NAHL: Not so Saad

The NAHL has definitely taken the back seat in recent years to the USHL in terms of players being selected at the NHL Entry draft. That pattern won't likely change this year, but the league is home to some very gifted NHL prospects that aren't eligible until the 2010 and 2011 drafts like Brandon Saad from the Mahoning Valley Phantoms, who may be the top 1992-born forward in the states.

Brandon Saad (2011), RW/C, Mahoning Valley Phantoms

Selected by the Saginaw Spirit, 10th overall in the 2008 OHL Draft, Saad may be the best 1992-born forward in America .. prototypical power forward with scoring ability, brash physical play, and manifold offensive talents .. nearly indefensible with a head of steam, as he can beat you with finesse or brute strength .. possesses long and powerful strides with multiple gears of acceleration and a flourishing top speed that allows him to gain separation in the open ice .. cuts laterally with surprising swiftness and just lacks initial explosiveness in his skating .. an awesome goal scorer with a fast release that propels his accurate and heavy shot .. has quick hands with the ability to execute equally well from both sides of his blade .. elusive one-on-one and controls the puck exceptionally well in traffic thanks to his outstanding protection capabilities .. a resourceful passer that disguises his intentions .. senses opportunity innately and finds the quiet ice near the goal .. astutely follows up the play by hanging back just enough to weigh his options .. this allows him to go where the puck is heading and not where it is leaving .. activates his feet to open up further passing and shooting options during the powerplay .. supports his linemates well and is always the first player to replace a pinching defender on the point .. intense with a strong motor on the forecheck and he clearly loves the puck in the back of the opposition's net .. seemingly gets better the more the opposition pushes him.

Alex Lippincott (2010), RW, Mahoning Valley Phantoms

Simply fast with a powerful stride and the ability to pick up a head of steam in just a few strides .. his sharp edgework and fast feet jettison his rapid acceleration .. has an outstanding motor and plays at a frantic pace, but he needs to develop his lower gears .. has that outside gear of speed, although his hands aren't as good as his feet .. sees the ice adequately and can move the puck crisply, however he needs to quicken his playmaking pace .. doesn't finish around the net consistently, despite his fast release and hard shot .. hyper-competitive and tenaciously battles for the puck .. his fast stick is his best defensive weapon and he's a strong penalty-killer .. has the frame to withstand a serious upgrade in muscle mass and seemed to slow down at the end of his shifts because he's not up to the conditioning standards of the league yet .. a Kitchener Rangers draft pick and a promising prospect.

Kevin Gravel (2010), D, Marquette Rangers

Big, athletic, and physical defenseman with strong mobility .. his long strides eat up the ice and his transitional mobility is limber for a player of his stature .. nimble in his pivots and his backwards mobility is especially strong .. his first few strides can be clumsy and he needs to improve on his lateral agility .. not a dynamic puck-moving type, but he owns a big shot from the point and makes a clean first pass .. seeing time on the powerplay and can successfully activate himself from the point .. should continue to make upgrades on his finesse and quickening his mental processing .. has great size and strength with the ability to clear his crease area effectively .. likes to stand his ground and step up on opponents to knock them off their feet with a vicious bodycheck .. owns an engulfing reach and effectively maintains tight gaps .. difficult to beat one-on-one, although he is guilty of taking some poor angles to the puck at times when trying to initiate body contact .. one of the top 1992-born defensemen in the USA and is already on the radar of many NHL scouts.

Mac Carruth (2010), G, Wenatchee Wild

Big, butterfly goaltender that is committed to Minnesota Duluth .. his footwork is fine and his pad control is adequate .. proactively plays the puck and does a decent job handling it .. would've been even more effective if his teammates where communicating with him and he clearly grew frustrated with the lack of help he was receiving from his teammates .. he is vocal himself in barking out orders .. owns a fast glove hand with decent rebound control .. vacuums in most shots up high .. guilty of kicking out some juicy rebounds to the slot area .. has good size and fundamentally sound stance, although he could challenge even more .. physically capable of moving in and out of his butterfly quickly, although he tends to stay down too long and is susceptible to being beaten on secondary chances .. needs to upgrade his lateral movement from his butterfly .. guilty of going too early and this leaves the shooter with too much net to look at up high.

Kyle Quick (2009), D, St. Louis Bandits

Offensive defenseman that participated at the Sarnia Stings' camp .. mobile with quick initial strides and fluent backwards mobility .. handles and moves the puck well with the ability to generate offense by joining the rush .. willing to play the body, but is undersized and needs to add strength .. culpable in reacting instead of initiating in the defensive zone, and must improve on his play around his own net.

Jason Nash (2009), D, Wichita Falls Wildcats

Two-way defenseman .. lively skater with fluid all-compass mobility .. skates well with the puck and likes to lug it up the ice himself .. makes quick decisions while distributing the puck, which aides in his ability to make the proper play even in the face of pressure .. a focused defender that keeps his head on a swivel and can defend well in space .. displays good marking skills, but he's gangly and struggles around his net at times .. willing to play physical, although his lack of strength prohibits him from doing it effectively .. added strength would improve all facets of his game.

David Johnstone (2010), RW, Traverse City North Stars

Gritty and fast winger committed to Michigan State .. strong skater with a nice burst to his fairly long strides .. sturdy on his edges and he can quickly accelerate out of the starting blocks to win foot-races thanks to his fast feet .. not all that skilled or creative offensively, he relies on a simple passing game and a willingness to go into traffic areas to produce .. makes a good effort on the forecheck and cycles the puck well despite his smallish frame .. skinny, but competitive and effective in the battle areas and gets most of it done through hard work .. static defensively and improving his strength along with upgrading his play away from the puck are the top things on his to do list.

Dean Pawlaczk (2010), LW, Traverse City North Stars

Spunky grinder with a lack of offensive abilities .. not a pretty looking skater, but he has a good motor and accelerates adequately thanks to his galloping first-few strides .. has fast feet and a pretty strong stride, however his short legs stunt his top-gear .. he is all over the ice working, but his hockey sense is sub par .. plays physical and could make a potential pest at the higher levels of play .. his work ethic and commitment to backchecking stand out positively, but he lacks skill and his shot is inaccurate.