Wed. 7/9/14
U.S. Select 17 Rankings
USHR was in Amherst, NY last week for USA Hockey’s Select 17 Festival. Our rankings are below, but a couple of notes first.
-- This year was the 10th year of USA Hockey’s decision to eliminate sending teams from each district in favor of throwing everyone together on geographically-mixed teams.
While we’re OK -- though definitely not fans -- of the current setup at the 15/16 level, we feel that at the 17 level it is time to put an end to the experiment. Players going to their third festival are generally jaded, and need a bigger carrot. This typist watched many years of district play, and the passion and energy attached to kids at every age group playing for their district was unparalleled in summer hockey. Fans and scouts alike would pack into the rinks in St. Cloud and Ann Arbor and see up-and-down games that built up to hard-fought playoff games featuring classic teams bringing out the best in opponents. Kids played hard, hit hard, and were defensively responsible. In Buffalo last week we just saw too many indifferent team efforts, which translated to too many goalies hung out to dry.
Put simply, 17-year-olds want to play for something more than Team Grey, Kelly Green, Royal Blue, etc. So why not let them? After that, perhaps we can talk about putting the NTDP kids back into the festival. We feel it’s time to give this event a shot in the arm. We’re all in the same boat here, trying to promote the game. And have fun.
-- Speaking of Royal Blue and Kelly Green, trying to read the black numbers on their jerseys induced a permanent case of eyestrain on just about every college recruiter, scout, and fan in attendance.
-- The lines for the All-Star Game on the final day of camp, as well as the roster and schedule for the US Under-18 Select Team selected to go to Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia follow the rankings.
-- As is customary at Select Festivals, we’ve put together our rankings on a hybrid basis. In other words, we have attempted to balance performance at the Festival with future potential, but most importantly we’re looking for top prospects playing at the top of their game. There are always a number of players with a high upside at these things, but if they don’t play well, they wind up at the bottom of the list, upside be damned.
We also realize that ranking players can reach a point of diminishing returns the deeper you go. There’s not really much – if any -- difference between #47 and #56. It’s more of an intellectual exercise, like playing chess. We do it because it forces us to think deeply about players, their performance on the ice, and what separates them from each other – even if it is nit-picking. That said, here are our rankings:
Goaltenders:
1. Evan Sarthou *^ (#30 Grey) 6’1.25”/180 lbs., Tri-City Americans (WHL) –Light on his feet; moves well side-to-side. Not overly flashy, but takes away the net via positioning; stays square to the shooter. Strong throughout the week. (2.00/.922 save %) 9/24/97 DOB.
2. Matthew Jurusik *^ (#1 White) 6’0”/194 lbs., Cleveland Barons U18/ Janesville (NAHL) – Good-sized, with a calming presence. Did a great job swallowing up the puck and controlling rebounds. Moves quickly side-to-side. Was terrific in all-star game, stopping all 23 shots he faced. Second straight year he has stood out here in Buffalo. (2.40/.928)
3. Nicholas Vilardo * (#1 Black) 5’7”/161 lbs., Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Jr. Knights/Topeka (NAHL) – Small, very athletic, and very competitive. Made some terrific saves. Pounces on rebounds. In second half of the week, had two straight shutout halves, then allowed just one goal in the all-star game. (1.61/.935)
4. Aaron Fanti (#30 Kelly Green) 5’7”/167 lbs., Nichols School -- The local kid stopped 64 of 68 shots and posted the lowest goals GAA and save percentage here. He’s small, quick, and happy to come out and challenge shooters. (1.61/.941)
5. Jared Dempsey (#1 Red) 6’2.5”/177 lbs., Little Caesar’s/ Conn. Wolfpack U18 Full Season -- Has great height and poise; showed a quick glove hand on several occasions. Interesting prospect. (2.40/.906) 10/4/97 DOB
6. Tyler Parsons * (#30 Royal Blue) 6’0.5”/171 lbs., Little Caesar’s U18/ London (OHL) -- He faced a ton of shots, including a lot of second and third tries. Really had to scramble. Competes hard. Better than his numbers. (4.40/.878) 9/18/97 DOB
7. Ryan Larkin (#30 Forest Green) 6’0.5”/197 lbs., Honeybaked -- Has size and agility, but struggled with consistency. Had a shutout half against a strong Team Orange, but let up six goals (on 27 shots) in his half against Team Red on the final day. (3.63/.882) COLLEGE: Miami (’16)
8. Elijah Harris (#1 Forest Green) 5’8”, 127 lbs., Austin Prep/ Kimball Union Academy – Harris is a small, ultra-quick goalie, as quick-twitch as they come. Quick glove. Quick pads. And he competes. Could he be the next Jeff Lerg? It’s possible. In Buffalo, though, he was hot and cold – stellar in some games, but lit up in others. Team in front of him wasn’t very good. (5.69/.839) COLLEGE: Brown ’16
9. Grant Valentine (#30 Black) 5’10.5”/184 lbs., Ohio AAA Blue Jackets – Was terrific in Tuesday’s game, stopping all 23 shots he faced. (3.20/.899)
10T. Zachary Driscoll (#30 Gold) 5’10.5”/178 lbs., Eastview High School -- Played better than his numbers. (4.52/.861) COLLEGE: St. Cloud State ’16
10T. Kristofer Carlson (#1 Orange) 6’0.75”/195 lbs., Colorado Thunderbirds/ Waterloo (USHL) -- In early April we saw Carlson almost singlehandedly carry his team to the finals at Nationals. He was solid here, with the exception of one game. (3.62/.836)
Defensemen:
1. Grant Gabriele *^ (#2 Grey) 6’1.25”/167 lbs., R, NTDP U17/ NTDP U18 – Excellent skater was a huge contributor offensively, and played sturdy, reliable defense. At times, he simply took over the game. (2-4-6) COLLEGE: Western Michigan ’16
2. Joseph Cecconi *^ (#5 Orange) 6’2”/207 lbs., R, Muskegon (USHL) -- Legit NHL prospect has size and strength. Can grind you down in the defensive zone but also moves well on the offensive blue line and makes swift, accurate passes. Has improved a lot over the past year. (0-2-2) COLLEGE: Michigan ’15
3. Tory Dello *^ (#6 Red) 6’0”/189 lbs., R, Tri-City (USHL) -- Composed, confident skater and puck-mover can slow the game down and dissect the defense with smooth, tactical distributions. Good shot, and a good hard-nosed defender with good size and strength. (1-0-1) COLLEGE: Notre Dame ’15
4. Jacob Olsen *^ (#4 Grey) 6’3”/213 lbs., L, Hill-Murray HS -- Tremendous size and strength, skates hard, hits hard, and plays the game with an edge. Mobile for his size, Olson also has a hard shot. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Michigan Tech ’16
5. Spencer Young *^ (#2 Black) 5’9.75”/177 lbs., R, Phillips Exeter/ Dubuque (USHL) – Excellent skater, and every bit as excellent with the puck on his stick. Poised and confident. (1-0-1) COLLEGE: Providence fall ‘16
6. Anthony Stillwell * (#3 Grey) 5’7”/152 lbs., L, Team Wisconsin U16/ Team Wisconsin U18 -- An undersized defender with great skill and lateral mobility -- nearly impossible to get around. Can strip the puck and head the other way fast. Fun to watch. Scored the winning goal in the 4th overtime of the U16 National Championship this past spring. (0-1-1) COLLEGE: Wisconsin ’16
7. Douglas Blaisdell *^ (#2 White) 6’2.25”/211 lbs., L, Kitchener (OHL) -- Uses his great size to advantage whether poking the puck off an opponent’s stick, laying on a hit, blocking shots, or clearing out in front of the net. (1-1-2)
8. Zachary Osburn (#6 Kelly Green) 5’9.5”/182 lbs., R, Victory Honda Major/ Chicago (USHL) -- Electric with the puck on his stick, highly athletic away from the puck, excellent hockey sense. Equally good in all situations -- man up, man down, even strength, or end of a game. (1-1-2) COLLEGE: Michigan State ‘15
9. Zach Wilkie *^ (#7 White) 5’11.75”/199 lbs., L, Niagara (OHL) -- Has the size and hockey IQ to be effective in all three zones, but it’s his passing ability and vision that allows him to stand out. (0-1-1)
10. Ryan Zuhlsdorf (#7 Black) 5’11”/190 lbs., L, Edina HS -- One of the best natural skaters in the camp, Zuhlsdorf makes smart decisions with the puck. Has offensive upside, but also makes the simple, composed play. (1-0-1) COLLEGE: Minnesota ’15
11. John Marino (#4 Red) 6’0.25”/169 lbs., R, South Shore Kings (USPHL) – Gets better each time we see him. His hands and offensive capabilities were always good, but it’s his skating, edge control, and acceleration that have come a long way. (0-3-3) COLLEGE: Yale ’16
12. Lucas Jaycox * (#2 Orange) 6’1.5”/179 lbs., L, Warroad HS – Has size and skating ability, takes the body, finishes checks, clears out in front, and has a good hard shot. (0-1-1)
13. Adam Parsells * (#4 Orange) 6’5.5”/193 lbs., L, Team Wisconsin U16/ Team Wisconsin U18 -- Freakishly tall, but skates well for his size. Breaks up a lot of plays with his reach and physical presence. He understands his role, staying on the defensive side of the puck. Has a surprisingly good touch on the puck and makes a nice outlet pass. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Wisconsin ’16
14. Vas Kolias (#5 Forest Green) 5’9”/152 lbs., L, Chicago Mission/ Youngstown (USHL) – Terrific skater plays the game with a lot of pace, and can get the puck up-ice quickly. Soft hands, agile, possesses excellent offensive skills. Will fill role of Matt Grzelcyk on Terriers’ blue line. A small guy, he needs to continue to work on play in his own end. (0-1-1) COLLEGE: Boston University ’15
