NCAA: A Michigan State of Mind

After losing several key players from a year ago to the pro-game, Michigan State is in rebuild mode and goaltender Jeff Lerg has been forced to bail them out on most nights. Atlanta Thrashers first-round pick Daultan Leveille is featured in this report from McKeen's correspondent Max Giese, as well as fellow NHL draft picks Jeff Petry, Tim Crowder, Andrew Conboy, Corey Tropp and Ryan Turek.

Daultan Leveille (Atl), C, Michigan State

A finesse centerman with dynamic wheels, Leveille is receiving key minutes in all situations as a freshman .. his breathtaking acceleration accompanied by graceful strides stimulates the type of separation gear in the open ice that can break the game open at any moment .. one-dimensional with the puck, as he chronically tries to take it around every defender with his speed .. currently relying solely on a perimeter attack, Leveille needs to develop further dimensions to his offensive repertoire .. must become more courageous attacking the net and should add some sandpaper to his game .. cradles the puck softly and successfully moves the puck thanks to his ability to see the ice and disguise his intentions .. utilizes his speed as a defensive asset in the way he is always hawking for an errant pass to jump on and turn the other way .. killing penalties and properly establishes his stick in the opponents passing lanes, however he gets overzealous looking to go offensive and gets caught running around out of position in his own end .. despite his severe disadvantage in strength, Leveille is well balanced .. the talent is here, now it is up to him to add the necessary strength and become more physically involved Atlanta must exude patience during his development.

Jeff Petry (Edm), D, Michigan State

A rangy two-way defenseman that is the Spartans go-to-guy on the backend while playing in all situations .. smooth all-compass skater with long strides and the ability to promptly pump his feet to accelerate away from opponents .. displays healthy speed carrying the puck and can make the headman pass without slowing down .. a right-handed shot, Petry does an adequate job working the point during the powerplay .. likes to jump and can make things happen doing so, however he also gets caught up ice quite a bit and one gets to see his recovery speed too often because of it .. possesses the nimble lateral agility to maintain tight gaps and angle off his man to the boards .. proactive, short-circuiting plays and standing his ground physically, but he can be caught out of position if the play doesn't project in the way he anticipated .. covers his crease area well, as he moves bodies out of the way and employs his long reach to take away opponents sticks .. needs to continue to add strength to his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame.

Tim Crowder (Pit), C, Michigan State

Sizable two-way pivot that is always in position because of his strong hockey sense .. operating as Michigan State's first-line center, Crowder has been forced to become the leader up front for a young squad because of recent graduations .. not dynamic enough of an offensive package to carry that load and is more of a support player .. skating is the major drawback to his game, as he's a hunched over skater that struggles to accelerate out of the gate and lacks speed because of his slow feet .. owns a soft pair of mitts and passes the puck well .. bread and butter offensively is his ability to utilize his spacious frame to protect the puck and work it down low .. cunning in the way he reads developing plays well .. an honest two-way player that comes deep defensively to help and is relied upon to kill penalties .. mature in his understanding of defensive coverage, as he positions his stick properly to clog passing lanes and also possesses the muscle to win puck battles .. decent prospect worth a contract from Pittsburgh.

Andrew Conboy (Mtl), LW, Michigan State

After being a physical force the last two years in the USHL, Conboy's skating and hockey sense deficiencies have led to him struggling as a freshman .. simply being skated around, as his feet need to get quicker and he doesn't recover his stride properly .. receiving plenty of icetime on the powerplay and isn't hesitating to drive the net, however he's struggled to get off his big shot and can be guilty of becoming overly fancy with the puck .. doesn't process the game at an acceptable pace and it appears as if he thinks he has more time with the puck than he truly does .. mean-spirited player with good strength and one that likes to dull out the punishment .. so far, the effort has been there, but the results have not .. has also struggled to find his game after a recent shoulder injury.

Corey Tropp (Buf), RW, Michigan State

Neither big nor fast, Tropp is an intelligent and hard-working, two-way winger .. knock-kneed skater that overly relies on crossovers to gain momentum, yet is seemingly always buzzing around the puck because of his anticipatory skills and non-stop motor .. displays modest hand skill and is poised in scoring areas .. not a multi-zone offensive threat, Tropp prefers to work the puck down low and in tight around the opponent's goal .. gritty winger that is courageous going into the trenches and hits deceptively hard .. playing in all situations and on both special team units.

Ryan Turek (StL), D, Michigan State

Utility player that can play either forward or defense, yet does not necessarily excel at either position .. receiving top defensive paring minutes and is playing in all situations .. has slightly above-average mobility with nimble feet and a nice glide to his skating .. does an effective job on the penalty kill, where he fronts the puck well by clogging lanes with his body and is a willing shot-blocker .. displays adequate toughness, but is not an overpowering physical player .. has poor hockey sense, as he will jump at inappropriate times, does not keep his head on a swivel, and tends to defend with blinders on, oblivious to the developing dangers around him .. not a legit NHL prospect at this time.