U17 Four Nations: Mad Max Gratchev

Maxim Gratchev (2007), LW, Russia

A dynamic and energetic scoring winger .. boasts explosive acceleration and very good top speed .. could use a little better agility at times as his balance doesn't always match his pace .. possesses a quick release on his wristshot which he likes to show off at every opportunity .. seems to know what it takes to score, trying to hit the top corners of the net, though his accuracy needs improvement .. plays a straight-ahead style, driving toward the net and shooting the puck .. good passing skills, though he doesn't employ them much .. showed a ton of intensity and spirit, which didn't always translate to the right things like hits but instead to after-whistle pushing and shoving .. displayed a wide array of taunting moves, including pulling his jersey off and showing it to the opposite bench, and, after a brawl, put on a Slapshot-like exhibition by stripping and throwing off his equipment (jersey, gloves, shoulder pads) .. the most noticeable player on the ice. (3-3-1-4)

Vladimir Zharkov (2006), RW, Russia

A skilled and productive winger .. led the tournament in scoring paired on a line with Max Gratchev .. a solid skater who receives good grades in all the areas such as acceleration, speed and agility .. could still use more lower-body strength to withstand even more abuse from opposing players .. plays a strong all-round offensive game, complete with good scoring and passing skills .. can distribute the puck effectively on fast rushes and throughout the offensive zone .. proved that he can finish plays as well with four goals in three games, tops among all skaters .. however, despite his obvious skill-set, he still lacks some strength and an edge to his game. (3-4-2-6)

Ivan Vishnevsky (2006), D, Russia

Hard-shooting defenseman turned heads by notching a hat-trick in a game against the Czech Republic .. boasts a booming shot from the point, which is clearly his best asset and main weapon .. able to rocket low and hard shots that the goalies had problems reacting to .. a very useful player on the powerplay thanks to his shooting arsenal even though his puck skills aren't at the same elite level .. his skating also needs work as he showed some holes in his mobility and lateral movement in particular .. got beaten to the outside by speedy opponents and was forced to take some desperate penalties .. looks to be a solidly-built player with the strength to handle defensive duties .. however, he has to work on his skating and puck skills to complement his big shot. (3-3-1-4)

Michal Repik (2007), RW, Czech Republic

A very skilled forward with solid puckhandling abilities in traffic .. possesses good wheels and knows how to use his speed to create scoring chances .. registered 13 shots on net during the three-game series .. has a good, accurate wristshot .. was utilized at the point on the powerplay, where he scored one of his goals with a quick wrister .. needs to round of his game still however, as he wasn't working extra hard away from the puck .. born on the last day of 1988 and is eligible for the 2007 NHL Draft (3-2-2-4)

Jakub Voracek (2007), RW, Czech Republic

Despite being the youngest forward in the tournament, Voracek certainly didn't fall behind the older competitors .. a strong skater with good balance .. able to handle the puck at top speed .. likes to spearhead the rush and brought the puck up ice frequently.. a good stickhandler, rarely loses the puck .. seemed to match up with the older players as far as strength went as well, and he boasts a spacious frame that will support lots more muscle .. showed that he can handle the pace of the game at this level even as an underager. (3-1-1-2)

Michal Neuwirth (2006), G, Czech Republic

A smallish goalie who relies heavily on his reflexes .. being undersized, he cannot go down on every shot as he leaves too much net exposed, which forces him to use leg saves on some lower shots .. shows impressive reflexes and reactions which helps to enhance his net coverage .. moves very fast in his crease .. doesn't always cover enough net when there are scrambles in front of goal and must work on maintaining his focus throughout the game. (1-1, 2.36, .935)

Patrik Berglund (2006), RW/C , Sweden

A big, aggressive forward .. a versatile player capable of playing center or at wing .. is already bigger and stronger than most players in his age group, and has obviously yet to fully fill out his frame .. at times, he started to build up momentum with his physical presence .. also showed that he can play with the puck and even be productive when given a more offense-minded role .. stood out as a player to keep an eye on over the coming years, though he must continue working on his puck skills and on keeping his legs moving on the ice. (3-0-0-0)

Tony Lagerstrom (2006), C, Sweden

Team captain is a prototypical two-way Swedish forward with no glaring weaknesses .. demonstrated a smooth skating stride with similarly fluid puckhandling skills .. used at center in this tournie though he can also play the wing .. ran the powerplay effectively and showed good puck control .. more suited to a playmaking role, despite scoring once and failing to register any assists here .. a strong leader who was always able to get the game back under control when he was on the ice. (3-1-0-1)