What coaches want

So here we are in late November. In the OJHL, this is commonly the time of year when organizations are supposed to be beginning to understand where they stand in the grand mosaic of the league. Yet, the interesting part is that for most teams, especially those outside the East (with the exception of perhaps the Wellington Dukes), that is still a mystery.

I could go into where we stand in the league today, but to be honest it could change by the end of the weekend. It's the wild west out there!

So I thought I'd write about a few things that I've picked up from the coaching staffs of the respective teams that I work for, with a specific view on what they seem to wish their players would figure out.

1) Stop in front of the net.

It sounds so simple right? How many times do commentators talk about "going to the dirty areas of the ice to score goals" and "getting the greasy goal"? Take the Patriots game vs. Trenton last Saturday. Toronto forward Nico Gonzalez had two breakaways and both times he had a guy right behind him that stopped in front of the net. On one of the occasions, Marco Bozzo did the absolute right thing, stopped in a dangerous area, got a rebound as a result and scored. On the other, Gonzalez's backhand trickled past the line, but had it settled there, Marcus Rose was right there (though Rosy is almost always in the right spot).

Let's be honest here folks, the D in the OJ this year aren't exactly heavy laden with Zdeno Chara-esque monsters. One of my favourites in the year, and one of the under-the-radar guys, Nick Geiser, has 11 goals! He's like Phil Esposito circa 1975! He stops in front of the net. When he shoots the puck, he follows his own shot. Goalies love it when guys shoot and just circle the net, shaking their heads that they put it right on the logo. What they don't want is anyone right there in their face.

2) Finish your checks.

Look, I know you're probably 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, and maybe even have that bizarre and 100% false notion that if you're busy hitting, you can't get busy scoring. But if you finish your checks, at least three things happen.

One, you get physically engaged in the game. You get a jolt of adrenaline and a skip in your step, and some confidence, and maybe next time that puck comes to you in tight, you are mentally able to pull it to the forehand and jam that thing in! It's the psychology of doing something positive that you have full control of.

Two, the other guy probably won't like it. If you hit him, he has to deal with your check instead of heading up ice and helping with the offence. The guys on their team have to remember, and take into account, that you're going to come looking for a hit the next time you're on the forecheck, or in the corner. It's about being tough to play against, and giving the other guys more to think about.

Three, the people that are watching freaking love it. You want a college scholarship? I've heard many scouts say "he might not have the greatest hands, but he finishes his checks!" Showing an edge is a major feather in your cap to scouts, and to coaches. It gives your bench energy, so in a way you're doing a bit of a job for the coaches in that the coaches don't have to keep harping on "let's get going!" "let's get some energy here boys!", etc.

I'm not saying hitting is easy, but whether you're a first or fourth liner and you want to be a good teammate, get to the next level, and/or win when it counts (playoffs, Dudley, RBC Cup, etc.), start hitting today!

3) That line between appearing to care too little, and getting too rattled.

It's a fine line, no doubt about it. I've found that most players seem to have a hard time picking which direction they go after a tough game, or being scratched. I get it, you're a human teenager with strong emotions.

But here's a tip, chose to be a good teammate regardless, and when in doubt, air on the side of caring. It goes a long way in so many areas; trades, future scratches, how hard your teammates will battle for you. And, just as importantly, when a college scout is sitting in the coach's office after a game, one of the first questions they ask is "what's he like off the ice? is he a good teammate?". So we all have initial feelings, everyone hates being scratched or sat or having a bad game or screwing up. But choosing to be a good teammate, and choosing to have good body language even when you don't want to, can be serious money in your pocket later on.

4) Treat coaches, equipment managers, athletic therapists, and rink employees like gold.

This may seem obvious, but I'm serious. All these people can mean the world of difference for you on and off the ice, and beyond that, it's just as important to work at being a good person now as it is to being a good hockey player. A good general manager/head coach cares how their players treat the rest of the organization, and winning clubs almost always have that professionalism and respect from top to bottom. Look at him/her in the eye and say thank you to the person getting you your stick, or sharpening your skates or taping your ankles or even flooding the ice.

5) When in doubt, go north.

This is especially true on special teams. One of the biggest differences between Junior 'A' and the next level is that hunger to get pucks toward the net as quick as possible. I'm not saying lobbing wristers from Timbuktu, or disrupting a system, but guys hold the puck on their stick so long that it gives it time to bounce, or the other team time to close. And I mean it, this is an epidemic in the OJHL. Giver a blast! As Coach Fortier once said: "if he blocks you once, that's too bad. If he blocks you twice, then give him a freaking medal...he's a hero." Shoot the puck on the power play, and move your feet over blue lines. That's simple stuff, but it's next level.

6) Ask.

Coaches work hard at making systems and set plays for their teams, so work hard at understanding them. If you aren't sure, stay after practice and meet with a coach. This is all part of communicating that you care, that you are committed and that you want to win. It's also part of being a good teammate, because if your linemate knows and you don't, then you are making both of you look bad and you probably aren't going to be successful on that play.

My Thoughts on the OJHL All-Star Teams

So, it's been a while since I've posted some thoughts on here; but it's my blog, so deal with it.

The Ontario Junior Hockey League announced their four rosters for the 2014 Central Canada Cup on Monday, revealing the players that will represent the league against two teams from the Central Canadian Hockey League, two from the Quebec Junior Hockey League, and one from the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The four squads were put together, I assume, in order to maintain as much of a competitive balance as possible; as opposed to by division or conference, as in past years. Each team has the name of a Hall of Famer attached to it - Paul Coffey, Dale Hawerchuk, Joe Nieuwendyk, and Adam Oates.