15. Troy Henley (#3 Columbia Blue) 5’11.25”/194 lbs., R, Ottawa 67’s (OHL) – Effective with both body and stick. Plays a physical game. His feet are a little heavy. (0-1-1)
16. Michael Davies (#7 Columbia Blue) 5’7.75”/155 lbs., L, St. Louis Blues/ Dubuque (USHL) -- Offensive defenseman with excellent skating ability, good hands and the ability to join the rush. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Ohio State ’15
17. Keoni Texeira * (#5 Gold) 5’11.75”/202 lbs., L, Portland (WHL) -- Hard-nosed, old-school defenseman plays with a mean streak, finishes checks, blocks shots, battles in the corners, etc. Quite physical. Feet are a bit heavy. (0-0-0)
18. Chaz Switzer (#2 Gold) 5’11.75”/192 lbs., L, Muskegon (USHL)/ Sioux Falls (USHL) -- A strong, defensively responsible player. Nice skater. Never gives up on the play. (0-2-2) COLLEGE: Miami ’15
19. Connor Moore (#4 Kelly Green) 5’10”/165 lbs., R, Brooks School–Terrific feet, and a flair for offense. Can rush the puck and make plays in transition but is also a skilled distributor. We’d like to see him improve in the tough ice. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Boston College ’16
20. Nick Heid (#3 Black) 6’2”/205 lbs., R, Omaha AAA U16/Portland (WHL) -- Defensive defenseman has size and a heavy shot. A bit more mobile then he gets credit for. Has a deceptive touch. (0-1-1)
21. Ryan Shea (#3 White) 6’0”/166 lbs., L, BC High/ Youngstown (USHL) – Highly athletic, highly skilled puck-mover with elite skating ability. Loves to rush the puck. Was up-and-down here, with good games early and bad games later, the latter the result of struggles in his own end. A bit one-dimensional now, but it’s a dimension a lot of teams would be glad to take a chance on. (0-3-3)
22. Austin Dittenhafer (#4 White) 6’1.25”/193 lbs., R, Hartford Jr. Wolfpack – A solid, physical, defensive d-man. (0-1-1) COLLEGE: Vermont ‘16
23. Patrick O’Leary (#2 Royal Blue) 6’0.75”/185 lbs., L, Boston Advantage/ Boston Jr. Bruins (USPHL) -- Has size, shot, and skating ability, but his decision making is a work in progress. Always involved. (0-0-0)
24. Brandon Crawley * (#6 Orange) 6’0.5”/200 lbs., L, Selects Academy/ London (OHL) -- A smooth skater with soft mitts and poise carrying the puck. His focus and competitiveness have improved on the back end. (0-0-0)
25. Tyler Brown (#6 Columbia Blue) 6’1.25”/194 lbs., L, Moose Jaw (WHL) -- Tall, rangy WHL prospect is physical in high traffic areas. Also chipped in offensively (1-2-3)
26. Jason Krych (#6 Royal Blue) 5’9”/176 lbs., L, Totino Grace HS/ Tri-City (USHL) – Small, clever d-man with great wheels and a good stick. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Minnesota State ‘15
27. Joseph Matthews (#4 Black) 5’9.25”/180 lbs., L, St. Louis Blues AAA U16/ St. Louis Blues AAA U18 -- Not a ton of size but a gifted skater who will jump up into the play. His decision-making is sound. (1-1-2)
28. Ben Finkelstein (#7 Forest Green) 5’7.75”/182 lbs., R, Kimball Union Academy – Has excellent offensive tools, and shines on the powerplay, but lack of size and defensive inconsistency hold him back. (2-3-5) 10/1/97 DOB
29. Evan Bell (#6 Black) 5’10.5”/186 lbs., L, Little Caesar’s U18/Fargo (USHL) -- A smooth-skating, offensive defenseman. (2-1-3)
30. Michael Ufberg (#5 Red) 5’9”/175 lbs., L, Team Comcast U18/ New Jersey Rockets (EHL) -- Highly mobile, with a good stick. Moves puck quickly. Struggled with consistency a bit here, but showed flashes of what he can do. (1-2-3) 9/24/97 DOB
31. Bryce Hatten (#5 Kelly Green) 6’2”/188 lbs., R, Michigan Nationals/Cedar Rapids (USHL) – Good size, long stride, and a strong shot from the point. (1-0-1)
32. Bo Hanson (#3 Orange) 6’1.5”/185 lbs., L, Colorado Rampage U16 AAA/ Muskegon (USHL) -- Tall, mobile, puck-moving defenseman was a little jittery and mistake-prone. (1-0-0) 11/13/97 DOB.
33. Wyatt Aamodt (#3 Red) 5’10.5”/199 lbs., L, Hermantown HS -- Strong and tough. Never passes up a chance to throw his body around. (0-3-3) 11/22/97 DOB
34. Jack Kelly (#5 Columbia) 6’1”/199 lbs., R, Cleveland Barons U18/ Topeka (NAHL) – Big strong defensive d-man hits hard. (0-0-0)
35. Nathaniel Kallen (#3 Gold) 5’10.75”/172 lbs., R, San Diego Jr Gulls/ Belle Tire 18 AAA -- West Coast kid will be playing midgets next year for Belle Tire. (1-3-4) 11/5/97 DOB.
Limited viewing:
Steven Ruggiero (#3 Royal Blue) 6’3.5”/193 lbs., L, Youngstown (USHL) -- A tough, rugged defender who, due to illness, had to leave the tournament early on. Has a great frame, and loves to mix it up. Excellent college and pro prospect. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Penn State ’15
Forwards:
1. Brock Boeser *^ (#8 Red) 6’0.5”/187 lbs., R, Burnsville High School/Waterloo (USHL) – Plays with determination in all three zones, has a powerful stride, a rocket of a shot, is strong on his skates, and has a great head for the game. A force all week. Second consecutive year he’s been our top forward here in Buffalo. (2-4-6) COLLEGE: Wisconsin ’15
2. Dennis Yan *^ (#11 Red) 6’1.25”/188 lbs., L, NTDP U17 – U.S./Russia dual citizen has size, smooth hands, a fluid stride, and scoring ability. A composed puck carrier, he is surprisingly quick and agile for his size. Shawinigan (QMJHL) selected him #8 overall in the July 2nd CHL Import Draft. (6-1-7)
3. Karch Bachman *^ (#14 Orange) 5’10.5”/171 lbs., L, Culver Military Academy -- Utilized his speed in open ice and creativity and in small spaces. Has a high compete level, blocks shots, fights through checks along the wall, and drives the net. Has a terrific shot. More of a scorer than a playmaker. A constant force. (3-2-5) COLLEGE: Miami ‘16
4. Ryan Smith *^ (#14 Royal Blue) 5’11.5”/194 lbs., R, Northwood School/ Green Bay (USHL) -- Made a real statement here, and now looks to be the top uncommitted ’97 in the country. Has great speed and acceleration, is strong on his skates, and actually took several defensemen off their feet when they tried to hit him in open ice. He is elusive, competes hard, and has an excellent shot. Scored both his team’s goals in a 7-2 loss to the Grey team on Monday, on the same shift, 16 seconds apart, and even strength. (4-0-4)
5. Troy Terry *^ (#17 Gold) 5’11”/154 lbs., R, Colorado Thunderbirds/ Lincoln (USHL) – Very composed and poised carrying the puck. A headsy player with smooth, quick hands and an accurate shot. He’s come a long way over the past year. Has grown, too, and gotten faster. (3-1-4) COLLEGE: Denver ’15
6. Erik Foley *^ (#9 Orange) 5’11.5”/182 lbs., L, Tabor Academy/ Cedar Rapids (USHL) -- Explosive skater with quick hands. Played center here, but is not really a distributor. With his high-end speed he might be better off on the wing. (3-3-6) COLLEGE: Providence ‘15
7. Tage Thompson * (#19 Red) 6’2”/165 lbs., R, PAL Jr. Islanders/ NTDP U18 – Power forward with soft hands was an alternate from the New York district, came in late to fill in for an injured player – and really opened eyes. Shortly after the tournament committed to the NTDP U18 Team. Tall and thin, he needs to fill out some, and his first step is a little slow. But his ceiling is very high. (4-3-7) 10/30/97 DOB.
8. Matt Filipe *^ (#16 Orange) 6’1.25”/189 lbs., L, Malden Catholic – Power forward, virtually unknown one year ago, is coming on very strongly. Youngest player in camp – he’s a Dec. 31 birthdate – was totally at home here. (4-1-5) COLLEGE: Northeastern ’16. 12/31/97 DOB.
9. Robby Jackson III *^ (#17 Black) 5’9.5”/177 lbs., L, Chicago (USHL) – Smart, highly intuitive hockey player. Not flashy, but highly productive. Puck just seems to follow him around. Was rookie of the year in the USHL with a 28-14-42 line in 60 games with the Chicago Steel. (2-2-4) COLLEGE: St. Cloud St. ‘15
10. Ryan Moore *^ (#16 White) 5’7”/166 lbs, L, Windsor (OHL) – Small, elusive speedster plays with energy and was consistently creative. (2-6-8)
11. Tanner Laczynski *^ (#8 Kelly Green) 5’11.75”/174 lbs., R, Chicago Mission/ Chicago (USHL) – Lanky forward is a cerebral playmaker with soft hands, excellent awareness – and he competes hard. (0-5-5) COLLEGE: Ohio State ’16
12. Brent Gates *^ (#17 Kelly Green) 6’1.75”/196 lbs., L, Green Bay (USHL) -- Has a long stride, uses his size well to protect the puck well, and made a lot of plays out of the corners and from behind the net. Was a little inconsistent here, but we’ll still take him. (2-3-5) COLLEGE: Notre Dame ’15
13. August Von Ungern-Sternberg (#15 Kelly Green) 5’9.75”/161 lbs., L, Omaha AAA U16/ Lincoln (USHL) -- A tireless skater who covers the rink, has breakaway seed, patience with the puck, and a strong stick around the net. Loves to create, sometimes too much so as he’ll occasionally force plays that aren’t there. With a name like his it’s hard to imagine he’s a US player, but he is – and he’s a lot of fun to watch. (3-2-5) COLLEGE: Brown ’16
14. Tarek Baker (#12 Black) 5’9.5”/190 lbs., L, Omaha AAA U16/ Des Moines (USHL) – Premier playmaker is constantly around the puck. Has a knack for finding open ice and exploiting defensive weaknesses. In 88 games at U16 level, posted a 72-150-222 line.(1-5-6) COLLEGE: Minnesota ’15
15. Thomas Novak *^ (18 Gold) 6’0.25”/174 lbs., L, St. Thomas Academy/ Waterloo (USHL) -- Elite playmaker did not light up the stat sheet here but his combination of size and puck skills are impressive. Has soft hands, is great in traffic, and has an abundance of creativity. (0-2-2) COLLEGE: Minnesota ’15.
