Indianas Coleman Becoming an Essential Item

In the early 20th century, the Coleman lantern revolutionized rural life in the United States and it was even declared an "essential item" by the U.S. government for its troops during World War I. One hundred years later, left-winger Blake Coleman is fast becoming an essential item, too. Every team needs at least one physical power forward that strikes fear into opponents with his relentless, hard-hitting game, and Coleman has done that from the beginning of the 2009-10 season with the Tri-City Storm to the final month of the USHL regular season with the Indiana Ice. No other USHL forward lays out as many hits as Coleman, and no other USHL forward is able to bring that level of physicality game in and game out like Coleman. He's flat out the most physical forward in the USHL, even more than Cedar Rapids' Jeff Costello (a close second). If that weren't enough, Coleman's also starting to live up to his namesake and is beginning to light the lamp with Indiana.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the opportunity to catch the Indiana Ice in action twice in March and enters notes on Blake Coleman, Jacob Fallon, Brian Ferlin, John Parker, and a few other Ice forwards eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, as well as the already drafted Nic Dowd.

Blake Coleman (2010), LW, Indiana

The most physical forward in the USHL .. a nightmare for opposing defensemen, as he finishes his checks on the forecheck and may be the most active forward in the USHL in terms of finishing his checks at the point .. able to level opponents in the neutral zone .. able to thrust into his hits .. has good speed and decent power in his acceleration and strides .. has good cruising speed with the puck .. able to fend off opponents using his stout 5-foot-11, 202-pound frame and utilizing spins and swivels .. stickhandling continues to improve, and is now executing some slick moves now and again .. has a hard wristshot .. makes crisp passes and can get them through traffic .. very impressive that Coleman has been able to maintain this level of physicality game in and game out the entire season .. has some similarities to Cedar Rapids RoughRider and Ottawa Senators draft pick Jeff Costello .. projects as an energy-line forward in terms of NHL potential .. is a legitimate possibility to be a late-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft .. committed to Miami-Ohio (2011) .. as of March 15 he had scored 8 goals and 6 assists in 29 games with Indiana, for a total of 10 goals and 16 assists in 51 games.

Jacob Fallon (2010), LW/RW, Indiana

Dismissed from the USNTDP after two off-ice infractions, one before the season and one in late November and joined Indiana in early December .. a nice mix of skill and sandpaper .. has nice cruising speed, but will swing his arm a bit .. has good agility with the puck and can protect it along the boards with quick starts and stops .. very explosive accelerating with the puck .. will stop past the blueline or make a Gretzky circle and buy teammates some time, and if he doesn't like his options, he'll explode and skate the puck off the boards .. a heads-up stickhandler who can assess his options .. remains calm with the puck when engaged physically or even if being run .. able to make some quick jukes with the puck .. plays a physical game .. finishes his checks on the forecheck but will also step up to make big hits in open ice .. will come across the zone to make some hits .. puts in a good effort on the forecheck and the backcheck .. USHL production isn't commensurate to his skill .. has the tools to be a mid-round pick, but modest size of 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, and lack of offensive production in USHL, especially goals, probably makes him a late-round pick .. also possible he goes undrafted .. committed to Michigan (2010) .. as of March 15 he had scored 1 goal and 6 assists in 19 games with Indiana .. prior to being dismissed from the USNTDP, he had 1 goal and 3 assists in 9 games with the Under-18 team.

Brian Ferlin (2010), RW, Indiana

Budding power forward is continuing to improve .. an adept stickhandler who is now doing a better job of handing the puck with his head up, allowing him to assess the play more .. makes hard, crisp, accurate passes .. displayed some presence with the puck along the boards in these viewings and was making plays .. able to use his speed and 6-foot-1, 192-pound frame to drive the net .. able to execute tight switchbacks in closed quarters to protect the puck .. drops his chest a lot when he skates .. continuing to put in a good defensive effort .. hustles to man his points and is willing to drop to block shots .. does a good job supporting the defensive play down low if he's the forward who was in position to help the defense first .. will utilize leg drags and stick checks to clog passing lanes .. good hustle on the backcheck and will play the body from the side .. a long shot for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft because of modest offensive production, but, if he does go undrafted, he is definitely a player to watch in his second year of draft eligibility .. committed to Cornell (2011) .. as of March 15 he had 6 goals and 10 assists in 51 games.