So here are my thoughts on each roster, some combos I'd be interested to see, and the strengths of each team.

Team OJHL Coffey

The first thing that stands out to me regarding the squad to be coached by Brian Perrin (the head coach of the Newmarket Hurricanes), is that there is some serious beef, and some serious spunk up front. The Wellington trio of Joe McKeown, Abbot Girduckis and Brandon Kosik are all skilled, but are tanks in the mould that Marty Abrams (Wellington's head coach and GM) loves. Add to them North York power forward Matthew Whittaker, and Cobourg youngster Dawson Theede, and this is a formidable and imposing group. On the other side of the spectrum, Gabriel Valenzuela, also of North York, is as shifty as they come in the OJHL, and look for Mississauga Charger Vince Figliomeni to continue to make a name for himself with his 200-foot, intensely competitive play.

On the back end, I'd love to see Whitby's Jon O'Hara paired with Aurora's Eric Williams, at the very least on the power play. That could be as dynamic a puck-moving defence-tandem as you can see in this league, and players in the Southwest that don't know, those two have cannons for shots. Wellington's Andrew Coupland is a very nice, composed option at the top of a power play as well.

Coffey is well situated in net with Andy Munroe of Aurora likely to draw the biggest games.

Team OJHL Hawerchuk

The biggest name on Aurora bench boss James Richmond's squad is Oakville defenceman Greg Campbell. A veteran of the World Junior A challenge, his coach on the Blades, Mike Tarantino, raves about the steps forward he's taken in the defensive zone. His offence has always been as good as anyone. Along with him on Hawerchuk's D-corps is Niko Kovachis, a Toronto Patriots d-man who is still trying to find his game this year. Yet those that watched him last year, and in flashes this year, know that he can be as good as it gets as a two-way guy in this league. His Toronto teammate Tyler Currie is wildly underrated in my opinion, as he is healthy and skating extremely well.

Up front, Brady Wiffen has been a man among boys so far this year, and especially in his own rink, he has been a machine. We will see how does on the big ice at MasterCard, but definitely as good as they come in terms of pure power forwards in the OJ. He is joined by teammate Zach deConcilys, who has electric hands and speed. Both of them have rocket shots. Interesting to see where Orangeville's diminutive and shifty Lucas Smilsky fits in among the league's elite...all the guy has done this year is score on a team that relies on him and his line to do so; and he's only a '97.

In goal, Hawerchuk is in a 1a, 1b situation with Team Nieuwendyk in terms of best goaltending in the tournament on paper, in my opinion. Daniel Mannella of Oakville has been excellent, profiting from Tarantino's introduction of far more defensive tactics to the often free-wheeling Blades. His confidence and athletic abilities are sky high. With him, Florida-born Trenton Golden Hawk Justin Kapelmaster has been excellent, and it means that Richmond can really go with either of them in big-game situations.

Team OJHL Nieuwendyk

To be 100% honest, and some people might not like this, but Nieuwendyk is my favourite to be the top OJHL all-star team at the event.

With Tyler Feaver of Whitby and Mathew Robson of the Toronto Patriots, head coach Curtis Hodgins (Cobourg Cougars) is seriously set in goal. Feaver has arguably been the best goaltender in the league since the start, and Robson has really burst on the scene with serious poise while tending the net for the defending champs.

Up front, the array and diversity of talent is extremely impressive. Toronto Jr. Canadian Anthony Repaci, and Cobourg Cougar Connor Armour have been terrorizing OJHL defencemen for years now, while Johnny Curran of Aurora has stepped into top-line duties with the Tigers and been as quick and dynamic as anybody in the circuit. The list is long of guys I really like on this forward corps, but one guy of very strong interest for me is North Bay Battalion prospect Cameron Morrison, currently of the Aurora Tigers, who brings a very fast game to an extremely big frame. He's been the best '98 born forward in the league so far, in my opinion. Former Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound Ryan Kirkup, currently of Whitby, is as good a 200-foot player as there is in the league.

On defence, Georgetown's Liam Clare is certainly in the discussion for best blue liner in the OJ. Poised and so intelligent with the puck, the Sacred Heart commit is ready to show what he can do at this stage. Jeremy Wu has been a point-producing machine for the Whitby Fury on the back end, while Trenton's Braden Hellems looks every part the reliable, composed 20-year-old defender that he is.

Team OJHL Oates

The first thing that jumps out at me for Coach Jason Fortier's (Toronto Patriots) squad is that they have, in my estimation, the league's best player - Steve Hladin. The Georgetown Raiders' captain has looked, at times, like the league is far too easy for him, with his ability to read the play and dominate in any situation. He is full value by himself to go watch Team Oates.

On top of Hladin is a very balanced defence corps, with three quality offensive guys and three quality stay-at-home types. North York's rookie phenom Will Reilly is drawing NHL attention as a '97 birth-year with dynamic offensive abilities, to go with an excellent skating stride and a very nice, projectile frame. Aurora's Noah Delmas is a smooth skating, intelligent defender, while Colgate commit and Kingston Voyageur Rory McGuire, and Mississauga Charger Austin Broadhurst are both bulldozers.

Up front, Fortier will have an interesting time putting together compatible players. B.J. Salerno of Pickering has slowed down since his explosive return to the league from the USHL, but is still very speedy and dangerous on the attack. Kingston Voyageur Joey Beaudoin is similar to Salerno, while one of Fortier's own in Toronto, Jacob Hayhurst, is a bit of a swiss-army knife, as he can look comfortable and solid on any sort of line. Georgetown Raider Anthony Marra is one of the true underrated players in the league, and is an excellent running mate with Hladin.