16. AJ Vanderbeck * (#18 Red) 5’10”/174 lbs., R, Colorado Rampage U16 AAA/ Odessa (NAHL) -- Had flashes of dominance including a go-ahead goal with under four minutes remaining vs. Team Grey in which slipped the puck through the d-man’s legs, deked the goalie, and fired it over his shoulder. Also had a breakaway goal on Tuesday. Has a nice touch, good speed and is light on his feet. (3-4-7) COLLEGE: Colorado College ’16
17. Hunter Luhmann * (#9 White) 5’10.5”/194 lbs., R, Proctor Academy/ Madison (USHL) – He’s always been a smooth skater with soft hands, but here he was tough and physical in all three zones. As a result, when camp broke he was one of the most talked about uncommitted players. Had a hat trick on the final day. (6-2-8)
18. Cal Burke (#14 Gold) 5’10”/189 lbs., R, Noble & Greenough/ Cedar Rapids (USHL) -- He’s best in small spaces and is especially dangerous coming out of the corners in the offensive zone. Quick feet, a high level of awareness, and elite passing ability allow him to create a lot of scoring chances. (3-4-7) COLLEGE: Notre Dame ’15
19. Cameron Askew * (#12 White) 6’2.25”/203 lbs., R, Drummondville (QMJHL)/Moncton (QMJHL) -- Has the frame, soft hands, and hockey instincts to be at the top of this list. However, he lacks the toughness of a power forward and the skating ability of a skill guy. In that regard, he’s a bit of a tweener. Nonetheless, he was productive here. Askew was traded to Moncton prior to this year’s Q draft. (4-2-6)
20. Matthew Freytag (#10 Kelly Green) 6’0.5”/194 lbs., L, Wayzata High School/ Tri-City (USHL) -- Strong power forward has north-south speed, good lateral mobility, and likes to play a physical game. Has a strong shot and is aggressive around the net -- scored one of his goals off his own rebound. (3-2-5) COLLEGE: Wisconsin ’15
21. Nicholas Swaney *^ (#18 Grey) 5’9.5”/159 lbs., R, Lakeville South HS – Smooth-skating, soft-handed playmaker made everyone around him better. (2-2-4) COLLEGE: Minnesota-Duluth ‘16
22. Shane Sellar * (#16 Gold) 6’1.25”/186 lbs., L, Canterbury School – He’s not exactly the prettiest skater on the planet, but you don’t get beauty points in hockey. He’s just a heads-up hockey player who knows how to make a play and finish. Had an excellent week. (3-4-7) COLLEGE: Dartmouth ’16
23. Kevin Conley (#10 Red) 5’11.5”/188 lbs., L, Team Wisconsin U16/ Youngstown (USHL) -- Conley plays with grit and toughness, competes at both ends of the ice, makes plays, and has a finisher’s touch. Scored a nice top shelf goal that sent the water bottle flying. (2-3-5) COLLEGE: Denver ’15
24. Mason Kohn * (#11 Black) 5’10”/181 lbs., L, Kitchener (OHL) – Strong, powerful skater excels in the tough areas and has a deceptive stick. Gets a lot of velocity on his snap and wrist shots. (2-2-4)
25. David Keefer (#17 Grey) 5’9”, 193 lbs., R, Honeybaked AAA/ Honeybaked U18 -- Strong, compact block of a forward has great balance and lower body strength. Has crafty hands, made some excellent passes, and protects the puck well. (3-3-6) COLLEGE: Michigan State ’17. 10/21/97 DOB
26. Austin Alger (#14 Grey) 5’11.25”/156 lbs., R, Cranbrook School – Really smart player has a quick shot, smooth hands, and excels in tight spaces. (2-5-7) COLLEGE: Miami ’16. 9/23/97 DOB
27. Carson Gicewicz (#8 Grey) 6’2.5”/204 lbs., R, The Nichols School – Power forward is big, strong, physical, keeps his feet moving, and goes hard to the net. Does a lot of things well, and keeps getting better. High compete level. (1-4-5) COLLEGE: St. Lawrence ’16
28. Brendan Miller (#17 Columbia Blue) 5’11.25”/170 lbs., Buffalo Jr. Sabres/Buffalo Jr. Sabres U18 – Good size, strong on his skates, made plays, burned defenders wide. Got better as camp went along, and put himself on the map. (2-3-5)
29. Gordie Green (#18 Orange) 5’8”/171 lbs., R, Victory Honda/ Dubuque (USHL) – Highly-skilled and highly aware player shows slick hands and poise with the puck. (2-4-6) COLLEGE: Miami ’15
30. Max Zimmer (#8 Orange) 5’11.5”/171 lbs., L, Wayzata High School -- Two-way forward plays the game with a lot of pace, is relentless on the puck. and has a strong, accurate shot. His compete level is impressive as he backchecks as hard as he forechecks, blocks shots, and battles in the corners. (4-0-4) COLLEGE: Wisconsin ’17. 10/29/97 DOB
31. Nicholas Altmann * (#14 Forest Green) 5’11.25”/170 lbs., R, Duluth East HS – A polished skater who was fearless in the tough ice. Has a lethal snapshot he can quickly release in stride. (2-2-4)
32. Colton Fletcher (#15 Red) 5’10.25”/158 lbs., R, Omaha AAA U18/ Lincoln (USHL) -- A no-nonsense, two-way forward who is strong on his skates, has slick hands, and a burst of speed. Very involved here. (3-5-8)
33. Connor Moynihan * (#10 Black) 6’3.5”/210 lbs., L, Halifax (USHL) – Power forward came to camp after battling mono and lacked the endurance to compete through a full shift. His size is imposing and he has deceptive skill with the puck. (0-3-3)
34. Daniel Warpecha * (#18 Kelly Green) 6’0”/174 lbs., L, Chicago Mission U18/ Sioux Falls (USHL) -- A big, raw power forward in the making. Moves well for his size and plays with energy and tenacity. (2-0-2)
35. Christian Cakebread (#11 Columbia Blue) 5’11.5”/184 lbs., L, Fargo (USHL) -- A balanced skater who made plays at both ends, has a quick release, and did a lot of little things well. (2-2-4) COLLEGE: North Dakota ’15
36. George Sennott (#9 Grey) 5’7”/130 lbs., L, Kimball Union Academy -- Scored just one less point in five games here than he did in 36 games with KUA this past season. Sennott showed he can skate, create, and finish. Despite his size, he’s not afraid to hit or be hit. Competed hard and had an excellent week. (4-3-7)
37. Christiano Versich (#16 Columbia Blue) 5’7”/160 lbs., R, St. Thomas Academy/ Chicago (USHL) -- Small, quick, crafty playmaker has eyes in the back of his head. His size limits him but with his hockey sense, spacial awareness, and low center of gravity he’s hard to knock off the puck. At 5’7” he needs to become a bit more dynamic. (1-4-5)
38. Jake Pappalardo (#10 Grey) 5’9.75”/180 lbs., R, Proctor Academy -- His hands have caught up with his feet and he’s becoming a lethal offensive weapon (4-3-7)
39. Alexander Overhardt * (#15 Grey) 5’11.25”/180 lbs., L, Colorado Thunderbirds/ Green Bay (USHL) – Has size, strength, a good stride, and a hard snap shot. (2-2-4)
40. Sam Miletic (#15 Orange) 6’0.25”/183 lbs., L, Cranbrook Prep/Green Bay (USHL) – Big power forward is still a little raw. Uses his size well, competes hard, has an excellent release, and finds a way to figure on the scoresheet. (2-2-4) COLLEGE: Michigan ’16
41. Lucas Michaud (#16 Red) 5’10.75”/203 lbs., R, Berwick Academy/??? -- Strong on his skates, powers through checks, and is composed with the puck on his stick. His skating is improving and he appears to be on the verge of taking his game to the next level. (2-4-6) COLLEGE: Maine ’15.
42. Grant Jozefek (#14 Kelly Green) 5’8.75”/169 lbs., L, Jersey Hitmen U18/ Muskegon (USHL) -- Has slick hands and a strong first step. Gets better every time we see him. (1-4-5) COLLEGE: Northeastern ’16.
