USHL: Central Scouting Showcase

The first annual USHL Central Scouting Showcase, which was held on May 15, had most of the best 1991-born players in the country all under one roof. Each USHL team had the opportunity to view the best prospects in game competition, perform fitness testing, and conduct off-ice interviews. McKeen's was on hand to take notes on the next wave of top-American-born players.

Zach Golembiewski (1991), RW, Detroit Belle Tire

The most complete player at the showcase was also the most dynamic offensively and possesses blue-chip potential .. possesses a nice-looking frame to grow into .. has great hockey sense .. has quick feet with rapid acceleration, as he effortlessly gets to his deceptively good top gear .. light on his feet with quick lateral cuts .. possesses velvety hands with a good reach and catches passes smoothly .. owns an arsenal of slick one-on-one moves and is especially dangerous combining his speed and hands to beat the defender to the outside .. patient around the net and owns a decent release with a quick and mildly accurate shot .. slapshot carries good velocity and accuracy .. more of a playmaker than finisher, as he sees the ice exceptionally well and has the touch and creativity to thread the needle with a crisp pass .. vocal on the ice and is a nice kid .. savvy two-way player that marks and cancels out his man .. pressures the point well and displayed good technique and willingness at blocking shots .. anticipates the play and tracks the puck well .. finishes his checks and generates many turnovers by pouncing on errant passes .. every time you think you have him figured out, he shows you a new wrinkle to his game .. has been drafted by the Chicago Steel of the USHL and the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.

Patrick Wey (1991), D, Pittsburgh Hornets

Fluid skater with good feet and all-compass mobility .. the savviest defenseman at the showcase with an astute hockey IQ .. skilled with decent hands and offensive upside .. not an end-to-end horse, as he makes a good first pass and never sacrifices his defense for offense .. possesses a quick wristshot from the point that he keeps low and gets on net .. blessed with the vision and touch to quarterback the play from the point .. poised and makes a good first pass .. brain over brawn-type-of-defender with good gap control and is strong in a positional sense .. defensive awareness is superb .. is not physical but he uses his stick well and does a good job neutralizing his man with sound positioning .. does a textbook job playing two-on-ones .. uses proper technique blocking shots .. covers the crease area astutely .. an added physical edge and some strength are the missing ingredients .. the new rules help benefit this type of a defenseman .. has been drafted by the Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL and the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL.

C.J. Motte (1991), G, Detroit Honeybaked

Will be caught out of position but never gives up on the play .. uses his glove well to suck in the puck up high to limit rebounds .. possesses a tight butterfly with good leg extension .. uses huge leg pads .. does a fine job staying square to the shooter and plays big in the net thanks to his sound mechanics .. will stay on his feet to make a save and displays adequate patience .. challenges the shooter appropriately and was exceptional stopping breakaways .. difficult to beat down low but needs to improve tracking the puck through screens .. recovered quickly back to his stance but struggled at times to get set for the second shot .. rink rat that is the first to show up and the last to leave the rink.

Andrew Yogan (1991), LW, Florida Jr. Panthers

Blossoming power-winger that drives hard through the opposition to the net and either creates a scoring opportunity or draws a penalty .. could be a real horse if he adds some weight .. gives a good effort every shift and finishes his checks.. owns a quick first step and gains separation from the defenders with his decent top gear .. hands are above average and he possesses a quick release with decent accuracy in tight .. makes things happen on the ice at both ends .. comes back with a good effort in his own zone .. drafted by the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.

Kyle Gibbons (1991), LW, Cleveland Barons

Has good upside but is very raw and his hockey sense is questionable .. needs to lengthen his stride .. shows supple hands with an adequate top gear and is strong on his edges.

Matt White (1991), C, Pittsburgh Hornets

Possesses blue-chip potential and was arguably the most talented and gifted athlete on display but in the end, he lacks a certain intangible right now to put it all together and finish the play .. sees the ice well and has good hockey sense .. owns a quick and strong stride with a commanding top gear .. built like a grown man already and excels along the boards thanks to his physical tenacity .. has a heavy shot but it lacks accuracy and the release could be quickened .. strong on draws and is an adequate set-up man who is a natural center .. enticing package of power and speed .. drafted by the Brampton Battalion of the OHL.

