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Top Prospects Hit the Ice

By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 01/23/15, 10:30AM EST

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OMHA Minor Midget Showcase in St. Catharines January 24 - 25

The great ones – like Steven Stamkos played in the OMHA – and the #NextOnes like Brampton 45’s Defencemen, Ian Blacker and Austen Keating of the Guelph Jr. Grpyhons will take to the ice at the Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s Minor Midget Showcase in St. Catharines January 24 and 25.

Ten Ontario Minor Hockey Association teams from the South Central AAA Minor Midget League will battle head-to-head in a series of games in front of pro, junior and university scouts at the Seymour Hannah Sports & Entertainment Centre. The event is a preview of the top picks in next spring’s Ontario Hockey League and, in a few short years, the National Hockey League draft. The OMHA is a premier development league with 104 players drafted from 21 different teams at the 2014 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, including three first round picks. Recent Ontario Minor Hockey Association grads now in the National Hockey League include Steven Stamkos, Matt Duchene, Corey Perry and Cody Hodgson.

A list of players to watch, including Blacker and Keating are listed below. 
The weekend will also include the OMHA Eastern AAA vs South Central AAA Midget All-Star Game along with a South Central AAA Bantam Prospects game. 

"The Ontario Minor Hockey Association has consistently developed bonafide prospects for the OHL year in and year out.” said Jason Ford, Barrie Colts General Manager & Head Scout.  “This type of setting with all of the teams in the league playing in one place allows us to evaluate the league as a whole, and saves us a lot of time moving forward. This Showcase provides us with more information on players we are interesting in pursuing, and helps us pinpoint who we want to pay more attention to as the season goes on."

The participating clubs include the Brampton 45’s, Buffalo Regals, Burlington Eagles, Grey Bruce Highlanders, Guelph Jr. Gryphons, Halton Hurricanes, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs, Niagara North Stars, Oakville Rangers and Southern Tier Admirals
“The Ontario Minor Hockey Association has a long and proud tradition of developing some of the top hockey talent in the world.” said OMHA President Rob Ring. “This event will be a step in identifying and developing the next crop of elite players in Ontario.”

The OMHA’s Showcase is also used to promote a path to post-secondary education for the athletes. Many OMHA graduates move on to attend and play at Ontario universities.

“The Ontario Hockey League offers student-athletes the best of both worlds when it comes to on ice development and opportunities in education,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “We look forward to the opportunity to meet so many of the OMHA’s great student-athletes and future stars of the OHL at these events.”

The OUA and OHL will host information sessions at the tournament to explain the pathways to junior hockey and university life. 
“Ontario University Athletics would like to welcome all players to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association AAA Showcase.  This is an opportunity for these exceptional athletes to showcase their talents while learning about the opportunities that exist for them beyond their junior playing careers. Ontario University Athletics would like to wish all players the utmost success as they pursue their academic and athletic goals,” said OUA Executive Director Bryan Crawford.

Partners for the 2015 OMHA Showcase include Under Armour, Ontario University Athletics [OUA], Ontario Hockey League [OHL], Gatorade & Hockey Tech.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Blacker is arguably the best defenseman in the 2015 OHL Draft Class. Blessed with a plethora of physical prowess and ability, the 6.03 defender is a terrific skater with an exceptional stride. His hockey sense and anticipation are both beyond his years. This ability allows him to evaluate the play and come up with a decision before most of the opposition can. Even though he might not be an overly physical player, Ian uses body positioning and his stick well in order to win pucks on a consistent basis. 


One thing you notice immediately about Conor is that he will do anything to make a difference for his team. Blessed with a dogged work ethic, Ali is hard on pucks and has the ability to advance the biscuit with either his feet or his stick. His skill level is good and similar to his teammate Blacker, his ability to transition his team from defense to offence is superb.


Blachowski might not be big in stature but his game is. He possesses very good skills, is a tremendous skater, and has a good compete level. He sees the ice well and makes his teammates better and helps elevate their game.


