Training Camp Observations

If anyone is heading to today's intra squad games can you keep us updated?

Thanks

Mac

Latour looked pretty good in the 10am one.

Hunter Smith seemed to get knocked off the puck fairly easy a few times, given his size.

Jeremy Brodeur is at camp. Looked a little scrambly at times.

Overall, not a whole lot stood out, to me anyway. Heading back for the 5pm one.

Just a little Information on the current Generals players competing for Roster Spots in Camp.
Team Orr -
G - Daniel Altshuller - Oshawa Generals
G - Trevor Bloch - Huron Perth Midgets (15GP, 4.81GAA, 883 Save%)

D-Matthew McConnach - Don Mills Flyers M Midget 15th '13
D-Will Petschenig - Oshawa Generals
D-Chris Carlisle -Oshawa Generals
D-Pat Hamilton - Lindsay Muskies OPJAHL (45 4 2 6 156)
D-Brad Yowart - Guelph Hurricanes GOJHL (42 2 6 8 26) 15th '12
D-Tyler Cooper-Elliot Lake Bobcats NOJHL(48 1 14 15 52) 15th '12
*Pat Hamilton played 5 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (7PIM)

F-Aiden Wallace-Pickering Panthers OPJAHL(50 10 12 22 82)
F-Kenny Huether - Huron Perth M Midget(30 18 15 33 10) 9th in '13
F-Bradley Latour - Oshawa Generals
F-Mitch Brooks - Stratford Cullitons GOJHL(44 10 19 29 45)
F-Jacob Busch - Midland Flyers GMOHL (37 21 15 36 89) 7th in '12
F-Corey Caruso - Hamilton Huskies AAA (32 28 28 56 10) 13th '12
F-Brian Hughes - Oshawa Generals
F-Paul Rekai - Upper Canada College CISAA (14 6 6 12 18) Free Agent
F-Hunter Smith - Oshawa Generals
*Aiden Wallace played 6 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (1A)

Team Lindros -
G-Austin Washkurak-Mississauga Chargers OPJAHL(42GP 3.76GAA 906%) 15th '12
G- Jeremy Brodeur - Shattuck St. Mary's AAA (32GP 1.71GAA 935%)

D-Josh Brown - Oshawa Generals
D-Antonio Ciampa - Windsor Jr. Spitfires AAA (30 4 2 6 85)
D-Austin Fischer - Penetang Kings GMOHL (40 13 26 39 74)
D-Daniel Robertson - Windsor Jr. Spitfires AAA (27 7 8 15 32) 4th '13
D-Michael Holmes -
D-Ben Mack - Michigan Moutain Cats NA3HL (38 2 15 17 103) FA
D-Mitchell Vande Sompel - London Jr Knights (23 9 23 32 16) 1st '13

F-Jake Harrison - Seaforth Stars Midget AAA (5 2 2 4 8)FA
F-Owen McDade-Pembroke Lumber Kings CCHL(53 12 13 25 6)3rd '12
F-Mike Murray - Upper Canada Cyclones AAA (25 14 12 26 41) FA
F-Brodie Tutton - Pickering Panthers OJAHL (55 16 14 30 26) FA
F-Cole Cassels - Oshawa Generals
F-John McGuire - Oshawa Generals
F-Francis Prevel - Kitchener Jr Rangers AAA (53 5 22 27 28) 14th '13
F-Ian Johnston - Ottawa Senators AAA (29 18 31 49 18) 5th '13
F-Joe Manchurek - Leamington Flyers GOJHL (40 11 17 28 18) 4th '12
*McDade played 6 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (0Pts)
*Manchurek played 5 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (1G 1A)

Team Tilson -
G-Shawn Mabley - Oshawa Generals AAA (14GP 3.09GAA) 12th '13
G-Ken Appleby - Oshawa Generals

D-Stephen Templeton - Hamilton Jr Bulldogs AAA (53 3 19 22) 6th '13
D-Jimi Kuronen - Lukko U-20 (45 4 17 21 28) Import Draft '13
D-Colin Suellentrop - Oshawa Generals
D-Chris Harpur - Chippawa Riverhawks NJCHL (40 2 9 11 30) FA
D-Stephen Desrocher- Vaughan Kings AAA (30 8 16 24 30) 6th '12
D-Kyle Marino - Fort Erie Meteors GOJHL (46 0 8 8 72) FA

