Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteMoss
I was at the London Knights game on Friday against Windsor so was able to watch Sam Dickinson and Liam Greentree.
It was the 2nd last game of the season and the Knights are the best team in the league and Windsor is one of the worst so it wasn't an intense contest and there seemed to be a fair bit of mailing it in.
Dickinson in particular wasn't not bringing a huge effort out there. He's got good size and is a good skater, but would want to watch him more to get a true feel for him. They didn't seem to be using him on the 1st power play unit either although they had a wacky PP with 2 forwards playing the point and a defenseman (Bonk - Philly 1st rounder last year) playing up front. He gave me a Pietrangelo kind of vibe in that he'll be a top pair guy but not someone who racks up huge point totals.
Greentree is more noticeable but that is likely because he is the best player on his team by a long shot while the Knights are loaded with NHL picks. He also had a good size and is good with the puck, but he's a winger and lacks elite traits so probably will land in the mid to late 1st round.
Of the lower rated guys - Sam O'Reilly was one of the more engaged guys for the Knights. Its hard to know about the offensive skill of these guys on powerhouse teams because they don't get a ton of PP time and play in more an energy role vs someone like Greentree who's getting every opportunity on a weak team. At minimum he did seem like someone who could play an energy role in the pros with potentially more offense the he's shown so far.
One (meaningless) game sample and I've read no scouting reports of these guys - so could be way off the consensus.
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Thanks for this- Sam O'Reilly is a favorite of mine for the second round. I had him late first, but his production has taken a dip in the second half. My Profile:
RHC/RW Sam O'Reilly is a personal favorite as a power-forward who plays a well-rounded, heavy, pro-style game. He was selected 12th overall in the 2021 CHL Draft by the London Knights, who currently sit 1st in the OHL standings, and are the highest scoring team in the league. This season to date, he has put up 15 goals, and 44 points in 48 games, on a team with a lot of older, offensive players- so I could see where time in the top-6 would be hard to come by. Sam is 6'1", and 176 lbs.
O'Reilly is a responsible, two-way player with high IQ and awareness at both ends of the ice. He's a quality playmaker when keeping it simple, and has a remarkable small-area game. He can dish in full flight, as well as receive passes, and has poise with the puck on his stick- although he can sometimes try to force plays through traffic. He has a hard enough shot, with a sneaky release, and good hands around the net. He will go to the crease to cause havok, and hopefully pick off a rebound or tip. O'Reilly is not afraid of the greasy areas, and wins pucks with his strength, and sheer tenacity. He's competitive, and a force down low, and plays a physical brand of hockey- laying the body whenever the opportunity presents itself. Defensively, he seems committed in his effort and awareness- he works to be hard to play against. O'Reilly has great instincts and awareness in this area, to go with a good stick. He can be a pest, hounding puck-carriers and pressuring attackers by invading their space, blocking lanes, and intercepting passes. He exhibits proactive positioning, and will put his body on the line to block a shot. With all of the offensive talent in London, Sam just doesn't get a lot of time on the PP, and currently only has 8 points with the man-advantage. The flip side of this is that he is among the league leaders in even-strength goals for players in his age group. Because of his stalwart defensive play, one could say he has a high floor, with the talent and promise for more; however, he might be relegated to wing in the pros, if he doesn't get better in the faceoff circle, and they say he needs to get to the middle more often. Second round, with a chance to sneak into the first.