made it clear that anything other than a premier league destination would result in defection. And so it was a little surprising on the morning of April 5 that Mete was chosen eighth overall by the Owen Sound Attack.

Owen Sound has been a stable small-market community in the Ontario Hockey League for a long time. They have sent numerous players to the National Hockey League over the years, and they have had very recent on-ice success, making it to the Memorial Cup in 2011.

But compared to the Kitcheners, Londons, and Windsors of the OHL - all teams that just so happen to be in the Attack's division - Owen Sound just isn't able to measure up.

Playing out of an older, smaller arena in the Harry Lumley Bayshore and being a city of around 22,000 people just isn't an attractive option for many young players looking for the quickest route to the NHL.

Mete is one of those players. And his choice to not report to Owen Sound is completely understandable.

If a 16-year-old teenager doesn't want to move to a small community in northern Southwestern Ontario just to play hockey, they shouldn't have to.

The trade to the London Knights was made official on September 9. Mete wanted an opportunity with an organization known for sending elite players to the NHL. The drawback to Mete's decision is that now people are justifiably questioning his character and maturity. But while comments may have fair roots to them, it's important to understand that Mete is a 16-year-old who simply wants to increase his odds.

Throughout the majority of his minor midget season with the Toronto Junior Canadians, Mete was seen as the second-best available defenseman in the April draft. Had it not been for the early season addition of Jakob Chychrun to the minor midget loop - and Mete's team - Mete would have been the top defensive prospect.

Mete has long been on scouts' radar, and has been in the public eye going back to the 2013 Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp. Known for his high-speed, offensive game, scouts project Mete as a point-producing offensive catalyst at the next level.

 

Throughout this whole affair, Mete has made only one true public mistake: retweeting the Attack's official Twitter announcement of Mete's choice to not report to Owen Sound.

By retweeting that statement, Mete comes across as a player who believes in himself a little too much. One could easily interpret that retweet into saying Mete believes he's too big for a small market such as Owen Sound. But again, Mete just turned 16-years-old. Teens his age make absurd comments online every day. A little PR mentoring will ensure something like this doesn't happen again anytime soon.

For a player such as Mete, if he truly is going to have a shot at making the National Hockey League, he isn't going to play more than three seasons in the OHL. Mete will play two to prove his NHL worth, and then he'll play a third to refine his game and narrow down his defensive capabilities. Then he'll pack his bags and take a run at a pro career.

With Logan Brown, the story is a little different. But it's also much simpler to comprehend.

Unlike Mete, Brown wasn't even seen as a surefire OHL player at any point in the next two seasons. It had nothing to do with talent, as he would likely have been a top-four selection had he publicly committed to the league. But coming north from Indiana, it was hard for those on the outside looking in to tell if Brown was indeed serious about playing in Ontario.

When the Niagara IceDogs scooped up Brown with the sixth overall pick in April, it became clear that Brown must have expressed interest in the OHL. In fact, up until a few weeks ago, Brown was actually expected to play in St. Catharines.

But really, when Logan's father, Jeff, was hired as the head coach of the Ottawa 67's, the younger Brown never really should have been on track to play for the IceDogs.

It was unfair to expect that Brown would join a team in the same conference as his father. By moving to the Windsor Spitfires in the Western Conference, Brown removes any potential problems with being a star player for a close opponent of his father.

Defecting was the smartest choice Brown could have made.

In past years, players such as Lucas Lessio, Adam Bateman, and Max Domi have made the choice to defect and request moves to a specific kind of team. Those were different situations than what Mete and Brown have done.

Mete's choice is comparable to Lessio's in that he could realistically have become a very good NCAA prospect, but it's different in that it was uber-obvious he was a player who desperately wanted to take the path that would get him to the pro ranks as soon as possible.

While both Brown and Mete have started their OHL careers with an asterisk next to their name, it will be important that they begin the season with one goal in mind: playing the game on the ice.