43. Sam McCormick (#16 Grey) 5’8.75”/162 lbs., R, Team Wisconsin U16/ Madison (USHL) -- He’s small, he can finish, and he backchecks hard. - (4-1-5) COLLEGE: Ohio State ’15
44. Kobe Roth (#11 Gold) 5’7”/145 lbs., L, Warroad HS -- Small, electric forward has excellent acceleration, and good hand-eye coordination: he scored a goal here by hitting a puck out of mid-air at full speed. He has the creativity and imagination, and is equally adept as a playmaker of finisher. (3-1-4) COLLEGE: Minnesota-Duluth ‘16
45. Jason Dhooghe (#14 Columbia Blue) 5’7”/150 lbs., L, Chicago Mission – At 5’7” he may not look like much, but he can scoot. He just absorbs checks and keeps moving. His hands are smooth and his anticipation is keen. (2-1-3) COLLEGE: Ohio State ’15
46. Joseph Crawford (#12 Orange) 5’9”/183 lbs., L, Shattuck-St. Mary’s U16/SSM U18 – Came on strongly toward the end of the week, finishing with a three-point flourish (2g,1a) on camp’s final day. Lacks size, but has a good stick and can make plays. (3-1-4)
47. Lincoln Griffin (#11 Kelly Green) 5’10.25”/163 lbs., L, Thayer Academy – He may be slight but he’s hungry for the puck and uses a combination of athleticism and aggressiveness to create scoring opportunities. Plays bigger than his size. (2-1-3) COLLEGE: Northeastern ’16
48. Johnny McDermott (#9 Forest Green) 6’1.25”/185 lbs., L, Westminster School – McDermott, who has size and is a powerful skater, showed flashes but had difficulty making plays and was inconsistent overall. (1-0-1) COLLEGE: Boston University ’16
49. Ryan Walker (#11 Grey) 5’9.5”/144 lbs., L, New Jersey Titans/ Jersey Hitmen U18 –He’s not particularly flashy, but his skills are deceptive. He can score from anywhere with his quick release. He makes crisp, accurate passes. And he sees the ice very well. (3-1-4) COLLEGE: Union ‘16
50. Brody Stevens (#15 Columbia Blue) 5’10.5”/195 lbs., R, Victory Honda/ NTDP U18 -- Played well -- in flashes. Was constantly mixing it up after the whistle. (2-0-2)
51. Will Garin (#9 Royal Blue) 5’9.75”/177 lbs., R, Holy Family Catholic -- Polished skater always keeps his feet moving and puts himself in position to score. Has quick hands, lateral mobility and a scorer’s shot. (3-0-3) COLLEGE: UConn ’16. 10/30/97 DOB
52. Ty Pelton-Byce (#17 Orange) 6’1.5”/179 lbs., L, Team Wisconsin – Does a little bit of everything. Has size, is reliable in his own end, will take a hit to make a play, blocks shots, finishes his checks, and forechecks hard. (3-1-4) COLLEGE: UMass-Amherst ’16
53. Alexander Debrincat (#12 Columbia Blue) 5’7”/150 lbs., R, Lake Forest Academy/ Erie (OHL) -- Small but fun to watch as he does everything at full speed, has a quick release snap shot and even quicker feet. The former UMass recruit, who only showed what he can do in occasional flashes, signed with the Erie Otters of the OHL, a highly dubious decision in our books. (1-0-1) 12/18/97 DOB
54. Ryan Finnegan (#10 Forest Green) 5’7”/126 lbs., R, Skipjacks AAA U16/ Wichita Falls (NAHL) – A smart, heads-up 126 lb. center who can put the puck anywhere he wants on the ice. Excellent stick and vision. Obviously, he needs to fill out some. (1-2-3) COLLEGE: Quinnipiac ’16
55. Van Barr (#11 Forest Green) 5’9.75”/166 lbs., L, Omaha AAA U16/ Bloomington (USHL) -- Has an athletic base, strong hands, and a high compete level. (1-2-3) COLLEGE: Western Michigan ’16
56. Eric MacAdams (#9 Black) 5’10.5”/165 lbs., R, Austin Prep -- Opportunistic scorer is a balanced skater who is strong on the puck, has good hands, and can play physically. (4-2-6)
57. Taggart Corriveau (#11 Orange) 6’1”/171 lbs., R, Westminster -- Lack of acceleration was exposed at times, but he has the size and puck possession skills to make up for it. (1-2-3) COLLEGE: St. Lawrence ’16
58. Michael Graham (#15 Black) 6’1.75”/190 lbs., R, Eden Prairie HS -- Raw, big-framed power forward in the making has a powerful north-south stride. Uncommitted, though probably not for long. (2-1-3) 11/25/97 DOB.
59. Devin Moore (#15 Gold) 5’7”, 123 lbs., R, Phillips Exeter – At 123 lbs., he fights the size battle. But he’s a clever hockey player – a puck possession guy as quick east to west as he is north to south. Has creativity and hockey sense. (2-2-4)
60. Walker Duehr (#8 Forest Green) 6’1.25”/190 lbs., R, Chicago Young Americans/Sioux City-USHL – On the camp’s final day put his team up 2-0 with a pair of early goals – both even-strength. Alas, his teammates couldn’t hold it, and wound up losing 7-3.
(3-3-6) 11/23/97 DOB
61. David Cotton * (#15 Royal Blue) 6’2.25”/190 lbs., L, Cushing Academy – Pretty quiet week. (0-1-1) COLLEGE: Boston College ’16
62. Jacob Henderson (#16 Royal Blue) 6’2.5”/197 lbs., R, Omaha (USHL) -- Physically imposing power forward has obvious upside and should be able to impose his will on the game just through creating time and space for his linemates. However, he was unnoticeable for long stretches. (0-0-0) COLLEGE: Providence ’15
63. Cameron Smith (#10 White) 5’7.25”/159 lbs., R, Potomac Patriots/ Youngstown (USHL) -- Has another gear when called upon and a tricky stick. Showed flashes, but overall had a quiet week. (0-3-3) COLLEGE: Dartmouth ’16
64. Troy Conzo (#18 White) 5’9”/167 lbs., L, New Jersey Rockets (EHL)/ Sioux Falls (USHL) – Showed speed and poise carrying the puck, can make a play, and competes hard. (0-4-4) COLLEGE: UMass-Amherst ’15
65. Coale Norris (#10 Gold) 6’0”/178 lbs., L, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies -- Norris scored one of the best goals of the week, sniping top corner from the outside hashmark against Forest Green. He’s skilled with the puck on his stick and has a fluid stride. His younger brother, Josh, is one of the best ’99 forwards in the country. (2-1-3)
66. Kole Sherwood (#11 White) 5’10.75”/176 lbs., R, Ohio Blue Jackets U18 – He can make plays. Came on strong late in the camp. (1-4-5)
67. Evan Weinger (#8 Gold) 5’11.75”/185 lbs., R, LA Jr. Kings/ Cedar Rapids (USHL) -- Not flashy or especially skilled but he is strong, has north-south speed, and hits with authority. (0-1-1)
68. Alec Mehr (#11 Royal Blue) 5’11”/187 lbs., R, The Gunnery/ Bloomington (USHL) -- Mehr has the speed and athleticism to be a prolific scorer at the next level but was unnoticeable for long stretches here. (0-2-2)
69. Luke Stevens (#14 White) 6’3.75”/184 lbs., L, Noble & Greenough – Big, raw prospect who stood out during the winter at Nobles had a hard time asserting himself and getting into the flow of the game here. (1-3-4)
70. Michael Brown (#14 Red) 6’1.5”/175 lbs., R, Groton – Has size, hockey sense, and has improved his skating immensely. A sleeper to keep an eye on. (1-2-3)
-- All-Star Game Lines:
Final: Team Blue 3, Team White 2
Team White:
Dennis Yan – Thomas Novak – Brock Boeser
Robby Jackson III – Matt Filipe – Troy Terry
Ryan Moore – Tage Thompson – Nick Swaney
Daniel Warpecha – David Cotton – Nicholas Altmann
Zach Wilkie – Tory Dello
Douglas Blaisdell – Spencer Young
Brandon Crawley – Lucas Jaycox
Nick Vilardo
Evan Sarthou
Team Blue:
Brent Gates – Tanner Laczynski – Hunter Luhmann
Karch Bachman – Erik Foley – Ryan Smith
Connor Moynihan – Mason Kohn – Cam Askew
Shane Sellar – Alex Overhardt – AJ Vanderbeck
Jacob Olson – Grant Gabriele
Keoni Texeira – Joseph Cecconi
Adam Parsells – Anthony Stillwell
Matt Jurusik
Tyler Parsons
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup:
US Under-18 Select Team
Goaltenders (2): Matt Jurusik, Evan Sarthou.
Defensemen (7): Douglas Blaisdell, Joseph Cecconi, Tory Dello, Grant Gabriele, Jacob Olson, Zach Wilkie, Spencer Young.
Forwards (13): Karch Bachman, Brock Boeser, Brent Gates, Matt Filipe, Erik Foley, Robby Jackson III, Tanner Laczynski, Ryan Moore, Thomas Novak, Ryan Smith, Nick Swaney, Troy Terry, Dennis Yan.
Schedule:
Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia
Sat. Aug 9 – Slovakia (exhibition)
Mon. Aug. 11 – Czech Republic
Tues. Aug. 12 -- Russia
Wed. Aug. 13 -- Finland
Fri. Aug. 15 -- Semifinals
Sat. Aug. 16 – 1st place and 3d place games
Thurs. 7/24/14
U.S. Select 16: Top 100
USHR was in Amherst, NY taking in USA Hockey’s Select 16 Player Development Camp July 7-13.
Following are our Top 100 rankings (8 G, 31 D, 61 F). As usual, some players were rated more heavily for their performance, and others for their potential. Ideally, we try to split the difference, so 5’0” speedsters continually finding the back of the net get credit, as do 6’3” kids still trying to find their feet.
We felt that, among the forwards, Riley Tufte (Blaine HS) and Keenan Suthers (Compuware) were both a notch above. Both played for the Kelly Green team, which bowed to the Grey team, 3-2, in Sunday’s championship game. Players who played in the championship game were not eligible for the all-star game, but eight players were selected to go overseas from those two teams: forwards Tufte, Suthers, Timmy Gettinger, Jack Kopacka, and Garrett Wait, defensemen Derek Daschke, Matthew Kiersted, and goaltender Ryan Edquist.
Players with an asterisk following their name were selected to appear in Sunday morning’s all-star game. Players with a circumflex accent ^ following their name were selected for the U.S. squad traveling to Germany next month for the Five Nations Tournament. Information on that tournament follows the rankings.
Heights and weights, taken by USA Hockey on the first day of the camp, are official.
Goaltenders:
1. Ryan Edquist*^ (#30 Kelly Green) 5’10.5”/166 lbs., Shattuck-St. Mary’s U16/ Shattuck-St. Mary’s U18 – Excellent instincts; very athletic. Extremely quick up and down as well as laterally. Not big, but plays his angles well, stays square to the shooter, and is rarely out of position. A notch above. (2.33/.915) College: University of Minnesota
2. Dayton Rasmussen*^ (#30 Royal) 6’2”/200 lbs., Holy Family HS – Big Minnesotan played half as many minutes -- 68:00, to be precise -- as his peers here. After the first game, Rasmussen sat out the next two with an ankle injury. Came back in game #4 on Friday and played 18 shutout minutes before the goalie coaches evaluating for the Five Nations squad pulled him for protective reasons. However, he came back to play the final day on Saturday, as well as Sunday’s all-star game. He’s big and agile. (0.74/.964) DOB: 11/4/98
3. Stephen Dhillon* (#1 Black) 6’2.5”/174 lbs., Buffalo Regals – Big kid with good feet and the ability to control rebounds. A bit raw, but showed composure and confidence. Improved as the week went along. (3.60/.883)
4. Nic Sorgio (#30 White) 6’0”/183 lbs., Salisbury School – Started the week strongly, and looked to be a candidate for the Five Nations squad, but played himself out of contention over his last two games. Has size, quickness, and the ability to find the puck through traffic. (3.23/.875)
5. Ryan Keane* (#30 Orange) 5’7.5”/159 lbs., Dallas Stars Elite U16/ Dallas Stars Elite U18 – Fast reaction time; gets up and down in a flash. Extremely quick glove. Lacks size but makes up for it in aggression. Very consistent here, and he put up great numbers. (2.80/.925)
6. Alex Camarre* (#1 White) 5’6.25”/140 lbs., Buffalo Regals U15/ Buffalo Jr. Sabres U16 – Local kid was impressive. He’s small, but his reflexes are ultra-quick. Excellent side to side and up and down. Had a great start to the tournament, and finished strongly: he was terrific on Friday, stopping 22 of 24 – a lot of rubber -- in a half vs. Royal Blue. By coincidence, Camarre shares a birthdate with Dayton Rasmussen, his goaltending partner in Sunday morning’s all-star game. (3.20/.884). DOB: 11/4/98
7. Peter Negron (#1 Grey) 5’7.25”/149 lbs., NJ Devils Youth/ Connecticut Wolfpack U16 – Got in the zone the last two days with back-to-back shutout halves. He’s small, but not so small that he failed to catch our eye. (2.33/.922)
8. Eric Dop (#30 Gold) 5’9.5”/149 lbs., Ohio Bluejackets AAA – Consistently good. Very focused. Faced a lot of rubber (17/15) in Friday’s game and appeared totally unfazed. (2.83/.873).
