NCAA: Frazee Saves Gophers

NCAA: Frazee Saves Gophers (posted 01.26.07)

by Max Giese

The Minnesota Gophers lost only their second game of the season Friday Night against the Wisconsin Badgers. They got their revenge the next night thanks to a shut out effort from Jeff Frazee. The Gophers seem to be to win on demand as if they bring their A game they're bigger, faster, and more athletic than their opposition.

Jim O'Brien (2007), F, Minnesota Gophers

Still growing into his 6-3 frame as he's lanky and at times appears uncoordinated .. has an awkward looking first step but it delivers a rather decent burst for a player of his size .. his top gear is commanding as he can blow by the opposition in the open ice or use his speed to get in quickly on the forecheck .. quickness and agility still are rough .. plays with a mean streak at times and could be a blossoming power forward .. added bulk would bring his physical game full circle as currently the initiative is there but he can still be knocked around a bit .. could be more balanced .. has a long reach with adequate hands as he protects the puck well but isn't a one on one dangler either .. uses his speed to get to the outside than uses his size and puck protection to drive the net .. works hard away from the puck and has a non stop motor .. didn't look out of place on the penalty kill as he disrupts passing lanes with his reach and has a great technique to blocking shots .. sees the ice decently and passes the puck well although he lacks the creativity to be a play maker .. his quick release and accuracy in tight make him an adequate finisher in close although he's not a pure goal scorer either .. he gives you a little bit of everything and has plenty of untapped potential as with added strength he should take his game to new heights.

Jay Barriball (SJ), F, Minnesota Gophers

Pint sized but is sturdy on his feet and fearless in traffic .. will go to the net and battles for rebounds .. will finish checks with surprising power and is a competitive player .. lacks first step quickness and overall explosiveness is lacking .. agile and he's a fine all round skater .. top gear is decent but overall his superb anticipation makes up for his lack of speed .. has soft hands and is slippery one on one .. is laterally quick and his shiftiness is decent .. his offensive imagination is top notch as he can distribute the puck creatively .. sees the ice instinctively and can hit the open man with a pass without even looking at him it seems .. hockey sense is top notch as he positions himself well with or without the puck at all times .. his motor is where you want it as he keeps moving his feet and working .. his accuracy and power behind his shot are impressive but he could quicken his release .. is a threat to score even from the outside .. could compete harder in his own end but he's okay defensively and is more than willing to block a shot .. size and speed are the questions marks moving forward but he compensates for them at this level with anticipation and balance.

Tony Lucia (SJ), F, Minnesota Gophers

The coach's son is a savvy two way centerman who is used on the third line .. communicates with his line mates and displays vocal leadership .. skating needs improvement has he lacks quickness in tight areas and his top gear in the open ice is also lacking .. very sturdy on his feet though and is agile as the mechanics to his stride are fine .. sees the ice okay but he lacks offensive imagination as he rather just dump the puck in deep and chase it rather than try to set up a play .. has good puck pursuit and is usually the first man in on the forecheck .. finishes his checks and has plenty of grit to his game .. goes to the net and despite having a below average shot, he finishes time to time as he has a knack for finding the loose rebounds .. hands are just okay as he handles the puck well but could catch passes more smoothly .. plays on the penalty kill and is a strong two way player .. knows and executes his defensive assignments routinely .. puts fourth a good effort on the ice .. lacks offensive upside but could be a fourth line type in the NHL if he improves his skating.

Ryan Stoa (Col), F, Minnesota Gophers

Two way centerman who's strong in traffic and a long the boards .. seems to have to bulked up since last season as both his upper body and lower body are filled out .. sturdy on his feet .. has soft hands and protects the puck very well but isn't a creative stickhandler .. goes to the net and stays there .. is a good in close finisher as he has a quickly released shot and he is difficult for the opposition to neutralize his stick because of his strong arms .. finishes his checks and forechecks adequately .. sees the ice decently but isn't an instinctive or creative passer .. third line center type.

