With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Sarnia Sting could be set to reach a franchise low. The Sting currently sit dead last in the Ontario Hockey League with a winning percentage of .285. The team's previous low was set in 2005-06, with a .287 percentage. While the Sting could win one of their remaining three games to keep from having the worst season in franchise history (16 years), that possibility appears unlikely. The team's remaining games are against London, Guelph, and Windsor, all of whom are on hot streaks to close out the regular season.
Even if the Sting do manage to steal a victory from London, Guelph, or Windsor, let's not kid ourselves, it won't change the fortune of a team who (team record book or no record book) has been the league's worst during the 2009-10 season. While this has to be frustrating for the entire team and coaching staff, those feeling it the most have to be the NHL draft eligible players. Playing on a last place junior team and without a bluechip prospect, you can't help but wonder how much exposure you've had to scouts. How many NHL scouts are making it a point to go and see the Sting this year, or better yet, go and see other teams beat up on the Sting? It just so happens that Sarnia has three potential NHL draft picks on its roster right now; defenseman Joe Rogalski and Nathan Chiarlitti, and forward Brandon Alderson. Rogalski and Chiarlitti are a combined -74 on the year, while Alderson has only one goal in his last 18 games after a hot start. You have to wonder what that does to a player's chances to be drafted.
No one has felt that pressure more than Chiarlitti, who came into the season with a solid chance of being drafted, but has since seen his status fall. Last year he was a member of the gold medal winning Team Ontario at the Under 17's and was one of only five OHL defenseman invited to the Under 18, Ivan Hlinka selection camp. This year, he finds himself completely off the radar and wasn't even ranked on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list. Chiarlitti admits that the draft has crept into his thoughts. "I think it's in the back of every player's mind, but I realized if I don't get drafted this year it's not the end of the world. If anything, it would motivate me to prove so many different people wrong. So I guess it's always in the back of your head, it's just a matter of controlling the thoughts and not letting it distract you while you're playing," says the Sting defenseman.
If playing on a poor Sarnia team makes it hard to get noticed, the type of game Chiarlitti plays doesn't help either; nor does his average height and build for the defensive position. "I think I am more of a defensive defenseman. I've got a good stick and I'm responsible in all three zones. I take pride in winning one on one battles and I never want to lose any of them in games. I also like to jump into the rush when the opportunity is there, which I think I've shown in the second half of the season," says Chiarlitti.
Playing that type of role moving forward means that Chiarlitti is going to have to make up for his lack of size somehow. "My speed and skating are definitely two things I'd like to work on this summer. Just lengthening my stride and getting quick bursts would probably be the things I'd want to focus on the most. I have talked to some NHL scouts, and they just told me as a smaller defenseman i have to get my feet moving and keep my head up. Those two things would help me get out of tight situations and allow me to make some plays," says Chiarlitti.
However, with a good head on his shoulders and a will to compete, Chiarlitti can stand out in other ways. He's currently sporting an 'A' for the Sting and is highly speculated to be the team's captain next season. This is something Chiarlitti takes pride in. "I'm not the most talented player by any stretch but I want to outwork anyone on the ice. I compete shift in shift out and I try and lead by example, acting as a role model for some of the younger guys on the team and people in the community." He's also a tremendous student and was the Sting's nominee for the Bobby Smith Trophy (top scholastic player) last season.
With the Sting already prepared to hit the golf course, Chiarlitti has one last hope to try and impress the scouts. The World Under 18's will be starting April 13th, and with his past there's always a chance Chiarlitti could be named to Team Canada, depending on the talent available. And if not, here's hoping the scouts have still been coming out to see Sarnia this season.
Best of luck to Nathan Chiarlitti, Joe Rogalski, and Brandon Alderson as they gear up for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and a big thanks to Ryan Yessie for his contributions to the article. He conducted an interview with Chiarlitti which can be found on my blog. Check out, especially if you're curious to see who Chiarlitti calls the most dangerous offensive players in the OHL.
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I wanted to watch him closely the past few weeks, since I knew the interview was coming up, and I assumed some people had questions about him, so i'll post some of what i've noticed here.
First and foremost the CSB rankings in my opinion have been horrible the last few years, and very all over the place.
As for Chiarlitti, he really understands himself and knows his role as a player, he is in fact outstanding one on one. He mentioned Taylor Beck as one of the players he feels is the most difficult to play against, but Chiarlitti has done a great job on him. In recent weeks he's been put out there against top lines including players like Seguin, Kadri, McFarland, Skinner, and he has done an outstanding job matching up wtih them one on one, and either beats them or forces them outside. A lot of the chances these guys have got have been from a distance out, when Chiarlitti is matched against them.
Secondly with Chiarlitti I believed his lack of physical play would be something he'd want to work on, but when he mentioned speed it does make sense. He's improved over last year, and rarely if ever gets beat to the outside becasue he does make enough contact, and have good enough positioning that this doesn't happen, but that extra speed would make him a lot more effective at both ends of the ice.
Offensively he really has some untapped abilities. He's making alot more accurate passes out of his own zone than he did the first year and a half of his career. Although he states he's a defensive defenceman, he has been doing a very good job jumping in on the rush and it seems to catch the opposition off guard. The most recent occurance was a short handed goal with 27 seconds left in London to bring Sarnia within one. He's got 2G, 4A, 6PTS in his last 13 games, which is impressive for a defencman that's defence first on the worst team in the league.
He's a team first guy, and Personally I'll be cheering him on a little at the draft, he's a great kid, with a first class personality, and in my opinion deserves to be drafted in the final 3-4 rounds.
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