J.R. Lafferty (1991), D, NJ Rockets Junior B

Athletic defenseman with good upside but is still raw in terms of the mental aspects of the game .. vision does not stand out in a positive way, as he struggles to find the open man and his first pass is often off the mark .. possesses decent feet with a strong stride that produces a fine top gear when moving forward but his stride is a bit awkward, as it has wasted upper-body movement .. capable of rushing the puck up the ice on his own and his hands are soft .. owns a heavy slapshot that he keeps low and does a good job getting it through to the net .. impressive size and strength but he is inconsistent in using it to be a physical presence .. can be caught flat-footed and will take bad angles to his man .. prone to brain cramps and his hockey IQ seems poor .. gap control is ok and he does an adequate job staying stick-on-stick .. competes well and can get chippy on occasion .. vocal on the ice .. good athlete on defense but is still very raw .. good student with a 4.0 GPA.

Jeff Teglia (1991), G, Chicago Mission

The most athletic goaltender on display plays an unorthodox style reminiscent of Dominik Hasek .. will need to minimize his movements and his lack of technical ability leads to inconsistency .. hyper-aggressive and loves to challenge the shooter .. plays low to the ice and likes to use the paddle of his stick to help down low .. old school and will stack the pads .. relies on his superior reflexes, as his reaction quickness is top end .. competitive and never gives up on a save and is capable of robbing the opposition with highlight real stuff .. possesses great feet with quick lateral movement .. almost unbeatable down low .. has a lively glove side that he uses like a shortstop to snag pucks down low near the ice .. it remains to be seen if he will be exposed up high at higher levels of hockey, with shooters capable of picking the top corners .. active with his stick, as he is not hesitant to pokecheck and does so very well .. great skater and aggressively plays the puck well .. plays like a roller-hockey goalie and will need a coach to work with him on his technical ability and to minimize his movements .. drafted by the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL.

David Shields (1991), D, Maksymum Jr. B

Possesses great size and strength along with impressive ability with the puck .. likes to lead the rush and skate the puck up out of the zone .. makes good decisions with the puck and is impressive on the point .. moves the puck well and does a decent job supporting his partner by moving his feet to be an open outlet .. gap control is ok and he does a good job using his superior upper-body strength to neutralize his man .. is not mean but can be penalty prone .. should improve his stick work defensively .. drafted by the Erie Otters of the OHL and might play for the USNTDP this season.

Anthony Hamburg (1991), C, Dallas

Oozes talent but is lazy .. already drafted into the WHL but is expected to go the NCAA route, as he currently holds a 4.0 GPA .. floats away from the puck rarely moving his feet unless he has the puck .. takes wide turns instead of stopping and starting .. questionable attitude and is not a team player .. possesses tons of talent but is still raw and immature .. has great feet with rapid acceleration to his top gear in just a few strides .. dangerous around the net with a good release and precise accuracy .. sees the ice well and can be a creative passer but he does not utilize his linemates enough .. struggles when the opposition gets physical with him.

Barron Smith (1991), D, Chicago Mission

Son of former NHLer Steve Smith possesses a 6-foot-5, 175-pound frame and displayed a healthy mean streak .. likes to join the rush and is proactive at getting involved offensively .. ok skater for his size with a long stride that produces a good top gear once he gains momentum .. inconsistent passer, as he sees the ice decently and makes a crisp outlet pass at times but can also panic and force an errant one .. will be caught flat-footed though and can still improve his feet .. owns a good reach and maintains good body positioning defensively .. does a great job neutralizing his man one-on-one down low .. protects his crease well .. vocal on the ice and displays tenacious competitiveness .. drafted by the Chicago Steel of the USHL and the London Knights of the OHL.

Jon Parker (1991), RW, LA Selects

Does not move his feet and makes his linemates do all the dirty work, while he reaps the benefits with natural ability to finish near the net .. fluid and quick skater with magnetic hands and a dangerous shot .. terrible defensively and is invisible for the majority of the game.

Josef Pontasch (1991), RW, Detroit Compuware

Takes wide turns and floats around away from the puck, as he gives a horrid effort defensively .. slow and must upgrade his sluggish stride .. moves the puck well with decent creativity but is often selfish with the puck .. effort level increases near the net and on the powerplay, you cannot deny his sick talent with the puck .. attitude and commitment are questionable.

Isaac Kohls (1991), LW, Hill-Murray

Possesses slow feet but has a long and strong stride that gives him a decent top gear .. possesses great balance and a stocky frame .. a bit chubby and will need to shed some baby fat and improve his conditioning .. handles the puck softly and shields it well .. strong on the puck and makes many things happen offensively from inside the blueline .. sees the ice well and displays good creativity distributing the puck .. smart player who is always near the puck.