Defensemen:
1. Sam Rossini*^ (#3 White) 6’1.25”/183 lbs., L, Burnsville HS/ Waterloo (USHL) –Agile skater with great frame likes to join the rush, and has a long, graceful stride and smooth hands. Dominant at both ends. Gaps up well in the neutral zone and plays tight to the man. Has transitional speed and uses his body effectively in the tough ice. (0-2-2) College: Minnesota ‘16
2. Ty Farmer*^ (#7 Orange) 5’8.25”/174 lbs., R, St. Louis Blues AAA / Youngstown (USHL) -- Undersized defenseman has excellent hands and vision. Explosive skater with a low center of gravity has a lethal shot. Does everything at high tempo. Great fun to watch – in all three zones. (2-1-3) College: Michigan State ‘16
3. Andrew Peeke*^ (#3 Royal) 6’1”/197 lbs., R, Selects Academy U16 – Uses his size and strength to advantage, smothering the opposition in open ice or along the boards. Plays with an edge away from the puck but once he gains possession he makes good decisions. Has a strong one-timer. Through his play here – and he was consistently good all week – Peake catapulted himself into the upper echelon of ’98-born defensemen. By the end of the week the Florida native, who was consistently involved all week, had top colleges lining up to make offers. (0-2-2)
4. Derek Daschke^ (#6 Kelly Green) 6’0.5”/181 lbs., L, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U16 / Cedar Rapids (USHL) – Big, strong, and mobile. Troy, Michigan native quickly leads the charge from defense to offense by either skating the puck out of the zone or making a strong pass. Likes to join – or lead – the rush, and has a hard shot from the point. Excellent week. (2-5-7)
5. Ben Gleason* (#4 Red) 5’11.25”/159 lbs., L, Detroit Honeybaked / London Knights (OHL) – Strong skater can carry the puck into the offensive zone and hustle back to the point, from where he can unleash a hard slapshot. Pivots well. Competes hard. Is consistently engaged physically. Cousin to NHL blueliner Tim Gleason. (1-2-3)
6. Matthew Kiersted*^ (#4 Grey) 5’10.25”/162 lbs., L, Elk River HS – Highly athletic with a good stick and a hard shot. Is able to advance the puck through precision passing by keeping his head up-ice when he skates with it. Not a highly physical player, he uses his quick stick and anticipation skills to break up plays in his own end. (1-2-3) College: North Dakota
7. Luke McInnis*^ (#4 Columbia Blue) 5’8.25”/167 lbs., L, Hingham HS – Undersized and athletic, son of former NHLer Marty McInnis is a fast and agile offensive defenseman who carries the puck effortlessly, finds holes in the defense, and exploits them. Has a quick release to his snap shot and is a talented distributor. He rushes often and at times can be a liability at in his own end. However, the risk/reward equation tilts heavily in his favor. (1-6-7)
8. Casey Staum* (#2 Gold) 5’10.5”/171 lbs., L, Hill-Murray HS – Explosive, gifted skater with quick feet is excellent laterally, and smooth in transition. Uses his skating ability to keep the opposition wide on the rush. Tough to beat 1-on-1. (0-0-0).
9. Tristian Moss (#7 Kelly Green) 6’0.5”/230 lbs., L, Wayzata HS – Big, strong rugged defensive defenseman takes the body and makes good decisions with the puck. He blocks shots, uses his size and strength to outmuscle the opposition in the corners and along the boards, and does a nice job holding the offensive blue line. He can shoot it too. (4-2-6)
10. Alec Semandel (#5 Grey) 6’1.25”/180 lbs., L, Chicago Mission U16/Cedar Rapids (USHL) – Waunakee, Wisconsin native has a great frame and is only beginning to fill out. Plays with an edge and has deceptive agility. Makes smart, simple plays with the puck and is responsible in his own zone blocking shots and clearing out in front. Tough in the corners. Grinds down opponents. (0-3-3)
11. Jake Ryczek* (#5 Red) 5’9.25”/172 lbs., R, Selects Academy U16 / Selects Academy – Pure skater can maintain speed with the puck on his stick. However, he appeared tentative here, showing his skill – particularly in transition – to great effect. Ludlow, Mass. native has an active stick in his end, but still needs work on his defensive game. Beat Edquist with a shot from the point on Saturday. (2-1-3) College: UNH ‘16
12. Ryan Bederka* (#7 Gold) 5’9.25”/185 lbs., L, Honeybaked U16 / Honeybaked U18 – Offensive defenseman is strong on his skates and stick. Made a lot of terrific passes. He also has great lower body strength, enabling him to quickly accelerate backwards. Played well in the tough ice. Was not at his best, but still very good. (1-5-6) College: Michigan State ‘16
13. Mitch Eliot* (#5 Forest Green) 5’10.75”/178 lbs., R, Honeybaked U16 / Muskegon (USHL) – Great wheels, both forward and backward. Can either skater it out of the zone or stretch the ice with a nice pass. Plays physically and excels in the corners and in front. Was good here, but not quite as good as we have seen him in the past. (1-2-3) College: Michigan State ‘16
14. Davis Bunz* (#3 Columbia Blue) 5’11.5”/170 lbs., R, Team Wisconsin – Smooth, powerful skater has size and moves the puck well. He doesn’t force or rush it, preferring to let the play develop and then find the openings. He can wear down opposing forwards on the wall and likes to use his body whenever possible. Was paired on blue line here with Mitch Eliot – nice tandem. (0-0-0)
15. Nicholas McKeeby (#6 Forest Green) 5’9.75”/173 lbs., R, Honeybaked U16/ Des Moines (USHL) – Beautiful skater makes great passes out of his own end and can stretch the ice with his feet or passing ability. Wins the race to loose pucks. Is a tough defender in 1-on1 situations. (1-2-3) College: Western Michigan
16. Zachary Berzolla* (#3 Black) 6’0.5”/184 lbs., R, New Jersey Devils U16 / New Jersey Devils U18 – Has size and -- once he gets up to speed -- can whiz through the center ice. Made some good outlet passes. Very raw in his own end, where he tends to run around a bit. (0-1-1)
17. Alec Mahalak* (#5 Royal) 5’8.5”/159 lbs., R, Detroit Compuware U16 / Detroit Victory Honda U18 – What Mahalak lacks in size he makes up for with his skating ability and quick hands. His lateral mobility is excellent and he is crafty with the puck on his stick. In his own end he is responsible and likes to use his stick to break up passes and has a good poke check. (0-3-3)
18. Cameron Dineen (#3 Kelly Green) 5’10”/162 lbs, L, NJ Rockets U19 – A skilled offensive-minded defenseman with a fluid stride and smooth hands. Toms River, NJ native is coming back from a collarbone injury and was short of his usual self. (0-0-0) College: Yale ‘16
19. Dalton Gally (#7 Forest Green) 6’2.5”/222 lbs., L, Omaha U16 / Omaha U18 – Texas native is a shutdown defender who uses his imposing size well. He plays within himself and stays in position. On the offensive blue line he knows when to hold the line, when to pinch, and when to retreat. (0-2-2)
20. Brian Hurley (#2 White) 5’11.25”/190 lbs., L, St. Thomas Academy – Smooth skater with size and athleticism played a complete game. Moves well from the wall to the middle of the ice on the powerplay and makes nice passes in mid-stride. On the back end he packs a punch when he makes contact but doesn’t over pursue. (0-2-2)
21. Cole Hults (#2 Black) 5’11”/183 lbs., L, Madison Capitols – An old school defensive defenseman. Plays physically -- he was ejected in one of the games we saw. Wisconsin native is at his best in 1-on-1 situations where his competitiveness and strength come to the forefront. (0-1-1)
22. Simon Butala (#5 Gold) 6’0”/192 lbs., L, Long Island Gulls U16 / NJ Rockets U19 – Downington, PA native wasn’t at his best here, as he made some poor decisions with the puck and wasn’t as physical as he usually is. (0-1-1) College: Maine ‘16
23. Michael Underwood (#2 Red) 5’11”/169 lbs., R, Oakland Grizzlies U16 / Oakland Grizzlies U18 – Has a great shot -- especially off the one-timer -- and is a good backward skater, with both acceleration and speed. Michigan native has an active stick on the PK; keeps his head on a swivel. (3-1-4)
24. Colin McCabe (#4 Gold) 5’8.5”/167 lbs., R, Thayer Academy – Really came on over the last couple days of the week, showing more offense than we expected, jumping up into rush often, and playing with jam. Short but solidly built. Has a strong shot. (3-1-4)
25. Austin Osmanski (#3 Gold) 6’2.25”/176 lbs., L, Buffalo Regals U15/Buffalo Jr. Sabres U16AAA – Raw defensive defenseman with a big reach and intriguing size. Made a good first pass out of zone. Needs to add some snarl to his game. (0-4-4)
26. Brett Callahan (#6 Black) 5’8.5”/150 lbs., R, Chicago Mission – Mobile puck-mover is light on his skates. Excelled here in stealing the puck and holding the offensive blue line. (0-2-2) DOB: 10/16/98
27. Eric Jeremiah (#5 White) 5’5.5”/169 lbs., R, St. Sebastian’s – He’s short, but he’s also a powerful skater with a low center. His strength makes him tough to stop in open ice. Is quick laterally and has good hands. Competes, plays with jam, and doesn’t back down. Due to his size, he doesn’t win a lot of battles in the corners. (0-1-1)
28. Scott Perunovich (#3 Red) 5’6.5”/139 lbs., L, Hibbing Bantams / Hibbing HS – He’s tiny but he has great wheels and stickhandling ability. Is excellent with the puck in all three zones but can over-commit and get out of position in his own end. (0-1-1)
29. Dennis Cesana (#6 Columbia Blue) 5’8.25”/181 lbs., R, Kimball Union Academy – Smooth skater with soft hands started slowly but gained confidence as the week went on. Can carry the puck end to end or hit any target with heads-up passing ability. Needs to improve his intensity in his own end. (1-0-1)