F-Mark Manchurek - Belle River Canadians AAA (32 15 21 36 20) FA
F-Adam Lloyd - Oshawa Generals
F-Justice Dundas - Oshawa Generals
F-Jarrett Parker - Kitchener Jr Rangers AAA (25 10 17 27 80) 11th '12
F-Matt Hore - Mississauga Chargers OPJAHL (39 13 20 33 28) FA
F-Jared Domin - Belle Tire U-16 (28 11 6 17 80) 13th '13
F-Austin Boulard - Timmins Majors GNML (25 14 37 51 70) FA
F-Evan Buehler - Waterloo Siskins GOJHL (37 12 23 25 20) 6th '11
F-Michael Dal Colle - Oshawa Generals
F-Sam Harding - York Simcoe Express AAA (37 7 12 19 20) 2nd '13
*Hore played 18 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (1A -2)
*Boulard played 2 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (0Pts)
*Buehler played 8 games with the Generals in 2012-2013 (-1)

Thanks Macker, great post mate

I have heard (all second hand from buddies) that of all the rookies, Harding has been really impressive...and some of the returning role players from last season seemed to have stepped up their game...namely, Buehler, Lloyd, and Hore....

Manchurek and Mcdade have also shown well so far...

Bold Prediction....Josh Brown will have a huge season as shut down D man!

From what I've seen not many rookies/draft picks have stood out other then Harding. A few guy that played a bit with the Generals last season have looked pretty good, Manchurek, Boulard, Hore, Wallace & McDade. Upfront Latour looks like he could be in for a big year, or at least a significant increase in points and ice time. Lloyd hasn't stood out to much but with increased ice time I can see him improving. The Bottom 6 up front are very very interchangeable to me at this point.
On the back end, I have really liked Brown I can see him being a very dominate player this season. Sullentrop will be steady as always. Vande Sompel has looked good. I've like Austin Fischers game as well, I believe he's a free agent and he did have good numbers last year in the GOJHL. In net no surprises, like a previous post said, Brodeur looked shaky. I've liked Washkurak's game, I could easily see him an Appleby splitting duties if the Gens decide to move Altshuller.
At this date this is what my line up would look like -

Dal Colle - Cassels - Latour
Lloyd - Harding - Dundace
Wallace - Hughes - Hore
Buehler - Boulard - Manchurek
McGuire- McDade

Brown - Vande Sompel
Carlisle - Sullentrop
Petschening - Kuronen
Hamilton - Fischer

Altshuller
Appleby
Washkurak

*You'll notice I don't have Hunter Smith listed. To be honest with you I just don't think he's good enough to play in the OHL. He's slow, doesn't skate very well, his hockey IQ doesn't seem to be there an he's not nor has he shown he can score. He's nothing more then a tough guy who'll play forth line minutes. But with McGuire doing that we don't need him. If we keep him McGuire has to go.

**I do believ Brodie Tutton, Ian Johnston and Jacob Busch all have shots at cracking the squad depending on there play in pre season games an if there able to fit in with specific roles. Johnston and Busch have been offensive type guys so I see Tutton who can play both ways well, an is a 94 birthday so he has Jr experience all be it in provincial Jr A as the most likely of those 3.

Watched this morning and will be back for this afternoon. The guys who stood out to me and have a great shot at being on this team include FA Paul Rekai. He was moving all game and his effort alone puts him in the coaches minds. The second, third lines of this team to me will include joe manchurek, Sam Harding, Owen mcdade. These are the young 16and 17 year olds thus team needs . The d look like sullentrop, brown, Carlisle, petchning, vanden sopel and I think the euro kuronen. Younger team striving for playoffs . Laughton most likely moved for future pieces. Learning year this year, still playoffs but back at it next year in my opinion.

Anyone have a list of cuts?

From Twitter I gathered that Brodeur was cut and that Busch is still with the team.

Other then that I haven't seen or heard anything.

The only cuts I have seen are
Bloch
Brodeur
Mcconnach
Robertson
Templeton
Harpur
Huether
Prevel
Domin

I assume since Desrocher is still with the team

Just thought I'd post some updated line combination possibilities after taking in 2 pre season games and a day of training camp.
My views on some players have most certainly changed and some players have definitely played themselves on an off the roster.

G - Altshuller
G - Appleby

D
Suellentrop - Carlisle
Brown - Kuronen
Vande Sompel - Petschening
Extras - Pat Hamilton

Dal Colle - Cassels - Latour
Harding - Robichaud - Manchurek
Dundas - Hughes - Smith
Wallace - Buehler - McDade
Extras - Harrison, Llyod,

Impressed
-Robichaud, I really didn't know much about the kid but he played really well against Peterborough, he's a smaller guy only 5'9 165lbs, but he's really good on faceoffs, skates well, has good hands. He's an OA but he actually has 2 years of Major Junior experience playing for the Moncton Wildcats in 2011-2012 and the PEI Rockets in 2012-2013. He had 31 points in 67 games last year which was the 6th best amongst their forwards.

