This week, I’ll break down all 20 OHL clubs division by division and unveil my predictions for the 2012-13 season. Today, let’s look at the Western Conference’s West Division (listed in alphabetical order):

Plymouth Whalers
Coach/GM: Michael Vellucci
2011-12 finish: 47-18-2-1, 1st division, 2nd conference
Playoff finish: Lost to Kitchener 4-3 in conference semifinals
Key players: LW Stefan Noesen (38 goals, 44 assists, 82 points; signed with Ottawa), C Mitchell Heard (29-28-57; signed with Colorado), RW Alex Aleardi (36-29-65), LW J.T. Miller (25-37-62; signed with N.Y. Rangers; G Matt Mahalak (19-8-0-0 record, 2.66 goals-against average, .923 save percentage, 3 shutouts; Carolina prospect)
Key losses: G Scott Wedgewood (28-10-2-1, 3.02, .911, 3 SO; signed with New Jersey), D Beau Schmitz (14-40-54, +37; signed with Carolina), C Andy Bathgate (19-44-63)
Outlook: The Whalers had a chance to reach the Western finals last season, but they lost Game 7 at home to Kitchener. They lost some key players off that team, but the Whalers still have are strong enough to make a deeper run this season.

Saginaw Spirit
Coach/GM: Greg Gilbert/Jim Paliafito
2011-12 finish: 40-22-4-2, 3rd division, 5th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to London 4-2 in conference semifinals
Key players: C Vincent Trocheck (29-56-85; signed with Florida), LW Brandon Saad (34-42-76; signed with Chicago), LW Garret Ross (25-29-54), C Eric Locke (20-20-40), D Dalton Young (5-15-20)
Key losses: LW Josh Shalla (40-36-76; signed with Nashville), RW Michael Fine (22-45-67), C John McFarland (20-21-41; signed with Florida), D Brad Walch (5-18-23, +21)
Outlook: Trocheck and Saad headline an offense that ranked fifth in the league a season ago with 259 goals. Now they have to solidify a defense that allowed 259 goals, the fourth most in the league. Clint Windsor and Jake Paterson are the keys in net.

Sarnia Sting
Coach/GM: Jacques Beaulieu
2011-12 finish: 34-27-2-5, 2nd division, 4th conference
Playoff finish: Lost 4-2 to Saginaw in conference quarterfinals
Key players: C Alex Galchenyuk (0-0-0 in 2 games; signed with Montreal), G J.P. Anderson (27-23-2-4, 3.03, .908, 3 SO), LW Reid Boucher (28-22-50), D Connor Murphy (8-18-26; signed with Phoenix), D Alex Basso (9-27-36, +5)
Key losses: RW Nail Yakupov (31-38-69 in 42 games; signed with Edmonton), C Brett Thompson (32-38-70; former Otter), C Ryan Spooner (29-37-66; signed with Boston), LW Tyler J. Brown (21-27-48), D Adrian Robertson (10-28-38, +13)
Outlook: Yakupov, the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, isn’t expected to rejoin the Sting. But Galchenyuk, the No. 3 pick in the draft, returns after missing nearly all of last season with a knee injury. But can the Sting overcome other key losses?

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Coach/GM: Mike Stapleton/Kyle Dubas
2011-12 finish: 29-33-2-4, 5th division, 9th conference
Playoff finish: Did not qualify
Key players: C Nick Cousins (35-53-88; signed with Philadelphia), G Matt Murray (13-19-0-1, 4.08, .876; Pittsburgh prospect), D Ryan Sproul (23-31-54, +16), RW Andrew Fritsch (13-19-32 in 35 games; Phoenix prospect), LW Michael Schumacher (26-24-50)
Key losses: C Brett Findlay (20-36-56; traded to Peterborough), C Carson Dubchak (16-16-32)
Outlook: The Greyhounds are trying to avoid a third straight season out of the playoff picture. But does Stapleton, the Otters’ former associate and assistant coach, have enough talented depth to make that happen in a challenging conference?

Windsor Spitfires
Coach/GM: Bob Boughner/Warren Rychel
2011-12 finish: 29-32-5-2, 4th division, 8th conference
Playoff finish: Lost to London 4-0 in conference quarterfinals
Key players: LW Kerby Rychel (41-33-74); C Brady Vail (22-30-52), LW Chris Marchese (18-25-43; former Otter), D Nick Ebert (6-33-39), RW Joshua Ho-Sang (No. 5 pick in OHL Priority Selection), LW Ben Johnson (18-20-38)
Key losses: C Alexander Khokhlachev (25-44-69; playing in Russia), C Zack MacQueen (18-20-38; son of former Otters coach Dave MacQueen)
Outlook: The unexpected departure of Khokhlachev will hurt thre Spitfires, unless forwards like Rychel, Vail, former Otter Marchese and first-round pick Ho-Sang pick up the slack. But will they have enough on defense and in net to win consistently?