Kevin Lynch (1991), C, Detroit Honeybaked

Possesses a powerful burst to his lively stride that produces a good top gear .. never stops moving his feet and owns a great motor .. worth ethic is exemplary .. active player who buzzes around the ice and is always involved .. has an accurate wristshot with decent velocity .. hands are quick and he is capable of the odd dangle .. strong on draws and is a smart player who does all the little things .. wins one-on-one battles .. backchecks and forechecks with vigor ..is physical and plays with grit .. the question mark is his ability to see the ice and find his linemates with a pass .. drafted by the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.

Tyler Brickler (1991), C, Chicago Mission

Possesses the talent to be a superstar but is one dimensional and selfish .. tries to go end-to-end every shift, which might work at this level but will not at the next .. possesses a deadly combination of a powerful stride and magnetic hands with some electrifying one-on-one moves .. once he gets a step on the defenseman, he is gone to the outside .. does not utilize his linemates and is a puck hog .. owns a quick and an accurate shot .. floats around and does not give any effort to the defensive side of the puck.

Corey Morbeck (1991), G, Wisconsin AAA

Only 15 years old and is already towering in the nets with a massive frame .. mechanics need work, as he still holds his glove to high .. lateral movement is puzzling, as it is choppy from his stance but fluid from the butterfly .. has a tight butterfly but his hips need to be more flexible to allow for wider leg extension .. does not play big in the net and falls to deep into his crease, which lends to him being exposed up high in close .. goes down too early .. allows weak goals between his blocker and body .. he is an exciting athlete from the goaltender position but is still very raw and prone to weak goals .. drafted by the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.

Kyle Verdino (1991), D, Detroit Belle Tire

Decent skater for a big kid with a strong stride .. has a little too much junk-in-the-trunk and will need to shed some weight .. has a healthy physical edge .. likes to skate with the puck up the ice .. hockey sense is the question mark, as he is caught out of position defensively far too often due to his aggressiveness while trying to make things happen offensively.

Christian Stevens (1991), D, Phillips Exeter Academy

Possesses an athletic frame with fluid feet and a compact stride .. is not shy about trying to stretch the ice with a homerun pass with moderate success .. tends to force things at times and needs to identify his secondary options better .. possesses soft hands with a decent reach .. defensively, he needs to take better angles to his man and use his big frame more, as he relies on his good stick work to get by defending his man .. great upside but is still quite raw .. 4.0 GPA student but is rumored to go to the OHL and play for Kitchener.

Brandon Pirri (1991), C, Toronto Nationals

Quick, shifty skater with agile feet .. blessed with magnetic hands and dynamic one-on-one ability .. sees the ice well and is a creative passer .. has a quick and accurate shot from both sides of his stick .. leaves the zone early and his defensive commitment needs improvement.

Michael Miller (1991), D, Detroit Honeybaked

Looks much more dominant at this level against his own age group than he did during the regular season playing at the Midget U-18 level .. owns a mean streak to go along with his good size and strength .. commanding physical presence .. does a great job standing up his man at the blueline with a jarring open-ice hit .. makes the opposition keep their head up gaining the neutral zone .. can get overly aggressive, take an undisciplined penalty, or get caught out of position chasing the hit .. offensively limited, as he is not a natural puck mover but he does own a heavy but wild slapshot .. stride is fine and he is a decent lateral skater with ok feet .. drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL.

Brad Smith (1991), C, Detroit Belle Tire

Early Ohio State commit .. dad played in the NCAA .. blessed with velvety hands and quick feet .. small but possesses good hockey sense and he sees the ice well .. good touch-passer with decent creativity .. always buzzing near the puck .. does an exceptional job making himself useful at all times offensively with or without the puck .. a real mature player that just needs to improve his finish and continue to work harder in the defensive zone .. drafted by the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.

A.J. Treais (1991), RW, Detroit Little Caesars

Highly skilled, diminutive player with water bug shiftiness and outstanding agility, as he can turn on a dime .. blessed with the most magnetic hands at the showcase and is a dynamic one-on-one player.. small but slippery .. equally dangerous creating or finishing, as he is a creative set up man and a good finisher with a quick wristshot .. drafted by Mississauga of the OHL and the Tri-City Storm of the USHL .. Michigan recruit.

Cody Murphy (1991), LW, Team Illinois

Strong up-and-down winger that possesses a strong stride and does a good job driving through checks .. plays like a power-winger with a good motor and is very strong on the puck .. sees the ice adequately and moves the puck well .. forechecks well with vigorous puck pursuit and is an asset to a penalty kill thanks to his defensive commitment and awareness.

Bradley Walch (1991), D, Detroit Honeybaked

Big kid that is a strong skater with good all compass mobility and a fine top gear .. does a good job holding the zone and displays adequate poise at either end .. possesses a heavy pointshot and does a good job getting it through to the net .. tough to beat one-on-one, as he's a reliable stay-at-home type with healthy gap control and a blossoming physical edge .. drafted by the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.