In goal, Hamilton's Alexander Bishop has come out of almost nowhere to make a name for himself, and is a big reason that the Red Wings are finally back in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Podcast with Pickering Panther Michael Giacometti

I talked with Pickering's Mike Giacometti about the Panther's season that has, so far, been magical.

Click here for the Podcast

Chat with Toronto Patriots' defenceman Niko Kovachis

I talked with Niko on the Patriots Pod! Enjoy.

Click here for the podcast

My chat with Pats' captain Luke Carter

Last year Toronto head coach Jason Fortier came in and had Tyler Enns as captain, now he has Luke Carter.

Seriously, and I mean this without bias, two absolutely outstanding leaders and people.

I talked to Carter today for the Patriots podcast and as always, he was intelligent and easy to talk to. Enjoy!

Click here for the podcast

Mid pre-season chat with Coach Fortier

New on the Patriots podcast, I talked to Coach Fortier about how his roster was progressing, including his thoughts in returning potential star Jacob Hayhurst and the move of new signing Dede Cato from defence to forward.

Click here for the podcast

The returnees (NYR goaltenders)

Before I get into North York's two returning goaltenders (yes folks, Andrew Cipollone is a returner), I should point out that the Toronto Patriots have no net minders back this year as Evan Buitenhuis is off to college and Jeremy Helvig is off to the Kingston Frontenacs. As a quick aside, Jeremy did dress in one game with the Frontenacs last year, in a wild 10-6 win over the Barrie Colts no less!

So, back to North York we go.

By now, any OJHL general manger worth their salt should know how good Gianluca Baggetta can be. He was unbelievable in the GTHL midget playoffs two years ago, and for the vast majority of last season he was as good as a rookie, if not better, than the veteran Jason Pucciarelli ahead of him. He came up as a double A goaltender, but took off once he started to take hockey a lot more seriously and despite his lack of size, he has parlayed athleticism, focus and a huge chip on his shoulder into a talent level as high as anybody in this season's goaltender class. That being said, he has not yet proven himself as a full-time OJHL goaltender and North York head coach Mark Joslin has tried to make it abundantly clear that ice time on his squad is a privilege and not a right. Therefore, keeping that chip on his shoulder will be important for Baggetta (because, as you will read in the next paragraph, there is a quality Chip right behind him!). I do predict that Gianluca definitely has what it takes mentally and physically to be an elite net-minder this season, no doubt aided by an upbringing and a family that really gets it (a very underrated factor in the development of young hockey players). But it's all up to him to take that next step.

Behind Baggetta will be a real classy kid in Cipollone. The man they call "chip" made his OJHL debut two seasons ago on Dec. 30, 2012, when he was rock solid in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Jr. Canadians at the ripe age of 16. How do I remember that exact detail? Maybe I'm a little crazy. Anyways, he won't complain at all about playing time this year and when he does go in, I guarantee that he'll play with his entire heart. He has been a loyal North York Ranger for years and with his attitude, I expect he'll be an excellent heart-and-soul addition to this club. Talent-wise, he was a big reason why the Rangers midgets made it the GTHL final last year and subsequently has proved he is ready for this level. He's the perfect type of guy to push Baggetta.

The returnees (TP defencemen)

As I said in my post on the Toronto Patriots' forwards, OJHL success almost always means serious roster turnover, period.

This is just as true for the Patriots defence-corps; gone are hugely important pieces like Mike Prapavessis, Robert Powers, Cory Lauer,  and Tyler Enns. Those four guys are all hugely different and the diversity of high quality roles within the squad made the unit, in my opinion, the best D-corps in the league by a good margin last year. Then once you got through them, you had to figure out how to beat Evan Buitenhuis, so good luck with that.

That being said, the landscape of the 2014-15 OJHL season is such that general managers all around the league are scrambling like mad to scrape together defence-corps (i.e., that there are not a lot of quality defencemen to go around) and so, especially in terms of the quality of the two guys that are back for the defending champs, Toronto is actually in relatively good shape.

Here they are.

Niko Kovachis has the chance to be the absolute best defenceman in the league this year. He has a lot of skill, he has a cannon of a shot, he is a lead-by-example character type, and if he can play with more snarl to match his very solid frame (I believe around 6-foot-2, and 195 or so pounds), then look out. He played with Prapavessis in what was the OJHL's best defence pairing last year (only possibly matched by the Williams-Poldma combination in Aurora), and I would assume that coming off an RBC Cup run in which he was a hugely important piece, he will enter this year with a lot of confidence. I have no doubt that he could be an impact player in Major Junior right now if that was the route he took (and if the Ottawa 67's didn't give up on him), and if he doesn't get a high quality Division I scholarship this season I will be shocked; that is, if that's what he wants. He is almost certain to play big minutes, in all situations (as he did last year), and I truly am excited to see what kind of impact Niko will have this year.

The thing about Tyler Currie is that while he was steady last year, he, Fortier and those that know him, including myself, know that he is capable of being much more than just steady. Injuries have slowed him down so far in his full-time junior career, but what he meant on the inside of the Patriots organization last year was far more than I would assume people on the outside could understand. He has well above-average defensive awareness and intelligence, and his stick in the defensive zone makes him a very difficult player to break down. Unlike some other smaller defence men, he doesn't have blazing speed, but he is calm and collected on the puck and I expect him to be a much more effective player going forward this year than last. Like Kovachis, he played with an absolutely elite partner last year in Robert Powers, so it'll be interesting to see what happens should Fortier and co. elect to not play the two vets together and I personally expect that they won't unless they have to. 

