Written by Rob Andrusevich, OHL Prospects News Edition Contributor
The tension started long before the first official faceoff for the 2009 OHL Cup showcase tournament.
The field of teams competing everyone from the teams to the scouts making the final decision were on edge.
“This year could be the most wide-open OHL Cup we’ve ever had,” said Rob Kitamura, the OHL’s Director of Central Scouting and Player Development. “We’ve gone down to the wire picking the 20 teams this year. This year there isn’t as much high end talent, but more teams have a lot of depth. There isn’t a powerhouse team this year.”
The tournament gives automatic entry to about half the teams, the finalists from five Ontario leagues. Other clubs are selected at large based on the analysis of scouts. The top candidates are reflected in the top 10 minor midget rankings announced weekly by the OHL.
Featuring Ontario’s best minor midget teams and OHL draft eligible players, and the top teams from the U.S., the tournament gives OHL scouts one final chance to review and evaluate the top players in head-to-head competition prior to the league’s Priority Selection in May.
Teams boast great depth this year, and Kitamura expects many of the participants to be selected on draft day. The first name to be announced could be that of Daniel Catenacci, a forward with the York Simcoe Express. “He’s a highly competitive, offensively dynamic player,” said Kitamura. “He could follow in the lines of Steven Stamkos, Taylor Hall or John McFarland.” Catenacci entertains as he leads a club that is built around the attack and is always moving the puck. Supporting the attack is puck-moving rearguard Ryan Murphy, who produces about as much offense as some of the top-rated forwards in this draft, and draws comparisons to Windsor Spitfire Ryan Ellis. York Simcoe was the bronze medalist at the 2008 Ontario bantam championships last year, with the Toronto Marlies winning gold and Elgin-Middlesex the silver.
“From top to bottom the Marlies are a great team,” Kitamura said of the club that led the top-10 rankings for much of the season. “They have great team play, a lot of skill, are well coached (by Ken Strong), and they haven’t had many roster changes over the years.” The Marlies are led by two gifted forwards, Ryan Strome who is a talented playmaker and Lucas Lessio, and strong skilled winger. Both elevate the play of their mates around them.
Elgin Middlesex has great team size, balance and chemistry according to Kitamura. They rely heavily on team play to excel and have a strong defensive corps. A player to watch is Boone Jenner, a highly skilled forward with a great shot. He’s the younger brother of Plymouth Whaler Leo Jenner. A tough competitor, Boone gets room to move courtesy linemate Luke Heightcamp, who throws his weight around in between taking shots.
Atlanta’s TPH Thunder return for another run at the tournament, and the highly rated Detroit Compuware led by gritty forward Stefan Noesen could also join the field. Other names to watch include: Carter Sandlak, a tough but gifted forward and his London Junior Knights coached by his dad, former NHLer Jim, a London Knight grad; and, the smooth puck-moving Ben Fanelli, a great playmaker who quarterbacks the Mississauga Senator powerplay.
Photo - Jeff Skinner (Kitchener Rangers) at the 2008 OHL Cup with the Toronto Young Nats