John Parker (2010), C, Indiana

Still playing a defensive role for the Ice centering their third line .. still showing the smooth, powerful strides that allow him to close gaps quickly on the backcheck or on the forecheck .. also has smooth acceleration with the puck, which allows him to separate from opponents ..able to execute tight turns with the puck to protect it along the boards .. so balanced on his skates, and it really shows in his pivots from forward to backward and backward to forward .. finishes his checks and can do so with some force .. has strong defensive awareness, identifying backchecking assignments early and helping low in his defensive zone .. if he loses his stick or has to give it to a d-man, no problem, he's still effective in his d-zone without .. only negative mark for Parker in these viewings was that the offensive skill he showed at the Fall Classic back in September seemed to have eroded some .. didn't seem as confident with the puck, although he wasn't poor with the puck .. would like to see Parker return to the USHL for one more season to play a larger offensive role .. probably a long shot for selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, but Parker has legitimate potential as a solid fourth-line/defensive center in the NHL, so it's not impossible .. committed to UMass (2010) .. as of March 15 he had 4 goals and 9 assists in 48 games.

Kevin Goumas (2010), LW/RW, Indiana

Small winger has had a very solid rookie season with the Ice .. a skilled playmaker who makes hard, crisp passes and can connect through traffic or over long distances .. able to serve up some nice saucer passes right on the tape .. dangerous out of the corners or along the boards with centering passes .. also makes nifty drop passes and then drives the net .. able to make very tight turns with the puck .. able to build considerable speed and is fairly explosive with the puck .. has a crisp wristshot .. 5-foot-9, 150 pounder engages physically .. able to use his speed on the backcheck and take opponents off the puck .. still showing he's conscientious in hanging back for pinching defensemen .. a long shot for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at his size and with his goal total, but he'll be a player to watch in his second year of draft eligibility .. committed to New Hampshire (2011) .. as of March 15 he had 12 goals and 28 assists in 53 games.

Max Cook (2010), C, Indiana

Indiana's forward that can best break open a game .. lanky at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, and skates somewhat upright, but still has considerable speed with the puck .. smooth stickhandler who's an adept toe-dragger .. heads-up stickhandler with good offensive vision to catch teammates with centering passes .. is starting to play a more physical game .. uses his speed on the backcheck and will go for the hit from the side .. however, have seen him let up a bit going for loose pucks .. will go into traffic with the puck when he's at speed, and he emerges through it more often than not .. in his third year of draft eligibility and is probably an extreme long shot .. won't be surprised if Cook does play at the Double-A level someday .. but, if Casey Wellman develops into an NHL contract, who knows .. committed to Miami (2010) .. as of March 15 he had 21 goals and 23 assists in 50 games .. played for Team East at the USHL All-Star Game.

David Johnstone (2010), RW, Indiana

Limited viewing, as Johnstone was scratched in one viewing .. had a positive viewing in the game he played .. showed some poise sidestepping forecheckers and breaking the puck out .. displayed some offensive vision making passes to trailers .. still plays a conscientious defensive game, staying back for pinching defensemen and keeps his head on a swivel .. saw a little powerplay time .. an extreme long shot to be selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, but is still a player to monitor .. would like to see Johnstone return to the USHL for one more year to play a larger offensive role .. committed to Michigan State .. as of March 15 he had 6 goals and 14 assists in 42 games.

Alex Wideman (2010), C, Indiana

Smallest USHLer by volume at 5-foot-8, 150 pounds (so it says) .. has good cruising speed with the puck .. able to use his speed, agility, and shiftiness to split the opposition or weave through traffic .. explosive acceleration and can emerge off the boards quickly .. small, but has good sense to evade and sidestep potential big hits .. when getting bodied, it doesn't seem to phase him and he keeps on chugging .. engages physically and can explode into his checks .. made an impressive open-ice hit on Jeff Costello in one viewing .. makes crisp, accurate passes .. uses his speed on the forecheck and can trap opponents toward the boards .. active manning his points defensively .. doing better at not closing his own gap on the defenseman and getting stopped .. an extreme long shot for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at his size, but he's a solid hockey player .. would like to see Wideman return to the USHL for one more season, just so he can put up the numbers commensurate to his skill and go into college hockey a little bigger .. committed to Miami .. as of March 15 he had 10 goals and 9 assists in 52 games.

Nic Dowd (LA), C, Indiana

Putting up respectable numbers, but defensive play is his key contribution .. puts in a good effort on the forecheck .. his forechecking results in turnovers more often than most players .. makes it difficult for the opponent to break the puck out despite only average speed .. also a conscientious backchecker .. engages physically going for loose pucks and wins his share of 50/50 battles .. has a hard, crisp wristshot .. able to protect the puck along the boards with swivels and sheer effort .. needs to upgrade his speed and acceleration to take his game to the next level .. if he makes it to the NHL, it'll likely be as a fourth-liner .. committed to St. Cloud State .. as of March 15 he had 13 goals and 22 assists in 43 games.