U-17 Hockey Challenge: Team USA

The Americans finished with a silver medal for their efforts. They fought diligently in every contest including six unanswered goals to beat Team West in round robin play. The shock of the tournament came when they were bested by team Germany. McKeen's has notes on several key performers.

Forwards

The American forwards were very mature offensively. Each forward was designed a specific role and worked well within the system. Jeremy Morin, Drew Shore and Gerry D'Amigo led the way with over a point a game each. The Americans had a balanced attack and could roll four lines and still get production. Aside from Team Ontario, they boasted the most depth.

Grade: A

Defense

Blessed with many capable puck-moving defensemen, the team suffered a critical blow when they lost Sam Calabrese in the second game for the remainder of the tournament. The defensive unit was built around Fowler and Schmitz and they certainly did not play up to their potential. Mattson stepped-up his play and Wrenn and Crowley played well in a shutdown role logging ample minutes against the opposition's best lines.

Grade: B

Goaltending

Maxwell put up the best statistical numbers in the tournament and gave his chance a team to win every game. His backup Adam Muray played in only one game, which was a loss to team Germany. Maxwell handled the pressure well and all signs indicate that he will be a very special goalie in the future. Only the loss to Germany prohibits them from scoring a perfect grade.

Grade: A

Playing with one another on the same team and practicing daily with the same core group of guys helped them considerably. The program since being introduced has developed top-flight talent and this year's crop is no different. Expect many names to be called in next year's NHL entry draft, as the Americans continue to churn out quality players.

Grade: A-

Scouting Notes

Brandon Maxwell (2009), G USNDP – Verbal to Boston College

Dual citizenship allowed Maxwell to backstop Team USA .. born in Florida, Maxwell played his midget hockey in Ontario as a member of the Cambridge Hawks that captured the Alliance Championships .. played in every important game in this tournament, posted the best G.A.A., and save percentage among goalies that started more then four games .. shows composure and a mental toughness that was unrivalled by any other goalie in the tournament .. he is an excellent butterfly goalie who plays his angles well and moves well side-to-side .. only drops to his knees at the last possible second .. quick to smother rebounds .. did not handle the puck often and was most likely encouraged not to by the coaching staff, even though he is a capable stickhandler .. has matured in the net, as he did not play with the same level of cockiness he did last season .. possesses a mean streak and will not hesitate to hack a player in front .. he is big and strong and most players stay far away from his crease .. struggles at times with his five-hole, as he leaves it open when he comes across .. needs to squat down more in the butterfly, as he plays too upright and shots that hit the top of his pads usually produce a healthy rebound .. shows all the signs of being Team USA goalie of the future, as his skill set and competitiveness set him well apart from his peers playing the same position.

Bjorn Krupp (2009), D, USNDP

Drafted by the Belleville Bulls in the second round following an impressive later half of the season, Krupp eventually decided to go the College route .. his father, Uwe, played in over 700 NHL games and was a member of the Stanley Cup winning Colorado Avalanche in 1996 .. struggled in this tournament especially in his defensive reads and saw large periods of time on the bench .. he was too easily swayed off the puck .. at the sign of any pressure, he would fumble the puck .. his footwork is average .. he is a bigger player but cannot make adjustments quick enough .. at times, he is drawn out of position and leaves the box .. his reverse movement is another weakness to his game and he has a hard time angling off .. was not a factor in the offensive side of things and failed to register a point in the entire tournament .. needs to work on his conditioning and overall approach to the game.

Sam Calabrese (2009), D, USNDP Verbal to Notre Dame

Durable defender (has played in all 32 USNDP games this season) was limited to just three games this tournament and was sorely missed .. went down with a lower body injury after a fearless 3-5 PK against Russia, in which he blocked two point-blank shots with his knee and foot .. all-around-solid defenseman with encompassing mobility and speed .. shows a complete understanding of his duties in all three zones and was Team USA's smartest defenseman .. his positioning in 2-1 breakouts and one-on-one battles was flawless, as no one was able to beat him .. his lateral movement infuriated the opposition, as he simply gave them no room to move or make a play .. uses his stick in the right situation and always keeps the distance between him and the puckcarrier very short .. is not fooled by fancy playmakers .. despite his average size (5-11, 170), he showed resounding strength, as players were unable to pry themselves from his grip down low .. is capable of playing on both the PK and PP and not look out of place .. used mainly in a defensive role, his puck skills are highly underrated, as he scored over 70 points in his final season of Midget hockey for Team Illinois .. certainly a player that will garner considerable attention next year.

