Justin Shugg

History

2007-08: Justin Shugg began his OHL rookie season with the Oshawa Generals. He scored 4 goals with 10 assists and was +6 in 38 games with the Generals before being traded to the Windsor Spitfires in a deal that sent goaltender Michal Neuvirth to the Generals. Shugg played in 23 games for the Spitfires, picking up 3 assists and was -2 with 2 PIM. He played limited minutes in three playoff games in the Spitfires five-game first round loss to Sarnia but did not register a point.

2008-09: In his first full season with the Spitfires, Shugg scored 17 goals with 16 assists for 33 points and was +21 with 48 PIM in 68 games. In the Spitfires run to the OHL title, he scored 5 goals with 4 assists with 16 PIM and an even plus/minus in 20 playoff games. Shugg appeared in two of the six Memorial Cup games as the Spitfires captured the championship of Canadian junior hockey.

2009-10: Though overshadowed by high profile teammates such as Taylor Hall (EDM), Adam Henrique (NJ) and some of the other big scorers on the Spitfires, Shugg was an integral part of the Spitfires run to a second Memorial Cup championship in his third season with Windsor. Shugg played on a line with Scott Timmins (FLA) and Greg Nemisz (CAL) for most of the year and spent time on the second power play, scoring 11 goals on that unit. In 67 games for the Spits, he scored 39 goals with 40 assists and was +19 with 43 PIM. In 18 playoff games for the Spitfires, Shugg scored 5 goals and added 10 assists for 15 points, helping to lead the Spitfires to their second consecutive OHL Championship. In the four games of the Memorial Cup, he scored 2 goals with 5 assists.

2010-11: Shugg went from two-time Memorial Cup champ Windsor to Mississauga St. Michael's in a pre-season OHL trade. After leading the Majors in scoring during the regular season, he narrowly missed winning a third consecutive Memorial Cup as Mississauga St. Michael's was defeated by QMJHL champ Saint John, 3-1, in the championship game. In 66 regular season games, Shugg scored 41 goals with 46 assists (both team highs) and was +48 on a Majors' club that had the OHL's best record and scored 117 more goals than it allowed. Shugg scored 7 goals on the power play and had 4 short-handed goals. In 20 OHL playoff games, he scored 10 goals with 9 assists and was +15 with 14 PMs as Mississauga reached the league finals but were upset by Owen Sound in the finals. Playing in the Memorial Cup, which the Majors hosted, he scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +2 with 6 PMs in five games.

2011-12: Shugg had an up-and-down year in his first pro season — shuffling between Carolina's AHL affiliate Charlotte and the ECHL's Florida Everblades and missing time mid-season due to a December injury. In 33 AHL games with the Checkers he scored 5 goals with 8 assists and was plus-five with 12 penalty minutes. Shugg finished the season on an up note; winning a Kelly Cup with the Everblades. He scored 4 goals with 8 assists in 11 ECHL regular season games and had 7 goals with 5 assists in 11 playoff games.

Talent Analysis

Shugg is an offensively-talented goal scorer who has a good work ethic. Like many young scorers, Shugg must learn to be a more complete player in all areas of the rink - particularly if the team is not as dominant as his Windsor junior team has been. To his credit, Shugg appears willing to do all the things necessary to win - such as blocking shots or getting in traffic areas. Not particularly big or fast, Shugg has relied on his instincts and ability to read offensive opportunities during his junior career.