For the duration of their time in the OHL, Brown and Mete will be compared and contrasted. Being on opposite ends of the London-Windsor rivalry will not limit the comparisons.

Their off-ice strategy is now relatively done for the season. But on the ice, if Brown takes a gamble at a one-on-one zone entry at Mete - which he probably will pretty soon - it'll be uniquely interesting to watch.

When something highlight-worthy comes about, despite any negative feelings toward the two, anyone who is a true supporter of the game will watch the replay. Twice.

September 04, 2014

OHL Sophomores to Watch in 2014


Bryson Cianfrone (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

For second year players in the OHL, this is their year to make their mark. Whether they are heading into their first year of draft eligibility or not, both drafted and undrafted sophomores set out to prove their value.

Here are a collection of OHLers that I feel are worth paying a little extra attention to throughout the upcoming season.

Bryson Cianfrone F (Mississauga Steelheads)

The Mississauga Steelheads have been a difficult team to read in recent years. From past top prospects such as Stuart Percy and Joseph Cramarossa to their current group of young players, there consistently appears to be a challenge in evaluating their talent. With Bryson Cianfrone, this is no different.

Cianfrone came into the league after moving from the United States Hockey League and passing on his commitment to the University of Michigan. Despite being a third round pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection, Cianfrone had a cloud of mystery floating over him. That hasn't changed yet.

Having gone through a couple of NHL drafts without selection, Cianfrone needs to prove that his small stature won't be a limitation on his pro potential. Cianfrone reminds me of former London Knights standout Daniel Erlich. Erlich was able to quickly become one of the most enjoyable players in Ontario to watch, but has not been able to find much professionally in North America. Cianfrone would likely prefer a little more than a career in Europe.

Cianfrone will very likely get some camp invites even if he has an average season, but now is the time to put everything together.

Adam Craievich (Terry Wilson/ OHL Images)
Adam Craievich F (Guelph Storm)

Adam Craievich knows how to put the puck in the back of the net. That much we know. What we don't know is how much longer he'll be able to keep doing it. 

Craievich came out of minor midget known as a scorer, but fell in his OHL draft year because his potential was tougher to read than most. Log-jammed on a deep Guelph Storm roster last season, Craievich never truly had a chance to showoff off his major junior game. With a Guelph team that is experiencing a fair bit of turnover this year, Craievich now has the opportunity to step up. Craievich pretty much just needs to show that he isn't the David Perklin of his class.


Lawson Crouse F (Kingston Frontenacs)

 I won't be shy about it: I haven't yet become a big believer in Lawson Crouse's NHL potential. Top-six forward? I don't see it. But that could change, and Crouse will need to come out firing to do it. After having a strong Ivan Hlinka tournament in August, Crouse comes into the season with high expectations.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Crouse already has a massive frame. In fact, he may have even slimmed down a bit. What Crouse needs to do this season is be an absolute beast on the forecheck and along the wall. Crouse already displayed his will and power in his rookie season, but now is when it counts the most.

Crouse will very likely be a first round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, and scoring in the OHL shouldn't be a problem this season. But if there's one thing that he needs to develop moving forward, it's his wrist shot. To me, that will make or break Crouse as a top-six or bottom-six player in the future.

Sean Day D (Mississauga Steelheads)


Coming off his first season following his granting of “exceptional” status, Sean Day can now step up and be a leader of the Mississauga Steelheads. While he isn't draft eligible until 2016, Day will treat this season as the stepping stone to the top spot on 2016 rankings. 

The Steelheads have some firepower up front this season with Cianfrone, rookie Michael McLeod, and potentially Nathan Bastien; Day can get up the ice just fine on his own, but he'll need to utilize the weapons in front of him to find greater success. After a tough start to last season, I'm looking for Day to come out with extremely high puck confidence.