The returnees (NYR defencemen)

By all accounts, the Rangers really did try to take a run at it all last year and as a result they had five 20 year olds out of the seven defencemen on the regular roster. Therefore, while the returning guys, and the ones they have brought in are quite capable Junior 'A' defenders in my opinion, there are bound to be lingering question marks surrounding them until they prove themselves as a unit.

With that said, here are the returning North York defenders.

The fact that the Rangers had some of their best days when Jeremy Szabo was in the lineup last season was no fluke: he was outstanding. The offensive state sheet  - one goal, six points - won't jump out at you, but the way he played with passion, with intelligence and with physicality truly lifted the club and provided elements that were sorely missed when he was hurt during the first round of the playoffs. Jeremy is the type of kid that cares a ton and though it is unknown how much his game on the puck will develop, the foundations of character and composure are there in spades. He'll be a key leader on this year's club.

Christian Zanetti found his way into 44 games last year (including playoffs) and quietly went about his business developing into a steady defender. I could tell he had a bit of difficulty keeping his game sharp while being thrown in and out of the lineup, but he can skate and has an attitude of doing whatever the club needs him to do. Where he fits in the grand scheme of things is really up to him, though through limited summer viewings I have definitely seen improvement in his lateral mobility and confidence on the puck.

That brings me to Max Novick, who I will call a returnee because he's been part of this club for the past two years, despite spending the majority of his time with the midgets. I have always loved Max's confidence level, he has never been daunted by any task the coaching staff gave him, and that kind of attitude is something coaches love. On the ice, Novick's tool kit is absolutely full. He can skate like the wind, he has some nice vision and just like his off-ice attitude, he is fearless. If he can digest the systematic elements of the game, and work to understand when to freelance and when to keep things simple with the puck on his stick, he can be a premier talent in this league. He has the pluck to make a real difference for this club.

The returnees (TP forwards)

Veteran leadership is often at the core of team success and last year's Patriots had more than its fair share. Jason Fortier, who inherited the role of general manager for this season, and new assistant GM Ryan Daniels have been working to re-stock the cupboards in all positions, and the forward corps is no exception.

That being said, the guys that do return have experience at the highest levels of Junior 'A' hockey, and armed with that knowledge, this Toronto club will be a pushover for nobody.

The first guy of note coming back is Jacob Hayhurst, a guy whose game I cannot help but get excited about when I discuss it. Hayhurst was so mature so quickly from the start of the season that by the RBC Cup he was playing with such a high amount of confidence that he hardly looked like a rookie all. In the post-season there were times that he was dominating players four years older than him and by using his speed, intelligence and skill, he was a key piece in the Patriots' game plan of wearing down the opposition over the course of 60 minutes. Now he's back and almost certain to get a big role in the Toronto club overall, something I expect him to be able to handle well.

Marcus Rose is so well respected and liked by the Patriots' brass that he is his own category of player in their estimation (example: when Toronto acquired Chris Maione this off-season from Jr. 'B' Brampton, they said: "he's a Rosey type of player"...high praise). Rose can play on any type of line, in any situation, and thrive. He plays his heart out, he can skate and his skill is maybe as underrated as anybody's in the OJHL. There is no doubt that his competitiveness and intangibles rubbed off on Hayhurst, with whom he played most of the season, and that chemistry is a huge plus for the club. Rose has not been given a real big offensive role in his two previous seasons with the team, though he has demonstrated his ability in the attacking zone, so it will be interesting to see what happens when Coach Fortier asks him to take that step (which I am assuming he will). If you were to ask me to bet on it, I'd say Rosey is poised for a great year.

How good can Nick Ursitti be? That is likely to be a hot topic around the Patriots entering this year. The speedy winger was fantastic at the RBC Cup and in my view was the Toronto player that raised his stock the most at that event. He dealt with some injuries last year and then took his time to find his groove, but with thatt kind of speed and intensity he can be a very effective junior player. A great kid as well, so I expect far bigger things for Nick than many pundits heading into the year.

Luke Carter and Quinn Syrydiuk are other extremely high character guys with loads of passion. It really is amazing how much they both flip a switch from being immensely friendly people off the ice to angry pitbulls on it. They both scored some big goals and played understated key roles for the club last year, so it'll be interesting to see which way they go this year.

My chat with Mike Prapavessis

I did a podcast with new Dallas Stars and RPI Engineers defenceman Mike Prapavessis. A great kid, from a great family, with an incredible amount of talent, intelligence and character: it's hard to imagine him not succeeding at whatever he puts his mind to. It was an absolute pleasure watching this guy play last year, and as a 17 year old most of the season how he dominated guys three-to-four years older than him was nothing short of impressive. He is one of those guys that makes everyone around him better and treats everyone with professionalism and respect and for my money, he was the best defenceman in the OJHL by a long shot last season. So without further ado, here is the interview:

Click here for the podcast

Fortier talks new Patriots signings

Part 2 of my chat with Fortier, he talks about the club's new signings.

Click here for the podcast

Chat with Toronto Patriots' head coach and GM Jason Fortier Pt. 1

Here is my chat on the first ever Patriots Pod with the club's head coach and general manager Jason Fortier.

http://bit.ly/1toynkp

In Part 1, we discuss how last year is sitting with him, how proud he is of Mike Prapavessis' being selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round of the NHL draft and who he expects to step up as a leader on the club.

Enjoy folks.

The returnees (NYR forwards edition)

With a boatload of graduations, only a handful of North York Rangers are returning for next year. With the loss of guys like Corey Kalk, John Carpino, Patty Piacentini and Alex Leader, you might expect a club to worry.

