USA Select 17: Team Purple and Team Grey

As we continue along with our multi-part series, McKeen's correspondent Max Giese reviews Team Purple and Team Grey from the USA Select-17 Festival. The fiery Barry Sanderson, from the Niagara IceDogs was a hit for Team Grey, while defenseman Jake Gardiner made an impression with Team Purple, as he was recently announced to the 2007 USA Under-18 Team.

Team Purple

Jordan Tibbett (2008), G, Des Moines Buccaneers

Michigan State recruit has above average athleticism, quick and controlled lateral movement and has good mechanics .. displays decent feet and fine flexibility .. rebound control is above average .. stays square to the shooter and challenges appropriately .. has quick legs with good dexterity in lower extremities .. scrambles too much after the initial save .. competes but it would be nice to see him more in control, as he is inconsistent .. good down low but weak up high .. smaller goaltender that goes down to early and has questionable gloves .. does not play the puck well .. appears to be barely making the save at times.

Ross Henry (2008), D, Lincoln Stars

Good skater with a strong initial burst, great acceleration, fluid feet, strong all-compass mobility, and a fine top gear .. anticipates the game well and is proactive with or without the puck .. always on the puck and loves to make things happen .. possesses impressive skill for a d-man .. sees the ice well and moves the puck quickly from both sides of his stick .. can skate the puck up the ice quite well .. does an adequate job on the point but is not a natural powerplay quarterback .. does a good job finding shooting lanes and getting his quick shot on net .. mild creativity .. fiery defender with surprising upper body strength .. plays with jam and hits hard .. plays tough in front of his net .. adequate one-on-one defender .. did a fine job breaking up all kinds of odd-man rushes .. does a good job forcing his man to the outside and then separating him from the puck with a stiff check .. appears to be lacking height.

Joshua Bemis (2009), D, Chicago Steel

Steady two-way defenseman .. smart but not instinctive .. needs to be quicker at identifying the open man when making an outlet pass, as his passes are easily intercepted at times .. does move the puck crisply .. tries to hit the home run pass to often .. at his best when he simplifies his game .. smart defender .. maintains proper defensive positioning at all times .. plays the man not the puck when defending one-on-one .. decent all-compass mobility allows him to skate with his man .. superb gap control .. competes and likes to play the body but he needs to add strength, as he can be pushed around .. does a good job keeping his man to the outside .. plenty to like here but he needs to mature physically.

Joshua Daley (2009), C, Pittsburgh Predators

Possesses great upside but is still very raw .. far from a complete player but he's a highly skilled kid oozing confidence .. lanky, with a tall frame to bulk up into .. light on his feet with good lateral mobility and that extra separation gear to burn the opposition to the outside .. dangerous one-on-one .. loves to attack the opposition .. possesses exceptional hands and a long reach .. displayed a quick shot .. good offensive touch in tight from both his forehand and backhand.

Justin Florek (2008), C, USNTDP

Lanky with good skill .. goes into traffic and competes hard but needs to bulk up to be more effective .. blessed with soft hands and can weave through traffic .. owns a quick shot and good offensive instincts .. very raw .. if he adds some weight, he could be a decent prospect .. knocked off his feet too often .. not an explosive skater but is light on his feet .. does not see the ice well and his hockey sense is questionable.

Jake Gardiner (2008), D, Minnetonka HS

Tall but lanky .. blessed with tons of offensive ability but needs to improve his defensive play .. can go coast-to-coast .. accelerates rapidly to his commanding top gear .. blessed with amazing hands and lateral agility .. can make guys miss .. deadly one-on-one .. loves to skate the puck up the ice .. sees the ice well and displays fine offensive creativity .. owns a quick and accurate wristshot .. likes to attack the net and get pucks to the net .. can be careless at times with the puck .. has a tendency to be caught up ice .. not a physical player, as he avoids playing the body .. needs to cover his crease with more conviction.

Colin Reddin (2008), RW, USNTDP

Competitive winger with an abundance of skill but his questionable hockey sense and lack of speed keep him ineffective .. possesses velvety hands and is a creative one-on-one threat .. displayed a slick scoring touch in close .. competes hard to stay on the puck ..strong on his feet and goes hard to the net .. lacks first step quickness and a top gear .. does not see the ice well and over handles the puck .. feisty and loves to hit .. owns a mean streak and hits hard.

