U17 Rochester Select Festival: Team Royal

In Part 5 of our 8-part series on the U17 Select Festival, McKeen's Director of Scouting, David Burstyn, looks at many promising players on the royal roster, including Saginaw Spirit forward Vincent Trocheck (pictured).

Jacob MacDonald (2011), D, Waterloo

MacDonald is a dependable, steady option on the backend .. his poise and puck decisions were polished largely in part to his experience playing in the USHL last season .. not a flashy defender, he keeps his game simple in both zones .. stays with plays defensively and leans on his hockey sense to stay involved in the game .. he can join the rush but he concentrates his efforts more on defence .. he does not get fooled by flashy forwards, as he closes his gaps and angles well .. he is an average skater, but has good feet and can twist out of trouble .. his offensive game is mature but he is not a natural puck rusher or QB on the PP .. his passing skills are crisp and are the best attribute of his offensive game .. Macdonald brings a solid two-way game to the table and should improve this season.

Cason Hohmann (2011), RW, Cedar Rapids (Verbal Commitment to Boston University)

A smaller, yet dynamic forward with excellent puckhandling skills .. he wants the puck every time he steps onto the ice .. he makes things happen but he can also force the action rather than let the game flow as naturally as it should .. he can get caught out of position in his pursuit of the puck .. he does generate offence and is dangerous with the puck in his possession, but not so good without it .. his hands are quick and he can make nice passes when he decides to make a pass .. he is on the smaller side but does not hesitate to dart in and out of scoring areas and push the envelope .. he has a strong upper body and can get his shot off when defenders are draped all over him .. shifty and elusive but not overly fast, as he does not have a top gear .. tends to leave the zone early, as he constantly pushes for offence .. he is a good PP player, as he was the straw that stirred the drink in terms of working it closer to the goal .. has a good set of offensive tools but his size is a liability.

Blake Roubos (2011), LW, Culver

A nice complementary player, he played well on the second line chipping in some offence with four points in five games .. a squat down skater, who has a wide base but does not have a separation gear .. makes nice plays in the offensive zone with his passing skills .. cerebral, he makes passes quickly, as the puck is off and on his blade instantly .. when he holds onto the puck for too long he tends to make errors, as his puck protection skills are not overly good .. small in stature, he will need to make considerable upgrades to his game to be on the radar of NHL scouts.

Tanner Sorenson (2011), LW, Shattuck St.Mary's (Verbal Commitment to Michigan State)

Played incredibly well on a PP line with Trocheck and Hohmann, as he led the tournament with 9 goals .. he operates better with open ice, as he has time to utilize his blistering shot .. he will shoot often and always gets the puck on net .. he has soft hands to cradle passes and then for snapping it off his blade .. he needs to play with someone who will get him the puck .. he is a good skater equipped with modest speed but has a slightly erratic skating style .. has a tendency to stop moving his feet in defensive situations .. does not have a physical dimension to his game, as he pulled up on some hits .. plays with swagger and cockiness of a natural goal scorer .. is a talented player that manages to get the job done.

Vincent Trocheck (2011), C, Saginaw

Enjoyed a successful rookie campaign with the Spirit and was easily the smartest, most complete centre during camp .. smaller in size, he is however thick and has a powerful lower body that is able to bulldoze his way into the offensive zone .. he skates swiftly with the puck and does not lose speed when handling it .. a clean and crisp skater, backed with a nice glide .. he always has his head up to survey his options and stickhandles with the puck to his side as not to be forechecked off of it .. there is a degree of mystery to his game, as it is uncertain whether he will pass or shoot, as he is equally adept at both .. he does not telegraph his moves and his stick is always in position for him to execute either option .. he is always aware of his surroundings on the ice .. good faceoff technique and wins a majority of his draws .. Trocheck tried to play with some toughness and often went after players after the whistle, which is not his game .. Trocheck will be a leader on this team, as he is mentally tough and should be capable of playing both special teams for the American Hlinka squad.