This year's edition of the U13 Rep IceDogs has depth and speed - and plenty of it. Here are player profiles of the forwards and AP's (Alternate Players):
Owen M - Forward #8
Nickname - O Dog, O
NHL Comparable - Leon Draisaitl, Steven Stamkos
Profile - Owen bring a lot to the table--he is positive, works hard in practice and in games and has filthy mitts. His patented triple deke gives opposing goalies and defenders nightmares. He can easily play both wings and comes up big in big situations (ie. game tying goal with under a minute left in the Minto series Game 1). He is positionally very strong and can make in game adjustments quickly to gain an advantage. While he does a lot of damage on the scoresheet, his contribution to the team is so much more than that.
Ethan S - Centre - #9
Nickname - E or Soppy
NHL Comparable - Austin Matthews
Player Profile - Ethan leads our team in goals and points and other teams try to key in on him to slow him down. Good luck to them. Ethan has learned this year to use his teammates around him to create open space for himself and them and there has been no looking back. His 2 way play was paramount in our 4 game series vs Minto. Like Austin Matthews, Ethan's shot is elite and he regularly chimes the posts for goals (just to hear that great sound!) He is also an elite checker, creating chances for himself and teammates by causing turnovers and being positionally strong. This year, he added defence in the waning minutes or on the PP to his resume.
Carter M - Forward - #24
Nickname - Carts or Dennis or Rocky
NHL Comparable - Darcy Tucker, Michael Bunting
Profile - We wouldn't be where we are today without Dennis. His determination and will are unmatched by anything the opposing teams can throw at us. He scores big goals too, getting the series clincher over Minto in the pivotal game 4. "Mole Goals" are his strength as he outwills opposing defenders in front of the net before smashing rebounds home. Carter is an elite penalty killer too, often anticipating what the other team is going to do and picking off passes. He is loved by his teammates and inspires them with hard work and pure determination.
Porter B - Forward - #25
Nickname - Ports, Peanut (Kards has another nickname for him ;-)
NHL Comparable - Arrturi Lehkonen, Alek Kerfoot
Profile - Porter's skillset compliments this team (and his line mates) amazingly. He goes about his business in an understated manner and just does his job. His sauce passes from the left side are NHL calibre and he routinely finds teammates who are open. His pass in the final Minto series game to spring his linemate Brayden will go down in Arran-Elderslie history. Porter can play the PK, PP and can be trusted in the final minutes when the game is on the line. He is a coach's dream, routinely listening and making small refinements to his game to get better. He has an elite shot and breakaway speed that are underrated.
Jesse P - Centre - #10
Nickname - Jess or Jam
NHL Comparable - Patrice Bergeron, Nick Suzuki
Profile - Jesse is another coach's dream. He has one mission. Win. While he loves to score his own goals (and he is quite good at that too!), no one (except maybe Oocher) is happier when our team scores than Jesse. He is an elite checker and separates his man from the puck better than anybody. If Jesse gets the puck at our blue line with a head of steam, look out - something amazing is going to happen. He can either go top chedd (like he did in Minto series game 1) or feed an open linemate for a tap in goal. Centring the PB and J (Porter, Brayden and Jesse) line, he has become a dangerous weapon in the playoffs as we aim for the OMHA Championship.
Brayden P - Forward - #11
Nickname - Butter or Brayds
NHL Comparable - Brendan Gallagher, Brad Marchand
Profile - It's true what they say - it's not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog...and Brayden proves this true every game and practice. Using positioning and smarts, he regularly wins puck battles against bigger opposition. This year, he found a scoring touch too, scoring goals from in tight and from the slot (on perfect passes from Cousin Jesse.) As one third of the PB and J line, Brayden often finds open ice and with Porter and Jesse they have combined to form a formidable line that can play against anyone. He ramped up his play in the final two series vs Minto and BCH, scoring timely goals along the way. His positive energy on the ice and on the bench is infectious. Height doesn't measure Heart when it comes to this player.
Simon J - Forward - #29
Nickname - Simes
NHL Comparable - Pierre Engval, Sean Monahan
Profile - Simon joined the team late in our playoff run vs Minto and has proved invaluable. He has size, speed and reach and the opposition weren't quite sure what to make of the "tall kid". He is a great teammate on the bench and when those skates hit the ice he is determined to make a difference. His back check on #13 Minto in the deciding game gave the whole bench a boost and take the life out of Minto at the same time. Simon is proof that patience and hard work pay off in the end and that you can make a big difference in a game, even when you aren't scoring goals.
AP (Alternate Players):
Aden M - Forward - #12 - Aden was a great addition to our team during the playoff round robin run. In limited minutes, he scored some big goals and made little, heads up plays to get his teammates the puck. In a big comeback game vs. South-Grey in the Silver Stick Tournament, Aden got the go ahead marker and helped turn a 4-1 deficit into an 8-4 win.
Hudson J - Defence - #5 - Hudson was called upon a few times to fill in for players who were sick or away and always did an admirable job. He has a "steady eddy" quality to him as well and scored a big goal vs Mitchell with a laser from the point on the PP.
Jake F - Forward - Jake also filled in when players were away or sick and in his Rep debut, scored a goal and 2 assists! He plays a rough and tumble style that suits his regular team and our team quite well!
Lucas B - Goalie - Lucas wasn't called upon for any games this year but attended some practices to get a feel for things. It might not seem like much but anyone who helped this team get better along the way played a part in the success.