Alex Goligoski (Pit), D, Minnesota Gophers

The alternate captain is having a tremendous season and his development has been rapid .. fluent skater who moves so effortlessly that his speed is deceptive to the opposition .. skates similar to Matt Carle as he's an all compass, smooth skater with decent quickness but lacks an explosive top gear .. can rush the puck up the ice on his own as he sees the ice well and has soft hands which enables him to weave past the opposition in the neutral zone .. his vision is exceptional as is his puck movement .. makes the first pass out of the zone routinely .. is creative on the point and is a natural power play quarterback .. his patience with the puck is remarkable and he can slow the game down for himself .. can thread the needle with a pass and sees the miniscule open lanes that most can't .. high panic threshold as he can execute a play with the opposition all over him .. has fairly heavy point shot that is quickly released .. gets it through to the net with good accuracy .. impressive one timer .. holds the blue the line to open a lane for his shot or pass .. his defensive game is vastly improved this season .. more physical and is deceptively strong .. can land the odd open ice hit .. sturdy on his feet .. can be nasty in front of his own net and clears the crease as well as possible considering his size .. is a much more polished one on one defender this season .. does a good job of pressuring the puck carrier and takes away their time and space .. takes away the middle of the ice the angles he takes to the opposition are now appropriate .. a Hobey Baker candidate as he has added the defensive game to his already present offensive game.

Ryan Flynn (Nsh), F, Minnesota Gophers

Skating is the main issue as both his first step quickness and top gear are well below average .. added upper body strength would help his power game as he willingly finish his checks and battles with vigor in traffic .. will take a hit to make a play .. moves the puck instinctively and is a blossoming play maker as he grows more comfortable with the pace of the NCAA game .. has a quick release and will go to the net area to create a screen .. sturdy on his feet and is strong along the boards .. gets in quickly on the forecheck .. hands are fairly soft but he lacks elusiveness .. decent defensive habits but his lack of speed gets him caught up the ice too often.

Mike Carman (Col), F, Minnesota Gophers

Is fleet on his feet as he has good acceleration but mostly only uses that speed for his impressive puck pursuit and can't skate the puck up the ice on his own much .. physical spark plug who is a pest on the forecheck .. okay vision and passer but lacks the offensive skills to be anything more than a bottom six type .. despite being small, he's stocky and strong .. goes to the net without fear and can finish with a garbage goal .. good two way player who uses his speed and anticipation to disrupt the opposition .. is at his best away from the puck .. plays on the first penalty kill unit.

Kyle Okposo (NYI), F, Minnesota Gophers

Was uncharacteristically quiet this weekend on the stat sheet but was a threat to score every shift .. competitive centerman who loves to get physical and plays with a mean streak .. has a commanding stride with impressive power behind it as his top gear allows him to fly past the opposition to the outside .. does a good job on face-offs as if he looses them he neutralizes the center by tying him up .. has dangerous drives to the net and protects the puck exceptionally well .. strong on his feet and is has tremendous strength .. has a cannon shooting arsenal and is a natural finisher .. his vision and imagination moving the puck has improved since last season as he can execute a slick pass through heavy traffic and he now spots the open man much faster .. is very dangerous one on one as he can beat the opposition with finesse, speed, or power .. was used on the penalty kill even when down five on three .. back checks with vigor and shows good defensive commitment and awareness .. he'll be in the NHL next season.

Erik Johnson (StL), D, Minnesota Gophers

Wasn't caught chasing the puck this weekend which he has been guilty of in the past .. a shut down one on one defender .. has great strength and when he chooses to get physical he is dominant .. isn't mean though .. can land an open ice hit or execute the hip check .. overall moves the puck like a pro .. can stretch the ice with a long distance outlet pass and puts more zip on his passes than most in the NHL can .. sees the ice well and distributes the puck crisply tape to tape .. has a future on the point for the power play in the NHL as a gunner rather than the quarterback .. lacks the top notch creativity to quarterback the power play .. his slap shot is bone rattling hard and his wrist shot is equally as effective .. has a quickly released shooting arsenal and he does a good job of getting his shots through and low to the net .. seemingly can slow the game down for himself when the puck is on his stick .. can rush the puck up the ice on his own and will pinch in down low .. has soft hands and protects the puck well .. slippery in possession for a player of his size .. anticipates the game well .. quickness on his first step is amazing for a player of his size and his powerful stride gives him an exceptional top gear .. pivots are smooth and his agility bellies his size .. impressive backwards speed and mobility .. maintains a healthy gap .. does a good job staying stick on stick .. played a 2-1 text book and intercepted the attempted pass as he gave Frazee the shooter .. blocks shots by going down to one knee with flawless technique .. clears the crease effectively .. neutralizes his man by pinning him on the boards .. can dominate the game with his athleticism .. only chink in the armor is he will force the puck up the middle if forechecked hard.