While those guys are definitely missed, there is a very genuine sense of optimism about this up-coming season around the club, as the returning guys look to continue to grow up - and if they fulfill that 'growing up' potential...look out folks.

I am obviously excited to see everyone that is coming back, so if I don't mention someone specifically, don't take it as an offence?.

I'll start with the forwards.

Deaner, Mark Joslin and I talk about it all the time: Gabe Valenzuela's potential for this next season is mind-boggling. Remarkably underrated last season, his loss to injury early in the playoff series vs. the Toronto Patriots last year made a big impact. He's back and with his hands, vision, intelligence and escapability, the other teams in the OJHL had better take notice. He also kills penalties as well as anyone, is a strong face-off guy, and a tremendous leader and person on and off the ice. Any coach would take a half-dozen Gabes if they had any sense. I really really believe he's a future high-end Division I player.

Matt Whittaker probably started last year with a little bit of an "I just committed to D1" hangover. He maybe tried to do too much, strayed from his north-south game and tried to dangle a little too often. From the second half of the year on, North York had one of the best records in the league, and the fact that Whitty figured it out (or, as Deaner likes to say: "figured out what gets him paid") had a pretty large role in that. I've seen him play a half-dozen times this summer, he's clearly working hard on getting a little faster, and the authority with which he holds the puck as a power forward is beginning to become as impressive as anyone in the league that I can think of for next year. He kills penalties very well too. I really want to see him finish his check every time this up-coming season, for the 'benefit' of all the young 5-foot-9, 160-pound defencemen he'll be taking on this year.

Zach Fung and Gabe really developed some nice chemistry last year, and that can only bode well for both of their prospects coming up. Funger is a swiss-army knife, to take a phrase from Brian Burke. He has a rocket of a shot, he cares a ton about his teammates, he has underrated speed and he can make life hard for anybody in the OJ on 200-feet of the ice. I'm curious, with all the offensive-minded d-men the front office brought in, whether he will remain at the point on the power play, though I'm sure Mark Joslin would say he's curious to see that too. His commitment to fitness heading into last year really made a difference and he's on a nice trajectory in his hockey career. Whether or not he's on the power play, I'd love to see him blast away all next year; if he does, he'll put up numbers.

Teddy Hunt is fast, really really fast. He also has very nice offensive instincts and was almost a point-per-game guy as a third-liner in 18 games for the Rangers last year, so the trend truly appears to be upwards for him. He's a really nice kid off the ice, but I'd like to see him be a little more aggressive on the ice. I don't mean that he should get into a fight, but I want to see him challenge defenders wide as often as he can (especially on the insanely wide ice at Herb Carnegie) and take the puck to the blue paint.

Kyle Clarke was only starting to get a sense of what junior hockey was all about last year, but he was as good as anybody in midget last year (some say the best), so with another summer under his belt we'll see what kind of player he is at this level. It's hard to say at this point, but he has the ability and did well in spots on key lines for the Rangers down the stretch last year.

Chat with Georgetown captain Stephen Hladin

So folks, I haven't posted in a bit because life has been a tad hectic the last little bit.

Today I spoke with Georgetown captain Stephen Hladin for the first podcast entry of Neugsie on the OJHL's pod. Hladin had a monster year last season, scoring 38 goals (second best in the league), and 83 points (also second best) in 53 regular season games; and scored 23 points in only 13 playoff games, good for a tie for second most in the league. His points-per-game ratio (1.77) in the post-season was second most to Toronto's Kevin Shier, made all the more impressive by a fairly clear injury (as he talks about in the podcast).

So without further ado, one of the best and most talented kids I've dealt with in the league, Stephen Hladin.

Click here for the podcast

My chat with NYR's new head coach, Mark Joslin

So I had a nice chat with North York's new head coach Mark Joslin, who was, as I forgot to mention in the podcast, the club's full-time assistant coach last year. If you're curious, he is the uncle of former NHLer and current AIK Solna (Swedish League) defenceman Derek Joslin. Nice guy as well.

Here it is: http://bit.ly/1q2vYvo

A few things I learned at the RBC Cup

I remember sitting on the plane to B.C. thinking back to the regular season and how far off a Dudley Hewitt Cup appearance seemed then, let alone a trip to the RBC Cup. Yet, here the guys were, on a plane to the beautiful Okanagan Valley with a very real shot at being the national champions only days away.

Of course, it didn't shake up that way. I know it's a cliche, but it's true - the boys did put their whole hearts on the ice for those four games, and one or two bounces one way or the other might have written a different story, but it wasn't to be.

So with some time to take into account all that happened on the ice at 2014 RBC Cup, here are a few of the things I thought/learned at the tournament.

1) Anytime someone tells you that Hockey Canada is pure class, believe it. These guys treat you like professionals. After every practice and game they had a table waiting for the boys practically falling over with gatorade, water, energy bars, and all sorts of other food (the ridiculous amount of bagels meant it was absolute heaven for Nick Ursitti).

Each team at the tournament was assigned to a local school, which followed the club through the tournament and a visit was set up where the guys on the team went out to their respective school to meet the kids. The schools also had a banner awaiting each club in the locker room with everyone's name on it (even mine!).

The photographers were exceptional, the organization was first rate (they even had shuttle cars waiting for the teams if they wanted to go somewhere specific around town), and there were volunteers everywhere. Just blown away!

2) Loud, moving busses are not great places for on-camera interviews. Maybe that's obvious to you, but it wasn't for me.

3) The Okanagan Valley is really, really, really nice. And if you go to the Fairfield in Vernon, B.C., you need to try the water slide. It's not your average hotel water slide, this thing is a legit waterpark-calibre one.

