The interviews in this blog won't be translated and fans from outside sunny Finland will be able to enjoy them.
Ville Meuronen: Why is the OHL the best development league in the world in terms of producing NHL draft picks? Does Ontario have the best development program or are they in a fortunate position to pick the best quality out of the biggest quantity?
Brock Otten: It's hard to say really, but I think it has to do with a couple of reasons. 1. The league has the highest population density to select from. You've got the entire province of Ontario to select from (which has close to 40% of Canada's population), in addition to the states of New York and Pennsylvania, two other huge population centers. 2. The amount of money the league has. Many of these teams treat themselves like near professional franchises and are huge money makers, this allows them to bring in some talent that they wouldn't have otherwise been able to (because of the scholarship packages they can offer...or European transfer fees they can pay). 3. The league and commissioner David Branch are pretty revolutionary in their approach to league safety and implanting rules. It keeps the league fresh and innovative.
VM: Is it just me or has there been an increasing draft interest to OHL players in their second or third year of eligibility? Nowadays there's some unheard 20-year-olds getting picked in the second round.
BO: The selection of players in their second/third year of eligibility is definitely a growing trend, and with good reason. Quite simply, it's smart drafting. The new CBA allows teams to have control over the players they draft for 2 years following their draft selection. If an NHL team selects a third year eligible player, they can test him out at the AHL level for two seasons before having to sign him to an NHL deal (instead they have their AHL team sign him to a PTO). In a lot of ways, it seems more viable to roll the dice on a late bloomer, rather than an incredibly raw player you'll have to invest a lot in, only to have him not develop. I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon.
VM: How would you describe the talent OHL offers for the 2013 NHL Draft?
BO: The crop of players for the 2013 draft as a whole seems VERY strong and top heavy. Looks like a great draft. However, from the OHL, right now it seems like a weaker year. Right now, there seems to be about only three consensus first round picks (Sean Monahan, Kerby Rychel, and Max Domi). That's a pretty low number for the O. But there are a lot of guys with the potential to move up quickly. The depth seems to be very strong, even if the top end talent seems to be a bit weaker.
VM: Which OHL players are expected to represent team Canada in the Ivan Hlinka tournament?
BO: There will be quite a few obviously. However, the top 2 players from the OHL are late birthdays (Monahan and Rychel), which means they won't be playing at the Ivan Hlinka. Max Domi should be a lock to be there though. A few other guys to really keep an eye on are Ryan Kujawinski, Bo Horvat, Darnell Nurse, and goaltender Spencer Martin, who has a chance to be the team's starter.
VM: Which ones of them could turn heads and climb up the next month's rankings?
BO: The one guy I really like is Ryan Kujawinski. He was a point per game player following a midseason trade to Kingston. He's got size, skill and is physically aggressive. A true potential power center. I think he's going to have a big year and climb rapidly up the charts. Defenseman Chris Bigras is another name to watch. He's a really solid offensive guy who arguably Owen Sound's top defenseman by the end of this past season.
VM: Sean Monahan was already one of the forwards in the league last year. What's your take on him and how high could he get drafted?
BO: Sean Monahan is an absolutely fantastic player. One of the best two-way centers the league has produced in recent years. He's projected as a top 5 pick right now and I think he should stay in that range. He'll be in tough this year though. Ottawa is losing most of it's core at forward, which means he's really going to have to carry the team. Hopefully he's up to the challenge.
VM: Kerby Rychel is another late 94' birthday who impressed last season. How much you think he can progress from a 40 goal season and does he have enough top-end talent to climb up rankings?
BO: Rychel is a really solid player. The 40 goals he scored were no fluke. He's a terrific goal scorer and a real bull. Great instincts and very hard to contain in front of the net. He'll have to work on his play away from the puck to become a more complete player, but I think he can do it. At this point, I can't see him going much higher than where he's projected right now (mid teens).
VM: Despite height, is Max Domi anything like his father or are they completely different players?
BO: Max is a completely different player than his father. He's a finesse guy. Absolutely dynamic player with the puck. Very good with the puck. But also patient and is a terrific playmaker. Oozes offensive potential and could have an absolutely monster year. He's physical too though, so he did inherit that attribute from his father. Definitely a feisty guy. But like Rychel, he too has to improve his three zone play and become more involved away from the puck.
