USA Hockey: Waiting in the Wings

Detroit Michigan has always been a hotbed for Minor Midget Hockey. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese looks at some of the top 1993-born players in the state from teams such as the Detroit Compuware, Detroit Victory Honda and Detroit Little Caesars.

Cason Hohman (2011), C, Detroit Compuware

Small, but highly skilled centerman with dynamic skating ability .. boasts lightning quick feet, excellent agility, and marvelous acceleration that allows him to burn by opponents in the open-ice or escape out of congested areas with the puck .. hands are just as fast as his feet and he's dangerous in one-on-one situations thanks to his outstanding in-close puck control .. can be a creative playmaker when in the sharing mood, as he baits in defenders with his mesmerizing hand skill before striking a pass to a now open teammate .. however, Hohman can be guilty of being selfish and will overhandle the puck .. kills penalties and positions himself properly away from the puck before employing his quick stick to strip the puckcarrier of possession .. definitely undersized, but he isn't timid about going into traffic and he has great balance for a player of his size .. promising prospect that is property of Portland in the WHL.

Jacob MacDonald (2011), D, Detroit Compuware

Nothing flashy or sexy here, but MacDonald is a promising prospect with great on-ice intelligence .. his superb hockey sense and efficient mobility allow him to log a lot of minutes and play in all-situations .. crafty puckmoving defenseman with deceptive finesse skills .. seemingly always makes the correct decision with the puck and he sees the ice very well .. has decent size and is quietly one of the top defensemen on the ice because of his high hockey IQ.

Craig Duininck (2011), D, Detroit Compuware

Big strapping defenseman with imposing athleticism .. strong skater with good feet and lateral range .. solid offensive contributor that likes to jump, although he is guilty of locking up mentally with the puck at times .. has an enticing physical package on the backend and can be a force when his mean streak comes out .. guilty of running around trying to kill guys at times, but can be a very effective physical presence when he plays in control .. needs to refine his defensive positioning and tighten his gaps while adding consistency to his decision making.

Stefan Noesen (2011), RW, Detroit Compuware

Has some size and is fairly strong on the puck .. a hunched-over skater with great hand-eye coordination and solid offensive upside.

Frank Schumacher (2012), D, Detroit Victory Honda

Mobile defenseman that can skate and always wants to push the puck .. capable of rushing the puck up the ice on his own and can finish too with his good shot .. skilled with the puck, but he needs to refine his decision making .. has a long ways to go in terms of defensive play, as his game away from the puck is filled with holes, although he can really cork a guy at times with a big open-ice hit.

Kacper Guzik (2011), C, Detroit Little Caesars

Polish-born forward that plays and looks like an 18-year-old rather than his listed age of 15, as Guzik is built and plays like a man with a robust physique .. gritty and competitive power forward that overwhelms opponents with his unremitting physicality and strength .. has some skill and can finish while playing a solid defensive game with the capacity to kill penalties .. would thrive in a system that focuses on brash and physical play, as Guzik is the type of player that will fight once the cage comes off his helmet.

Jimmy McDowell (2011), D, Detroit Little Caesars

Fairly physical defenseman with decent size and mobility .. already a stabilizing defensive defenseman that skates well and has some offensive tools to work with.

Zach Badalamenti (2011), C, Detroit Little Caesars

Two-way center that has a decent shot and can also kill penalties .. will need to upgrade his quickness out of the gates to progress his game further.