USA Select 17: Team Black

Drew Shore (2009), C, USNTDP

Highly skilled and explosive stud with good size and exciting offensive ability .. skates with grace and vigor for a big man, as he makes swift directional changes while controlling the puck and can rapidly accelerate out of his crossovers blowing past multiple opponents in the process .. skillful center that can receive the outlet pass and then turn the puck up ice in a heart beat, thanks to the dynamic burst on his first few strides .. has the outside speed to back the defenders off along with the size and skill to make him effective at attacking the inside of the ice .. possessing the long reach and rangy stick handling skills to maneuver the puck like it's on a string, Shore has a vast arsenal of slick moves such as toe drags and the ability to pull the puck in tight to shield it with his body .. a dangerous one-on-one player that can execute at full-speed in the open ice or down low with the opposition draped all over him .. a skilled passer with a high offensive IQ and good vision of the ice, Shore can also finish with his fast and compact release .. has prototypical size and will be a horse once he fills out .. an alert and hard working defensive player that is beginning to fine-tune his defensive positioning .. committed to Denver, Shore is one of the elite 91' born players in the U.S.A.

Tyler Pitlick (2010), C, Centennial High School

A natural goal scorer with sick dangling ability .. likes to pick up steam through the neutral zone and then attack the offensive zone at full force, as he skates well with the puck and owns a nice looking stride that propels him around the ice briskly .. his magnificent hands serve as his calling card, as he's a pure dangler with a magnetic blade and mesmerizing one-on-one moves that can put defenders in a coma .. a natural goal scorer with a feared shot that comes off his stick hard with sharp accuracy .. can execute equally well from both sides of his stick and his backhand is a weapon he could further exploit .. more of a finisher than a play maker, Pitlick display's some creativity in the passing game, but overall he's inconsistent in hitting his teammates with the puck because he tries to thread the needle too often .. physically putting a nice physique together and exudes a healthy swagger to him with some power on the puck .. is guilty of being too one-dimensional at times and his play on the defensive side of the puck is almost non-existent, as he floats and takes wide turns away from the puck while cheating on his defensive assignments by leaving the zone early in favor of stimulating offensive opportunities .. committed to Minnesota State and is one of the most promising Minnesota born players in the 2010 draft class.

Eric Johnson (2009), D, Madison Capitals

Raw but talented offensive defenseman that needs to add muscle mass and be coached up on defense .. a gifted and fluid skater that owns swift lateral mobility and the speed to rush the puck up ice .. his backwards mobility will need to become stronger, but overall his rangy mobility is still a defensive asset .. a skilled puck-carrier that can maneuver himself out of trouble or buy himself time to allow the play to develop to his liking .. a talented puck moving type that likes to play an up tempo game and push the puck up ice .. can run the power play from the point and is a threat to scorer on his own with his impressive one-timer and quick, accurate wrist shot .. he's not opposed to playing the body, but he must get stronger and work on his defensive play .. gets caught running around in the defensive zone playing with no rhyme or reason, even leaving the zone early at times trying to jump-start an offensive rush .. the skill-set is here to be a player he just needs to get stronger and be coached up on defense.

Collin Bowman (2009), D, Kelowna Rockets

Big and strapping physical defenseman with poor mobility .. he's heavy footed with inadequate pivoting and agility which hinders his ability to defend in transition .. has a poor first step, but he is a decent backwards skater that can maintain tight gaps while defending the rush .. not a very skillful player and he lacks the vision to move the puck up ice on the breakout .. he needs to quicken his decisions with the puck, although he does own a fine slap shot .. blessed with great size and strength a long with a mean streak that makes him an intimidating force that has the opponents timid to come down the wing when he's on the ice .. an intense and hard working player that plays with aggressiveness every shift .. owns a long reach and he utilizes it as an effective defensive tool .. performs especially well in one-on-one situations where his tenacity and strength can take over .. stay-at-home defenseman with intriguing size and physicality, although he has a lot of work to do in terms of skill and smarts.

Alex Wideman (2010), C, St. Louis Blues AAA

Pint-sized offensive catalyst that is highly skilled and plays with a lot of fortitude .. a player that catches your eye with his pure skill, speed, and fearless attitude .. possesses great feet with exceptional quickness and speed .. very intuitive and creative with the puck on his blade, as he's a brilliantly skilled passer that leaves the opposition puzzled how to defend his deadly lob passes .. has no problem finishing his chances with his accurate shot that can he pick corners in tight with .. a bold player that attacks defenders with bravado one-on-one and can give much bigger defenseman fits with his tenacity and skill .. brings the best out of his line mates and excels while playing with other high skill level players .. he's tiny and that's the drawback because his older brother Chris is under 6 feet tall as well, but he will give and take a hit to make a play while being deceptively sturdy on his feet .. his speed and smarts make him an effective two-way player, although he will require further work on his defensive game .. will be a dynamic collegiate athlete and it will be interesting to chart his ability to conquer his lack of size further.

Schyler Adams (2009), RW, New Prague High School

A smallish winger with decent skill, but it's his smarts that make him a player .. excels at playing with line mates of a high skill level .. his feet are coordinated and fairly quick .. works well with space in the offensive zone and has a strong sense for the developing play .. can finish adequately with his accurate shot and decent hand skill .. his lack of size definitely hurts, but he does compete and will throw his weight around .. needs to upgrade his defensive play, however he is a hard worker and appears coachable .. an NCAA prospect, but undeserving of NHL attention until he improves his defense and strengthens his small frame.

Kevin Bechard (2009), RW, Detroit Belle Tire

Plays hard and hits everything .. goes into traffic and comes out with the puck .. plays with a high end motor and on his toes, forcing the opposition to play on their heels in the process .. not a naturally skilled forward, but his vision and passing game is adequate especially on the power play .. has slippery skating mechanics and his agility and acceleration need work, although he does own some lateral quickness and few slick one-on-one moves in the open ice .. must improve his strength, skating, and defense to warrant NHL attention.

Zachary Marginsky (2009), D, Syracuse Stars

Already a towering kid that could be a giant if he fills out .. his feet are okay considering his size, but his first step is bad and his mobility in small areas is lousy .. a decent straight-line skater, however he has no presence with the puck .. slow witted and neither his hands nor brain work fast .. the play often dies on his stick while he mans the point and he routinely forces shots into heavy traffic with no second thought .. owns a good reach, but he's often caught out of positioning defensively and he's not a physical kid or effective one-on-one defender .. his size is intriguing but he has miles ahead of him yet before deserving NHL attention.

Erik Cooper (2010), LW, Alaska Allstars

His snipers' accuracy is eye catching .. he's small and slight, but doesn't seem scared to involve himself in the dirty areas .. fast and mobile in tight with soft hands .. his lack of strength is evident as he can be taken out too easily with a check .. he's careless in the defensive zone and would be a more effective player if he played as hard away from the puck as he does with it .. the type of player that looks great in practice and during warm-ups because of his skill, but leaves you wanting in game situations because his lack of strength and weak defensive play.