30. Ethan Roswell (#4 Royal) 5’7.25”/169 lbs., R, Arizona Bobcats / Cushing Academy – Undersized puck-mover makes quick decisions and excels in the transition game where he can anticipate the play, intercept a pass, and quickly have it on a forward’s stick. (0-2-2)
31. Andrew Troy (#6 Orange) 5’11.25”/154 lbs., R, Syracuse Nationals – Tall but on the slight side. Is responsible in his own end -- blocks shots, picks up sticks, and takes the body. (0-2-2)
Forwards:
1. Riley Tufte^ (#9 Kelly Green) 6’4”/188 lbs., L, Blaine HS – The best overall player here -- has size, soft hands, a quick release, and the ability to slow the game down. Power forward was the #1 overall pick in the USHL draft this past spring, taken by Fargo. NTDP would like to have him for this fall, but he may stay at Blaine. (3-4-7) College: Minnesota Duluth ‘16
2. Keenan Suthers^ (#8 Kelly Green) 6’5.25”/191 lbs., L, Detroit Compuware U16 –Uses his size to good advantage, exploiting defenders in 1-on-1 situations. Tall and angular, he drops his shoulder and goes to the net. Uses his reach to break up passes. On the forecheck, he caused numerous turnovers. His passes are on the money and his shot is hard and accurate. Skating will need some work but he’s still growing into a big frame. (4-9-13)
3. Timmy Gettinger^ (#12 Grey) 6’4.25”/204 lbs., L, Cleveland Barons U16/ Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) – Power forward had a slow start here, but his game picked up as the week went along. Has imposing size, and uses it well, forcing turnovers and blocking lanes. He lacks agility and quickness, but is good north-south. His strengths are his touch around the net and his puck protection skills coming off the boards. (5-2-7)
4. Max Gerlach*^ (#14 Gold) 5’7.5”/157 lbs., R, Colorado Thunderbirds U16 / Colorado Thunderbirds U18 – Has a keen sense of the game; knows where to be on the ice. Soft hands and crafty stickhandling skills afford him time to break down the defense with smart, crisp passes. (4-4-8)
5. Garrett Wait^ (#18 Grey) 5’10.75”/162 lbs., L, Edina High School – Has smooth hands, a long fluid stride, a keen sense that allows him to find soft spots in the defense, and a high compete level. Wait, the tournament’s leading scorer, scored from in tight on dekes; also from the outside with a quick snap shot. (7-9-16)
6. William Knierim*^ (#12 Columbia Blue) 6’1.25”/209 lbs., R, Chicago Mission U16/ Dubuque (USHL) – Tall, thick power forward uses his body to drive the net, has soft hands, can score goals and make plays. He just grinds down opposing d-men. Lacks speed but his size and touch make him difficult to defend. (3-4-7) College: Miami ‘16
7. Kailer Yamamoto*^ (#18 Gold) 5’8”/138 lbs., R, L.A. Jr. Kings U16 / Spokane (WHL) – Smooth, explosive skater with another gear excels in finding open ice and creating scoring chances. Finds his teammates and delivers tape-to-tape passes at full stride. He’s tricky and he processes the game at a high pace. (2-4-6) DOB: 9/28/98
8. Hank Crone*^ (#18 Royal) 5’6.75”/140 lbs., L, Dallas Stars Elite/Omaha Lancers (USHL) -- Crone is small but ultra-skilled, with slick hands and a scorer’s instincts. He has an excellent first step, and is hard to hit squarely as he slips and bounces off checks in open ice. His hockey sense is terrific and he can pick apart the defense in many different ways --- his shooting, passing, stickhandling are all high end. Was a bit inconsistent here, but when he was on he was terrific. (1-6-7) College: Boston University ‘16
9. Jack Kopacka^ (#16 Grey) 6’0.75”/179 lbs., L, Detroit Compuware U16/ Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) -- Tall power forward with a powerful shot and deceptive stickhandling ability. Gets tunnel vision at times and forgets about his linemates, but he is strong along the wall, and can fire it from anywhere. High upside. (4-5-9)
10. Sam Sternschein* (#15 Black) 6’0.75”/182 lbs., R, Long Island Gulls U16/ New Jersey Rockets – Has both size and skill and when he keeps his feet moving is particularly dangerous. Problem is, that’s not all the time. If it were, he may have been on the team going overseas. Is an excellent passer, has agile hands and concentrated vision. (2-5-7) College: Cornell ’16
11. Jordan Robert (#10 Kelly Green) 5’9.75”/173., L, St. Lawrence Thunder/Gunnery –Cerebral forward opened eyes here, showing a wide range of skills. He competes hard and with a physical edge. He skates with his head up. He makes plays but if nothing is there, he will take it to the net, and create his own opportunity. Doesn’t cheat when it comes to play in his own end. Will be an instant contributor for the Gunnery. (2-7-9)
12. Evan Wisocky* (#8 Black) 5’9.25”/179 lbs., R, Long Island Gulls U16/ North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Is strong on his skates and can fire it from anywhere. Had some highlight reel goals here. Protects the puck well. Uses his strength to create separation and makes a firm, accurate pass. Effective defensively as well. Both a finisher and playmaker. (5-5-10)
13. Mark Senden*^ (#10 Gold) 5’9”/175 lbs., L, Wayzata HS – Has lower body strength and a good burst of speed. Makes sound decisions with the puck, rarely putting himself in bad situations. Very strong two-way player -- physical, competitive, and chippy. (1-2-3)
14. Kieffer Bellows*^ (#11 Red) 5’11.25”/193 lbs., L, Edina HS – An inconsistent effort but when his feet are moving and he’s dialed in he has the size, strength and skill to seriously impact a game. Is powerful in every sense of the word, his stride, his shot and his body checking. Need to see a higher compete level, though. Was excellent early in week, but faded. (1-1-2) College: Boston University ‘16
15. Mitchell Mattson*^ (#8 Royal) 6’3”/178 lbs., L, Grand Rapids HS – He’s a skinny 6’3”, but things will get very interesting when he fills out more. Still raw at this point and fights the puck a bit. He appears a bit paddle-handed and he did not get as involved in the physical game as we would have liked. Has good edges and generates a lot of power when he pushes off. (2-1-3) College: North Dakota ‘16
16. Dominic Mersch* (#9 Red) 5’10.25”/171 lbs., L, Chicago Mission U16 / Chicago Mission U18 – A two-way, hard-nosed player who works for everything he gets. Like his older brother, he is not a great skater. Instead, he relies on his hands and his work ethic, the latter being hard to beat. He finishes checks, blocks shots and wins 1-on-1 battles in small spaces. (1-2-3) College: Wisconsin DOB: 12/16/98
17. Cole Gallant* (#15 Orange) 5’9”/175 lbs., R, HoneyBaked U16 /Undecided -- A balanced skater with a low center of gravity and lower body strength. Is strong on the puck and physically involved. Had several bone crushing open-ice hits. (3-3-6)
18. John Leonard* (#9 Orange) 5’9.75”/172 lbs., L, Springfield Cathedral HS – A hybrid in that he will either power through to the net, or stickhandle his way through. Strong on his feet but not fast. (5-3-8) College: UMass-Amherst ‘16
19. Mitchell Lewandowski* (#15 Columbia Blue) 5’8.25”/168 lbs., L, HoneyBaked U16 / Des Moines (USHL) – A sturdy wide-stanced balanced skater who competes hard for loose pucks and makes smart decisions. Has soft, quick hands around the net and is a reliable defender in his end. (2-4-6)
20.Hugh McGing* (#14 White) 5’7.25”/149 lbs., L, Chicago Mission U16/ Cedar Rapids (USHL) – Creativity, quickness and agility. Is composed with the puck, has soft hands and makes plays at high speed. Was particularly fun to watch on Thursday, when he notched a hat trick. (3-1-4)
21. Jamie Armstrong (#14 Grey) 5’11.5”/178 lbs., L, Bishop Hendricken/Avon Old Farms – Has good size and is strong on his feet. Sees the ice extremely well and attacks the net with speed. (4-5-9)
22. Chris Grando (#14 Forest Green) 5’7.5”/145 lbs., L, Long Island Gulls U16/ North Jersey Avalanche U18 – Relentless on the puck, fast and skilled. His hands and quick turns make him dangerous even in tight spaces. He is feisty, blocking shots, and finding lanes to the net. (4-5-9)
23. Collin Adams* (#16 Royal) 5’7.5”/168 lbs., L, Honeybaked U16 – A scrappy, hard-nosed two-way forward with a strong shot and a serviceable stick. He scored a beautiful goal in a shootout that showed off his quick release and the power behind his snap shot. Adams backchecks with a purpose. (3-3-6)
24. Ben Lown (#14 Kelly Green) 5’6”/145 lbs., R, Shattuck-St. Mary’s U16/ Colorado Thunderbirds U16 – Played on a terrific line, with Tufte and Suthers, but was no third wheel. Small and highly skilled, Lown has great acceleration and creativity. Drew a lot of players toward him, thus opening up space for the scorers. As the stats illustrate, he’s a playmaker. (0-7-7)
25. Kaden Pickering (#17 Columbia Blue) 5’8.5”/165 lbs., R, St. Lawrence Thunder/Northwood – Opportunistic scorer was one of the tournament’s leading point producers. Always seemed to be around the puck. Has great hand-eye coordination and crafty playmaking ability. (3-6-9) DOB: 12/17/98
26. Michael Maloney* (#17 Royal) 5’8.5”/171 lbs., R, Team Illinois – A pure scorer with next-level speed -- his feet are always moving. Can pick his corners at full speed and turn on a dime. Excels in tight spaces where he can make a quick juke, accelerate to open ice and fire off a wrist shot. (5-0-0)
27. John Wojciechowski* (#8 Orange) 6’2.5”/199 lbs., R, Apple Core – Right now, he’s all arms and legs, but he has a pro frame and when his feet are moving he is tough to contain. There was no lack of effort or physicality, but he had a tough time maintaining puck possession. Intriguing player if he can get all the moving parts to work in sync. (0-2-2)
