May 29, 2011
Forcing the issue
New Jersey 16-year-old Ebert played big role in Windsor’s OHL title defense
by Gene Morris/Correspondent
Ryan Ellis
When you have a veteran team that has won two straight Memorial Cups, it’s easy to lose a 16-year old rookie in the shuffle.
On a team like the Windsor Spitfires, sporting one of the best young defensemen in major junior hockey in Ryan Ellis and looking for a replacement for Cam Fowler, it would be simple for that young player to assume a minor role.
But Nick Ebert is not just any young player. Expectations have followed Ebert from his youth days in New Jersey; to his first experiences away from home in Waterloo, Iowa, in the USHL; and all they way to the top team in the Ontario Hockey League.
“If Nick comes back and improves all the areas we expect him to, there’s no reason he isn’t a top 10 NHL (draft) pick and a guy that can go on to play in the NHL for many years,” Spitfires associate coach D.J. Smith said.
Ebert is a powerful, puck-moving defenseman who finished his first season in the OHL with 11 goals and 30 assists in 64 games. He led all rookie defenseman in points, and was 13th among defensemen overall and 12th among all rookies.
“Any time you have a player that can lug the puck, skate like him, shoot like him and is a big guy at a young age, it obviously helps your team,” Smith said. “You’re not expecting a young player to come in and contribute like he did.”
The team’s bid for a third straight OHL title ended with a five-game loss to Owen Sound in the Western Conference finals last month.
Ebert has been impressing coaches since his younger days. He got hooked on the game of hockey during the Rangers’ Stanley Cup run in 1994 and the Devils’ championship the next year. He said he looked up to two local heroes of the day -- Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch and Devils blueliner Scott Stevens.
“There’s always going to be expectations,” Ebert said. “It’s OK to look at them but you don’t want to look too much. You have to play your game and continue to keep excelling, and that’s what I’m trying to do right now.”
While Ebert’s offensive game has scouts drooling – Smith said he’s heard many people say Ebert’s game is “Drew Doughty-esque,” -- both he and the coaching staff know he has to work on playing in his own zone.
“I could be better defensively and there’s still a lot of things I need to improve on,” Ebert said. “I like the way I play the two-way game, offensive and defensive, mixing it up a little bit. I don’t want to be a one-dimensional defenseman; I definitely want to bring both sides to the game and that’s pretty big for me.”
Smith attributes some of the flaws to Ebert’s age, but knows that it’s something that will improve with experience.
“You get younger players and a lot of them don’t know how to play the right way,” Smith said. “There’s a lot more that goes into having to teach a young player than just the raw skills. It takes time and we’re not there yet; it’s a work in progress. But we hope by next year when he comes back he hits the ground running.”
Having a player like Ellis, who led all defensemen with 101 points – 22 points better than Kitchener’s Ryan Murphy, who finished second – has and will do wonders for Ebert’s game.
“Ryan Ellis is a great player -- look at all the things he’s won,” Ebert said. “Go down the list, he’s probably the best player in the league. He’s a great role model and he’s really good to have on the team. I’ve learned a lot from his so far this year and it’s been great.”
Ebert, who injured his hand before the playoffs began, just started to round into shape in the OHL’s Western Conference championship round. His playoff numbers this season aren’t indicative of the way he’s played all year.
The next logical step for Ebert is the NHL, but for now he’s still a 16-year old just beginning to realize his childhood dreams are going to come true.
“It’s really cool; getting paid to play hockey is something so many people wish they could do,” Ebert said. “Just playing hockey is fun and getting paid and making a living off it is unimaginable.”
Gene Morris can be reached at feedback@nyhockeyjournal.com.
AROUND JUNIORS
Matt Campanale, formerly of the Green Mountain Glades of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, became the 25th member of the EJHL to appear in the NHL when he debuted for the New York Islanders on April 6. Named to the All-EJHL first team in 2007 while with the Glades, Campanale got 8:16 of ice time and committed a minor penalty in his debut. … New York Apple Core of the EJHL named Frank Bretti its new head coach on April 25. Bretti has 13 years of college coaching experience, including two years as an assistant at RPI and six years as the head coach at Iona College. .. The Trenton Habs of the IJHL announced that Andrew Trimble, formerly of Buffalo State, has joined the team as assistant coach and general manager. Trimble will assist with hockey operations as well as player movement. … The Syracuse Stampede of the IJHL, who will be taking the ice for the first time in 2011-12, have begun to add players to their roster, including four native New York defensemen – Kyle Williams of Rome, Michael Hallock of Camden, Jake Sulli of Rochester and Michael Bay of Liverpool. Also added to the mix is goaltender Kevin Niver of Fulton.
-- GENE MORRIS
RECRUITING TRAIL
F Stephen Castriota, New York Bobcats, Fredonia
F Troy Polino, New York Bobcats, Brockport
F Mike Schwartz, New York Bobcats, Nichols
D Michael Ciotti, New York Bobcats, Trinity College
F Zach Aston-Reese, New Jersey Rockets, Brown ‘12
F Sean Loebs, Connecticut Jr. Wolfpack, Fitchburg St.
F Tim Colvin, Connecticut Jr. Wolfpack, Skidmore
G Bryan Haude, Connecticut Jr. Wolfpack, Geneseo
D Mike Novella, Connecticut Jr. Wolfpack, UConn
F Stu Wilson, Cedar Rapids/Pittsford, N.Y., Yale
F Mike Zalewski, New Hartford, Conn., RPI
