Future Watch Weekly: Coaches Pick the Best From the OHL

Dalibor Dvorsky. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

The Frozen Four is almost upon us and I will be on site in Minnesota, covering all three remaining games. From a mass interest perspective, this really is a dream group: Boston College and Boston University are the most hated of rivals and both teams have incredible NHL prospects, while Denver and Michigan are currently tied for the most men’s hockey championships ever – and both have incredible NHL prospects. Of course there’s going to be a searing spotlight on top 2024 NHL draft prospect Mack Celebrini of Boston U. and despite being the youngest player in the tournament, I expect him to be a difference-maker for the Terriers if they hope to win the ultimate crown.

“He’s a special player,” said coach Jay Pandolfo. “We’re not where we are today without Macklin Celebrini. Forget just the offensive side of things, he competes defensively just as hard. So he’s a great example for our group on how to play the right way and he’s a very impressive kid.”

The Head Pioneer

I’ll have a lot more Frozen Four coverage next week, but I did want to relay something an agent brought up to me the other day: How long before we see Denver coach David Carle behind a pro bench? Carle has already won one championship as bench boss with the Pioneers and could win another next week. He helmed Team USA to world junior gold this season, too. It feels inevitable that Carle will be a head coach in the NHL some day, so the next step would be either in the AHL or as an assistant coach in the NHL. One connection to keep in mind: Carle was an assistant under current Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery at Denver before ‘Monty’ left for the NHL in 2018. I don’t know if Carle is interested in such a move – there’s something to be said for becoming a legend in the NCAA as well – but at just 34 years old, he’s already earned future consideration.

Best of the Best

Each year the OHL puts out a coaches poll and I love poring over the results. There are too many categories to get into here, but I’ll highlight a couple of notables (winners are chosen for both conferences).

Oshawa defenseman Ben Danford (2024 draft) ranked in three categories, winning Best Defensive Defenseman, placing for Best Shotblocker and finishing third in Hardest Worker in the East. St. Louis Blues first-rounder Dalibor Dvorsky of Sudbury won Best Shot and Best Stickhandler, while finishing second in the East for Smartest Player.

In the West, Ottawa Senators pick Matthew Andonovski of Kitchener won three categories: Best Body Checker, Best Penalty-Killer and Best Defensive Defenseman. Fellow defenseman Zayne Parekh of Saginaw (2024 draft) won Best Offensive Defenseman and Best Playmaker.

Big, Bad Beckett

I made the drive up to Barrie Thursday to check out the OHL Colts host the Oshawa Generals in what turned out to be quite the playoff game. The Generals made a third-period comeback, then won the game 4-3 in overtime on a breakaway goal by 2024 draft prospect Beckett Sennecke, who was dangerous all night. After the game, I asked Oshawa coach Derek Laxdal about his young winger:

“His growth has been phenomenal,” he said. “In the first half of the season, he was finding his way and battling through an injury. In the second half, he has elevated his game: Quicker, faster, stronger, hungrier. He’s got a motor that doesn’t quit on pucks. One thing I really like about him is that he has that skill set, but he’s got that will to put him over the top. You saw the way he drove in this game, he’s a well-rounded player getting better every day.”

Right now, Sennecke is listed as 6-foot-3 and 178 pounds – so there’s clearly room to get heavier and stronger – a very enticing thought, given how good he is already.

“He’s a big, strong kid getting bigger and stronger every day,” Laxdal said. “The sky’s the limit. He has that power forward ability with that high-end skill set. It’s a unique combination and something you don’t teach – that’s genetics.”

Yegor Soarin’

One of the most prolific scorers in the Russian junior playoffs this season has been Loko’s Yegor Surin, a 2024 draft prospect who began picking up steam with scouts in the second half of the regular season.

“The production is there and he competes,” said one scout before the post-season. “He’s not that far from Matvei Gridin in (USHL) Muskegon in terms of the heaviness on the puck and the good compete level, but he’s a little flat-footed at times. But it’s hard to argue with what he’s doing over there.”

Surin has only made himself look better in the playoffs with 16 points through 10 games. That puts him third overall, with fellow draft prospect Ivan Demidov first (20 points in 10). Demidov’s SKA-1946 seems to be on a collision course with Surin’s Loko outfit – both teams lead their respective semifinal series 2-0 right now. Feels like Surin could be a top-50 pick this summer.

For Whom the ‘Bel’ Tolls

The OHL Cup was last weekend and I took in the final between the Oakville Rangers and Vaughan Kings. For those outside the catchment, the OHL Cup is the big U16 tournament featuring many of the best players eligible for the upcoming OHL draft – Canadians and some Americans. Oakville won the game 1-0 and right winger Ethan Belchetz was named tournament MVP with 11 points in seven games and he might be the first overall pick next week.

Listed at a mammoth 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Belchetz will still be one of biggest players when he gets to the next level. The Windsor Spitfires hold the No. 1 pick and if they want Belchetz, it’s a great organization to play for. But kids are doing their research these days and I’ve been told Belchetz has looked into NCAA Michigan and Michigan State, just to know his alternatives (this was way before Windsor won the lottery). If he does want to go the college route, I’ve also been told USHL Green Bay is interested in the youngster for the next step in his development.