USHL: Donovan Big Plus to CR

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders rookie defenseman Matt Donovan (pictured) is challenging to finish among the top five in USHL scoring by defensemen and is leading the league in plus/minus. The 17-year-old Oklahoman and Denver University recruit has quietly, but reliably, been putting together a strong season in his draft year. McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey recently had the opportunity to catch the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in action three times over the course of three weeks and enters notes on several draft-eligible players.

Matt Donovan (2008), D, Cedar Rapids

Good all-around defenseman .. backwards skating form is still solid, as he does not rely on crossovers and maintains a wide base and power position .. smooth skater with good speed and good all-compass mobility .. has the lateral mobility and overall agility to stick with opponents in the corners and along the boards .. has quick feet when necessary, although he wants to improve further in this area .. able to make a nifty standing shot block where he brings his feet together and gets his stick very low but stays on his feet.. tends to make simple, reliable passing plays .. passes are crisp and accurate .. poised with the puck, as he skates it with confidence and does not panic when fore checked .. has the agility when skating the puck to evade checkers with cutbacks .. demonstrates good two-way awareness in breaking up plays and in knowing when to pinch .. pinches responsibly and can finish when he does .. has a hard pointshot .. leading the USHL in plus/minus at this juncture of the season .. NHL teams will be making a mistake if they do not consider Donovan because of his 6-foot-0, 185-pound frame.

Brady Hjelle (2008), G, Cedar Rapids

Butterfly netminder who stays compact .. is adept at covering his rebounds when he allows them .. also good at kicking rebounds into the corners on pad saves .. has a smooth pad slide across the crease and can go into such a slide quickly from the kick out position .. drops into the butterfly on nearly ever shot, so he is somewhat vulnerable in that regard .. still awkward in playing the puck behind and around the net .. Hjelle's style, strengths, and weaknesses remind this scout of current Chicago Blackhawk prospect netminder Corey Crawford, although shorter .. selected to the USHL All-Star Game.

Bryce Aneloski (2008), D, Cedar Rapids

Given his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, he has some potential if he improves in a number of areas .. lacks backwards acceleration, as his first few steps look a little awkward and have little power .. still relying on crossovers backwards too much, is upright in his skating in all directions, and is not in a power position .. looks awkward walking the blueline with the puck, particularly when he takes the puck off the boards at the point .. looks better walking the blueline after taking it on a pass .. stickhandling is inconsistent, as he'll skate it out of the d-zone, through the neutral zone, and into the offensive zone on occasion but has it slip off his stick at very inopportune times on occasion .. able to spin away from forecheckers deep .. hockey sense is questionable at times, as he'll change up at inopportune times, handle the puck for a while in his own zone and then pass right to the opponent, or fail to commit one way or another to pinching or backtracking (and thus ensure he gets beaten by indecision) .. passing is crisp and accurate and demonstrates soft hands more often than not .. also has a hard pointshot .. speed with the puck is average, but opponents tend to shy away from challenging him when he gets momentum.

Chris Wideman (2008), D, Cedar Rapids

Long shot to be drafted due to 5-foot-9, 165-pound size .. perhaps the best passer in terms of mechanics amongst the first-year eligible USHL defensemen .. makes hard, crisp, accurate pass after pass, be it on the forehand, backhand or on the ice or saucer .. has good agility when skating the puck and can cut back .. has good two-way awareness and breaks up his fair share of opponent's passing plays .. is not too reliant on crossovers backwards, but could reduce this a little more .. has good speed backwards and good form once he generates momentum, which does not take too long .. does not panic with the puck or defensively.

Matt Tomassoni (2008), D, Cedar Rapids

Second-year, draft-eligible defenseman unlikely to be drafted because of size (listed at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but he seems a bit bigger), but he is one of the most skilled defensemen in the USHL .. has good speed and a powerful stride and excellent mobility with the puck, especially at the point .. has a very hard slapshot from the point, which he can keep low and get off quickly .. takes the puck off the boards with confidence and can walk the blueline with poise .. has very quick feet when necessary .. passes the puck well with crisp passes on the tape .. agility with the puck allows him to spin away from checks .. all-compass mobility and quickness makes him effective in the defensive zone and he can layout big hip checks .. committed to Miami-Ohio .. selected to USHL All-Star Game.

Tyler Thompson (2008), LW, Cedar Rapids

Has okay speed, but not breakaway speed .. has a tendency to over stickhandle while skating the puck and could afford to carry it more .. does have a little dangle to his game, but does not always have the speed to beat opponents with it .. has some shot power, be it a slapshot, snapshot, or wristshot, and had a decent backhand .. committed to Minnesota State University-Mankato .. selected to USHL All-Star Game.

Garrett Vermeersch (2008), RW, Cedar Rapids

Has most of the tools but needs to bring them all together .. was given more offensive opportunities in one of these viewings and demonstrated an ability to maintain control of the puck along the boards and cycle the puck well and create chances by coming off the boards with the puck or for a centering feed .. has the agility to cut back with the puck and evade checkers .. able to make hard, crisp passes .. still waiting to put his offensive tools to work in the form of results.

Nick Oddo (2008), F, Cedar Rapids

Has made significant improvements in his game since the Fall Classic .. puts in an excellent effort on the forecheck and the backcheck and can hound opponents .. must become stronger on his skates .. upright in his skating and is knocked over too easily .. has a decent wristshot and stickhandling, but additional strength on skates would help him show this more .. committed to University of Nebraska-Omaha .. still has a ways to go, but he is trending upward.

Paul Phillips (2009), D, Cedar Rapids

Suffered a separated shoulder around the New Year and missed some time .. still demonstrating all the tools to become a physical defensive defenseman .. has excellent backward skating form, not relying on backwards crossovers, and keeps a wide, low stance that puts him in a power position to thrust into checks .. will stand-up opponents at the tops of the faceoff circles and plays a physical game along the boards .. has the mobility and intensity to shadow opponents .. a crisp passer, but must fine-tune accuracy .. tends to make simple passing plays .. needs to work on generating more power in his crossovers while skating the puck .. already has a solid frame at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, but NHL potential (in terms of playing his game as he plays it now) may be questioned due to potential mass limits at his height.