Blake Wheeler (Phx), F, Minnesota Gophers

Blessed with an elite athletic package but is still raw .. his puck pursuit is much improved this season as he's strong on the forecheck and he has been much more physical this year .. has good vision and is a clever passer .. draws the opposition to him before dishing out a nice pass .. blessed with soft hands and he can really dangle the puck at times .. uses his long reach to protect the puck well .. has a powerful stride which gives him the speed to burn the opposition to the outside .. should drive the net more often as his size, speed, and reach would give defenders headaches if he was more proactive with those tools .. isn't soft but plays on the perimeter to much for a player of his size .. has a decent release with good velocity on his shot but the accuracy is spotty .. had a chance to tie the game up with a prime scoring opportunity as he was wide open in the slot but missed it well wide .. his defensive habits have improved this year as his lackadaisical back check is a thing of the past and he shows good effort away from the puck .. however he still appears a bit lost in terms of defensive assignments .. does a decent job on face offs .. despite his impressive numbers you always get the sense he is still capable of much more given his impressive tools as he needs to be more proactive driving the net and battling in front of the net.

David Fischer (Mtl), D, Minnesota Gophers

Has a tall lanky frame and is very mobile with plenty of upside but he is still quite raw .. pivots well for a 6-3 defenseman .. has a long and strong stride that as he adds more strength should be top notch .. backwards speed could be improved as he was beaten with speed to the outside .. needs to bulk up as he was pushed around too much for such a tall defenseman .. has blossoming anticipation as he reads the play very well and can jump on an errant pass .. makes the first pass out of the zone routinely .. hands are soft enough as he handles the puck easily .. doesn't skate the puck up the ice on his own .. lacks the offensive imagination to be a power play quarterback and seems hesitant to shoot .. maintains a healthy gap with his man and does a decent job staying stick on stick .. lacks a mean streak and hopefully with added strength will come a physical side to his game .. that said he competes a long the boards and in front of his net .. decision making is questionable as he was inconsistent in the face of pressure .. at times it didn't faze him and others he through the puck away needlessly .. a dependable defenseman with size and mobility but will never be a go to guy likely.

Mike Vannelli (Atl), D, Minnesota Gophers

The Gophers captain needs to improve his balance as for a big man he can get knocked off his feet too easily .. pivots well enough but overall his skating needs work .. is a fine forwards skater as his long stride prevails in the open ice .. backwards mobility is suspect as he can be beaten with speed .. strength behind his stride is just okay .. has an above average physical game .. his vision is a strong suite as he sees ice well and distributes the puck maturely .. lacks the creativity to quarterback the power play at the next level but currently he is on the Gophers first unit as his heavy and low slap shot gets him on the power play .. defensively he needs refinement as the tools are there but the execution isn't.. he allows his man to beat him off the boards too easily .. uses his stick to much and will be heavily penalized in the pros .. shaky one on one at times strong at others .. lacks a mean streak but does a decent job clearing the front of his net .. uses his long reach to clog passing lanes well and will lie down to block a shot .. his puck movement is impressive and he has the size but he's till quite raw defensively.

Derek Peltier (Col), D, Minnesota Gophers

Calm and poised, Peltier is a reliable two way defenseman but isn't dominant either .. sees the ice well and distributes the puck maturely .. often paired with Erik Johnson .. mobile as he is good all compass skater with a strong stride skating forwards .. although his first step lacks explosiveness .. handles the puck with ease but isn't the type of defenseman that can beat the opposition by skating the puck up the ice .. competent defensive zone coverage and is difficult to beat one on one as he maintains a good gap and plays the body instead of the puck .. moves well laterally .. competes in front of his own net and along the boards .. he does everything well but nothing great .. the type of player that grows you with repeated viewings but he'll never be a dominant defenseman at either end.

R.J. Anderson (Phi), D, Minnesota Gophers

Steady, stay at home defenseman .. is a very difficult defender to beat one on one .. his gap control is exceptional .. despite his modest size he's physical and does a good job pinning his man a long the boards .. agile but lacks quickness and open ice speed .. anticipates the game well away from the puck .. lacks any offensive upside although he doesn't turn the puck over either.

