USA Hockey: Colin on Jacobs

Forward Colin Jacobs of the Dallas Stars AAA Minor Midget program and goaltender Jay Williams of the TPH Thunder are two of the top 1993-born players in the United States. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese has scouting notes on Jacobs (who recently signed with Seattle of the WHL) and Williams along with some of the other top midget minor players in the U.S.

Colin Jacobs (2011), C, Dallas Stars

Jacobs may be the most gifted 1993-born player in the States, as he's that rare total physical package of size, skill, and offensive ability .. rangy skater that can execute deep turns in possession of the puck and just needs to add more explosiveness to his initial start-up strides .. pure dangler that is electrifying with the puck on his blade thanks to his velvety mitts and gangly reach .. blessed with a vast collection of mesmerizing one-on-one moves and is capable of scoring highlight-reel goals .. sniper with a fast release and is extremely poised in scoring areas .. has endless options with the puck and can be a creative playmaker when in the sharing mood, although he's often selfish with the puck and attempts to go end-to-end more often than not .. has great size and can devastate opponents when he decides to bang bodies, however his game suffers from immaturity and he's often a severe whiner while playing soft .. has a temper and a burgeoning aggressive streak, although at this time it's often detrimental to his team .. a top-notch skill package that recently signed-on to join the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL.

Jay Williams (2011), G, TPH Thunder National

Prototypical goaltending package consisting of an expansive and athletic body along with resilient mental makeup .. stuck on an bad team and is besieged on a gamely basis, yet gives his team a chance to win every time he takes the ice .. has that short-term memory loss you desire in goaltenders, as goals just roll off his back with no ill-effects .. excellent puckhandler that can make long and accurate passes .. smart playing the puck, Williams doesn't just play it for the sake of playing it .. economical butterfly goaltender that minimizes movement .. repositions in-and-out of his stance quickly .. matured in technique with firm pad control .. uncanny anticipatory skills allow him to decipher what's happening around his crease with striking ease .. strong skater that boasts impressive T-lateral movement .. rebound control bellies his age and plays bigger in traffic than some pro-goaltenders .. does an exceptional job tracking the puck through bodies and controlling the rebound off the first shot .. patient and stays stride-for-stride with shooters in one-on-one situations and rarely over commits .. ready for the OHL next-season if he chooses that route and is a promising NHL prospect.

JC Campagna (2011), LW, Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets

Could be a homerun by the time he's 18, as Campagna is big and skilled but has yet to learn how to play a team-oriented brand of hockey .. smooth skater and puckhandler with good feet for his size and soft hands that stimulate his quick shot .. seems like a neophyte of a player and is raw in the decision-making department .. supports his teammates well on the defensive side of the puck, but he needs to become more poised making the first pass out of his own zone after receiving the puck along the wall.

Conner Burton (2011), C, Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets

Big centerman that can make things happen through his hard work, trouble is his intensity goes in and out too often .. a decent skater in full flight, Burton still needs to work on his feet and agility .. has limited offensive skills and creativity, but he's decent defensively and handles himself well in battle areas.

Cole Bardreau (2011) C, Rochester Alliance

Two-way centerman with a good work-ethic and speed .. fast skater with rapid acceleration and sharp strides .. lacks finesse puck skills and unfortunately, his hands haven't caught up with his feet yet, making his offensive upside appear limited .. strong defensively with astute positioning in his own end and tremendous competitiveness in puck battles.

Jamie Hill (2010), RW, Team Comcast National

Selected by the Belleville Bulls in the 2008 OHL draft .. quick and nimble skater with rapid acceleration .. his hockey sense is outstanding, as he will do the little things such as driving down the middle to the net, in the process drawing opponent defenders to him, which leads to more prosperous offensive opportunities for his teammates .. small and gritty two-way winger that has the type of mind for this game which allows him to see the play develop before it happens.

Zane Popilock (2011), D, Team Comcast National

Small offensive defenseman with encompassing mobility and a weak defensive game .. crisp all-access skater with a nice stride and swift agility .. skilled with the puck and distributes it well while manning the point or breaking the puck out of his own end .. likes to jump and instigate the offensive attack, although he does this at the expense of his defensive assignments .. small and timid about entering physical confrontations, which leaves him soft on his man and terribly out-worked while covering his crease area .. skilled, but must get bigger and tougher.

Gabe Antoni (2010), G, Team Comcast National

Selected by the Saginaw Spirit at the 2008 OHL draft .. an athletic and quick goaltender that lacks prototypical size .. dexterous with fast recovery ability and stellar flexibility .. plays on top of his crease and proactively challenges shooters, which along with his compact stance helps maximize his net coverage .. strong skater that is quick side-to-side .. owns fast hands and his rebound control is decent .. praised for his character on and off the ice .. 1992-born goaltender that is spending his second consecutive season playing Midget-Minor and must challenge himself at a higher level of play next season.

Billy Eiserman (2010), D, Valley Jr. Warriors

Universal two-way defenseman that can log a lot of minutes and play in all-situations because of his effortless mobility .. crafty puckmoving defenseman that skillfully manufactures offense from the point and owns a big shot .. has decent size, isn't timid physically, and positions himself properly in the defensive zone, although he needs to become more physical.

Ronald Fishman (2011), D, Long Island Royals

Economical defender with enough talent to hold your interest .. methodical skater that gets around the ice adequately, although he needs to upgrade his quickness and the power in his stride .. sees the ice well and makes a good first pass .. willing to jump into the offensive rush and picks his spots appropriately as to when he does decide to go .. finesse defender that needs to become more aggressive.