Leamington Flyers took on the London Nationals in a game on September 22nd, 2016. Good potential on both London and Leamington. London took the win 5-3.
Forwards
B+
Liam Hogan #13 (L, 5-7/155, 1997)
Hogan is in his second year with the Flyers. He is a shifty forward who shows confidence with the puck in traffic. He is good on faceoffs and is willing to hold onto the puck and show poise to make a play in the offensive zone. Although he is on the smaller side, Hogan is not afraid to go to the dirty areas.
Mark Gagnon #17 ((, 6-0/160, 1996)
Gagnon is in his second year with the Flyers coming off a 41 point season. He is a tall and lanky forward and although he doesn’t look pretty with his skating, he has a knack around the net. He has a goal scoring touch recording a hat-trick on this night. He has a quick release shot and shows mentality around the net by looking the goalie off and firing a shot on his off-wing.
B-
Josh Pope-Ferguson #12 (R, 5-8/165, 1998)
Pope-Ferguson is in his first year with the Flyers having played last year at a New England Prep school the New Hampton Huskies. He is a strong skater and can play the physical game despite his small stature. He shows a tenacity for the puck when in a stand-still battle but pulled up short in foot races for the puck a few times on the right wing.
Griffin Robinson #9 (R, 5-10/170, late 1999)
Robinson is in his first year with the Flyers having played AAA for the Windsor Midgets last year. He is a smooth skating center who has a good stick as an F1 on the PK. He demonstrates good puck handling skills and has the ability to be an offensive threat down the road.
C+
Scott Florence #18 (L, 5-10/155, 1996)
Florence is in his second season with the Flyers. He is a center who has good hockey sense, sees the ice and distributes the puck well. He gives up a lot of weight and rather than putting his body in the way, tries to use his stick and smarts in most battles and to try to intercept passes. Too many drive bys as F1 trying to sweep check rather than initiating contact. He also needs to be stronger on faceoffs.
Dallas Maurovic #28 (R, 6-0/179, 1999)
Maurovic is in his first year with the Flyers after playing AAA last season with the Windsor Midgets. He saw action on both wings and played well positionally by staying on his wing. He needs to get stronger along the boards in the defensive zone especially on his off-wing. He needs to adjust to the speed at this level as he lost a few of his defensive assignments right off the faceoff. He is an above average skater but needs to work on a quick release in traffic.
Cale Phibbs #10 (R, 5-11/170, 1996)
Phibbs is in his third year with the Flyers coming off a 42 point campaign. He is looked upon for his offensive upside but was fighting the puck all night as he was trying to play with too much finesse. He was trapped too low a few times on the PK. Like most offensive players he is able to be dangerous on any shift and demonstrates a good shot with a quick release firing one of the post. His skating is above average but he needs to focus more on going North to South rather than East to West.
C
Connor Morrison #9 (L, 6-3/190, 1996)
Morrison is in his first year with the Flyers after playing his last two year in the Maritimes JHL with the Truro Bearcats. He is a tall lanky forward who has good puck handling skills but needs edgework with his skating. He is soft on the puck and needs to create a stronger base by spreading his feet. He demonstrated good vision on the PK setting up a goal on a 2-on-1 but on the PP needs to move the puck quicker.
Broden Meloche #19 (L, 5-10/180, 1998)
Meloche is in his first year with the Flyers having played Jr. C in Amherstburg last season. He centered the 4th line and was good on his faceoffs and providing support for his D down low in the defensive zone.
C-
Blake Bain #11 (L, 5-8/146, 1999)
Bain is in his first year with the Flyers after playing AAA with the Windsor Midgets last year. He gives up a lot of size in most battles but shows a willingness to be first to the puck. Unfortunately this does not equate to puck possession many times. He played a sound positional game on the left wing but needs to battle harder along the boards in his own end which will come with more games under his belt. He plays with energy but needs to make sure he puts his stick down going to the net.
Brett Vorshuk #8 (L, 5-10/170, late 1998)
Vorshuk joins the Flyers for his first season after playing Jr. C in Essex last year. He is a left winger who is not quite adjusted to the speed and strength of moving up a level but he is still young. He needs to be stronger on the puck and show a willingness to take the goalie’s eyes away in front of the net rather than standing to the side. He also needs to be stronger along his boards in the defensive zone.
Brayden Klemens #20 (R, 5-10/160, 1999)
Klemens is in his first year with the Flyers having played AAA for the Sun County Minor Midgets last year. He played the right wing on the fourth line and showed some hockey sense with his positional play. He needs to make sure he is playing the game with more energy and work harder during 1-on-1 battles.
Defense
B+
Mitchell Crevatin #6 (L, 5-11/185, 1999)
Drafted in the 8th round of the 2015 OHL Priority Draft by the Niagara IceDogs, Crevatin is in his second year with the Flyers. Having put up 15 point in 40 games last season as a 16 year old, he displays the ability to be an offensive defenseman. Even though he is on the smaller side, he moves the puck well, makes a strong cross ice pass, and uses his body effectively to pinch. He sees the ice and anticipates the play well and battles hard below his own goal line.
B
Jaydon Fetter #24 (R, 5-11/174, late 1999)
Fetter is in his first year with the Flyers after playing AAA Midget in Windsor last year. He is partnered up with Crevatin and uses him well. Fetter demonstrates very good agility with his footwork. He demonstrated a willingness to engage physically after the whistle but was sometimes still timid in traffic getting a pass. He is hesitant at times because he is partnered with another offensive D but can easily play the same role. Fetter walks the line well on the PP and has the ability to run the PP.
C
Nicolas Mainella #3 (L, 6-0/175, late 1998)
Mainella is in his second year with the Flyers. He is a prototype stay at home D who has good edges when skating but needs to work on his balance. He needs to keep his game simple and make shorter outlet passes on the big ice. Mainella has a good low shot from the point.
Sylvano Valente #7 (L, 5-9/190, 1999)
Valente is in his first year with the Flyers after playing AAA Midget in Windsor last year. He demonstrates good footwork and makes a good first pass in his own zone. He keeps his head up when shooting and has a good low shot from the point. Valente needs to use better angling on the big ice and use his stick better defensively.
Thomas Virban #3 (L, 6-2/210, late 1996)
Virban is in his 3rd year with the Flyers. Although he is a big D and demonstrates straight ahead speed, he needs to work on his edges and lateral movement. He often leads the rush but needs better vision and also needs to headman the puck and join the rush as his puck handling skills in traffic need improvement. Virban has the strength to make a long cross ice pass but needs to make sure he keeps his feet moving.
C-
Zach Guilbeault #15 (R, 6-1/180, 1997)
Guilbeault, the team’s captain and a regular forward, had to fill the void on defense due to the absences of Parlette and Parker. He looked like a forward playing defense. He often started creeping towards the blue line leaving men open down low. He looked good leading the rush on a few occasions but needs to headman the puck. He plays with an edge and does not shy away from physical play. A true leader for stepping up to fill the void but not an easy assignment for him on Leamington’s big ice as he struggled with angling his man.
Goaltenders
C
Connor Meyerink #29 (L, 6-1/165, 1998)
Meynerink is in his first year with the Flyers after playing junior C in Amherstburg last year. He could not come up with the big save when the Flyers needed it. He stopped 18 of 23 shots for the game but gave up 5 goals on 18 shots in the first two periods. He often goes down early and was not tracking the puck well. He angles rebounds well to his corners and had a better third period stopping all 5 shots. He is tall but not big and relies more on reflexes.