4) The top Junior 'A' teams from out west are good, but they are still just junior hockey teams. I don't really know why, but I was kind of expecting monster quasi-professionals on steroids. I was wrong. The eventual champs, the Saskatchewan League champion Yorkton Terriers, got stomped by the Pats in Game 2 and if I'm fully honest, I thought the best team there was actually the Ottawa suburb-based Carleton Place Canadians from the CCHL. As I said before, a bounce here or there and Toronto was certainly good enough to win the tournament (and I'm not saying that due to bias or because I don't want Forch to kill me).

5) But that being said, the fifth thing I learned was simply that there is no easy game, no easy ice, or easy moment at the tournament. What really stood out to me was that you need to bare down and earn every goal. What might be a tap-in before is a goal that you have to almost break your stick on the post to pound in because the other team is going to be desperate to make sure you don't score that goal. I am not suggesting that anybody needs to change their game to win at the RBC, because you win there with your own game like you did for the Dudley or the Buckland; I'm just saying you can't take anything for granted. This may seem obvious, but it really is heightened there.

The Departed (Toronto Patriots edition)

Just like the Rangers, all the departed players on the Patriots were outstanding guys and outstanding people. There was a real sense all last year that it was this group of vets who were really driving the train to the RBC and say what you want about young talent. In my opinion, you cannot win a thing in the OJHL without older guys who have bought in.

Another thing about the OJ is that if you have a ton of success, next-level people will take notice and want your guys. That is also the case with some of the guys on this list.

So without further ado, here is the list of the departed Patriots.

To be 100 per cent honest, (and I mean no disrespect to any other goaltender in the league the last two years, ) if you were to ask me, "Hey Jamie, which OJ goalie would you want on your club? Which was the best?", I would have answered Evan Buitenhuis in a heartbeat. Playing behind youthful, offensive clubs in Oakville before joining the Pats, Boots was simply unbelievable. Then when Forch told me there was a chance Toronto would acquire him, I knew that instantly made a sensational Pats' team a very real contender for the league and beyond. Off the ice, I came to know Evan as one of those guys who will always give you the time of day, something I really appreciated about him. On the ice he was everything the club needed him to be and Hamilton College is insanely lucky to nab a player and person the quality of Evan.

There was a time earlier in the year that Jeremy Helvig could be considered one of the league's elite goaltenders, and he was barely 16 at the time! I didn't get to talk to him too well, but I know that with his skill set and demeanour, the ceiling for his talent level is absolutely at the highest level. He's likely heading to the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL next year, but if they give him the right shot, he absolutely has a great chance to make it pro one day. The Pats would not have had the great first half without Jeremy, and likewise, they probably would not have had the confidence to do what they did. The kid deserves a ton of credit.

I have already talked about Cortland's newest defenceman, Cory Lauer at length, but he's the type of person that has had the up-bringing and has the attitude to really be successful at what he puts his mind to. He has that hard-nosed determination that college coaches love and as I said before, Toronto doesn't get as as far as they did without his locker room impact.

Tyler Enns was just a phenomenal captain. He's heading to Mercyhurst and leaving Fortier with big shoes to fill since Enns was one of those rare kids who didn't need a spotlight or a superstar role to lead by example. He was key in making everyone feel welcome and part of the club and he fully understood by the end how he could best help the club win (on or off the ice) and those facts deserve pieces of credit for Toronto's success this year.

Alex Grose came in from a quite different level of hockey and really did everything the coaching staff wanted of him. As a mid-season pickup, he had pretty much no entitlement in his attitude and as a result, he was a pleasure to work with. He was brought in to be a physical guy, to make a difference on the forecheck, and add some depth, and he certainly did that very well. He's also a really good kid and I'm going to miss seeing him around the rink as well. Alex is heading to Iowa State.

A lot of major junior veterans come in to the OJHL with some bitterness or a bad attitude. However, after over 150 games in the Canadian Hockey League, Andreas Tsogkas was nothing but a tremendous teammate. His talent was obvious from early in the season, and he brought a crispness and professionalism to the game that kids learn. This is absolutely essential at the next level, and Ryerson certainly is getting an awesome piece. I'll never forget one Jonathan Huberdeau-like shootout move he made vs. the Junior Canadians...it was definitely the nicest shootout goal I've seen in the OJ. He is another great kid and one of the league's least talked about stars last year.

I had only met Brandon Willett once or twice before he came back to the club despite the fact that he was on Vaughan and had been around the league for a while, but he always took the time to say "hey" and treat me with respect. Hamilton College is getting a guy who can really do a little bit of everything at a high level up front, and coaches will tell you that guys like him are invaluable. He grew a great beard and he was really helpful with my playoff videos, for which I am truly grateful.

Doug Bonar and I didn't really start chatting till later in the year, but (I feel like a broken record) he is just another outstanding player and person who the Pats are losing this year. When it came to finishing, Doug was as good as anybody in the OJ last year and with all the accolades Kevin Shier got, as I always say (and Kev would agree 100 per cent) that without the hard work of Doug and Nathan Feric, Shier would not have achieved nearly as much. His penalty kill ability also showed up in a big way in the playoffs and after two straight 20-goal, 50-plus point seasons in a row in the OJ, he is certainly ready to make an impact for the University of Waterloo.

It only comes along once in a while that a team can add the exact type of player and person mid-season that it needs, but the acquisition of Robert Powers from Stouffville was as close to perfect as you can get. A veteran of the Spirit's 2012 championship club, Robert was a great addition to the room. Possessing a tremendous two-way skillset on the back end, his coming on really solidified the Pats D-corps as (in my opinion) the best in the OJHL. He was also another guy who was very helpful and encouraging with any media I was trying to make (writing and video).

