OSHAWA YOUNGSTER OFFERS SIZE, SKILL AND SMARTS TO POTENTIAL NHL SUITORS

Serron Noel has been busy. As the NHL combine wraps up with testing for the top prospects Saturday morning at the KeyBank Center, the talk will finally turn to action for Noel and, make no mistake, the 17-year-old has done plenty of talking since arriving here last Saturday night.

By the time, the Oshawa Generals’ forward wrapped up his meetings Friday, Noel, who is expected to selected in the first-round when the entry draft is held June 22-23 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, will have met with 28 teams. There are no questions he hasn’t been asked and now he’s ready for the next step.

“I was told before you’re going to hear a lot of the same questions and that couldn’t be more true,” Noel said during a break between meetings with six teams Thursday. “I’ve learned so much and I’ve just kind of been able to gain confidence over time.”

Last June, Noel, who is completing his studies at John McCrae Secondary School in Ottawa after finishing the season with Oshawa, attended the draft in Chicago with his Ottawabased agent Andy Scott of Octagon Hockey to get a glimpse of what he’ll face later this month in Dallas.

And while NHL scouts believe he’s got a good chance of being selected among the top 15, he’s taking nothing for granted. The process of the Combine is important because not only is there physical testing there’s also no shortage of interviews.

This is a pretty intense week.

“It’s really important to be myself,” Noel said in an interview last week in Ottawa. “That’s really what the whole process is about, getting to know you as a person and as a player so you have to be yourself. It’s a hectic schedule and the testing at the end will be pretty difficult.”

After finishing with eight goals and 21 points in his rookie season in the OHL in 2016-17, Noel, who turns 18 in August, had a breakthrough year with 28-25-53 points in 62 games. He’s a smart player with good skills and has the ability to develop into a power forward.

Those who know Noel are impressed by his demeanour, approach and work ethic. He is committed to having success and that’s why after school he works with former national athlete Sheridon Baptiste to do fitness training.

Former Senators’ defenceman Jason York, who first took notice of Noel’s abilities when he was playing novice hockey and spring hockey with son Jack, is a huge fan. He believes any team that selects Noel is going to get a player who will only get bet- ter with age.

“I saw him when he was playing novice and I went up to Dean, who I’d never met, and I said, ‘Your son is going to be really good when he gets to be older,’” said York. “I didn’t say he has a chance to play pro, because I don’t think you should say that, but I just said he’s got the chance to be really good.

“Dean and I became really good friends and then every summer Serron and Jack played on the spring team I coached. I just saw a kid who was really athletic and I thought there was potential because of his athleticism.”

York said he believes if Noel continues to work hard, he’s got an excellent opportunity to be a strong NHL player.

“I’m really excited because I know what kids now do and there’s a lot of finished products out there,” York said. “There’s a lot of kids that are really good right now because No. 1 their families have a lot of money and they invest a lot of money in their kids.

“Serron never did any of that stuff. He played spring hockey and attended hockey camps with me but I just think at the end of the day natural talent, if you have the work ethic, will always come to the forefront. He’s got that. That’s why I’m excited.

“I knew when he went to Oshawa he was going to take off because that’s the first time he was on the ice every day. When you’re on the ice every day in the OHL, and you’re athletic, then that’s when you’re going to get way better.”

Noel said he knows he’d have some explaining to do at the combine about his consistency. He didn’t perform up to expectations in the post-season with Ottawa and knows that aspect is going to be under the microscope from NHL teams.

“I didn’t really do that well and we were out in the first round so I imagine that’s going to be something that they’ll dig around and try to find out information as to why it wasn’t the way I wanted it to be,” Noel said.

“For me, I think a lot of younger guys have struggled with consistency and I think if you give the team a plan of how you’re going to fix it, how you’re going to become better and how you’re going to be more consistent then I think that’s going to go far.”

Scott said whatever team selects Noel is not only going to get a good, young player with plenty of potential, they’ll also have a solid prospect that just needs time to develop his skills.

“He’s very, very mature. What we like about him is he expects a lot from himself,” said Scott.

“He’s hard on himself and I think some of the best players in the NHL are hard on themselves and they expect a lot or they have high expectations with respect to the game.

“I love that about him and I think that could really propel him to be a pro sooner or later. When he decides to compete, there’s nobody better. He’s a really, really good skater. He’s an elite skater and for a kid 6-foot-5, that’s extremely rare at his age. In today’s game, there’s a real focus on playing fast and speed. Two things that he does really well. He goes to the dirty areas and he’s not afraid.”

Noel’s father Dean along with his mother Dera and 14-year-old brother Kalen will attend the draft. So will his billets in Oshawa — who are also his cousins — Curtis and Kathy Dempster along with their son Carter. This is all a little overwhelming.

“I’m really excited. I’ve been thinking about it a little bit as we’re winding down,” said Noel. “The time is getting shorter. It’s going to be fun and a really exciting experience.

“If I get picked to a team, I’m just going to do everything I can to try to help that team get better in the future.”