USA: Minnesota HS Notes

Joe Howe (2009), G, Wayzata

Regarded as one of the best goaltenders in the country for his age group .. butterfly goaltender with impressive athleticism and an elite mental game .. possesses an NHL-caliber work ethic as he just loves to compete and wears the "C" as a sophomore .. anticipation is off the charts and has a sixth-sense like feel for the game seeing the play before it happens .. has composure and confidence in spades .. patient and makes the shooter make the first move .. possesses strong legs giving him quick and controlled lateral movement .. does a good job staying square to the puck .. leg quickness is good and he's fairly flexible .. displays sound mechanics and recovers quickly from the butterfly to his stance .. rebound control is phenomenal for his age .. glove side wasn't tested but displayed an impressive blocker side .. isn't an aggressive goalie but he plays on the top of his crease .. uses his stick well but isn't aggressive moving the puck out of the crease but does so astutely .. will be asked to gain more velocity on his clearing attempts .. makes difficult saves look easy .. standout sophomore is too advanced for this level of hockey and should play in the USHL or the USNTDP next season.

Zach Budish (2009), C, Edina

Has a large and powerful frame for a sophomore which he uses mostly in the offensive zone .. difficult to stop from within 20 feet of the net .. has velvety soft hands with a long reach and strong arms .. protects and handles the puck well with the ability to maintain control in heavy traffic .. is a natural finisher with a goal-scorers release and velocity .. pays the price to score the garbage goals but can also score from the outside .. displays adequate offensive imagination and does a decent job finding the quiet areas in the offensive zone making him an option for the puckcarrier .. sturdy and exceptionally well balanced as the opposition bounces off him at this level .. doesn't use his size away from the puck and needs to develop a physical edge .. first step quickness needs improvement but his stride is fine .. plays on the penalty kill and his defensive coverage has improved vastly this season .. his size and offensive ability is unmatched by any other sophomore in Minnesota and it will be up to him if he wants to play for the USNTDP next season.

Joe Gleason (2008), D, Edina

A smooth and agile offensive defenseman with superb skating ability .. his stride generates some serious power and can simply skate around the opposition at this level.. likes to lead the rush and pinches in deep effectively .. makes a good first pass but doesn't have top-end vision to thread the needle or quarterback the power play .. displays some creativity and will fake a slap shot before walking his man to the outside .. has a good release and a blossoming shot .. plays on the penalty kill and despite his modest size he does a good job defending one-on-one .. must add strength and bear down in front of his net to be more effective at the next level.