Only two more guys...you can make it.

With all due respect to all the kids I've worked with in this league (and 95% of them have been awesome, with all honesty), Kev Shier will go down as one of my absolute favourites. He was always willing and enthusiastic to help me out with an interview or anything I really needed from him. And with everything that happened with him on and off the ice, that's a lot. I really appreciated how he was always willing to chat and be honest about things. On top of everything away from the game, he was one the league's premier talents without a doubt last year. I will always remember Game 2 vs. Georgetown in the conference finals when he scored five points to lead the club back from down 3-0 midway through the second period to win 5-3--probably the best performance I've ever seen in the league. Union is getting a great player and an even better person (by the way, his dad's not too bad either).

Finally, Mike Prapavessis was all right...

But seriously, with the way Praps absolutely DOMINATED (capitals intended) the league this past year, you could forgive him a little bit of cockiness; the guy doesn't have a boastful bone in his body. A really polite, good guy off the ice, you can tell he was raised really well. He has a tremendous head on his shoulders, and at times it was so easy to forget that he was only a 17 year old doing what he did with and against 19 and 20 year olds. He pulled in loads of awards and deserved every single one of them and there are few players I can ever say I enjoyed watching more than Praps (I'm really going to miss it). RPI is so lucky to get him and I'm very confident he'll get taken in the up-coming NHL Draft. How Fortier will replace his minutes is really beyond me

Conversation with the Pats new associate general manager

Hey folks,

Apologies that it took this long for me to post again. I have no excuse.

This off-season the Toronto Patriots have had to deal with a second big shift in staff in two years since former general manager Mike Tarantino took off to become the head coach of the Oakville Blades. Initially, this left both the position of GM and head coach to Jason Fortier, who had carried both roles with the Vaughan Vipers before their demise three years ago.

Yet the addition of Ryan Daniels to the staff last year in the position of goaltending coach proved to be a boon for the club. The former Ottawa Senators prospect and multiple-time CIS All-Star was a hugely valuable asset for both Fortier and Tarantino; beyond simply overseeing the instruction of the net-minding, he also demonstrated an acute eye for the game and a passion for the kids and the club.

So with Tarantino's departure, Daniels has taken on a role of apprentice/associate/assistant general manager of the club.

Daniels was gracious enough to take some time to chat with me about his role and the club next year, so please enjoy my conversation with him.

Click here for the interview

Thanks for listening and for your patience!

The departed (NYR edition)

With the second post I thought it would be good to shout out to all the guys that I've gotten to know that are moving on from the OJ to play hockey at school next year. Literally, every one is an awesome kid.

I will start with the North York guys.

I will always remember Patty Piacentini as one of the classiest, most savvy defencemen I've seen in the league. I've literally watched every season of his junior career, from a rookie in Vaughan three years ago and then in North York the past two, and I have to say that working with him has never once not been a pleasure. He is heading to Mercyhurst University in the fall and I truly believe he'll be a plus for their club right away with his extremely high maturity level.

Brody Power is heading to Buffalo State--North York's D3 feeder school --apparently, with two real beauties in Taylor Pryce and Charles Lapierre having headed there last year. The Halifax native simply played with an insane amount of heart and I really am going to miss seeing him around the Herb. Not sure the guy ever played a game in the OJ without some sort of injury, but he was still as reliable as anybody that Coach Dean could have sent out there last year. Never made excuses, never a complainer, just a load of passion and intensity.

Adam Valadao was one of the real under rated players in the league the last two years and as he got healthier, he really exploded as a key offensive producer in the 2013-14 season. Always friendly, always encouraging me with the stuff I was doing around the club. His loss will be a tough spot for the Rangers to fill because he did so much. Curry College is one lucky school to nab this guy.

Much like Valadao, Alex Leader might have been one of the best kept secrets in the OJ last year. Brought over from Trenton in the off-season, Alex was certainly among the league's best skaters, and his game was very well rounded. Off the ice, I really did get to consider him a friend, which is really meaningful to a guy like me who is kind of on the outside of the 'team family' (not that the other guys I mentioned didn't). The Ryerson Rams are getting a player and a person of the highest calibre.

Corey Kalk is another guy that really treated me like family off the ice, and while his extremely high skill level could have turned him into a punk, he is simply an outstanding guy. It was a pleasure watching him the last two years. His ability to put the club on his back and to play so hungry really appeared to infuriate the opposition. I still think he is still in a process of finding out how good he can be. Nabbing him last off-season was a brilliant call by Dartmouth College.

Liam Kerins exploded into a taste of his potential this year and his one-timer occasionally made me wonder if I was watching a young Steven Stamkos. Didn't get to know Liam too well over the couple years. I watched him when he was a rookie in Vaughan, and was lucky enough to talk to him and learn a bit about him this past year. RIT is getting as pure a sniper as there was in the OJ last year.

There would have been no magical run to the conference final last year without Jason Pucciarelli. He gave some unbelievable performances in net the last two years and he is just loaded with potential. He's the kind of guy that cares a lot about his teammates and has a very strong desire to win. With those in tow, I know that he'll thrive at Salem State. He was another guy that was always very encouraging of the work that I was doing around the team.

Kyle Thacker is a punk. No, I'm not serious. Three years ago both Kyle and I were in Vaughan and because he had some injury issues, I got to get to know him quite well that year. Subsequently, I was very excited to hear it when North York acquired him from Orangeville this past year and he's another guy that I consider a friend off the ice. I'm also excited to see where Kyle's older brother Kevin will end up in the front offices of the hockey world (translation: hopefully he'll remember me and get me a job when he makes it to the show). Big and smooth is a tough combination for coaches to find, so SUNY Potsdam is extremely lucky to get Kyle. 

