NAHL Showcase: USNTDP U-17s

The year 1992 was a kind one to USA Hockey, as the USNTDP U-17's boast a strong core of NHL Prospects. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese was on hand for the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota to file these notes on several U-17 prospects looking to make a big impression this season.

Chase Balisy (2010), C, USNTDP

A dynamic playmaking center that played for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens last year before being selected by the London Knights of the OHL .. has tight footwork and a compact stride, although his short strides stunt his top-gear .. has soft hands with slick, stick fakes and is greasy for defenders to contain one-on-one .. displays a deft touch in the passing game, although his shot needs work .. a prototypical playmaking pivot with eyes on the back of his head and the ability to camouflage his intentions .. creative and smart, but unselfish to a fault .. asked to kill penalties and can strip opponent's off the puck with his quick stick .. will go into traffic areas and has decent balance for his size, but he needs to get more intense and finish the job by winning possession more frequently .. guilty of some carelessness with the puck and hopefully he gets a bit bigger.

Frankie Simonelli (2011), D, USNTDP

Former Team Illinois standout is an assertive and athletic defenseman that committed to Wisconsin .. commanding skater in all-directions with an aggressive stride and quick feet .. can really zip his passes across the ice and his finesse skills are steadily advancing .. utilized on the powerplay where he displays his fairly heavy shot .. decision-making with the puck has come along way in one-year, although he still forces the play at times and puts pucks into the opponent's legs .. good one-on-one defender that controls gaps well and actively utilizes his stick to disrupt the options of puckcarrier's .. angles his man off well and is a feisty physical presence with good strength, balance, and a robust physique .. doesn't have ideal height, but he's a tough customer that got ejected from a game after going overboard in protecting his goaltender .. a Plymouth Whalers draft pick.

Michael Mersch (2011), LW, USNTDP

Playmaking winger with good size that played for Team Illinois last year .. a knock-kneed skater with a clunky first-step and agility .. is fine once he gets a head of steam and possesses deceptive lateral hops that aide in his ability to maneuver around defenders in space .. has a long reach and a soft pair of mitts .. can execute slick moves such as the toe drag, but is most effective when employing his spacious frame to shield the puck .. effective below the hash marks and carries the puck with strong on-ice vision and patience .. more of a playmaker than a goal scorer, Mersch needs to upgrade the velocity on his shot .. utilized on the penalty-kill, as he positions himself properly and gives earnest secondary efforts defensively .. becomes flatfooted in the neutral zone and gets skated around too frequently .. can be a strong presence in front of the net and along the wall, but he needs to develop a mean streak and finish his checks with more authority.

Luke Moffatt (2010), LW, USNTDP

This Michigan recruit is a sublimely skilled offensive catalyst that played for Detroit Compuware last fall and was selected second overall in the WHL draft by the Kelowna Rockets .. the burgeoning power in his stride will only continue to blossom with added leg strength .. already possesses strong strides and the ability to separate in the open ice .. can immobilize defenders with his vast arsenal of tricky dangles .. skilled with the ability to rip passes right through the opponent's defenses .. his shots come off his stick hard thanks to the torque generated from his release .. creative on the powerplay where he oozes confidence and patience with the ability to slow the game down and settle the powerplay .. at times, he fails to utilize his linemates because of his habit to overhandle the puck .. killing penalties and his defensive game is improving by default .. anticipates the play well with the ability to create turnovers and then take it the other way for a scoring opportunity .. cleverly twists and turns to shield the puck with his back .. attempting to play the body more now, but still needs to add more strength .. also prone to lapses of invisibility where he is a non-factor in the game.

Jack Campbell (2010), G, USNTDP

Fundamentally sound and dexterous butterfly goaltender that played for Detroit Honeybaked Midget Major team last year .. rock-solid technically with a compact butterfly and sharp footwork .. tracks the puck well and displays solid rebound control for his age, although he can still let out some bad ones periodically .. polished in the way he angles his pads precisely to deflect rebounds into the corners .. physically capable of going in and out of his butterfly quickly, although he is guilty of staying down too long .. both glove and blocker side are fairly quick .. covers the lower portion of the net well .. displays solid anticipation of the developing play around him .. handles the puck well outside of his crease .. his lateral movement needs to be quicker and he must guard himself against swaying his stick around when moving, as he needs to keep it home .. struggles to get set against secondary scoring chances and needs to challenge more by playing further outside the top of his crease .. needs to play bigger in traffic and improve on his focus .. a Windsor Spitfires draft pick.