Matthew Tennyson (2008), D, San Jose Jr. Sharks

Big and strong .. tough to beat one-on-one .. does a good job forcing his man to the outside and then separating him from the puck with a hard check .. likes to play physical .. displayed above average backward and lateral mobility .. not a smooth puck distributor but an effective one .. not an offensive type and makes safe decisions with the puck .. calm and oncoming pressure does not seem to faze him .. okay hands .. needs to be careful about taking long shifts, as his conditioning is a question mark.

Michael Voran (2008), LW, Detroit Honeybaked

Honest two-way forward with an endearing work ethic .. gritty .. lacks offensive touch but he creates good opportunities for himself and his linemates through his hard work .. smart player away from the puck .. asset to the penalty kill .. good motor and attacks the puck hard.

Brock Montpetit (2008), C, Shattuck/ Waterloo Blackhawks

Did not stand out at this camp .. fluid skater with decent quickness but lacks an explosive top gear .. defensive awareness is improving .. committed to the University of Wisconsin .. adequate one-on-one threat .. sees the ice well and moves the puck maturely.

Team Grey

Vince Mihalek (2008), RW, Gilmour Academy

Fluid skater with a good burst of speed and a fine top gear .. above average feet and owns a long and strong stride .. sees the ice well and is a good playmaker .. displays creativity distributing the puck .. backchecks hard .. lacks a finishers touch.

Derek Stepan (2008), LW, Shattuck

Dangerous goal scorer .. owns a quick release .. a natural finisher with fine accuracy and velocity .. has a knack for generating offense .. good offensive IQ .. adequate passer .. needs to improve his first step and his agility .. top gear is improving but still needs work .. anticipates the game well .. blessed with a long reach and velvety hands .. good one-on-one skills .. lacks quickness and needs to improve his defensive habits.

Patrick Gaul (2008), RW, USNTDP

Hard working, two-way spark plug .. has a hunched-over stride but his feet are okay and he has a deceptive burst of speed .. competes hard and is tenacious .. small but stocky and strong on his feet .. is like a wrecking ball while in possession of the puck, as checking opponents just bounce off him.. finishes every check .. good puck pursuit with a non-stop motor .. backchecks hard .. impressive defensive awareness and work ethic .. gets his nose dirty and goes hard into traffic .. limited offensive upside although, he sees the ice adequately and is a decent playmaker.

Adam Pawlick (2008), F, Salisbury

Possesses intriguing skill but he hesitates to pay the price to make the play .. avoids taking a hit .. needs to be quicker and more aggressive near the net to take advantage of his offensive abilities .. has some flash to his game and is blessed with supple hands .. dangerous one-on-one in open ice .. accelerates rapidly .. high skill level but mostly ineffective because of his timid play.

Barry Sanderson (2008), C, Niagara IceDogs

Small but has a thick build .. owns a choppy but quick stride .. accelerates rapidly .. possesses decent hands .. owns a cannon for a shot but he scores most of his goals through his hard work .. lacks the vision and offensive IQ to be a scorer at next level .. adequate at keeping the play moving with a quick pass to the open man .. strong two-way player .. tenacious spark plug that has a non-stop motor .. gritty, has a good work ethic and plays with jam .. type of player that coaches would love to have on their team.

Isak Quakenbush (2008), RW, Seattle Thunderbirds

Huge and strong but still very raw .. not a consistent force yet but has the tools to develop into one .. ultimately ineffective as of now .. owns a nice long stride and a decent top gear once he gains some momentum .. fluid feet for a big man but his first step and acceleration can be improved .. loses balance at times when pivoting .. hands are adequate, although his skill level is not top end .. protects the puck very well .. owns a quick shot but he does not finish well .. sees the ice adequately and can move the puck with a nice touch pass although, he lacks the creativity of a true playmaker .. finishes checks and can really land some devastating hits .. mature two-way game .. works hard away from the puck .. does a good job keeping his feet moving in all three zones .. player to keep an eye on if he puts it all together.