I know I sound like a broken record, but I am going to say it again. John Carpino, yet another guy that always treated me with a ton of respect and as much as it was fun to watch his dominant hands on the ice, I'm really going to miss seeing him at the rink. It's seriously hard to think of a guy with better hands in the OJHL last year than the Western Michigan recruit, or even over the last two seasons. Confidence and creativity are the name of his game, and I'm convinced that NCAA defences are eventually going to have a tough time containing him. Just a pleasure watching him develop over his whole junior career.

I'll miss every one of these guys, as well as the guys about whom I don't know what the next step is, including Corey Helliwell, Brandon Gaudette, Tye Campbell, and Patrick Simmonds. You're all beauties.

On Quinn and Cory, and a thought on my "favourite team"

First of all folks, I'll let you in on a secret.

I care about both teams equally. I work equally as hard for both teams and when they faced each other in the second round of the post-season, it was a really anxious time because I knew it would be the end for one of them. Better than the first round or one not making the playoffs, I suppose, but I was grumpy from start to finish.

The one thing that was kind of nice about it was that the guys on both seemed to care which team I was 'cheering for', which in a way (and really only in hindsight) is a bit of an ego boost, but at the time the question drove me nuts.

So there's that.

But anyways, with that out of the way I can start on the 'meat' of my thoughts (though my decision to start talking about one of the teams over the other has zero significance, and I will attempt to alternate teams throughout).

My first thought about how the Toronto Patriots came together as a family, won two championships and claimed the honour of being the first ever team from Toronto itself to reach the RBC Cup is not about the team's statistical leaders. My thoughts aren't on the remarkable talent of the likes of Mike Prapavessis or Kevin Shier or even the tremendous goaltending of Evan Buitenhuis (though literally everybody on the team found a way to contribute in a very significant way on the way to British Columbia).

No, my first thoughts go to Cory Lauer and Quinn Syrydiuk.

When Pats head coach Jason Fortier takes aim at anybody for his team, from staff to players, the first thing he wants is passion. Cory and Quinn were made of passion of this year.

The former has the rare distinction of being an OJHL player from the Nashville suburb of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee (that's a bit of a joke since I really doubt there has been an OJ player from there...) and was well known by Fortier as it was he that brought the big defenceman north after seeing him play a tournament for his Indiana Ice U18 club in the summer of 2011. At the time, Fortier was the head coach and GM of the Vaughan Vipers and a raw, young Lauer had to battle for ice time - but the potential was there. After a season in Pickering, where Cory went following the Vipers' demise, Lauer was acquired from the Panthers early this year and boy did it pay off.

As a 20-year-old, Cory was all about winning. He wasn't worried about points, he wasn't worried about getting power play time, and he wasn't worried about being an all star. What he was worried about was doing everything he could to bring everyone into the family, about doing his best every shift and playing with passion. The entire Toronto defence corps was sensational, to be honest, even through loads of injuries and absences, and they all deserve mention.

But Lauer, who couldn't get into lineup in Pickering to start the season, stands out in that despite not wearing a letter, despite playing for his fourth team in three years, chose to buy in and be a leader and deserves a ton of credit for Toronto's championship success.

Quinn's path was a bit different. A pretty good scorer for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens midgets two years ago (and an exceptional scorer for the Toronto Red Wings bantams in 2010-11), he (coincidentally) was an affiliated player for the Pickering Panthers in 2012-13. That being said, he truly had no idea if he would/could make an OJHL roster this past campaign. By the end of the season and in the playoffs, the coaching staff could not take him out of the lineup.

On the ice he played like a pit-bull, using his speed to be a dog on raw meat on the forecheck and ended up centring the so-called fourth line.

How did he really earn his spot though? He was the first at the rink, he worked and focussed and bought-in to his role and like Cory, treated everyone in the organization with respect and like family, despite the fact (unlike Cory) that he is a 1996 birth year. Let him be another lesson to all those kids who don't have offers lining up left and right - if you play with passion and chose to be an asset on and off the ice, you will find a way.

Neither of them won awards at the end of the year from the league (though Cory did get a well-deserved scholarship to SUNY Cortland), but everyone in the club from top to bottom knows the impact these two had.

So I salute them.

Why I am writing this blog

Toronto's Nathan Feric (left) and North York's Patrick Piacentini shake hands (OJHL Images/Andy Corneau)

Hello

My name is Jamie Neugebauer and I am the media creator, play-by-play guy and general 'get in the way and sometimes give opinions, whether or not they are asked for' person for both the Toronto Patriots and North York Rangers of the Tier II Junior 'A' Ontario Junior Hockey League's South Division.

Does this make me an expert on anything really? You be the judge. But I watched a ton of hockey this past season, was involved with two great groups of kids and staffs, and was fortunate enough to be on hand for four playoff rounds, a regional championship and a national championship appearance. So needless to say, I have a lot of thoughts from the year, and the fact that this blog will stay 100% positive is no sweat off my brow, because a vast, vast majority of the 2013-14 season was positive and, as such, so is the content locked within my mind.

So with that said, I know that nobody wants to see me drone on forever (or maybe some one does, since I've heard that a few people don't mute me on my fasthockey broadcasts), so I'll keep posts to the point.

But please give the Patriots and Rangers a follow on twitter @patriotsjr and @OJHLRangers, check out their websites, Pats: http://bit.ly/1p5p4kX, Rangers: http://bit.ly/1hGXFPq, and find them on facebook, and we'll all get along.

First real post will come out later today, so stay tuned!