Beau Schmitz (2009), D, USNDP Verbal to Ferris State

Capable of playing much better than he did, as he only recorded a single assist which came in the opening game, an 8-0 victory over Team Atlantic .. was very quiet in most contests and did not appear to be in harmony with the team at all .. was selective on when he choose to launch a rush .. has good puck moving skills but seemed to lack confidence .. showed glimpses of what he was capable of, as his puck skills are very polished .. patience is a big part of his game, as he identifies his outlets .. uses his agility and athleticism to skate by players and can go coast-to-coast when he wants .. needs to work on his speed out of the blocks but his stride and overall movement have a nice fluidity to it .. well put together at 5-foot-11 and a solid 185 pounds, he is physically impossible to push off the puck and his balance serves him well down low .. did not lose many battles in open ice or along the glass .. Schmitz had a tendency to disappear and not play consistent, something he will need to address for next year.

Nick Mattson (2010), D, USNDP Verbal to North Dakota

Talented rearguard got better as the tournament progressed and led Team USA in defensive scoring with five assists .. his skill in leading the rush and more importantly making smart calculated plays at the line resulted in many effective PP's with sustained pressure .. he reacts quickly to plays and understands game situations well .. a gifted skater both forwards and backwards .. he plays a great transition game .. he instinctively knows when to push up on a forward or when to hang back .. he is able to see plays unfold and takes the time to make an extra stride to get better positional advantage .. he takes and receives passes well .. he throws the puck on the ice with the right pressure to make an effective play .. whether it is touch passes in the neutral zone or backhand saucer passes at the point, he is capable of forcing the opposition back with his vision and stick skills .. well built and still growing, he is not a punishing hitter but he registers meaningful takedowns .. yet another Team USA defenseman that should be a highly sought after pick come his NHL draft eligibility.

Cam Fowler (2010), D, USNDP Verbal to Notre Dame

A completely disastrous tournament for him, as he failed to record a point and much like his defensive partner Schmitz, took a back seat to Mattson .. what makes his lack of production even more mysterious is the amount of time he got on the PP and his unheralded skill set .. his poise with the puck, mobility and vision are all top notch .. he could improve his puck skills slightly, as he looks a tad rigid when handling the puck out of his zone .. he needs to keep the puck closer to his body, as he does not always protect it well .. did not rush the play with a heightened urgency, rather he elected to hang back and patrol the line once all his men where in deep .. he can accelerate well and change directions with ease .. multiple levels of acceleration allow him to gain the line and do a half curl set up, however, he did not always exploit this strength in game situations .. a threat to come out of the zone or make a brilliant first pass .. does not panic and possesses a high hockey IQ .. can be caught cheating at times in his coverage but for the most part, he plays a well-structured game .. he may be better suited to harness his offensive charges and play a more laid-back game rather the up-tempo, puck rushing one he did in midget hockey.

Jeremy Morin (2009), LW, USNDP

Played Junior A hockey last year in Syracuse and was named Rookie-of-the-Year on the strength of 26 goals .. his hand skills are very reminiscent to another Syracuse born player - Tim Connolly .. he can stickhandle in the rain without getting the puck wet .. his moves in close make you stand out of your seat .. he is a natural finisher with a rapid release .. he plays the point on the PP .. he is shifty with the puck in his possession .. he teases defenseman by carrying the puck far ahead of him and when they attempt to stick check him he pulls the puck back and explodes by them .. if he manages to get a breakaway it is usually a goal, as he has NHL-type dekes already .. not blessed with the best feet, his first few strides need upgrading .. has a choppy stride but his wide stance allows him to step around defenseman .. unnoticeable in the defensive zone but the puck is usually on his blade when he is on the ice .. shared the goals scoring tournament lead with three other players and led Team USA in points with 6-6-2-8 totals .. his natural finishing ability, timely sense of when to shoot and overall offensive package have made him a highly sought after prospect that some speculate could be playing in the OHL due to the persistent courting of the Kitchener Rangers.

Kyle Palmieri (2009), RW, USNDP Verbal to Notre Dame

Played more of an energy game but fit in well with more talented linemates due to his natural skills .. slick hands in close and has good awareness on when to distribute the puck .. is a hard player to defend against due to his ability to camouflage a play .. plays more of an up-and-down game .. he drives hard to the net ,as his speed serves him well to make quick cuts to the net .. he pushes defenseman back but he cannot boll over them due to his small frame .. his ability to control loose pucks and settle them down on his blade helps him convert some of his chances .. his play also excels along the boards but he needs to make quick plays otherwise he gets knocked down .. he has mastered the give and go and understands his weaknesses .. he plays with spunk and is an aggressive forechecker .. committed to team success, Palmieri will do whatever it takes to win.

Steven Whitney (2009), W, Verbal to Boston College

Late addition to the team, as he does not play on the USNDP .. fir in rather nicely and was used primarily on the PP where his quick release and ability to get open in the slot were keys to his success .. small pivot with a tight turning radius and quick feet .. he did shy away from physical confrontations when challenged .. sneaked in and out of the danger zones but could not stay there because of his 5-foot-5, 140- pound frame .. can be caught flat-footed defensively especially in the neutral zone when he does not adjust to the swing in play .. he is extremely poor in his defensive reads and overall approach to the defensive game .. played strong to start the tournament but as the schedule became more grueling he completely disappeared.

