USA Select 17: Team Navy

Nick Mattson (2010), D, USNTDP

A commanding two-way general on the back-end that is committed to the University of North Dakota .. his lack of size is his only notable weakness and even this doesn't prevent him from being a force, as he's a spirited combatant that plays bigger than his size .. oozes character and toughness, and he doesn't lose many one-on-one battles .. a strong skater with encompassing mobility stimulated by his nimble feet and fluid pivots .. owns rapid acceleration in his first few strides which aide in his ability to elude the oncoming forecheck .. sees the ice well stimulating his ability to execute a skillful finesse pass while breaking the puck out of his own end .. can be guilty of telegraphing his intentions at times, but he's a resourceful puck distributor on the point and is capable of playing the power play, as he does the little things right with the puck such as shrewdly moving laterally to open up lanes and then hitting the open man with the a pass .. displays exemplary anticipatory skills and great hockey sense with astute marking skills and textbook defensive positioning .. a rock on defense that locks in on the body and maintains an active stick .. it's hard to find a fault to his game besides his lack of size and he's not even eligible until the 2010 draft.

Paul Phillips (2009), D, Cedar Rapids Rough Riders

No longer a one-dimensional player, this Denver recruit has supplemented his offensive skills with improved defensive play .. a fluid skater that properly bends his knees and extends through his stride to propel his flourishing all-compass mobility .. agile as a snake and utilizes his superb acceleration to slither away from the oncoming forecheck .. a talented puck distributor that disguises his intentions well and is a decent puck moving presence from the point that can play on the power play .. an offensive type with soft hands that is now more apt at picking his spots when to jump into the rush, as prior he was a gambler that would just go at any impulse .. recently added muscle mass and tactical refinements have stimulated an advancement in his defensive play .. effective at defending the rush as his eyes set square on his mans chest prior to neutralizing him with his long reach .. his defensive reads and positioning have improved, and he's tougher while covering his crease area.. a skilled defenseman that is now rounding out his game with a healthy dimension of defense.

Brendan Rempel (2009), D, Avon Old Farms

Raw with flashes of pro-potential mixed in with bouts of inconsistency .. looks like a future NHL defenseman when he utilizes his strong mobility to close the gap between him and an opponent before finishing him with a bone rattling hit and then making a crisp headman pass to move the puck up ice .. can really get a head of steam going when he gets on his horse and he seemingly is able to find another gear to suite the situation .. has the swift lateral mobility to close in on and seal off an oncoming forward .. lacks exemplary finesse skills and isn't an inventive offensive type, but he possesses adequate vision and can keep the play moving from the point .. is guilty of locking up at times in his own end, but he can really dictate the play when he asserts himself physically and can emerge as a heavy hitter .. his natural physical gifts and long reach help disguise defensive positional errors that he must begin to iron out of his game .. the physical gifts are here he just needs to consistently put it all together now.

Patrick Wey (2009), D, Waterloo Blackhawks

A dependable defenseman that makes decisive decisions with the puck .. his suspect transitional skating ability such as his cumbersome pivots and sub-par lateral mobility leave him susceptible to being beaten one-on-one in open ice .. he does have adequate length to his mobility and does a fine job with the puck on his stick where displays a clear-thinking process to his puck movement.. moves the puck well up ice, as he excels at making the first pass .. has decent size and adequate strength which he uses to gain leverage in positional battles, but still needs to improve on his coverage around his net .. somewhat resembles Ottawa Senators prospect Patrick Wiercioch in terms of style .. he's a decent competitor that does an adequate job in his own end currently, but it's an aspect of his game that needs further work to excel at higher levels of play.

Kyle Forte (2009), D, Shattuck-St. Mary's

The analogy of a player having all the tools but not tool box is apt here .. he nearly has all the physical traits you would look for, but the fact that he's dim-witted with the puck prohibits him from ever putting it all together and becoming an effective player .. a very good skater with great feet, although he's inefficient in using it as an on-ice asset .. he simply brain-locks any time he goes to make a play with the puck and the decisions he finally makes are often train-wrecks .. he commits careless mistakes with the puck and can often be found just throwing the puck away to either nobody or into harms way .. his size is just okay and he must compete harder defensively .. the reads he makes in his own end are slow and often lead him to being caught flat-footed with a dazed look in his eye while the play develops around him .. the talent is here, but the game must begin to materialize quicker for him between the ears.

Ryan Misiak (2009), LW, Detroit Little Caesars

Excelled last season playing at the Midget Major level, but he didn't translate that success to the higher level of play here .. accelerates adequately out of turns and crossovers, but he lacks strength and explosion in his skating .. possesses decent hand skill, but it doesn't make him effective carrying the puck because he dead ends himself too often .. patient with the puck, however he often tries to do too much with it and turns it over .. not a big player and he's easily dislodged from the puck when physical contact is made on him .. cheats on his defensive assignments to try to jump-start the offensive attack .. not enough here to warrant NHL consideration.