VM: Who fits the mold of phrase ”he is the kind of player NHL teams love”?
BO: Hmmm. I'll throw out the name of Darnell Nurse. He's got great size and agility for the defensive position. He's got a lot of offensive upside as a puck carrier, but has already established himself as a solid defensive guy internationally for Canada (at this past year's Under 18's). NHL teams absolutely love big, but athletic defenseman who can handle the pace of the newer, faster paced NHL game.
VM: Do you have any sleeper candidates in your mind?
BO: I'll throw two out at you. Jason Dickinson of Guelph and Zach Nastasiuk of Owen Sound. Dickinson is a terrific offensive forward and IMO one of the most offensively talented 1995's in the league. I could see him really breaking out among the group of great young players Guelph has put together. Nastasiuk is a potential power forward who has the size, but also the hands and puck skill to be a big offensive force. I think both of these guys have the potential to climb pretty far up the charts.
VM: Could Olli Määttä take another step forward from his great playoff performance and become one of the best d-men not only in the OHL but also in the CHL?
BO: Olli Maatta was absolutely fantastic throughout the final couple months of the regular season and into the playoffs. If he gets sent back to the OHL (probably likely), I'd expect him to be a top 5 defenseman in the OHL. Tops in the CHL? I think that might be a bit of a stretch. But he's certainly a solid defenseman.
VM: What kind of need does Kingston have for a defensive defenceman (Mikko Vainonen) and solid second or third line forward (Henri Ikonen)?
BO: A massive need. I've talked to a few European contacts who say that these two should be able to help Kingston right away. In particular, these contacts have said Vainonen could come in and play on Kingston's top pairing. The Fronts have a young team who is still trying to add depth to their lineup. If both of these guys can play big roles, it would be huge for the Fronts playoff push.
VM: How can undersized Europeans success in the OHL? Finns Samu Markkula (Barrie) and Jonatan Tanus (Peterborough) at 5'9 and couple of 5'7 forwards who are highly regarded in their home countries German Dominik Kahun (Sudbury) and Russian Sergei Tolchinsky (Sault Ste. Marie) were all drafted in the Import Draft.
BO: For an undersized player to find success in the OHL, they've got to have two qualities. 1. They have to be quick and elusive. Having an extra gear to help them avoid contact. 2. They have to be fearless and not afraid of playing in the corners or going hard to the net. If they don't have either of those two things going for them, they generally don't last long in the league. It's certainly possible for them to have success though; Lino Martschini is 5'5 and he played two solid years over here because he had both of those attributes.
VM: Connor McDavid was granted an exceptional status this year. How much hype does he receive compared to former OHL and current NHL stars like John Tavares or Jason Spezza?
BO: About the same amount of hype as Spezza, but not as much as Tavares IMO. He is an absolutely outstanding player though. I've talked to a lot of scouts and many of them believe McDavid to be the best forward to come out of the OHL in a long time (including the likes of Steve Stamkos and Tavares). He's absolutely dynamic and I think he's going to have a big year in Erie. 80 points isn't out of the question IMO.
VM: What's your take on the pressure and hype that are around talented teenagers like McDavid?
BO: It's tough really. On one hand, you say to yourself "well these are only kids." Hard to put as much pressure as we do on them. Perhaps an unfair amount of pressure. But, on the other end of the spectrum, any player coming to the OHL is coming with one purpose. To try and play professional hockey. In a way, the pressure is good for them because it gives them a taste of what it'll be like if they end up playing hockey for a living. It matures them very quickly and prepares them for the rigors of life after hockey.
VM: It was said London was ahead of their schedule last season when they won the championship. Can anyone stop them this season when they are considered to be even stronger?
BO: Yes, they can absolutely be stopped. In fact, I wouldn't even call them the early favourite for the OHL Championship. They've got great forward depth and a terrific defense...but they don't have a goaltender after the Florida Panthers signed Michael Houser. At this point, several teams in the West, like the Kitchener Rangers and Plymouth Whalers are setting themselves up to be the favourites.
Thank you Brock for sharing your interesting opinions!
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti