Rust Starting to Shine Through

With the attention that the USNTDP's d-corps has been receiving this season, and the attention goaltender Jack Campbell has been receiving, and add to that the attention Brandon Saad, Matthew Nieto, and Jason Zucker have been receiving at forward, it's easy for a player like Bryan Rust to almost get lost in the crowd, but he's been doing his best to force people to take notice. Rust finished second-to-last in scoring amongst the NTDP's Under-17 forwards last season, scoring 9 goals and 13 assists in 67 games, one point ahead of Stuart Higgins, who played 18 fewer games, but that's not the case in 2009-10. Heading into the 2010 World Under-18 Championships, Rust was seventh in Under-18 scoring and was only seven points away from tying Nieto for first, and he finished the season especially strong. After the Six Nations Tournament in early February, Rust led the Under-18 team in scoring with 14 points (4 goals and 10 assists in 9 games) and he tallied in all but two games. If being a hot hand heading into the World Under-18's wasn't enough, Rust entered the tournament tied with Zucker and Bill Arnold for second in team scoring in international competition with eight points (2 goals and 6 assists). Put it all together and add in the fact he's a solid all-around hockey player who plays a two-way game, and Rust is really starting to shine through.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the opportunity catch the USNTDP's Under-18 team in USHL action twice after the Six Nations Tournament and enters notes on 2010-eligible forwards Bryan Rust, Jason Zucker, Bill Arnold, Luke Moffatt, and Chase Balisy.

Bryan Rust (2010), RW, USA U-18

Doesn't get the recognition he deserves .. has good cruising speed with the puck .. has good stride extension .. able to use his agility in the corners and along the boards .. makes hard, crisp passes .. a confident stickhandler who can execute some nice lateral stickhandling moves and undress opposing defensemen .. willing to fight through checks with the puck and go through the gauntlet .. has good peripheral vision .. puts in a concerted effort on the forecheck and routinely creates problems for the opponent's breakout .. a real threat to strip the puck on the forecheck and create offensive chances, including scoring goals .. a regular on the powerplay and, like Zucker, could easily be a solid penalty killer, but this role was fulfilled by others .. solidly built at 5-foot-11.5, 191 pounds .. a solid all-around hockey player .. projects as a solid third-line NHL forward who can fill in on higher lines .. would consider Rust a late third-round, early fourth-round selection of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (86th to 100th overall) .. committed to Notre Dame .. played 56 total games for the U-18 team and scored 20 goals and 22 assists .. scored 10 goals and 13 assists in 27 USHL regular season games (including 1 game with the U-17 team, going without a point) .. scored 2 goals and 6 assists in 9 international games prior to the World Under-18 Championships.

Jason Zucker (2010), LW, USA U-18

Best of the NTDP Under-18 team's forwards eligible for the 2010 Draft .. can play the game any way you want .. a smooth skater with exceptional speed .. uses his speed, quickness, and agility to weave and drive through traffic and toward the net .. able to get well out on his edges on his turns .. maintains excellent knee bend in his turns and makes smooth turns and crossovers .. a goal-scoring threat with his hard shot .. has a hard wristshot that seems to take no sweep .. has a hard slapper and a deadly one-timer .. heads-up stickhandler who can assess his options and create plays .. utilizes Gretzky circles from time to time to buy time for teammates and make the pass down low or to a trailer .. plays a physical game .. uses his speed on the forecheck and comes crashing in on opposing defensemen .. will engage physically going for the puck and is very strong on his skates .. seems to make at least one mega-hit per game .. conscientious defensively .. a real threat on the backcheck with his speed and hustle .. willing to drop and block shots .. a regular on the powerplay and has all the tools to be a solid penalty killer, but wasn't put in that role .. isn't big at 5-foot-10.5, 174 pounds, but isn't small and doesn't play small .. a fine all-around hockey player who projects as a solid third-liner in the NHL with second-line upside .. I'd rate Zucker in the 31st to 45th overall pick range .. committed to Denver .. played 51 total games for the U-18 team and scored 24 goals and 19 assists .. scored 11 goals and 7 assists in 22 USHL regular season games .. scored 3 goals and 5 assists in 9 international games prior to the World Under-18 Championships (not including the World Junior Championships) .. played for Team USA's U-20 team at the World Junior Championships, one of two players from the Under-18 team to do so (goaltender Jack Campbell being the other) .. invited to the NHL Combine.

Bill Arnold (2010), C, USA U-18

Relies more on hockey sense than on flash .. has good speed and can execute tight turns with the puck, but doesn't flash it a lot .. possesses good hockey sense in his offensive zone and subtly makes things happen .. adept at starting the cycle and drives the net for the pass .. makes other slick plays and then drives the net .. will also drive the net with the puck himself and can shield the puck with his stout 5-foot-11.5, 218-pound build .. makes crisp, accurate passes on the breakout, the attack, and in his own zone .. able to execute nice one-touch passes .. has a hard wristshot .. puts in an intelligent two-way effort, but doesn't have the speed of some of his USNTDP teammates to stick out a lot .. I like Arnold's hockey sense, but it looks like I'm not as high on him as some .. I'd consider Arnold an early fourth-round pick, 91st to 105th overall .. committed to Boston College .. played 56 total games for the U-18 team and scored 17 goals and 27 assists .. scored 8 goals and 15 assists in 26 USHL regular season games .. scored 4 goals and 4 assists in 9 international games prior to the World Under-18 Championships .. invited to the NHL Combine.

Luke Moffatt (2010), RW, USA U-18

Was invisible early in the season at the Fall Classic and seemed to have no role, but embraced his role as a checking forward .. what hustle .. hustles on the forecheck and creates problems for the opponent .. finishes his checks .. forechecking efforts result in a lot of turnovers .. willing to drop and block shots .. became a regular penalty killer for the U-18 team .. has decent speed with the puck .. has some quickness, but his sheer effort really makes this so .. gets a bit upright under acceleration with the puck .. has a hard wristshot and a hard slapshot .. isn't as smooth of a skater as most of the rest of his USNTDP U-18 teammates .. has decent size at 6-foot-0.5, 187 pounds .. very impressed with how Moffatt transformed his game and to develop such a high compete level after being a scorer in his minor hockey career .. a little behind Rust for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, because of relative skating deficiencies and less production .. I'd consider Moffatt for 106th to 130th overall .. could project as a third-line NHLer, but isn't as refined in this role as Zucker or Rust .. committed to Michigan .. played 56 total games for the U-18 team and scored 13 goals and 17 assists .. scored 5 goals and 10 assists in 28 USHL regular season games (including 2 games with the U-17 team, tallying 1 goal and 1 assist) .. scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 9 international games prior to the World Under-18 Championships.

Chase Balisy (2010), C, USA U-18

Generally played a third and fourth-line role for the U-18 team in 2009-10 .. despite modest offensive production this year, he still shows good offensive awareness .. is a heads-up stickhandler who can assess his options .. has good presence on the breakout .. an adept saucer passer .. able to buy time for his teammates along the half boards by evading opponents with spins and swivels .. displays good defensive awareness and can disrupt the opponent's breakout .. sees a regular penalty-killing shift .. somewhat small at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds .. limited offensive production with the U-18 team makes Balisy only a possible pick for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft .. no college commitment of yet .. major junior rights are held by the London Knights .. played 56 total games for the U-18 team and scored 8 goals and 14 assists .. scored 5 goals and 6 assists in 28 USHL regular season games (which included 2 games with the U-17 team, tallying 1 assist).