Sports
Whalers' Tom Wilson Picking Up the Pace
Power forward scored three goals in four wins vs. Guelph
Sound bytes courtesy of Pete Krupsky and www.plymouthwhalers.com
When National Hockey League scouts attend Plymouth Whalers games, they appreciate the work of Scott Wedgewood, Stefan Noesen, Austin Levi, JT Miller and the rest of the Whalers who happen to be NHL draft picks.
They also appreciate the efforts of free agents Andy Bathgate, Beau Schmitz and Alex Aleardi.
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But one Whaler in the scouts' collective focus is right wing Tom Wilson, who is eligible for the NHL Entry Draft, held June 22-23 in Pittsburgh.
Wilson is currently rated 33rd by Central Scouting and most mock drafts have him going in the first round of the draft.
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Sidelined by an injury while playing in the annual Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Feb. 1, Wilson returned to the lineup in March and is playing some of his best hockey of the year during the playoffs.
An emerging power forward, Wilson was rated the best body checker in the annual OHL Western Conference Coaches Poll. He is also adding offense when it counts, scoring three goals in the final four games against first-round opponent Guelph as the Whalers came back from a 0-2 deficit to eliminate the Storm.
The goals were scored as a power forward should score them – by going to the gritty area of the ice:
- In Game 3 (a 7-1 Plymouth victory), Wilson scored on a rebound through traffic in the slot.
- In Game 4 (a 5-2 Plymouth victory in Guelph), Wilson beat a Guelph defender to a spot at the hash marks and tipped Nick Malysa’s shot from the point for the first goal of the game.
- In Game 6 (a 2-1 Plymouth victory in overtime to clinch the series), Wilson battled a Guelph defenseman in front of the Storm net and tipped Austin Levi’s shot from the high slot into the net for the first goal of the game.
In spite of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, Wilson is excited to be part of a team that wants to go deep into the OHL playoffs.
“Here and there, it’s a distraction, but I try to keep it in the back of my head,” Wilson admitted. “Right now, the goal is right in front of us – playoffs, OHL Championship, Memorial Cup – so that’s where my mind is at right now. I just want to help the team. The draft will come at the end of the year. I’m not too worried about it right now.”
Wilson was asked what helped turn the Guelph series around.
“Give Guelph a lot of credit for coming out hard at the beginning of the series,” Wilson said. “We went back to the drawing board, changed a few little things and came out and performed them over the last couple of games.”
Wilson has played a great deal this season on a line with Mitchell Heard and JT Miller.
“I’m playing with talented players around me,” Wilson explained. “(Mitchell) Heardie’s one of the best finishers in the league. If I give him the puck, there a good chance it will end up in the back of the net. So I’m trying to go to the net and get my goals that way. As long as I keep working hard, I think they guys around me are going to help me and help the team win.
Recently, Wilson has been playing with left wing Jamie Devane and center Andy Bathgate, a line that feature two power forwards in Wilson and Devane with an intelligent play maker in Bathgate.
“It’s really fun to see Davy flying down the left wing,” Wilson said. “There’s not many d-men who are going to go toe-to-toe with him. So if he dumps the puck to the corner – or I dump it in – the “D” will be looking around, because we’re coming at them hard.”
Bathgate is helping Wilson in other ways. They became friends early this season, so much so that they often room together on the road and live together with landparents Phil and Leslie McLees.
“He’s great,” Wilson said of Bathgate. “Any advice I need, he’s been in the league forever and he’s really wise. He’s a great player – on and off the ice – and any pointers I need (as far as the NHL draft) he’s been through it.”
And while Bathgate mentors Wilson from time to time, Wilson watches over young Whalers Danny Vanderwiel, Matt Mistele, Cody Payne, Mitch Jones and Mitchell Dempsey.
“The young guys are great,” Wilson said. “We wouldn’t be here without them. They bring a lot of energy in the room and they’re fun to have around. They keep the older guys remembering what it was like. They work really hard in practice and they have a bright future ahead if them.”
So does Wilson.
NOESEN NAMED CHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Plymouth’s Stefan Noesen capped an excellent week last week by being named the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week. On Monday, Noesen was named OHL Player of the Week.
OHL DRAFT GOES SATURDAY: The Whalers and the rest of the Ontario Hockey League will be holding the annual Priority Selection on Saturday. The draft - which has been moved up a month - can be followed on here online.
The Whalers will be selecting 18th in the first round.
In anticipation of Saturday's draft, the Whalers made a deal of draft choices with Oshawa. Plymouth receives Oshawa's first round selection in the upcoming CHL Import draft, along with Oshawa's 6th round choice in 2013, in exchange for Kitchener's first round Import selection, a third round pick from London in 2012 and the Whalers' 6th round pick in 2013.
Other teams are trading draft choices as well. Follow the action here.
FOUR SHORTIES IN A GAME: The Whalers probably set a team record last Saturday in a 9-3 win over Guelph by scoring four shorthanded goals in a game. It may also by an OHL playoff record.
Herb Morell – the OHL’s Director of Administration and league historian – reports that Sault Ste. Marie scored four shorthanded goals during a regular season game on Feb. 15, 1980, in a game against the Toronto Marlboros.
The Ontario Hockey League record book shows that two players scored three shorthanded goals in one game. Mike Hoffman of the Brantford Alexanders scored three shorthanded goals in a game on Dec. 26, 1982, against Guelph; David Bruce did the same for Kitchener on Jan. 6, 1984, in a game against Cornwall.
The Canadian Hockey League record book shows that four other players scored three shorthanded goals in one game –all from the Western Hockey League: Kalvin Knibbs, for Tri-City against Spokane on Jan. 31, 1990; Glen Goodall, for Seattle against Victoria on Jan. 27, 1990; Peter Schaefer, for Brandon on Mar. 14, 1997; and Brett McLean, for Kelowna on Nov. 18, 1997, against Regina.