Cristiano DiGiacinto (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)
Cristiano DiGiacinto F (Windsor Spitfires)

When Cristiano DiGiacinto came into the OHL out of Hamilton Junior A, he immediately made himself known. He'd hit, he'd fly up and down the ice, and he'd score. That's how you do it.

But then DiGiacinto started playing a little overconfident, and it started taking away from his value.

DiGiacinto went from a midget standout with Hamilton to a Junior A standout with Hamilton to the OHL to becoming a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick. That mouthful all happened in essentially one year. It's time to not just be that inspiration now, but that player who can continue to inspire at the next level.

Christian Dvorak F (London Knights)

The London Knights were supposed to be a big deal last season. And for the most part, they were. Unfortunately for Christian Dvorak, he never got to be a huge part of it.

Now a second round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, Dvorak is out to show that he can be a reliable top-six forward. His draft spot was all off potential. With average size, Dvorak will need to make himself visible on a consistent basis. This is his time to make his agility shine.

Steve Lorentz F (Peterborough Petes)

If there's a player who isn't visible but remains effective in this league, it's Steve Lorentz. Fans of the league's Western Conference seem to hardly know who he is despite the fact that he moved up through the Waterloo Wolves system.

Lorentz can keep doing his thing and the majority of people will be fine with it. Is he flashy? No. Will he make your eyes wonder what in the world they just witnessed? Nope. But can he be that second or third line player who does his job night in and night out? Absolutely.

Jake Marchment (Aaron Bell / OHL Images)
Jake Marchment F (Belleville Bulls)

It's tough to be seen as a real NHL prospect when you play for Belleville. That just seems to be the way it is. Brendan Gaunce is our most recent example of that.

But Marchment is a litte different. He doesn't have that "offensive leader" kind of talent. And that's perfect. Marchment will captain the Bulls this season, and a lot of that decision likely comes down to it being tough to find someone who will say something negative about his game.

Marchment is willing to do it all for his team, and that's what made him a re-entry pick of the Los Angeles Kings this past summer. Marchment is the kind of player who could play ten years on an NHL team's third line. And that's a very, very good thing.

Blake Siebenaler D (Niagara IceDogs)

Blake Siebenaler is the kind of defenseman who could quarterback a powerplay all day. Vision, agility, and confidence are all easily apparent to anyone who watches him. For an offensive-minded blueliner, the physicality Siebenaler plays with is somewhat unexpected, but definitely admirable.

Niagara has a high-potential group of defensemen this season, and Siebenaler will be a huge part of it. I'm looking for 45 points at minimum from Siebenaler this year. 

Ethan Szypula F (Owen Sound Attack)

Ethan Szypula didn't have a good rookie season in Owen Sound. He'll probably be the first person who would tell you that. But that doesn't mean I don't expect him to do big things this year.

Oddly enough, Szypula actually reminds me a lot of Kyle Platzer, a relatively new teammate of his with the Attack. Much like Platzer, Szypula has the offensive skillset to wire pucks past netminders coming into the offensive zone.

In minor midget, Szypula was an offensive force to be feared; in Junior B, Platzer was a threat every time he touched the puck. I'd like to see a Platzer-Szypula combination in Owen Sound. While they're similar players, the two might just be able to spark each other.

Mitchell Vande Sompel (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)
Mitchell Vande Sompel D (Oshawa Generals)

The London Knights Gold 1996 minor midget group produced two players with high offensive ceilings: Szypula, and Mitchell Vande Sompel.

There were times when Vande Sompel would act as a forward back then, but now he needs to focus on being a rushing defenseman. Of course there will be times when rushing is inappropriate, but Vande Sompel will need to be the skater who makes those judgement calls to find success at the pro level.

Vande Sompel is already an elite skater in the OHL. After showing very encouraging signs in his rookie season, Vande Sompel can now be looked at as an offensive catalyst - but as a defenseman.

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That wraps up the first post of the year here on O'Connor Hockey. I hope you found some value in it, and I look forward to posting more throughout the season.
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