USA Select 17: Team Maroon

In part seven of a multi-part series, McKeen's correspondent Max Giese reviews Team Maroon from the USA Select-17 Festival including: Shawn Szydlowski, Jacob Youso and Kelowna Rockets defenseman Tyler Myers, who were all recently announced to the 2007 USA Under-18 Team.

Michael Clemente (2008), G, USNTDP

Well trained, athletic-butterfly goaltender .. impressive technical skills .. possesses quick and controlled lateral movement .. good feet .. challenges the shooter and plays on the top of his crease but is always in control and doesn't get caught over playing the shooter .. has a compact butterfly .. athletic but keeps his movements to a minimum .. quick reflexes in all of his extremities .. both glove and blocker side are fast .. does a good job following the puck all the way into the save .. possesses quick legs .. good mental makeup.

Max Nicastro (2008), D, LA Junior Kings/ Chicago Steel

Big two-way defenseman with no flaws .. projects as a very good defensive defenseman at the next level .. not a mean player but he's a big and strong horse that plays the body well .. very smart defender with superb defensive positioning and gap control .. exceptional shot blocker .. does a good job using his long reach to strip the opposition of the puck .. aggressive when he needs to be and he competes .. smooth skater for a big man .. has a lively first step and good all-compass mobility .. senses danger well .. possesses adequate hand/eye coordination and skill .. confident with the puck .. makes a crisp first pass and shows some touch while moving the puck in congested areas .. solid in all aspects of the game .. doesn't stand out in any one area and will never be a star but he's a horse that can play in all situations.

Sean Lorenz (2008), D, USNTDP

Captain of the USNTDP last season and is committed to Notre Dame .. hard player who is a fiery competitor .. tough one-on-one defender .. big kid with good strength .. a ferocious open-ice hitter .. vocal, a real general on the ice .. gives you everything he has .. clears his crease with vigor .. wins one-on-one battles and plays the body well .. maintains a tight gap .. composed with the puck and while he lacks creativity, he makes good decisions moving the puck tape-to-tape .. makes a good head-man pass .. executes nifty touch passes in traffic .. owns a quick one timer .. displays a fluid and long stride .. good feet, as he has swift backward mobility .. will pinch in down low to keep the offensive play alive .. has good upside.

Tyler Myers (2008), D, Kelowna Rockets

Towering defenseman with all the tools to be a star but his passive play leaves you wanting more .. at times, he can play with a healthy disposition and land a thunderous hit but at others, he is caught sleeping and let's his man walk by him .. amazing athleticism but questionable hockey sense .. exceptional feet for a big man with swift pivots and great all-compass mobility .. long and powerful stride with great range on the ice .. some offensive upside .. blessed with a long reach and supple hands .. comfortable skating the puck up the ice .. makes a good first pass but isn't a creative offensive type .. needs to use secondary options, as he will be caught forcing a pass .. looked decent on the point during the powerplay but nothing special .. uses his long reach well defensively but a consistent mean streak would be ideal .. questionable defensive awareness, as he can be caught watching the puck instead of sticking on his man .. great upside but still very raw.

Shawn Szydlowski (2008), F, Belle Tire

Type of player that slowly grows on you with repeated viewings .. thick kid with good strength, as he excels at the rough stuff and plays physical .. can really rattle a guy with a stiff check .. strong on the puck and blessed with soft hands .. covers the puck well in traffic with good skills in tight .. poised and patient with the puck .. sees the ice well and emerges as a creative playmaker .. deadly on the powerplay from the half wall .. difficult to contain below the hash marks .. goes to the net and owns a quick and accurate shot with a good touch in close .. slippery one-on-one but he can also bull his way through a guy .. can play with a mean streak at times .. backchecks hard .. the question mark is his skating, as he lacks quickness and explosiveness.

Matthew Zarbo (2008), LW, Boston Jr. Bruins

Tall but lanky .. sticks to the perimeter mostly .. talented player but struggles to utilize his linemates .. good feet for a tall kid with a decent but not explosive top gear .. light on his feet .. hands are soft and he combines them with his long reach to shield the puck well .. good one-on-one skills .. owns a quick shot with a nose for the net but he doesn't appear willing to pay the price to score the dirty goals .. needs to get stronger .. tries to go end-to-end too often.

Jake Youso (2008), C, International Falls

Explosive and talented player but is still quite raw .. a player to watch as the year progresses .. has a good-sized frame to bulk up into .. exhibits game-breaking qualities in spurts but is not a consistent force yet .. possesses exceptionally quick feet with explosive acceleration and a prevailing top gear .. dangerous one-on-one, as his hands are quick and he's shifty for a big kid .. his speed kills the opposition if they are caught sleeping .. lacks the poise to slow the play down but he sees the ice well and can execute a quick pass .. owns a quick shot but with inconsistent accuracy .. plays with a good edge but added strength would complete his physical game .. hard-working, two-way player with good anticipation, as he creates his share of turnovers .. committed to the University of Minnesota.

Ian O'Brien (2008), G, Pittsburgh Junior Pirates/ Tri-City Storm

Early Mercyhurst commit .. catches right ..athletic kid with impressive dexterity .. does a good job keeping his movements to a minimum .. strong mental makeup .. good hockey sense and anticipation .. mechanically sound with strong rebound control .. does a good job angling his pads to make sure the puck ends up in the corners .. maintains a compact stance while moving laterally .. fluid lateral movement from the butterfly .. quick side-to-side .. patient and will stay on his feet to make a save .. patient and will stand his ground .. has a tight butterfly and impressive leg quickness .. plays big and finds the puck through traffic well .. good glove and blocker .. can improve on his puck-handling skills.

Troy Power (2008), C, LA Jr. Kings / Tri-City Storm

Blessed with quick and supple hands .. a deadly finisher from in tight, as he is a sniper .. has quick feet with good acceleration .. strong two-way player .. good defensive IQ .. works hard and is an asset to the penalty kill .. competes hard and doesn't hesitate to venture into traffic .. displays good offensive instincts.