USA Select 17: Team Red

Nate Schmidt (2009), D, St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders

A raw but tough defenseman that is good with the puck .. his mobility is not dynamic but it is not a weakness either, as his foot speed is fine and he possesses adequate lateral agility .. owns galloping start-up strides and doesn't lose many foot-races .. an instinctive and quick passer that is creative while manning the point with a big shot .. likes to jump into the offensive rush, but he is guilty of forcing things at times and committing the occasional giveaway .. has just average size, but he's a big open ice hitter that hits like a truck .. not a polished player in terms of defensive positioning, as he needs to learn that some times less is more when defending because he can get caught chasing after the big open ice hit .. a gritty and abrasive player that thrives at protecting his crease area .. a play-making defenseman that deserves NHL attention.

Brian Dumoulin (2009), D, New Hampshire Jr Monarchs

A towering defenseman with offensive upside .. isn't a pretty skater to look at, but his mobility and feet are fine for a player of his size and he owns commanding straight-line speed .. still needs to polish his transitional mobility, as his suspect lateral agility leaves him susceptible to being beaten by shifty opponents .. owns a long wingspan with soft hands and flashes the ability to skate the puck coast-to-coast .. instinctively activates himself offensively and he owns a bomb for a shot .. owns a great reach, but he still needs to work on defending against speed .. utilizes his superior size and strength well to guard his crease area .. with his mobility, reach, and strength Dumoulin is an effective penalty killer .. there is a lot of untapped potential here and is worthy of a long look by NHL scouts for this years draft.

Richie Crowley (2009), D, USNTDP

Not a stud but is a serviceable defenseman .. owns a decent first step and his first-few strides propel him around the ice adequately .. his pivots and lateral agility are fine .. more of a stay-at-home defenseman, as he we will support the rush if necessary but never at the expense of his defensive responsibilities .. a competitive defenseman that will get aggressive to hit with extra oomph at times .. lanky and dependable defender that shrewdly stays stick on stick with his man while focusing his eyes on the opponents chest .. simply never gets beaten because of his savvy defensive positioning and his ability to keep his crease area clean .. every team can use a reliable defenseman like this.

Anthony Hamburg (2009), C, Undecided

Has loads of talent but is as lazy as they come .. his speed is just above-average, but he has tons of hand skill .. a natural finisher with a real goal scorers presence, as he's deadly with the puck on his blade from within 15 feet of the net .. patient and ever aware with the puck, Hamburg is blessed with supple and quick hands while emerging as a creative offensive catalyst .. lacks size and he's terrible defensively, as he's a train wreck in his own end .. must work harder to fully harness his natural physical gifts.

Chris Brown (2009), RW, USNTDP

Big and brash power forward that excels at playing a strictly north/south type of game .. fast straight-line skater with decent foot speed and a long stride that possesses influential strength behind it .. still guilty of getting caught flat-footed in transition and his first-step along with his agility could be more fluid .. not a great east to west type of offensive play maker, although he possesses a heavy shot and decent hand skill with a long reach .. blessed with great size and strength that compliments his mean spirit ideally, although he can be undisciplined at times and is prone to taking too many trips to the penalty box .. a useful defensive player that comes deep into his own zone to aide in coverage .. committed to the University of Michigan, Brown is a noticeable power forward.

Matthew Milana (2010), RW, The Gunnery Prep School

A skilled, but small offensive winger that won't venture into traffic for long .. possesses a decent combination of skating ability and skill, but he's often left ineffective because of his disliking for the rough stuff .. guilty of either hanging onto the puck too long in the open ice or moving it off to a line mate too quickly when pressured .. probably lacks the intestinal fortitude to progress to higher levels of play.

Max Capuano (2009), LW, Undecided

A capable goal scorer that needs to improve on his mobility .. a fine straight-line skater that needs to improve on his acceleration and ability to make turns by quickening his feet .. has some moves with the puck and he can score in tight .. a smart player that is often in the right place at the right time to cash in on offensive opportunities .. he's solid defensively because of his decent size and he's sturdy in puck battles in his own end.