USA Hockey: Team Wisconsin and Team Illinois

McKeen's correspondent Max Giese looks at some of the top 1993-born players in Wisconsin and Illinois such as Joe Fiala, Todd Koritzinksky, A.J. Jarosz, Trevor Morbeck, Garret Sparks and Jordan Schmaltz.

Joe Fiala (2011), D, Team Wisconsin

A big defenseman with exciting athleticism and mobility .. strong all-compass skater with fluid feet and pivoting .. has workable puck skills, although he doesn't see the ice well when pressured and can make dumb decisions because of the brain-cramps he suffers .. defends well in space because his superb backwards and lateral mobility allow him to stick with his man stride for stride and maintain tight gaps .. has great size, but he needs to get more aggressive and play the body on a consistent basis .. uses his long reach well and can be a formidable defender when applying himself properly.

Todd Koritzinksky (2011), RW, Team Wisconsin

A dynamic individual talent blessed with the type of speed that can leave defenders in his dust .. rapidly accelerates thanks to his explosive first-step and quick feet .. splendid momentum skater that can turn on a dime without losing a step or control of the puck .. hands are remarkably fast and his electric one-on-one moves can lift you out of your seat .. has an accurate shot from both sides of his stick .. a great talent, but he is selfish and chronically overhandles the puck .. never fully commits himself to defense and can often by seen cheating on his defensive assignments by cherry picking in the neutral zone .. undersized and while he does display a feisty side at times, he can also be shy about getting involved in the physical play.

A.J. Jarosz (2011) LW, Team Illinois

Intriguing package of intense grit and vibrant offensive skill .. diverse offensive threat that is creative in possession with a fast stick .. speedy skater with quick and strong strides that is dangerous with the puck because his hands and feet work in unison .. has a mean streak deep within that he must continue to make a more prominent part of his game, as he tends to go on and off in terms of showcasing his snarl in traffic .. needs to upgrade his defensive play, as he tends to float too high in his defensive zone .. teams that value physicality along with pure skill should look his way.

Trevor Morbeck (2012), RW, Team Illinois

Big offensive winger that is all about his finesse skills .. decent skater for a player of his size with a nice stride and adequate first-step .. has soft hands with good offensive awareness and a natural scoring touch in close .. employs his sizable frame appropriately to shield the puck and to bully his way to the front of the net, however his toughness is still debatable because he doesn't finish his checks and is simply much larger than most of his opponents at this level .. will become as good as he wants to be, as the physical gifts are here and he just needs to become more intense and more authoritative in taking charge of the game.

Garret Sparks (2011), G, Team Illinois

Sizable-hybrid goaltender with decent athleticism .. nimble on his feet with above-average lateral movement .. has a compact butterfly and a wide V, although he needs to upgrade his recovery speed to improve his second-save ability .. athletic with swift reactionary quickness and the ability to make sprawling saves .. needs to develop and further discipline himself on his technique, as he tends to lose his form at times and can be guilty of flopping around like a fish .. needs to become more efficient in his movements, as he will resort to unconventional ways of making saves such as employing the 1980's style windmill stacking of the pads .. strong athlete in goal with the tools to mold into something down the road.

Jordan Schmaltz (2012), D, Chicago Mission Midget Minor

Exceptionally talented offensive defenseman that is committed to the University of Wisconsin .. encompassing skater with effortless mobility in all directions .. highly skilled with the puck and his on-ice vision is superb, as he innately finds the most accessible skating routes while carrying the puck and is a creative playmaker from the backend that can quarterback the powerplay .. positionally solid defenseman with superb hockey sense, Schmaltz just needs to continue to develop physically to round out his promising game.