U17 Rochester Select Festival: Team Grey

In our final instalment on the USA Hockey U17 Select Festival, Mckeen's Director of Scouting, David Burstyn, profiles several players on Team Grey, including Seth Ambroz (pictured), who is considered as one of the top prospects for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Jay Williams (2011), G, (Waterloo) Verbal Commitment to Miami

Should assume the starting goaltending duties for Team USA .. a compact goalie that possesses good size (6'2), but needs to add some weight, as he is very thin .. recovers quickly due to slender frame and is able to move swiftly across the crease .. active stick, uses it well, as he adopts a paddle down technique .. good pivots and a healthy skater .. quick glove, ok blocker .. calm but can scramble at times and over play shots .. has good mental composure and makes timely saves to keep his team in games .. can make successive saves, as he is competitive and tracks down plays .. Williams has a good defence in front of him and has the capability to steal a game in a short tournament like the Hlinka.

Craig Duininck (2011), D, Windsor

Member of the Memorial Cup Spitfires, albeit played in a limited role .. plays a mature game whose main concern was getting the puck out of his zone swiftly and efficiently .. played with poise with and without the puck, as his decisions were solid and firm .. his passing improved with each game .. doesn't always push the envelope in terms of offence, as he employs more of a defensive-minded approach .. all encompass skater who is crisp in his acceleration and stride .. limited speed but has good size to manoeuvre around the ice .. eagerly defends his teammates, as he has a physical dimension to his game .. defensively, he angles well and contains guys down low .. should be partnered up with a more offensive-minded defender, although he is reliable and can architect some offensive plays.

Max Everson (2011), D, Edina H.S.

Everson is one of the better prospects from the Minnesota area and the only Minnesota-born defenseman to make the roster .. a solid all-around defenseman who has a good mixture of offensive skills and defensive prowess .. eliminates his man from the play, plays with an edge and is aware of his positioning .. constantly forces guys to the outside due to his strong skating skills, as he is balanced and agile .. very composed and has an active stick to marry his defensive game .. his puck decisions are good and he shows confidence with the puck .. has a quick release on a hard pointshot and slick passing skills to mix things up .. a smooth skater, he uses his edges well and has a clean skating style .. he is equipped with above-average speed .. Everson still needs to fill out but he has an aggressive streak to him .. he can play on both special teams and should be able to log top-four minutes with Team USA.

Josiah Didier (2011), D, Cedar Rapids

Didier struggled during camps but shows promise due to his size and understanding of the game .. he is a throwback player who plays an aggressive-style-of-game .. his puck skills are formidable but he carries it too far ahead of his body and does not protect it well as a result .. needs to be harder with the puck when making clearing attempts and more accurate with his passing skills .. makes good use of his size, as he smothers players and makes good use of his skating skills .. lanky with wide strides, he needs to add lower-body strength to make his turns and thrusts more powerful .. he is not a great open-ice hitter but he is very strong along the boards and in the corners .. he is a power defenseman so there is some use for him.

John Doherty (2011), LW, Chicago Mission

Doherty has the look of a player and skills to back up his play, however he does not assert himself and doesn't get involved in the game .. his hands and feet are good, as he can handle the puck at various speeds .. the problem is he hears footsteps and releases the puck prematurely so he does not finish his plays .. Doherty has potential but needs to display more gumption and take a hit to advance a play.

Kevin Irwin (2011), C, Cleveland Barons

Irwin got better with each passing game and was among the top-ten scorers in the tournament .. not a natural finisher, he shows good anticipation in the slot and good stick preparation .. has multiple levels of speed and was used on the PK .. also a PP option due to his penchant for getting into the open ice .. he doesn't have much creativity nor stickhandling prowess .. he is a smart player with good faceoff skills .. he showed keen attention to his defensive awareness and willingly rose to challenges .. Irwin needs to get stronger, as he is frail at 6-feet and 165 pounds .. adding upper-body strength is a necessity .. he thrashes his body for the puck in the corners and it is his quick stick that helps him win battles not so much his brute strength .. Irwin should be a good third-line option who should play an active role on the PK and has enough offence to potentially chip in the occasional shorthanded goal.

Seth Ambroz (2011), RW, Omaha

The most heralded prospect attending the Rochester camps, as he has already played two full seasons in the USHL .. benefitted by riding shotgun with Matt White this season, USHL 'Player-of-the-Year' .. a power forward who can dominate down low and in front of the net .. scores garbage goals, as he has a quick stick and follows up his rebounds .. he doesn't have the greatest shot but he battles to get into position .. was fairly invisible and unable to carry the play due to his speed .. needs to be partnered up with a fast centre that can get him the puck down the wing .. has decent hands for stickhandling, as he places the puck in his feet and drives the net and challenges defenders with his thick frame .. slow footed out of the gate, he cannot orchestrate a play due to his lack of quickness .. he does garner good speed once in motion and advances the puck up the ice with timely and accurate passes .. Ambroz understands his limitations, which makes him effective, he does not try to beat forecheckers in open ice, rather he distributes the puck and finds his open ice .. he is smart in terms of knowing where to go and when he gets the puck he has patience and strength with it .. he needs to become more involved and should be given ample opportunity as a top-six forward for Team USA at the Hlinka.