Will Yanakeff (2010), G, USNTDP

Big and athletic hybrid goaltender that played for Detroit Honeybaked Midget Minor team last year .. Gumby-like with his long, lively, and flexible limbs .. capable of robbing shooters with acrobatic saves that few goaltenders at any level can make .. that said, he's also youthful between the pipes and prone to allowing a bad goal at inopportune times .. has quick hands, with a further-developed glove hand than blocker .. extends his glove out beyond his leg pads while in his stance, astutely cutting down angles for shooters .. nimbly moves around his crease with outstanding recovery speed and splendid lateral quickness .. it's rare to see a player this big move so quickly and yet remain in such control of his movements .. fairly patient with shooters, but his first move is still usually down .. big frame aides in his net coverage, as he can cover the upper portion of the net well even in his butterfly thanks to his upright shoulders .. takes away down low with paddle-down techniques and is aware not to stay down when unnecessary .. challenges shooters proactively, but loses his angles at times .. often makes the first save, but his rebound control is poor and he kicks some bad ones to the slot area .. can lose the puck in traffic and doesn't handle the puck well .. a Barrie Colts draft pick.

Jason Zucker (2009), RW, USNTDP

Fast and spirited two-way winger that played for Detroit Compuware last season and is committed to Denver University .. an excellent skater with great speed, quickness, and agility .. has the ability to make things happen because of his speed .. moves and shoots the puck with vigor, although he lacks finesse at times .. his hands aren't as good as his feet and he would rather try to blow past defenders to the outside than stickhandle through traffic .. effectively makes plays at full-speed, but seems to lack in the lower gears and hasn't been the playmaker at this level that he was in Midget .. an asset defensively that block shots and employees his anticipatory skills to generate turnovers .. displays knowledgeable marking abilities .. tenacious and down-right feisty with some sandpaper to his game that allows him to win puck battles .. great on the forecheck and hits hard.

Emerson Etem (2010), RW, USNTDP

This fast, budding power winger was the youngest player on Shattuck's Prep Team last year .. excellent skater that makes things happen with his speed and aggression to the net .. has the multiple gears of acceleration to back defenders off because if they don't respect him, he can burn by them to the outside .. skates low to the ice and really extends through his strides .. activates himself in space and never hesitates to go to the net .. durable and growing into his skin as a powerful player that can create through his drives to the net .. sees the ice fairly well and executes nice touch passes from both sides of his stick .. however, he is guilty of getting tunnel vision where he locks on the first open target he identifies and will neglect better options and telegraph his intentions .. not a mean or ferocious player, but he uses his size well in traffic and for positioning .. strong on the puck and cycles it effectively .. could be a horse when he bulks up.

Stephen Johns (2010), D, USNTDP

A young colt with great size and mobility that is oozing potential .. a Windsor draft-pick that played for the Pittsburgh Hornets last season .. a commanding all-access skater with long and forceful strides .. feet are continuously active and his range is impressive .. a horse that can carry the puck up the ice on his own and is always looking to make a difference .. can stretch the ice by putting hard cross-ice passes on his teammates tape .. likes to push the envelope and try high risk/high-reward plays, but he's not the most naturally skilled player and can at times get himself in trouble with his erratic decision-making .. plays on the powerplay where he fights to get his hard, but wild shot on net .. at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Johns has tremendous size and strength .. he's a physical presence that clears the crease area with conviction .. an assertive defender that can get nasty and play with a healthy mean streak .. displays exemplarily character.

Jarred Tinordi (2010), D, USNTDP

Big defenseman from the Washington Jr. Nationals program and is a London Knights draft pick .. owns a fluent stride for a big defenseman with good length to his mobility and the capacity to skate relaxed while in control of the puck .. needs to upgrade his lateral agility, as he gets caught flatfooted far too often by quicker opponents .. most of his penalties are because of his slow initial first-few steps that lead to bad stick infractions .. has workable smarts and puck skills, although he doesn't see the ice well and dead-ends himself when carrying the puck up ice, leading to turnovers and the play dieing on his blade .. utilized heavily on the powerplay because of his big shot that doesn't always hit his target .. has great size and engulfing reach .. maintains tight gaps and plays with a snarl .. has a slow processor and tends to play with blinders on while struggling to defend in transition .. a raw project worth monitoring.

Adam Clendening (2011), D, USNTDP

Dynamic offensive defenseman that played for the Toronto Marlboros last year and is committed to Boston College .. got hit hurt during a game and never returned to the ice for the rest of the weekend, instead he sported a cast on his right hand in the bleachers .. highly skilled offensive catalyst that has a knack for jump-starting the attack .. shines with the puck on his blade while on the point, as his great lateral mobility enables him to open up endless passing and shooting options for himself .. owns a heavy shot, but is also equally effective generating chances through his creative passing game .. never static and defends well with his positioning and strength of mobility .. appears to be the offensive horse form the backend for this squad.

Kevin Clare (2010), D, USNTDP

The team captain is a solid all-around performer that played for the New Jersey Hitmen last season and is an Erie Otters draft pick .. not a dynamic skater, but has decent recovery speed and consistently finds enough speed to suit the situation .. doesn't panic under pressure and will eat the puck if need be instead of forcing an error .. makes high percentage plays while moving the puck .. does a decent job distributing from the point and consistently gets his wristshot on net .. jumps into the rush if the appropriate time presents itself .. hands are decent, he receives and gives pucks well .. solid and effective defender that covers his crease area well thanks to his ability to establish positioning before his opponent .. successfully defends in one-on-one situations off the rush .. breaks up multiple plays a game with his extraordinary secondary efforts .. can't get by on pure skill and needs to be dialed in to excel, as opponents exploit him if he ever becomes lethargic.