- Victor Fernandes

Erie Otters center Dane Fox stands 46th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, which was released Monday. Five teammates join him on the list, including first-tim selection Luke Cairns. The veteran center is considered No. 189 among North American skaters after not appearing on Central Scouting’s preliminary and midterm lists.
Right wing Connor Brown (No. 110 from No. 85 in the midterm rankings) as well as defensemen Adam Pelech (No. 120 from No. 54), Troy Donnay (No. 122 from No. 115) and Liam Maaskant(No. 195 from No. 134) slipped down the list.
Former Otters winger Chris Marchese, now with Windsor, stands at No. 122. Center Drake Caggiula, the Otters’ third-round pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection, appears at No. 185. Caggiula, who played for Stouffville in the Ontario Junior A Hockey League this season, has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at North Dakota.
Sarnia’s duo of right wing Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk rank first and fourth, respectively, followed by Ottawa defenseman Cody Ceci (sixth), Kitchener center Radek Faksa (seventh) and London defenseman Olli Maatta (eighth). Belleville’s Malcolm Subban (first), Saginaw’s Jake Paterson (third) and Kitchener’s Frank Palazzese (ninth) rank among the top 10 North American goaltenders.
The NHL draft takes place June 22-23 at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. Check out the the complete rankings by clicking on the link.

SARNIA, Ontario (AP) — Top NHL draft prospect Alex Galchenyuk will have surgery this week to repair a torn knee ligament.

The 17-year-old center, who plays for the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, was injured on Sept. 16 in a preseason game against the Windsor Spitfires. The Sting announced the surgery on Monday.

“Unfortunately injuries like this are a part of the game. Our thoughts are solely with Alex at this time as this was very difficult news to receive,” Sting general manager Jacques Beaulieu said in a release. “We will be providing Alex with the best care possible as he begins his rehab toward getting back on the ice.”

Galchenyuk, a Milwaukee native, had 31 goals and 52 assists in 68 games last season.

The Erie Otters didn’t deserve two points Saturday night.

But they came within inches of capturing their sixth straight win.

Moments after Otters winger Shawn Szydlowski’s shootout attempt hit the crossbar, Craig Hottot’s shot hit the crossbar before settling in the net to seal Sarnia’s 3-2 win in front of 3,109 at Tullio Arena.

Rookie Alex Galchenyuk opened the scoring in the shootout on the Sting’s first attempt. But Otters captain Greg McKegg matched his goal on Erie’s second shot. Then Hottot sealed the win.

A night after shocking rival Kitchener in overtime on the road, nearly all the Otters (14-14-1-1) appeared lifeless for the opening 30 minutes against the Sting. But goaltender Ramis Sadikov was on his game.

Sadikov stopped all 12 shots he faced in a scoreless opening period.

The Sting (13-11-3-1) finally solved Sadikov, as Tyler Peters scored 1:37 into the second period off an assist from Galchenyuk, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. Six minutes later, Otters coach Robbie Ftorek called timeout in an apparent attempt to refocus his team.

But the Sting extended their lead to 2-0 on Kale Kerbashian’s power-play score – his 18^th goal of the season – with 8:19 left in the period. The Otters sliced their deficit in half on McKegg’s team-best 21^st goal of the season – a power-play score with 5:05 left in the second. That goal seemed to awaken the Otters. A penalty on the Sting late in the second handed the Otters a chance to tie. The Otters capitalized 1:27 into the third, as Anthony Luciani scored on the man advantage.

The teams traded several scoring opportunities during the rest of the third, including an Otters’ power play that carried over into overtime. But neither team managed the winning goal.

Luciani and McKegg had a goal and assist for the Otters. Galchenyuk had two assists for the Sting.

Sadikov made 27 saves in regulation and overtime and one more in shootout. Sarnia’s John Cullen made 30 saves, including in the shootout.

- Victor Fernandes

SUMMARY

Sting 3, Otters 2 (SO)

Sarnia  0  2  0  0  1  —  3

Erie  0  1  1  0  0  —  2

1^st Period — None. Penalties — Hottot (S) roughing, 10:59; Shields (E) holding, 12:19.

2^nd Period — 1. Sarnia, Tyler Peters 12 (Galchenyuk), 1:37. 2. Sarnia, Kale Kerbashian 18 (Yakupov, Galchenyuk), 11:41 (pp). 3. Erie, Greg McKegg 21 (Broll, Luciani), 14:55 (pp). Penalties — Flemington (S) interference, 2:08; Luciani (E) hooking, 9:50; Galchenyuk (S) hooking, 13:44; Appio (E) high sticking, 15:52; Ritchie (S) tripping, 17:37; Pelech (E) delay of game, 17:37; Rogalski (S) hooking, 19:39.

3^rd Period — 4. Erie, Anthony Luciani 9 (McKegg, Varone), 1:27 (pp). Penalties — Cook (E) hooking, 4:22; Sullivan (S) hooking, 10:08; Galchenyuk (S) high sticking, 18:13.

Overtime — None. Penalties — None.

Shootout — Varone (E) no goal; Galchenyuk (S) goal; McKegg (E) goal; Yakupov (S) no goal; Szydlowski (E) no goal; Hottot (S) goal.

Shots on goal — Sarnia, 12-11-5-1-1—30; Erie, 7-10-10-3-0—30.

Goaltenders — Sarnia, John Cullen 9-7-2-0 (30 shots, 28 saves); Erie, Ramis Sadikov 14-10-1-1 (29 shots, 27 saves).

Power plays — Sarnia (1-4), Erie (2-5).

Referees — Jason Goldenberg, Scott Ferguson. Linesmen — Fraser McIntire, Mike Harrington.

Attendance — 3,109.

Three stars

* Anthony Luciani, Otters (goal, SO goal, assist)  ** Greg McKegg, Otters (goal, assist) *** Alex Galchenyuk, Sting (goal, SO goal)