A Look At Some Of The Injuries In The OHL

Selecting players for any draft for any sport is a crap shoot at the best of times. But when most of the top players that are available have missed significant time, what do you do?

This isn't just an OHL problem, but has been almost a plague of sorts throughout the CHL this season. With players like Alex Galchenyuk, Ryan Murray, and Martin Frk, we at least have last year to look at, the latter two already making their return. Galchenyuk is rumored to be coming back as early as March. but does he really need to to solidify himself as a top 10 or top 5 pick? I suppose one would like to see how his knee responds.

Nail Yakupov has missed time at different points in the season but that hasn't stopped him from topping just about every ranking from NHL Central Scouting to the blogger in his mother's basement. This guy is just pure gold and if he didn't play another game this season, would probably still be tops on most lists.

Malcolm Subban seems to be another that hasn't had his rankings hurt with the time he's missed. In fact, I would say its been even more solidified with the fact the Belleville Bulls just can't seem to buy a win when he's not playing, proving even more so, how valuable he truly is.

Where it does get tricky is further down the list. What do you do with a Matia Marcantuoni who's been plagued with injuries this season and is now out for the year? Ditto with Slater Koekkoek. What about Jarrod Maidens who's missed the last two months with a concussion? How much does that influence your decision not to select him?

I really liked Adam Pelech's chances this year of showing what he can do, but he to missed the first two months of the season, and although he's played extremely well for Erie since his return, how many people are going to notice when he's playing in Erie? Granted, with Dane Fox and others there, scouts will get a look at him but did his stock drop before the puck did on the season?

This has to be one of the worst draft classes for injuries to the top players in recent memory. One things for certain: NHL teams will get their money's worth from their scouts in June. Question is: will they make the right choices? It's almost a guessing game right now.

Here's a look at some of the injuries to players that were projected in the first round or just looking in. I've shown my rankings of the players back in October and January for comparison. It should be noted that in the case of Nail Yakupov and Olli Maatta and their injuries in December, that part of that time was at the World Junior Championships and where the injuries occurred.

2012 NHL Draft Get-To-Know: Jarrod Maidens

Taken 4th overall in the OHL Priority Draft of 2010, Maidens has been under the microscope in Owen Sound for a while. But he was the toast of the town when it was he who scored Game 7's Overtime goal to win the OHL Championship a few short months ago. 

Maidens has seen his share of time in a Canadian uniform at the Ivan Hlinka tournament where he won medal with the squad.

He's been compared to a various number of players from Derek Brassard to Evgeni Malkin. He's a guy at 6'1 who uses his size very effectively and brings some offensive ability to the table with a tremendous shot. 


Good friend Brian Huddle sits down and talks with Jarrod Maidens. You can read it all at Hockey Buzz

Jarrod Maidens

Jarrod Maidens - Owen Sound Attack

6'1" 178 LBS
D.O.B. March 4, 1994

Maidens is quite possibly the best pure goal scorer available for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft from the Ontario Hockey League.

Maidens was a first round pick of the Attack, 4th overall, in the 2010 OHL Priority Draft after completing his season with the Hamilton Jr Bulldogs Minor Midget team in which he amassed 63 goals, 41 assists and  and 104 points in only 57 games. His rookie season in the OHL saw him play in just 47 games because of injury, and score 10 times while assisting on 11 others. He added 6 goals and 4 assists in 22 playoff games, winning the OHL title with the Attack.

This season, Maidens is off to a quick start scoring 5 goals and 2 assists in his first 6 games.

Maidens is an excellent skater with a superb shot. He gets it off quickly and accurately and can be deceptive to goaltenders at times. He'll go to all the dirty areas of the ice. He has above average hockey sense. His work ethic is second to none, which is just one of the reasons he is viewed as an excellent leader.

Maidens was selected to play for Team Ontario at the World Hockey Championship under 17 last December but was unable to play because of his injury, although he did receive his medal. He also played for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial in 2011 winning yet another Championship.

Maidens knows how to win and has been there in the past scoring some big goals. But none were bigger than the Game 7 overtime goal that gave his Owen Sound Attack the OHL Championship.

3 Stars For Week Ending October 2, 2011

It's time for our first installment of 2012 Draft eligible players from the OHL for the week ending October 2, 2011.

First Star - Matt Murray - Soo Greyhounds. Murray led his Greyhounds to a 6-1 victory over Windsor and a 3-2 victory over Kitchener. In the two starts, Murray had a .938 Save percentage and a 1.50 Goals against average and leads all draft eligible goaltenders in those categories.

Second Star - Jarrod Maidens - Owen Sound. Despite his Owen Sound Attack going 1-2 in three games last week, Maidens was the offensive force after their 2-1 shoot out victory over Barrie. maidens went on to be involved in 5 of the Attacks next 6 goals scoring 4 times and adding 1 assist.