28. Cameron Orchard* (#10 Red) 6’0.25”/186 lbs., R, Michigan Nationals – Has size and the ability to draw the defense to him. Protects the puck well. He can also shoot: scored one of his goals on a breakaway, firing it under the crossbar. (2-1-3)
29. Patrick Harper (#12 Orange) 5’6”/142 lbs., L, New Jersey Rockets U19/Avon Old Farms – Small and clever, Harper skates with his head up and has a great stick. He shoots to score, and is patient and poised. (3-2-5)
30. Michael Fahie (#15 Forest Green) 5’7.5”/138 lbs., R, Noble & Greenough – A bit up and down. Really good one day; not so much the next. He’s slight and small, but he has a good burst, can change speeds in the neutral zone, and can put a lot of pressure on opposing defenseman. He excels in the transition game, has an abundance of skill, and once he adds strength will be a really good college player. (1-4-5) College: Brown ‘17
31. Eric Esposito (#9 Black) 5’9.5”/174 lbs., R, Loomis Chaffee – Was good in flashes. A feisty competitor with good hands. Excellent skater is tenacious when pursuing the puck, particularly on the forecheck. His anticipation skills separate him from the pack. (2-1-3) College: UNH ‘17
32. Ben Meyers (#16 White) 5’8.5”/183 lbs., L, Delano HS –Short and stocky, Meyers can fight his way through traffic and create scoring opportunities out of nothing. Has a tricky stick and creativity to go with it. Has good hands and lower body strength which serves him well along the wall and in front. (1-4-5) DOB: 11/15/98
33. RJ Murphy* (#12 Gold) 6’0.75”/186 lbs., L, St. Sebastian’s – Has size, strong and agile hands, a quick release, excellent awareness, and hockey sense. (0-2-2) DOB: 10/2/98
34. Joey Kubachka (#16 Red) 6’1.75”/197 lbs., L, Junior Flyers / Madison Capitols (USHL) – A power forward with deceptive hands and passing ability. He forechecks hard, finishes his checks, and creates time and space for his linemates. He has heavy feet and doesn’t move well east to west but there’s a lot of potential here. (1-2-3) College: Cornell
35. Nolan Walker (#10 Grey) 5’6.75”/144 lbs., R, Culver Academy – Cerebral playmaker who, despite his size, is hard to knock off the puck because he has quick feet, quick hands, and spins away from pressure. His vision is excellent. (1-4-5)
36. Ethan Frank (#11 Black) 5’9.5”/167 lbs., R, Omaha U16/ Omaha U18 – A two-way presence who competes in all three zones, outworks his opponents, and can really skate. He wins races to the puck and excels through the neutral zone. (1-4-5) College: Western Michigan ‘16
37. Alexander Drobot (#8 Columbia Blue) 5’7.75”/180 lbs., L, New Jersey Rockets U19 – A small, crafty, highly intelligent prospect who can finish. Had a great breakaway goal where he worked the goalie left to right, waited for him to extend his legs and slid it five-hole effortlessly. (2-3-5) College: Maine’16
38. Marcus Dickerson* (#12 Royal Blue) 5’8.75”/211 lbs., R, Selects Academy U16 / Undecided – Short but strong power forward works hard and has a bomb of a shot that he gets off in a hurry. His skating is a bit stiff and he lacks lateral mobility, but he’s very tough to knock off the puck and is a scoring threat from anywhere in the offensive zone. (2-4-6)
39. Grant Cruikshank (#17 Kelly Green) 5’8”/169 lbs., Milwaukee Jr. Admirals U16 – Poised and confident puck carrier slows the game down and uses changes of speed and quick jukes to get around defensemen. Is very effective in 1-on-1 situations, especially for his size. Has a nice burst of speed, which is fitting given that his parents. Bonnie Blair and David Cruikshank, are former US Olympic speedskaters. (2-4-6)
40. Christian O’Neill (#11 Kelly Green) 5’9.75”/188 lbs., L, Belmont Hill Freshmen/ Belmont Hill – Has skilled hands, a head for the game, skating ability – and he can finish. (4-2-6)
41. Justin Cmunt (#17 White) 5’9.25”/157 lbs., L, Toronto Jr. Canadiens / Undecided -- Hustles at both ends of the ice, with great closing speed on the backcheck. Also showed imagination with the puck, has light feet and creates offense. (2-3-5)
42. Ty Amonte (#16 Black) 5’8.25”/156 lbs., R, Thayer Academy – A solid, two-way forward who competes for every puck. Has good speed and a tireless work ethic. When he gets a little bigger he will be a handful for opponents, hitting them hard instead of bouncing off. (1-1-2)
43. Dante Palecco (#9 White) 5’9.75”/172 lbs., L, Long Island Gulls / New York Bobcats – Exceptional hands and shot but only showed it in flashes. Inconsistent, unengaged, and a bit soft here. (2-3-5) College: Yale
44. Luke Cowan (#17 Grey) 5’6.75”/162 lbs., R, HoneyBaked U16/HoneyBaked U18 – Cerebral playmaker never appears to be in a rush although he has the speed and quickness to play at a high pace. Very composed and patient with the puck. (0-6-6)
45. David Cohen (#8 Forest Green) 5’8.75”/185 lbs., L, Colorado Thunder U16 – A smooth skater with quick hands and a high compete level. He lacks power in his shot but showed a great touch around the net. (4-3-7)
46. Liam Murphy (#15 Kelly Green) 5’11.75”/220 lbs., L, Avon Old Farms – Has impressive strength and is starting to realize that he’s not going to get it done with finesse alone. When he uses his size and powers his way to the net, he can be very effective. (4-0-4) College: UConn ‘16
47. Logan Drevitch (#12 Red) 5’8.75”/153 lbs., L, Boston Bandits U16/ Boston Bandits U18 – Plays with pace and jam. Has an explosive first step, crafty stickwork, and a hard wrister he disguises well. (0-4-4) College: Merrimack ’17
48. Dylan Strahan (Black #18) 6’0.25”/168 lbs., R, L.A. Jr. Kings U16 /Oakland Grizzlies – An intriguing prospect who looks to be on the verge of taking his game to the next level. Has size, hands, and a long stride. His edgework is still developing but he’s slippery for a big guy and has a strong wrist shot. (0-1-1)
49. Matthew Jakubowski (#8 Red) 5’9.5”/164 lbs., L, Buffalo Regals U15/ Buffalo Jr. Sabres U16 – Exceptional hands and poise carrying the puck; has the ability to create plays out of nothing and on several occasions created quality chances while outnumbered 1-on-2 and 2-on-3. (1-2-3)
50. Christopher Berger (#8 Grey) 5’7”/161 lbs., L, Buffalo Jr. Sabres U16/ Buffalo Jr. Sabres U20 – Scrappy energy player with more skill then he gets credit for did a little bit of everything. Blocked shots, won draws, showed off a good shot, and scored. (4-4-8)
51. Cole Koepke (#12 Forest Green) 5’10.5”/174 lbs., L, Hermantown HS – Quick reflexes and keen anticipation skills enabled him to force turnovers in the neutral zone and turn them into scoring opportunities. Has a commanding snap shot. (3-1-4)
52. Brandon Puricelli (#10 Black) 5’8.25”/164 lbs., R, St. Louis Blues AAA – Has straightaway speed, lateral quickness, and can turn on a dime. His hands are smooth as well but he has a tendency to over-expose the puck. (1-4-5)
53. Joshua Dunne (#15 Grey) 6’1.5”/171 lbs., L, St. Louis Blues U16/Green Bay (USHL) - Tall, athletic and light on his feet. Has the frame and his stride continues to improve but he stayed on the perimeter and failed to generate much offense. (0-3-3) DOB: 12/8/98
54. Austin Grzenia (#15 White) 5’10.75”/158 lbs., R, Victory Honda U16/ Oakland Grizzlies – Has good size and excels at rushing the puck through the neutral zone with speed. Also makes a lot of plays behind the net and is tough to contain coming out of the corners. (1-1-2)
55. John DeRoche (#12 White) 5’7”/152 lbs., L, Juniors Bruins U16 / Junior Bruins U18 – A sparkplug, a high-energy speedster who never stops moving. Is quick and dangerous in space. However, he was not at his best here. (0-1-1) College: Quinnipiac ‘16
56. Sam Field (#18 Forest Green) 6’0”/178 lbs., R, Choate – Good-sized power forward with skating ability. (0-2-2)
57. Zachary Risteau (#16 Columbia Blue) 5’7”/139 lbs., L, Benilde-St.Margaret’s HS – Had a hot and cold showing here. Polished skater has speed and can change directions in an instant but also disappeared for long stretches and wasn’t active around the puck. (0-1-1)
58. Max Johnson (#11 Columbia Blue) 5’9”/183 lbs., R, Lakeville North HS – Strong, powerful skater grinds down the opposing defense, causing turnovers off the forecheck. Uses his lower body strength and positioning to win battles along the boards. His skills are limited but he does possess a hard shot and is a willing shooter. (2-1-3)
59. Jack Hoey (#14 Royal Blue) 5’10.5”/186 lbs., R, Conn. Wolfpack U16 & Fairfield Prep – Strong on his skates and strong on his stick. Has a firm read on the goalies and is able to pick corners. Was held scoreless here, though he did ring two shots off the crossbar -- in one game. Competes hard and plays with an edge at times. (0-3-3) DOB: 11/3/98
60. Mateusz Gosiewski (# 17 Red) 6’2.75”/202 lbs., L, Millbrook School – Huge, raw forward moves really well for his size but was unable to accomplish much. He needs to play with more of an edge and tap into his inner power forward instead of trying to stickhandle through opponents. (0-0-0)
61. Paul Washe (#17 Orange) 6’0.5”/176 lbs., L, Victory Honda U 16/ Victory Honda U18 – Good size, good speed. Has some of the earmarks of a top young prospect, but failed to make much of an impact here. (0-0-0) DOB: 11/27/98
Injured/Limited Viewing:
Zachary Walker (#12 Kelly Green) 5’11.75/181 lbs., R, Colorado Thunderbirds U16/ NTDP U17
***
All-Star Game Participants and Five Nations Squad
Players whose names are marked with a ^ were selected to go overseas to the Five Nations Tournament. So, too, were the following players from the tournament’s title game (Grey beat Kelly Green, 3-2, in a SO), held right before the All-Star game: forwards Riley Tufte, Keenan Suthers, Timmy Gettinger, Jack Kopacka, and Garrett Wait, defensemen Derek Daschke, Matthew Kiersted, and goaltender Ryan Edquist.