Jeff Frazee (NJ), G, Minnesota Gophers

In his first game back from a brilliant World Juniors Frazee had a 30 save shut out .. not a butterfly goalie as he often prefers to stay on his feet to make a save .. in fact he'll jump up in the air and use his shoulder to make a save .. quick reflexes and exceptional vision of the puck at all times make up for his awkward mechanics .. has quick legs and jack rabbit like lateral movement .. glove side is lively .. rebound control is going to have to be improved down the road to last in the NHL .. resorts to flopping often on the second shot but does so in a way that he often makes the second save .. plays the puck aggressively .. will challenge the shooter .. decent blocker side .. consistency game to game is the key as at times he isn't focused against a lesser opponent .. type of goalie you want in the net for a big game.

USA: Avon-ue Draw (posted 01.24.07)

by Anthony A. Mauro, Jr.

Drew MacKenzie (Jr.), D, Taft

Impact defenseman is a cornerstone defenseman for Taft .. big, rangy, and mobile .. light on his skates and is very swift .. adds a dimension to his defending with above average skating backwards .. has head on a swivel and surveys the play with great anticipation .. one of the few players who displayed a pulse in a sleepwalker of a game .. showed a real nasty side and roughed up a couple of forwards in the corners .. seems to be on another level than teammates as passes were missed and went untouched .. is a quick thinker and always makes the right decision with the puck .. is confident carrying the puck up the ice .. will get to the opponent's blue line and pass, dump in .. always chooses the smart, low risk play which is commendable at this stage .. worthy of a 2nd/3rd round selection .. late '88 born will more likely be a middle round selection in the entry draft but is a defenseman whose prospect value has the potential to skyrocket.

George Hughes (Jr.), D, Taft

Tall and thin rear guard is extremely raw with some nice tools .. although he owns an ultra stiff and choppy skating style, his immature strides are not as much of a problem as it initially seems .. executes above average gap control .. has some problems processing plays .. prone to bad giveaways which may indicate of lack of hockey sense .. has magnetic hands .. an above average passer from standstill and in motion .. possesses a great point shot which he gets off quickly in any form of slap, wrist, snap .. lanky defender looks to be fighting for a late round selection in the NHL entry draft.

Robbie Bourdon (So.), LW, Taft

Quebec native is an intuitive and skilled forward .. an efficient skater who never stops churning legs .. has a soft pair of mitts and displays solid stickhandling .. loves to shoot but must improve shot selection .. good percentage of shots are blocked or miss the net .. redirected a nice pass from teammate Curran in the slot for the game tying goal .. easily knocked off the puck .. will add weight with maturity which will help overall game .. must improve balance on skates in order to become a consistent force at the prep level .. shifty, quick shooting Canadian resembles the Gatineau Olympiques Claude Giroux.

Ken Trentowski (Sr.), D, Avon

Left-handed shooting defenseman from Ronkonkoma, NY is a carbon-copy of NYR draft pick Bobby Sanguinetti .. Avon's undisputed leader on the backend is a smooth blue liner oozing hockey smarts .. has a great mind for the game evident when his superb vision led to the games first goal .. threaded a beautiful pass in the slot through two opponents to forward Wieland who tapped it in effortlessly .. has a ton of confidence and is able to turn the play up ice swiftly .. commands the entire rink with superb skating and pinpoint passing .. at times acts as a fourth forward because of advanced talent .. has an active stick when defending .. stifles forwards and gives them absolutely no room or time to attack .. can stand to be more aggressive and add an edge .. has natural feel for the game and above average skillset to be dominant .. unsurprisingly this intelligent and competent rearguard is committed to Yale.

Patrick Mullane (So.), C, Avon

Sophomore pivot is a gem that a higher level program will surely develop into a player .. blends in real well and rarely commits any turnovers .. possesses a lot of qualities that project well to the pro game already .. owns the size, speed, and skating to be effective game-to-game regardless of young age .. shows admirable competitiveness .. does not hesitate going into corners full force and crashes the net with authority .. uses his body well and shields the puck from attackers .. not afraid to hit and disrupt opposing team's breakout or be hit in order to advance the play .. is a developing presence in the offensive zone and will be dangerous with more experience and maturity .. was used in all situations .. paired with forward James Chamness on the penalty kill .. comparable to Boston's Patrice Bergeron for style and savvy all around game.

