Memorial Cup preview: Top 10 Oshawa Generals observations

With the King of Late Night signing off, Buzzing The Net is borrowing the Top Ten trope to profile the Memorial Cup teams. It's an homage. Or as David Letterman would say to someone who tried to slip a fancy word by him, "you mean stealing."

Presenting the Oshawa Generals, who are vying to be the first OHL team to win since the 2010 Windsor Spitfires.

10. "What's D.J. doing behind the bench?"

D.J. Smith, whom at age 38 is the youngest head coach in the tournament, told Toronto's TSN 1050 this week that, "some people may think I'm pretty high-strung." He's aware of his hockey rep, but the former pro defenceman has toned down. That calmness seems to have spread out to the team, at least as far as one can  tell.

"The personalities have changed compared to years ago," Smith told TSN 1050 on Tuesday. "I think if you can get that 20 players to buy in to what you're teaching, you have a chance. It's a different generation. When I grew up and when I was coached, the yelling approach always worked. But it seems like some of these kids coming in now have never been yelled at, so you have to find a way to get to them without breaking their spirit ... it's a fine line, but it's something I'm trying to get better at doing."

9. "Can we show you our Fenwick?"

Oshawa was the OHL's top possession team in the regular season, defeating the fifth, second and third-best across the course of its run to the J. Ross Robertson Cup. That is a very steep incline to traverse. They take a very direct approach to offence, although forward Michael Dal Colle supplies sufficient star power after sharing the team playoff scoring lead with 31 points.

8. "Do they have to be so mean about it?"

Between Brown (6-foot-4, 215 pounds), Cole Cassels' regular right wing Hunter Smith (6-6, 210), Ottawa Senators draftee Tobias Lindberg (6-3, 215) and Montreal Canadiens signing Michael McCarron (6-6, 225), Oshawa has the mobile, hostile 'n' agile, big-body presence aspect covered very well. That chokeout style took down an elite Erie Otters team; now it's up against three more.

The Generals are one of the biggest teams in major junior hockey. They use that to create mismatches.

7. "Win it for Will!"

Like Kelowna, which does not expect overage forward Tyrell Goulbourne to return, the Gens are also rallying around an absent veteran after defenceman Will Petschenig broke his right arm during the penultimate game of the third round. He still finished his shift after the injury. And, obviously, they still won without him, with overages Josh Brown and Dakota Mermis leaving a big stamp on the final.

6. "No one from Team Canada, how can they be that good?"

Each of the other three teams includes two members of the victorious national junior team, but the only Gen at the WJC was third-pairing defenceman Sonny Hertzberg, who helped Denmark reach the quarter-finals. Dal Colle, an 18-year-old, was a late cut by Canada, while Cassels and McCarron were on the outside looking in with Team USA. However — and it came as a mild shock to learn this — there is this tier of hockey where there are plenty more good players beyond those who get the rock-star treatment during the Christmas holidays.

Oshawa, under former GM Jeff Twohey and successor Roger Hunt, was built for this season, with 12 players who are either 19 or 20. They have a grit that actually can be quantified. They probably also have the fiercest beard game at this tournament, which must mean the Toronto Star article about beards being out was a direct shot at the Generals. More fuel for the fire, eh.

5. "Cassels out to take this draw."

The over/under on faceoffs between Cassels and Frédérik Gauthier — Vancouver Canucks prospect vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect — during the Oshawa-Rimouski Océanic game on Saturday is probably about 25. Cassels was the fulcrum of Oshawa's winning effort, delivering a value-added star effort by killing penalties and winning faceoffs while also scoring a series-high 12 points during the five-game win.

Cassels could have a impact much like that of Henrik Samuelsson during the Edmonton Oil Kings' triumph 12 months ago in London. Oddly enough, both are sons of former Hartford Whalers.

Oshawa took full advantage of the OHL allowing teams to change players after icing the puck during the Erie series. It won't have that antiquated rule during the tournament.

4. "What position is Vande Sompel playing tonight?"

Depending on the situation and team need, defenceman Mitchell Vande Sompel might be up on the wing, or be used to harry opposing point men during penalty kills. The sophomore is a hockey answer to a utility player in baseball.

That speaks to D.J. Smith's resourcefulness at optimizing his roster.

3. "Remember Rimouski!"

Indeed, Smith was a Windsor Spitfires assistant coach in 2009 when they became the first team to overcome an 0-2 start and win the Memorial Cup. That event coincidentally also included the Océanic and Rockets. You'll hear about it a lot, because there's a lot of airtime to fill.

The past two Quebec-hosted tournaments have been won by teams that won a Thursday night tiebreaker game, since Shawinigan did some on home ice. With an evenly matched field, could it happen again? Is it also hacky to end with a rhetorical question?

2. "Apple-by! Apple-by!"

Who's the lone man at Le Colisée who was credited with all 16 post-season wins? The 6-foot-4 Appleby, save for a mercy-pull in Game 1 of the Eastern final, went the distance during the Gennies' run. The North Bay, Ont., native is Oshawa's rock, and he fills a lot of net. Goaltending has not been a strong point of the OHL in recent seasons, but the Generals are as well-covered as any league champ since the 2012 London Knights with Michael Houser.

1. "They weren't expected to be here."

Oshawa, please. Some of the CHL commentariat, uh, present company very included, did get lost in Connor McDavid's eyes, I mean, overwhelming talent and tabbed Erie to win the championship. Plus there was the whole Eastern Conference championship drought deal, although the league has greater equilibrium. Forgive us for losing sight of how the Gennies were atop the league (and BTN's Dynamic Dozen ranking) for a good swath of the regular season.

Can't blame them for running with it, but the result wasn't an upset.

(Please remember that Dave loved his hockey.)

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.