Deep Thoughts Twitter - April 2nd 2019 - OHL Draft Preview

Deep Thoughts
With
Mark Seidel
For this edition of Deep Thoughts, I decided to take a look at the upcoming OHL Priority Selection on Saturday & gave some names to watch for early in the Draft. There will be significant local content with quite a few players from the Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves being selected but below are some of the top players eligible with a few Americans that may make things interesting.

• Shane Wright – Don Mills – RC – 6’0  183 lbs. – Shane Wright was granted Exceptional Status to enter the OHL a year early & is only the 5th player to be granted the status (John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid & Sean Day). He was the best player in Minor Midget this year despite being a year younger & will bring speed and skill to Kingston & will have to carry the franchise.
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• Brandt Clarke – Don Mills – RD – 6’01 174 lbs. – The best defenseman in the Draft is the younger brother of the Ottawa 67’s star, Graeme Clark. Brandt has a very high hockey IQ with a low panic threshold who can make plays & generate offense from the back end. If Erie doesn’t take him than I can’t see Barrie passing on him.
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• Brendan Othmann – Don Mills – LW – 5’11 161 lbs. – Othmann was a key player for Team Ontario at the Canada Winter Games & is a scoring machine. He has a pro shot & a nose for the net that has a lot of similarities to Jason Robertson, the OHL scoring leader in Niagara. A very likely pick to Flint at #2 overall.
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• Mason McTavish – Pembroke – LC – 6’01  196 lbs. – The son of Dale McTavish, a high scoring winger for the Peterborough Petes back in the early 90’s. Mason can play the game any way the opposition wants with a physical edge & arguably the best stick skills in the draft.
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• Roman Schmidt – Don Mills – RD – 6’05 209 lbs. – The massive defender from the Don Mills Flyer powerhouse, Schmidt has accepted a scholarship to Boston University but it will be interesting to see if the smooth skating defender with a big shot from the point comes to the OHL or not.
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• Connor Lockhart – Kanata - RC – 5’09 161 lbs. – Lockhart isn’t very big but he is lightning quick to get to loose pucks & distributes the puck really well. The slick RC put up 2 points a game in the Ottawa U18 AAA Midget League & he was a key contributor on Team Ontario at the Canada Winter games.
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• Francesco Pinelli – Toronto Red Wings – LC – 6’0  176 lbs. – Pinelli helped lead his Toronto Red Wing team all year in the competitive GTHL as an effective Centreman that showed that he can play the game in all 3 zones while scoring. He combined with the underage superstar Adam Fantilli to push Don Mills to overtime in the OHL Cup final.
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• Danny Zhilkin – Toronto Marlboros – LC – 6’01 185 lbs. – Zhilkin is a smooth skating centreman that is always a scoring threat when he is on the ice. In my opinion he is underrated for the Draft & a Boston University commitment may see him fall but I’m betting he will become a star in the OHL.
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• Ben Gaudreau – North Bay – G – 6’02 165 lbs. – The North Bay product has the perfect combination of athletic ability, technical expertise & the mindset to become a star in the OHL & beyond. He is best Minor Midget goaltender that I’ve ever seen in the Draft & I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t get taken in the 1st round.
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• Chase Stillman – Sudbury – RC – 5’10 174 lbs. – The son of Sudbury Wolves Coach Cory Stillman & the grandson of OHL legend Bud Stefanski, Chase Stillman has accepted a scholarship to Providence College but there will be significant OHL interest in him because of his work with Team Ontario & as a stellar call-up with the Rayside Balfour Canadians of the NOJHL
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• Isaac Enright – Pembroke – RD – 6’0 170 lbs. – Enright is a mobile defender that has a very complete game. He has shown that he has offensive upside while being a reliable defender in his own end & thus can play in all situations. A little underrated but will become a big piece for a team.
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• Luke Hughes – Detroit Little Caesars – LD – 6’00 150 lbs. – The youngest brother of both Quinn(VAN) & Jack Hughes(NHL 1st Overall 2019), the slick defender isn’t as polished as his acclaimed brothers yet but he still very good with a high ceiling. He is committed to the University of Michigan so I expect he will fall in the draft but he will be worth the risk later in the Draft.
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• Colby Saganiuk – Pittsburgh – RC – 5’05  150 lbs. – The grandson of the former Toronto Maple Leaf, Rocky is a very slick, smart & skilled Centreman. He has yet to receive an NCAA commitment but he does have an offer from the US U17 Program. I expected him to be in the OHL next year & to become a tremendous offensive player but we will see how it plays out.
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• Red Savage – Compuware – LC/W – 5’10 161 lbs. – The son of former NHL’er & Sudbury local, Brian Savage, Red continues to get better each month & is always a threat on the ice. He has a full scholarship offer to Brian’s alma mater, Miami University & he has been accepted into the USA Hockey NTDP Under 17 program but if the right situation presented itself, I still think he may end up in the OHL.
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• Sasha Pastujov – Compuware – LW – 5’11 175 lbs. – The brother of NCAA standouts Nick & Michael, Sasha has an offer to join Notre Dame in the NCAA after a tremendous year in Compuware playing for Ryan Barnes & the aforementioned Brian Savage by putting up points & dominating games at times. He is the one commitment that I think is a lock to go the NCAA route.
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