Third Star - Nail Yakupov - Sarnia. Sarnia suffered a 4-3 shootout loss to Brampton and followed that up with a 7-2 victory over Sudbury in which Yakupov scored twice and added 4 assists to earn our 3rd star of the week.

Honorable mentions : Cody Ceci, Ryan Rupert.

To view the winners all season long, and to see the list of people who voted on our 3 stars, click the 3 stars tab at the top of the page.

Players confirmed for 2011 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp

Press Release 

NEW YORK/TORONTO – Thirty-six of the top-rated players eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft have accepted invitations to participate in the 2011 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp, August 17 and 18, the National Hockey League announced today.

Participating players were selected by NHL Central Scouting and rank high on the 2012 Futures Lists. The talented group of skaters and goaltenders from the Canadian Hockey League, USHL, United States colleges and Canadian Provincial League will show off their playing skills to general managers and talent evaluators from around the League in a unique best-on-best setting that commences their Draft-eligible seasons.

Dan Byslma, head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Dave Tippett head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, along with NHL Hockey Operations staff will lead the players over the course of two days as they test a number of proposed rules changes, rink markings and strategies.

The following players have confirmed their participation:

Name Pos. Club (League) Height, Weight
ALTSHULLER, DANIEL G NEPEAN (CCHL) 6' 2', 194 lbs
ATHANASIOU, ANDREAS C LONDON (OHL) 5' 11', 157 lbs
BEAUVILLIER, FRANCIS LW RIMOUSKI (QMJHL) 6' 1', 170 lbs
BUSSIERES, RAPHAEL LW BAIE-COMEAU (QMJHL) 6' 1', 183 lbs
CAMPAGNA, MATTHEW C SUDBURY (OHL) 5' 10', 170 lbs
CECI, CODY D OTTAWA (OHL) 6' 2', 203 lbs
CURCURUTO, GIANLUCA D SAULT STE. MARIE (OHL) 6' 1', 191 lbs
DARCY, CAMERON C U.S. UNDER-18 (USHL) 6' 0', 185 lbs
DI GIUSEPPE, PHILLIP LW U OF MICHIGAN (CCHA) 6' 0', 185 lbs
DRIEDGER, CHRIS G CALGARY (WHL) 6' 2', 172 lbs
DUMBA, MATHEW D RED DEER (WHL) 5' 11', 171 lbs
EBERT, NICK D WINDSOR (OHL) 6' 0', 195 lbs
FRASER, JEREMIE D ACADIE-BATHURST (QMJHL) 6' 1', 200 lbs
FRK, MARTIN RW HALIFAX (QMJHL) 6' 0', 192 lbs
GALCHENYUK, ALEX C/LW SARNIA (OHL) 6' 0', 185 lbs
GAUNCE, BRENDAN C BELLEVILLE (OHL) 6' 2', 205 lbs
GIRGENSONS, ZEMGUS C DUBUQUE (USHL) 6' 1', 182 lbs
GUDBRANSON, ALEX D KINGSTON (OHL) 6' 1', 200 lbs
KERDILES, NICOLAS LW U.S. UNDER-18 (USHL) 6' 1', 183 lbs
KOSMACHUK, SCOTT RW GUELPH (OHL) 6' 0', 182 lbs
LAUGHTON, SCOTT C OSHAWA (OHL) 6' 0', 174 lbs
MAIDENS, JARROD C OWEN SOUND (OHL) 6' 1', 169 lbs
MATHESON, MICHAEL D DUBUQUE (USHL) 6' 0', 170 lbs
MARCANTUONI, MATIA C KITCHENER (OHL) 5' 11', 185 lbs
MURRAY, RYAN D EVERETT (WHL) 6' 0', 182 lbs
OLSON, COLLIN G U.S. UNDER-18 (USHL) 6' 3', 189 lbs
POULIOT, DERRICK D PORTLAND (WHL) 5' 11', 185 lbs
RIELLY, MORGAN D MOOSE JAW (WHL) 5' 11', 189 lbs
RYAN, ANDREW LW HALIFAX (QMJHL) 6' 3', 193 lbs
SCHMALTZ, JORDAN D SIOUX CITY (USHL) 6' 2', 175 lbs
SISSONS, COLTON RW KELOWNA (WHL) 6' 1', 182 lbs
SIWAK, DAULTON C RED DEER (WHL) 5' 11', 190 lbs
SUBBAN, MALCOLM G BELLEVILLE (OHL) 6' 1', 178 lbs
TIERNEY, CHRIS LW LONDON (OHL) 6' 0', 170 lbs
TROUBA, JACOB D U.S. UNDER-18 (USHL) 6' 1', 175 lbs
YAKUPOV, NAIL RW SARNIA (OHL) 5' 11', 180 lbs