Blue:
Goaltenders: Stephen Dillon, Ryan Keane.
Defensemen: Sam Rossini^, Ty Farmer^, Ryan Bederka, Alec Mahalak, Zachary Berzolla, Mitch Eliot.
Forwards: Mark Senden^, Kieffer Bellows^, William Knierim^, John Leonard, Mitchell Mattson^, Michael Maloney, Dominick Mersch, Hank Crone^, RJ Murphy, and Cole Gallant.
White:
Goaltenders: Dayton Rasmussen^, Alex Camarre.
Defensemen: Luke McInnis^, Andrew Peeke^, Casey Staum, Jake Ryczek, Ben Gleason, Davis Bunz.
Forwards: Mitch Lewandowski, Max Gerlach^, Kailer Yamamoto^, Hugh McGing, Cameron Orchard, Marcus Dickerson, Collin Adams, Sam Sternschein, John Wojciechowski, Evan Wisocky.
The head coach is Cary Eades. Assistants are Clark Donatelli and Bob Mancini. Goaltending coach and video coordinator is Phil Osaer. The GM is Kenny Rausch.
The Five Nations Tournament will be held this year in Crimmitschau, Germany from August 13-17.
Schedule:
Wed. Aug. 13 – Slovakia
Fri. Aug. 15 – Switzerland
Sat. Aug. 16 – Czech Republic
Sun. Aug. 17 -- Germany
Sun. 6/29/14
Road to College: Our Top 20
With the weather excessively sunny and pleasant on Saturday, we took that as a sign and headed into the back country of Wellesley, Mass. to take in the Road to College Showcase at Babson College.
The tournament is an interesting mix of older players – i.e. seniors and PGs -- mixed in with younger players.
For our purposes, we focused in on the young players – our top 20 excludes ‘95s. Basically, we wanted to see what the younger players could do against older players. (For the record, our list below consists of seven ‘96s, eight ‘97s, and five ‘98s. Fourteen are forwards, five are defensemen, and one is a goaltender.)
We don’t want to totally dismiss ‘95s however, as there were some very good ones, including the best goalie we saw yesterday -- Curtis Frye. We had almost forgotten about Frye. As you may recall, he was Phillips Andover’s #3 goalie as a sophomore in ’10-11, but made the NTDP and, with the US Under-17 squad in ’11-12, struggled mightily. The following year was worse: Frye suffered a knee injury and missed the entire season. Last year, he came back east and played in the USPHL, but did not have a stellar year. This year, he’ll be playing for Suffolk PAL (USPHL Premier) and hopefully gets on a roll, something he’s probably never experienced. Frye is 6’4”, he’ll be 19 in July, and he played very well here, making some great saves – including a terrific glove save and a couple of great pad saves. It certainly appeared that he showed up looking to make a statement.
Anyway, without further ado, here are the twenty ‘96s, ‘97s, and ‘98s who jumped out at us yesterday:
RJ Murphy (#11, White) – 6’1”, 175 lb. wing from Needham, Mass. and St. Sebastian’s has size, a long powerful stride, and a good head for the game. Showed a lot of poise here. A 10/2/98 birthdate, he may have been the youngest player in camp. Will be a sophomore this season.
Jeremy Descheneaux (#8, White) – 6’1”, 175 lb. left-shot center has size, a long stride, and plays a power forward’s game. Sure-fire DI guy, though not sure how much he will score at the next level. Will be a junior at Stanstead College this fall. Drafted this spring in the Q (Rimouski) and USHL (Waterloo). A 4/30/98 birthdate from Autiel, Quebec.
Vimal Sukumaran (#16, White) – Right-shot center is the top returning scorer for New England prep champs Salisbury. Sukumaran, who will be a senior, competes hard, keeps his feet moving, and is physically involved. Protects the puck well and is a handful in the dirty areas. Very tough to play against. A 4/9/96 birthdate from Pierrefonds, Quebec, the 5’10”, 190 lb. Sukumaran played for Lac St-Louis before coming to the states.
Max Prawdzik (#1, Purple) – 6’3” Brooks School senior-to-be only allowed one goal in Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Red Team, a rebound goal to Roberto Cellini. Prawdzik didn’t face a ton of shots, but he was steady, poised, and filled the net. 2/2/97 birthdate.
Cooper Sande (#4, Yellow) – Left-shot D from Holy Angels has a good mix of attributes. He has good size at 6’0”, 165 lbs. He also has very good feet and overall athleticism. He’s a three-sport athlete – he plays lacrosse and soccer, as well -- so could really blossom if he focuses in on hockey. Had a 3-2-15 line from the Holy Angels back end last winter. Sande, a 7/29/97 birthdate, is a native of Minneapolis.
Ace Cowans (#14, Red) – Was one of prep hockey’s top scorers as a junior at Groton, putting up a 25-31-56 line in 27 games. Very skilled, very dangerous. If he fills out and gets strong enough he’ll play D-I hockey. If not, he’ll be a terrific NESCAC player. He’s listed as 5’7”, 150 lbs. now. A 9/18/96 birthdate.
Cade Gleekel (#14, White) – Tall, rangy, right-shot wing from the Blake School played on a line with Jeremy Descheneaux and the two were consistently noticeable. A 9/27/97 birthdate from Minneapolis, Gleekel will be a junior at Blake. As a sophomore, he averaged better than two points a game with a 25-26-51 line in 25 games.
Kevin O’Leary (#3 Purple) – 6’2”, 172 lb. right-shot D will be a rising junior at Westminster. Nothing flashy, just a good solid big-framed defensive defenseman.
Matt Dillon (#4, Purple) – A sophomore who was converted from defense to forward last year, Dillon wound up leading Shrewsbury High School to the Mass Div. 3 state championship at the Garden, scoring a goal and five assists in a 7-1 win over Hanover High. Well, here at the Road to College Dillon was back on the blue line, though he’s still very much an offensive defenseman. An 11/20/97 birthdate, Dillon, who’s listed at 6’0”, 145 lbs. will be a junior at Cushing in the fall. He also played last season with the Middlesex Islanders U18 team.
Alex Hopkins (#9, Red) – Hopkins, a 5’10”, 160 lb. right-shot center, tied (with Maine recruit Lucas Michaud) as leading scorer at Berwick last season. Will be taking a PG year the Gunnery. He fits their mold, too. He can skate. He’s quick. He’s slippery. A 5/19/96 birthdate.
Frank Boie (#3, White) – 6’0”, 160 lb. right-shot D from Needham, Mass. had a strong sophomore season at the Rivers School. A tough, rugged defender who has some offensive upside. A 5/15/98 birthdate.
Barclay Gammill (#13, White) – 5’9”, 158 lb. forward from the Berkshire School scored 18 points in 29 games as a sophomore and with Higgins-Puffer-Corcoran all having graduated, he’s the Bears leading returning scorer. Gammill is not always noticeable, but suddenly the puck’s in the back of the net. He has a knack. A 3/15/97 birthdate.
Eric Theander (#12, Grey) – Small at 5’7”, 130 lbs., but clever, quick, and constantly around the puck. A 3/22/97 birthdate from Okotoks, Alberta, he played last season at the Hill Academy in Toronto, where he put up 40 pts. in 67 games for the U16 Team.
Michael Mahan (#12, Purple) – A 5’9”, 161 lb. left-shot center from Scottsdale, Arizona, Mahan played 14 games for Corpus Christi (NAHL) last season. Here at the Road to College much of the Purple Team’s offense flowed through Mahan. He has good hands, was good on the draw, and kept his feet moving. Will be a junior at Cushing in the fall. A 2/10/97 birthdate.
Nick Jermain (#15 White) – Was one of the leading scorers in prep hockey last winter, with 47 points in 27 games for Brunswick. However, Jermain, who’s 5’11”, 160 lbs., has graduated and will be with the Connecticut Oilers (EHL) this season. A 6/7/96 birthdate, Jermain has excellent offensive instincts, finding the seams and spotting open teammates. However, he could assert himself more.
Will Brophy (#7, Purple) – 6’4”, 197 lb. Westminster right-shot D, a senior-to-be, is an 8/9/96 birthdate. He played his customary steady game. We see him playing DI. The question is when.
Connor Sodergren (#18 Red) – A 6’1”, 180 lb. left-shot forward, Sodergren posted a 17-28-45 scoring line in his junior year at St. Paul’s and had a lot to do with their getting to the large-school championship game. He could have a big senior year. A 9/11/96 birthdate.
Cody Todesco (#16, Red) – 5’9”, 165 lb. right-shot center was consistently noticeable here, just as he is in the wintertime at Nobles. Todesco is an excellent hockey player, but is he dynamic enough for D-I at his size and weight? If not, he’ll be an excellent NESCAC player. A 4/1/96 birthdate, he’s going into his senior season.
Luke Israel (#15, White) – ‘98 birthdate from Waterloo, Ont. played last season at Culver Academy. Is transferring to Salisbury for his final two years. Was also drafted by Sudbury (OHL) and Sioux City (USHL) this spring. We like his skating but want to see a little more of the rest of his game. 5’11”, 170 lbs.
Peyton Reeves (#18, White) – An 8/22/98 birthdate from Toronto. Has size at 6’0”, 174 lbs. and was solid here. He is young, but he played with a presence, and scored a nice goal in the game we saw. Played for Mississauga Reps last season, and will be with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens this season.
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