-Smith, I had him off the roster and was ripping into him. I'll give him credit, his skating had improved, he's using his size more and he's still physical. He's capitalized on top line opportunity's in the pre season. However I still don't believe he's a 1st line player, his hands are not good, his hockey sense is not good, nor is his play making ability. He's okay as a guy to clean up the garbage and stand in front of the net on the 2nd power player, and play a 3rd line grinder role.

-Harrison, I very under the radar player. Someone I didn't even expect to break training camp. However after seeing him play, I see that he has something to offer as 4th line player. He's a 96 so there is no worries of OA or import spots being lost. This kid seems to be as tough as the come, he's had 2 really solid fights vs Kingston and Peterborough. He plays a physical game, he skates pretty well for a big man. With Johnny McGuire apparently signing in Rochester of the AHL. I see Harrison having a roster spot.

Not Impressed
-Hore, I expected some good things from this kid. He played some games last season, he put up good numbers in tier 2 Jr. A with Mississauga and I expected that experience and success to help him take the next stride. If anything he looks like he's regressed. He's a very poor skater, he looks scared and lost the majority of the time. He make very mediocre plays with the puck. Seems to play like he thinks he has a roster spot locked up. Wouldn't surprise me to see him released, sent down to tier 2 or trade to Sarnia for some sort of very late round pick.

-Vande Somel, He's obviously going to be on this team, he's a first round pick. However this kid has a lot of work to do to be a good OHL player. Don't get me wrong his offensive side is impressive. He runs the PP pretty well for a 16 year old, skates extremely well, makes good first passes, and has a heavy shot. But he is so bad defensively it scares the shit out of me. He's not physical at all, plays very lackluster as he's well aware he's basically guaranteed a spot and playing time. I hope something kicks in here I'd hate to see a wasted first round pick.

-Petschening, while he hasn't been horrible. He hasn't progressed in my opinion. His foot speed looked slow, he wasn't physical as you'd expect a big man to be, especially one who is a defensive d-man. I can't rag on him to much because he hasn't been overly bad, its just he hasn't been good either. You expect guys to step up in the 3rd season. He looked like one of the rookies out there.

I have a chance to see 3 games so far and the players that we see right now will look very different from what we see in a month. My biggest concern is goal scoring...the only time we get consistent pressure and shots in on the PP....5-5 we dont create a lot. I think this will be better when Cassels is back and we can get four lines working together. The top 6 will be offensive and the botton 6 will have to chip in through grinding it out.

On defense we have 3 D that play the identical game...Carlisle, Kuronen and Vande Sompel are all offensive "jump into the rush" type of guys...they get burned a lot and I'm hoping that its just exhibition season that is showing this side of them. Petschnig has looked a bit off so far....Desrochers really struggled last night and needs time and we need Brown and Sully to bring that steady shut down game.

Up front, Harrison and Hamilton are unidimensional and lack the games sense to play at this level. Busch is a project and will have to be eased in. Buehler and Hore...I dont really know where they fit in to be honest and I dont get the Robichaud experiment???..small player from the Q gets knocked off the puck all night last night and is an OA to boot...

I give this team about 5-10 games before moves are made and we really know who is going and who is staying..

I completely agree with you, all game last night I kept saying this team is going to struggle to score goals. The Dal Colle line was the only one creating anything, an even then it was miniscule. Like you mentioned having Cassels back will help the overall depth and maybe the top 6 will all be able to create more offense.
I can also agree that Carlisle, Kuronen and Vande Sompel are very similar, although I think having three offensive guys mixed with 3 defensive guys in Sullentrop, Brown and Petschening could work. Kuronen played pretty physical yesterday against the Petes yesterday and I think with a few more OHL games under his belt he could be a strong player. Carlisle is one dimensional. An Vande Sompel really scares me.
I think Hamilton ends up as the 7th defensemen to be honest. He's played D all his life, and the d core as it is now is pretty thin, as if we have one injury were screwed. I think he's been playing forward more as an experiment/to get him in games while younger D guys play and try an make the squad. Harrison to be is really similar to McGuire, he will go threw some growing pains but as a 13th forward providing some toughness he could be used. Robichaud, I personally liked. He does lack size but, his experience and offensive instincts could be used on this team. However if younger guys establish themselves early I see him gone by mid season. I see him as a guy to bridge the gap while younger guys develop. I agree with your assessment of Hore an Buehler, but as of know I think Buehler makes the squad as the 4th line center.

I can completely agree with your 5-10 game thing as well. By then will also have an idea on Laughton, and we may be able to pick up some guys that have been cast away by stronger OHL clubs.