Can: Tic Tac Toews

More scouting reports from the Under-18 evaluation camp held in Kitchener. Among eight names scouted are Jonathan Toews, Jordan Staal and Zach Hamill.

James McGinn (2006), F

Skinny but strong forward attacks the net vigorously .. relentless in pursuit of the puck and is usually the mucker on his line .. very unselfish approach .. good offensive instincts and contributes on the scoresheet .. tough to knock off the puck and able to guide it with one hand and fend off defensemen with the other .. makes strong moves to the outside and works the puck down low effectively .. sacrifices his body to make the play .. quick release on the wrist shot, especially in the slot.

Matt Beleskey (2006), F

Agitator looks to hit everything in his path .. aggressive and creates room with strong open ice hits, not always clean ones .. infuriates players into taking penalties with his reckless play .. a ball of energy who charges up teammates with an in-your-face approach and big hits .. not afraid to go into danger areas to score .. nice stride, not overly smooth but has good jump and solid balance on skates .. hard, heavy shot and uses it often .. missed on a breakaway but made impressive moves in limited space.

Justin Azevedo (2006), F

Small, shifty with an explosive first step .. able to weave in and out of danger areas but his diminutive size prohibits him from staying in there for long .. shows a tendency to do too much with the puck, perhaps in an effort to impress the coaching staff .. visibly frustrated at times with teammates when plays fail to develop .. needs to make decisions quicker .. nice vision; completed a lot passes right on the tape to set up scoring opportunities .. used primarily on the pk where he used his speed to chase down the puck carrier.

Jordan Staal (2006), F

The biggest of the Staal brass and the tallest forward at camp .. physically stronger than his peers; just carries guys on his back to make plays .. active stick and cuts down passing lanes; always a threat to intercept passes .. has decent acceleration, but a relatively slow first step .. large strides make up for any skating deficiencies .. excels down low where he can outmuscle opponents .. elusive around the half boards, as he is able to slide, twist and turn around defenders .. surprisingly slick for a guy his size .. plays a power game around the net, charging with reckless abandonment, liking to sneak from the side of the net and bully himself forward, often running over the goalie or plowing through a defenseman in the process.

Ryan Hillier (2006), F

Nasty, competitive guy plays with intensity on every shift .. smooth stride, adequate take-off .. his positioning in the offensive zone will need some tutelage; once was unable to set up properly for a two-on-one breakout .. not offensively skilled and shot selection is questionable at times .. likes to shoot more than his linemates and shots seemed to lack hardness and accuracy.

Ryan White (2006), F

Tall, determined player .. great speed and acceleration allows him to jump into plays .. gets involved at the offensive end with a bullish style .. willing to throw his weight around .. big and physically imposing .. lacks offensive polish and ability to convert on scoring chances.

Zach Hamill (2007), F

Special teams ace excels in all game situations .. effective stickhandler, especially in traffic .. industrious on the pp with his head on a swivel .. outstanding vision allows him to find the open man .. plays bigger than his weight suggests .. catapults himself into the offensive zone and traffic areas .. not an overly fast skater and has poor reverse movement, however he is able to hit top speed in only a few strides and is active in puck pursuit anywhere on the ice .. very accurate wrist shot and a nice overall array of shots.

Jonathan Toews (2006), F

Great two-way talent rarely gives up on a play .. leads by example with committed work ethic in both zones .. uncanny offensive ability .. makes saucer passes in tight quarters and stickhandles marvellously .. generates quality offensive chances every time he crosses centre ice .. electrifying one-on-one moves, but is adept at using his linemates in all situations .. protects the puck well and fights off opposition .. darts in and out of scoring areas and is a threat behind the net .. storms the front of the net and is not afraid to get hit to make a play .. acceleration is a tad choppy but his vision is impeccable .. great hand-eye coordination; knocks down high bouncing pucks and maintain control .. elusive and hard to hit .. confident and competitive.