Nick Bonino (Sr.), RW, Avon

BU recruit is an enigma with subpar skating but superb offensive tools .. seems to always find his way onto score sheets .. notched a third period goal and first period assist .. is downright dangerous in the offensive zone and makes his presence known with a lethal release .. is a scary winger on the power play when he sets up at the hash marks .. owns a potent selection of shots and an impressive willingness to fire at any time .. played on the power play with Cam Atkinson and Chris Wieland .. has undeniable instincts as puck seems to follow him .. shows quick hands and can process plays under pressure .. lacks foot speed and therefore struggles to win battles and races to loose pucks .. not a liability in the defensive zone but must try harder than peers in order to offset substandard skating .. lumbering sniper will do fine at collegiate level as long as he shows improvement in speed, agility, and acceleration.

Cam Atkinson (Jr.), LW, Avon

Committed to BC, this soon to be Eagle plays with determination and hustle every shift .. small but wide tank plays with no fear .. an exciting playmaker boasts precise stickhandling and speed to burn .. is confident with the puck on his stick and will challenge opposing forwards and defensemen .. looks to be smaller than listed size of 5'9'' .. despite lack of size showed no lack of heart by going into corners full speed and battled hard along boards .. most importantly sacrificed his body in front of the net .. plays well in all three zones .. owns a quick, sneaky shot .. picked up an assist on Bonino's goal .. small dynamo will be challenged at next level but should continue to overcome small stature.

NCAA: Ferris State vs. Northern Michigan (posted 01.22.07)

by Max Giese

Derek MacIntyre (SJ), G, Ferris State

Hasn't performed or developed as expected over the three seasons which has lead him to being the back up on most nights .. an athletic hybrid goalie with impressive dexterity and flexibility.. quick lateral movement stands out but he has a troubling habit of lifting his stick off of the ice and breaking his stance in the process which can be exposed with a one timer .. stays square to the puck and does a good job maintaining the proper angle to the shooter .. will challenge the shooter at times but can also be caught playing too far back in his crease when there is heavy traffic in front .. difficult to beat down low as he has fine leg extension and reflexes .. exposed up high despite a fine blocker .. his glove side is concerning as he is beaten too often there .. rebound control needs much improvement as he'll leave juicy rebounds right in the slot .. needs to do a better job of finding the puck through traffic as screens give him more trouble than the average collegiate goalie .. doesn't get close enough to the opposition screening him and plays too far back in his crease .. needs to be more patient with the shooter as a deke often makes him go down too early as he makes the first move .. a long shot for the NHL or even the AHL despite his impressive athleticism.

Mike Santorelli (Nsh), F, Northern Michigan

Quick strides give him fine acceleration and he's very fast from the blue line in .. lacks a top gear but his agility and quickness make him a very elusive skater to the opposition .. anticipates the game well .. has soft hands and along with a few creative moves .. an okay passer who can find the open man and has fairly good offensive imagination, but tends to over handle the puck and lacks the instincts to be a true play making threat .. a natural finisher with a snipers release and accuracy, you can hang your hat on his goal scoring exploits and it's that ability that could take him to the NHL .. defensively he needs a lot of work and discipline as he ignores his assignments too often .. doesn't do much in the corners or a long the boards and prefers the open ice to a physical battle for a loose puck although he will battle in front for a rebound .. a real offensive threat that has some wholes in his game away from the puck, however his natural finishing touch and quickness with the puck makes him an intriguing prospect.

Darin Olver (NYR), F, Northern Michigan

Blessed with an elite first step burst that propels his exceptional acceleration and overall speed .. has a strong, quick stride as his superior skating is a huge asset .. handles the puck with immense skill as he can maneuver through traffic standing still or at full speed .. sees the ice well while skating at top gear and can make the opposition miss .. still looks rather thin and the lack of bulk is a concern as he's moves forward to the pro game after the season .. that said he does handle himself well in traffic, especially near the goal area .. has a quickly released shot that has decent velocity and accuracy that you wish he wasn't so hesitant to use .. a deft play maker with superb vision and creativity .. can quarterback the power play in which he shines at distributing the puck in the open ice and can also execute a slick pass through a tight lane in heavy traffic .. his speed is tremendous and he is a savvy set up man that can also finish .. if his lack of strength proves to be a non issue at the pro level, his skill set is close to being NHL ready.