Gerry D'Amigo (2009), LW, USNDP

Rode shotgun on Morin's line and was the beneficiary of many assists, finishing third in team scoring .. a multi-purpose forward that can do many things well .. his attention to detail in the offensive zone and patience with the puck helped to create many offensive chances .. always pushing forward and trying to make things happen by going hard to the net .. the goals he scores are usually within the hash marks or tip ins, which is a skill .. he enjoys playing in traffic and can make uncanny plays with limited space .. despite his bow-legged-skating stance, he garners ok speed .. protecting the puck and driving the net is a patent move of his and due to his frame, he can shelter it to the outside .. aware of his position on the ice, he makes smart plays in the offensive zone to offset his skating flaws .. quick to stick with his man in the defensive zone but his reads in the transition game need to be quicker .. plays a game similar to Ryan Smyth, a surging power forward but one who lacks size.

Drew Shore (2009), C, USNDP Verbal to University of Denver

Second in team scoring for the USNDP trailing only Morin .. had a solid tournament once again trailing teammate Morin to finish second in Team USA scoring .. does not have the hands that Morin does but his quickness and all-around game rival that of Morin .. hands work well in close, as he can often force the goalie to open up by holding onto the puck for an extra second .. his first step is explosive and he jumps onto loose pucks in an instant .. in open-ice situations, he is very difficult to play, as he can burn you in a multitude of different ways .. he also can play in tight checking contests, as he displays grit to his game .. absorbs hits well but he will need to fight through checks, as he is targeted early in games .. quick to leave the zone to stimulate offence, as he often leaves the defensive zone early .. Shore is an offensive dynamo but his game will have to become more complete in the next few seasons.

Kenny Ryan (2009), RW, USNDP Verbal to Boston College

An offensive superstar on an explosive Honeybaked Midget team .. can create instant offence due to his strong instincts and soft hands .. versatile forward was situated on numerous different lines to give it an offensive dimension .. he can make plays on both his forehand and backhand side .. he uses his blade cleverly to disguise his actions, as goalies have a hard time determining if he will shoot or pass .. his shot is hard and accurate .. he sees plays unfold and reacts quickly, sometimes too quickly .. developing more patience is essential for him to become a better scorer .. rolls off others and does a good job of using the opposition as a screen .. taking shots in mid-flight, he catches goalies by surprise .. not afraid to hurl his body into traffic areas and down low .. can play a physical game but needs to add strength to be more effective in his hits .. showing signs of being a reliable secondary scorer for years to come in the Team USA system.

Chris Brown (2009), RW, USNDP Verbal to University of Michigan

Brown does many little things right but does not excel at anything in particular .. he is a role player who will not hurt you with his skill set or decisions on the ice .. a tall, upright skater, he maximizes his speed with long graceful strides .. makes timely hits when he realizes his team needs a boost .. will always go to the boards and the wall to dig up the puck for his more talented linemates .. showed some good patience in front and knows what to do with the puck .. he scores many clutch goals, as he is the perfect player to go to war with in tight-checking games such as the playoffs .. he led his Midget team in scoring that featured many players who were drafted ahead of him in the OHL draft .. due to his sound defensive game, he could be molded into a solid two-way player cut from the same cloth as a Jamal Mayers.

Zach Golembiewski (2009), RW, USNDP Verbal to Michigan State

Another player who complements others with his uncompromising work ethic and ability to create room for his linemates due to his imposing frame .. big up-and-down winger who plays his side well .. lacks agility and his hand skills need to be improved upon when playing against competition at this level .. he is hard to knock off the puck due to his lower body strength .. he uses that to his advantage to run picks and positions himself to draw others to him .. put up healthy offensive totals in Midget but did not play much of an offensive role in this tournament .. his role was geared towards being more of a checking-line winger, a role in which he flourished.

Ryan Bourque (2009), LW, USNDP Verbal to University of New Hampshire

Son of legendary Hall-of-Fame defenseman Ray Bourque .. played with heart and determination .. was knocked around many times throughout the tournament but showed no signs of slowing down .. must learn to keep his head up when stickhandling across the line, as too often he was nailed as a result .. great individual skills but does not always make others around him better .. preferred to shoot more often than look for a pass .. he does have decent passing skills but is selective on when to use them .. usually only does when he runs out of options .. his feet are as quick as his hands and he can make plays out of nothing .. in tight, he can pounce on loose pucks and get the puck off his blade in an instant .. his play in traffic is encouraging despite his relatively skinny physique .. never gives up on plays until he hears a whistle .. his unparallel work ethic results in many offensive chances for him .. he buys into team concepts and since he comes back so far in his own zone, he can often spearhead a rush the other way .. has many promising traits but is far from a complete hockey player .. his two biggest areas of improvement will need to be upgrading his size and weight and improving his vision.