Justin Faulk (2010), D, USNTDP

Offensive defenseman from South St. Paul High School that is committed to Minnesota Duluth .. an okay skater that has the acceleration to escape oncoming pressure .. shines when working the point during the powerplay .. has the vision and the creativity to send passes through the opponent's penalty kill box to the open man backdoor .. makes an accurate first-pass and displays good decision-making with the puck .. innately activates his feet to open lanes to get his shot through and on net .. makes good defensive reads, but his smallish frame gets in the way of him becoming a triumphant defender .. he's beaten to the net far too often and his crease coverage is ineffective .. could be more assertive physically, as he tends to play on his heels.

Nick Shore (2011), C, USNTDP

Physically able playmaking centerman that played for the Colorado Thunderbirds last year and is the younger brother of U-18 standout Drew Shore .. has a big frame like his brother, but doesn't have the same work ethic or dynamic skating ability .. has decent feet and encompassing mobility, although he lacks a top gear and frustratingly always wants to slow the game down .. only plays at one pace and it's an unhurried one, as he's a cerebral, east/west type .. his hands are soft and he's a deft playmaker with excellent vision and creativity .. also owns a good release and crisp shot, but he's definitely at his best with the puck behind the net or along the wall where he can dish-off passes to his linemates .. consistent in approach, but he needs to increase his intensity and work-rate.

Jacob Fallon (2010), C/LW, USNTDP

Highly skilled forward that hails from the Texas Attack program .. owns fluid and long strides with the only issue being his lack of explosiveness out of the gates .. has an outstanding skill set and strong sense of the game .. owns slick one-on-one moves in the open ice thanks to his soft hands .. too cute at times with the puck, but he has healthy size and is very effective when his intensity peeks .. a patient and controlled puckcarrier, Fallon is also seeing some time on the penalty kill because of his proficient defensive game.

Matthew Nieto (2011), LW, USNTDP

A feisty and skilled California kid that played for Salisbury School last season .. a strong skater with long and fast strides that stimulate his rapid lateral bursts of speed .. has a non-stop motor and his strong stick aides his impressive puck control in traffic .. never hesitates to attack the slot and is difficult to defend one-on-one .. good around the net, as despite not owning a great shot, he keeps his head up with the puck on his blade in scoring areas and identifies the openings to shoot for .. makes a lot of subtle plays and executes crisp passes .. has unshakable puck pursuit and a real passion for the game, although at times his emotions get the best of him .. plays bigger than his listed size and competes.

Austin Czarnik (2011), RW, USNTDP

A Michigan State recruit that has a chip on his shoulder and played for Detroit Belle Tire last season .. like Mighty Mouse, Austin is tiny but extremely energetic and his fearlessness may be his biggest asset .. his work ethic is unrelenting, as he's willing to absorb punishment and sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team .. not a pure talent, but has decent hands and skills .. quick and shifty with a willingness to go the net .. intelligent with the puck and identifies open opportunities instinctively .. oozes character and is a chronic overachiever that will never quit on a play or a game.

Bryan Rust (2010), C/RW, USNTDP

A solid two-way forward with good size that is committed to Notre Dame .. played for Detroit Honeybaked last year and is a St. Michael's draft pick .. needs to make upgrades in his skating, specifically his first-step and acceleration .. also needs to smooth out his technique, as currently he has an overly forward lean to his skating .. owns a tricky stick and is at his best handling the puck outstretched where he can protect it with his spacious frame .. strong on the cycle and is an adequate in-close goal scorer .. displays above-average passing skills around the net .. not a mean player, but employees his size effectively in battles for positioning .. a decent defensive asset that does a nice job killing penalties .. not a hyperactive presence, but his work rate stands out positively.

Stuart Higgins (2010), C, USNTDP

Pint-sized, two-way centerman that played for Detroit Compuware last season and is committed to Maine .. has a deceptive change of gears with the puck, but lacks the top-speed to gain separation for himself in the open ice .. very small and struggles to get his shot off in traffic .. effective in the faceoff circle and is an asset in the defensive zone .. a gritty competitor that is currently insulated by wingers in Michael Mersch and Bryan Rust.

Shane Sooth (2010), C, USNTDP

Docile, skilled forward that played for Salisbury School last season .. appears a bit out of shape and can be down-right lazy at times .. blessed with great hands and slick moves, especially in close .. uses his big frame to shield the puck well .. an ok skater, especially with momentum, Sooth still needs to quicken his foot speed .. an asset to the penalty kill because of his active stick and consistent defensive positioning .. an effective centerman when he's competing hard .. very strong in the faceoff circle and it should be noted that he was on the ice to take the important draws during the games.