McGregor has a lot to offer and is just scratching the surface of what he has to offer and the player he is going to be. Ryan is very good skater that brings “it” every shift. Combining a very good skill level, a high hockey intellect, and a high compete level, he has the ability to win pucks and then generate offense after he has it.


Shane is the straw the stirs the drink on the backend for his team. He has good mobility and sees the ice well. He seems to get better every game he plays, similar to his teammate McGregor. Once nature takes its course and he gets bigger and stronger, he will become even more effective.


By now the secret is out, this kid can play. Lee is a prime example of how the game has changed for the better. Small in stature, in a day in age where skill and speed outweigh size and strength, he flourishes. His skill level and hockey smarts are as good as any player in the SCTA. Also, he has the unique gift (that is hard to find) of scoring goals; he has a great touch around the net.


Joshua is a player somewhat similar to Donavan on the Burlington Eagles, where as he has the ability to lead the tempo of the game and control the pace for his team. This is a special skill that is easier said than done. He does this with his mix of skating ability, skill, and smarts. He is very effective on the powerplay.


Keating, who made waves last season playing as an underager for Guelph, is currently the leading scorer in the SCTA. He is blessed with a lot of tools, high-end skill, a great shot, and a high level of hockey sense. What separates him from most players (like all the really good players) is his drive to be better. One area where this is evident is his skating, which has improved a lot since last year at this time.


Camp first caught the eyes of scouts last season (similar to Keating) as a late season call-up as the 98 Jr. Gryphons made a push for the OMHA AAA Championship. Fast forward one year, and Camp has continued to improve an already solid game. Skilled, hard on the puck and smart, he is effective in all-areas on the ice and logs a lot of quality minutes for his team.


Struthers combines a high level of skill & speed. He competes hard and has the ability to generate speed with the puck. His energy level is infectious and it makes his teammates around him better. Matthew possesses a very good physical game, has the ability to hit hard, and is very strong for his size.


Nick is a rare breed in Minor Midget AAA these days. As the game has opened up and speed and skill play a higher level of importance, players have been able to play at an elite level regardless of size. Thus, 6’4” centers like Deakin-Poot are few and far in between. He skates very well for his size, his skill level is very good and has he grown into his body. While his coordination and fine motors skills improve with maturity, he has the potential to be an impact player at the next level. In addition, he has a high hockey IQ, competes day in and day out and is effective in all areas of the ice.


Stevens is one of the best skaters in the draft this year and his ability to accelerate with the puck at a different level than his peers. High-end skill and dynamic, he has the ability to generate a lot of offence on his own and has the ability to be a very good finisher due to the great shot he has. Not overly tall but solidly built, he has a very good physical game, is hard on the puck and consistently wins battles.


Dubbed as one of the best in a strong draft class of goalies, Daniels is exceptionally quick post-to-post. His coverage down low in the net is second to none. Calm under pressure, he has all the tools to be an elite level goaltender at the next level.


Perth is a very intriguing player. Blessed with good size and strength (6’5”, 210), he moves very well for his size. His skill level is good and he has the ability to make plays on a consistent basis. Swick understands the game well, he has good ability to read the play, and is also mentally engaged. He has a high-ceiling to perform at the next level.


Evan could be the best offensive defenseman not only in the SCTA but in the entire draft class. Coming into this event, he leads his team in goals, assists, points, and powerplay goals. Bouchard has very good skills, skates extremely well and processes the game at another level. An overlooked skill for defenseman that he does exceptionally well, is the ability to get pucks on net from the point, which often results in scoring opportunities for his team.


Thorne is a very good two-way player. He competes hard in all areas of the ice and his hockey skills are very good. He can create offence on a consistent basis. Lucas is a very smart player who uses his stick and body positioning well to eliminate chances for the opposition.


From the blueline in, Phibbs is one of the best players in the OMHA this season. He sees the ice well and also has a good shot with a very good release. As he gets bigger and stronger his game is going to become even more effective and he has the chance to be an impact at the next level.


Evans is your typical power-forward that has exceptional strength for his age. He has a powerful skating stride, a very good skill level, and shoots the puck very well. Ben has a lot of tools and is a very good compliment to his teammate Jack Phibbs.

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