Tyler Osborne (1991), D, St. Louis Blues

Pivots well and his foot speed is fine but it needs more power behind it to make him quicker .. strong in front of or behind his net, as he does a nice job canceling out his man .. competes well and does a good job pressuring the puckcarrier .. mostly a stay-at-home type but did show a nice pointshot and was not hesitant to pinch in down low to hold the zone .. Guelph Storm draft pick.

Brian O'Rourke (1991), D, St. Louis Blues

Smallish defenseman with a good feel for the offensive game .. sees the ice well and does a good job distributing the puck .. strong on the point and is an instinctive offensive defenseman .. displays decent all-compass mobility .. keeps a tight gap with his man and is not hesitant to play his man physically.

Logan Romano (1991), LW, Florida Jr. Panthers

Needs to get quicker out of the gate .. crafty player with decent hockey sense and skill but in the end, is ineffective in all three zones .. relies on his hands to much offensively and needs to quicken the pace of his game.

Zack Capozza (1991), LW, Team Maryland

Up-right skater that makes up for his lack of explosiveness by taking good angles to the puck .. plays a responsible and gritty two-way game that any coach would love to have at the next level .. possesses a quick stride but it just needs more strength behind it .. always around the puck but is not that skilled with it to be an offensive catalyst.

Kord Miller (1991), RW, Detroit Honeybaked

Possesses a decent top gear and is strong on his edges .. built well and is strong on his feet .. hands are soft but he seems to lack finish in the shooting and playmaking departments .. competes well.

Sean Little (1991), LW, Fond du Lac

Needs to improve his acceleration .. balanced on his feet despite his skinny frame .. competes well and displays good puck pursuit .. smart and is a useful two-way player .. blessed with the vision to see the ice well and is a creative set up man .. hands are okay .. excellent at the high school level and possesses good upside if he can improve his feet and get stronger.

Matt Thompson (1991), LW, Anchorage

Possesses a big stocky frame that he does a decent job of using offensively, as he is strong on the puck but he must begin to finish his checks, as he is far from a power forward .. possesses good feet with a fluid stride that produces an adequate top gear once he gains momentum but he needs to improve his first-step quickness .. stride is fine .. hands are ok and he owns a quick release, as he loves to shoot for the five-hole but he lacks the velocity to sneak it through .. displays ok vision and can execute a nice touch pass .. great kid that is captain material and some raw talent waiting to be molded.

Dan Radke (1991), RW, Soo Indians

Honest two-way player with a good work ethic .. gritty player who loves to finish his checks and cycles the puck well .. excels in traffic .. makes all the little plays on the ice and is good third-line material.

Eric Johnson (1991), D, Madison Capitals

Possesses a tall frame with good strength and adequate mobility .. has a hunched-over stride but his top gear is deceptively good .. reliable at both ends and is a heady player .. makes a decent first pass and is poised with the puck .. gap control is decent and he does a good job using his stick or body to neutralize his man one-on-one.

Chris Leone (1991), D, Detroit Belle Tire

Possesses good mobility and he sees the ice well, as he shines quarterbacking the play from the point .. has an accurate pointshot and is smart in both zones .. makes all the correct reads and quietly makes good plays in all situations.

Cody Walsh (1991), D, Team Illinois

Swift skater with great mobility and oozes confidence .. proactive offensively and makes a great first pass .. capable of hitting a homerun play .. physical defender but can get overly aggressive chasing the big hit and can be walked one-on-one .. possesses a heavy but wild slapshot.

Shane Berschbach (1991), RW, Detroit Little Caesars

Small but quick with a deceptive change of gears .. possesses soft hands and is difficult to contain one-on-one .. balanced on his feet and will drive to the net .. always around the puck and plays hard .. offensively creative and has an accurate slapshot .. comes back well defensively and marks his man adequately.

Blake Coleman (1991), C, Detroit Belle Tire

Plays like Bill Guerin in style, as he is a good skater with a heavy shot and a good-sized frame .. possesses a wicked shot that is released quickly and carries bone-rattling velocity and decent accuracy .. toe drags with his good reach and supple hands before releasing the puck to use the defender as a screen .. needs to improve his shot selection, as he is a shoot-first, ask-questions-later-type that at times forces shots into legs .. decent one-on-one threat that can bull his way through the defender or stickhandle around them .. owns a good top gear and a strong lateral burst of speed but does everything at a frantic pace and needs to develop his lower gears .. adequate set up man when he decides to share the puck .. backchecks hard but is prone to taking poor penalties, as he gets overly physical with his man defensively.