The next wave of Ontario Minor Hockey Association players to start on the path to hockey stardom will see their names posted during the Ontario Hockey League priority selection this Saturday, April 5 which is conducted online at www.ontariohockeyleague.com. 

The OMHA has a long and recent history of developing top-rated talent for the Ontario Hockey League including 104 players selected from 21 teams last season.  As we look towards Saturday’s draft, we profile top OMHA players that have a chance at getting their names called early in the Draft.

Only in his 2nd year of AAA, he just kept getting better and better as the year went on. He has a very good skill set and a high hockey IQ. In addition, he competes hard and by the emotion he shows on the ice it is evident that he loves the game. The biggest feather in his cap may be the fact that he led a very potent Barrie Jr. Colts team in scoring this year with 30 goals and 55 points.

He is one of the most physically effective players in his age group. He dominates the corners, hits hard, and he is very strong on his skates. When he wants to take the puck to the net it is hard for the opposition to stop him. He has good skills and a high good compete level. In a day-of-age in the game where puck battles and the subsequent puck possession and opportunities that come with it are so important, a player like Carson is highly valuable.

He has boatloads of upside. He is big, skates well with a good stride and has a good work ethic. Has a very good skill level that allows him to handle the puck well and create offence for his team. He understands the game well and does a lot of little things well (chipping pucks out to teammates, supporting teammates, etc.). Once he fills out his big frame he is going to be a very effective player at the next level.

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, he uses body positioning and his stick well in order to win pucks on a consistent basis. 

McGregor has a lot to offer and is just scratching the surface when it comes the player he is going to be. He 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 once he has it he generate offense with it.

Keating, who made waves last season playing as an underager for Guelph, finished the season as 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 intelligence. What separates him from other elite level players in his age group is his drive to be better. One area where this is evident is his skating, which has improved immensely since last year at this time.

Struthers combines a high level of skill and skating ability. 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. As well, he possesses a very good physical game, has the ability to hit hard, and is very strong for his size.

He is a rare breed in hockey these days. As the game has opened up and speed and skill have become paramount, players have been able to play at an elite level regardless of size (which is a good thing). At the same time though, some of the bigger players that tend to be slower than the smaller ones, have been left behind. Thus, 6’4” centers with Deakin-Poot’s ability are few and far between. He skates very well for his size, his skill level is very good, has a high level of hockey intelligence and he plays a 200-foot game. He has the potential to be an impact player in the OHL someday.

Stevens is one of the best skaters in the OMHA and his ability to accelerate with the puck is as good as anyone in his age-group. He possesses high-end skill and is very dynamic. He has the ability to generate a lot of offence on his own and is a very good finisher due to the great shot and hands. Not overly tall but solidly built, he has a very good physical game, is hard on the puck and consistently wins battles.

Swick is a very intriguing player. Blessed with an inordinate amount of size and strength, he skates well, his skill level is good and he has the ability to make plays on a consistent basis. He understands the game well, reads the play well, and is mentally engaged.

He is arguably the best offensive defenseman in the entire draft class and accomplished the unheard of superfecta  (for defensemen) leading his team in goals, points, penalty minutes, and game-winning goals. Bouchard has very good skills, has good mobility 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.

The beast of the backend for his team, Hanna is a physical presence and is not afraid to dish out punishment to the opposition. He has very good mobility for a player of his size and advances the puck effectively and efficiently. His skill level is very good and he is effective on the powerplay especially when he gets his cannon of a shot on net.

The captain of his team, Wainman has the unique ability to control the tempo of the game. Like a drummer keeping time for his band, Wainman can push the play or settle it down. He is smart, skilled, and very effective defensively.

Ball is a very gifted power-forward. He is one of the best combinations of size, skill, and skating in the OMHA. His hockey sense is very good and he has the underrated ability of finding ‘quiet ice.’ When he is there and he gets the puck on his stick, he has a very good shot and gets it away quickly. One of the many offensive weapons Peterborough possessed this season.

Davis reminds some scouts of Clarington Toro graduate and current New York Islanders star Josh Bailey. Both go about their business in a quiet manner, understand the game very well, have a high-end skill set, and play a 200-foot game. After Brady Gilmour of the Quinte Red Devils, he was the smartest player in OMHA Minor Midget AAA this year. Coincidently enough, Davis and Gilmour finished tied in for the scoring championship; each with 61 points.

Gilmour’s hometown of Grafton, ON is nestled just east of Cobourg. It is a beautiful but it is one of those places that if you blink when you go through it you will miss it. Seems fitting that one of the most elusive players to play in the OMHA comes from here. Gilmour is an elite-level-talent. He is a great combination of high-end skill, a very good work ethic and an extremely high hockey IQ. He is one of the most offensively gifted players in the OMHA this year and will no doubt have his name called very early in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

Brahaney has a very good all-around game. He has a very good skill level, good hockey smarts, and does not give up much defensively. He has a very good transition game and competes hard every time he is on the ice. He ate a lot of quality minutes for his team this year and was arguably the most important player on a team that won the OMHA Minor Midget AAA Championship.

McFarland dominates physically and gets up and down the ice well for his size. In addition to this he works hard every time he is on the ice, has very good skills and shoots the puck better than most players currently playing in the OHL. Lead the league in goals with 31.

From the blueline in, Phibbs is one of the best players in the OMHA. 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.

Andronovski has a very high compete level, a good physical game, and is very effective in the dirty areas. His skill level is very good and he understands the game well. He is vocal and is a very good leader on his team. He is one of the best all-around forwards in the OMHA.

Brown, a power-forward, hits like a cement truck. In addition, he is a decent skater, has good skills and understands the game well. As a result, he is a highly sought after commodity and has lots of upside. Projected to be well over 6.00 tall and over 200 lbs. with his ability to punish the opposition and this size, the ‘Aidan Brown flu’ could be ramped in with opposing OHL teams in a few years’ time.

Thomas is a beautiful player to watch. He has a high level of hockey sense, high-end skill, skates well, and sees the ice as good as anyone in the OMHA. He was the best player for his team in the 2nd half of the season and is a big reason why they reached the OMHA Minor Midget AAA finals.