USHL: Everythings Just Cichy

It has been a long and trying season for the Tri-City Storm, as they sit near the bottom of the standings in the Western Division. However, that has not stopped some of their young players from emerging as promising prospects that should receive considerable NHL attention at the 2008 draft. McKeen's has notes on several Storm players including their top prospect Michael Cichy.

Michael Cichy (2008), C, Tri-City Storm

Skilled and gritty center that harnesses his exceptional hockey sense to make up for his skating and size deficiencies .. a wide-tracked skater that struggles to accelerate briskly, Cichy does not allow his mediocre mobility to prevent him from being where he needs to be because of his brilliant mind for the game .. difficult to defend despite his lack of a third gear thanks to his soft hands and strong stick .. sees the ice well and makes ingenious reads with the puck, as he is a creative set-up man that can also finish with his crisp shot .. willing to come deep in his own end to aide in defensive coverage, Cichy anticipates the play well and seems to find himself in the right place at the right time to intercept a pass and transition to an offensive attack .. tough and gritty kid that excels in traffic despite his modest frame because of his sturdy balance.. committed to North Dakota, Cichy could prove to be the next Joe Pavelski and overcome his lack of size and speed because of his great hockey sense and immense skill.

Daniel Heath (2008), D, Tri-City Storm

Instinctive, puck-moving defenseman with impressive vision and skill .. refined skater that utilizes his fast feet to stimulate his fluid pivots and propel his long, smooth stride .. skilled passer with soft hands that can execute slick passes on the outlet and while working the point .. keeps himself active offensively, as he does not hesitate to jump into the rush and exploit open ice if the opportunities present themselves .. sees the ice well while creatively quarterbacking the powerplay where he disguises his intentions well and gets off his quick wristshot .. does a fine job defending his man off the rush by maintaining a healthy gap and utilizing his swift lateral mobility to stay with him stride for stride .. must add some strength, as he can be overpowered by larger opponents one-on-one and can wear down during a long shift causing him to make mistakes.. committed to Minnesota State, Heath's striking adaptation to the USHL game coming from Midget Major should not go unnoticed, as he is now the Storm's top defenseman and a legitimate NHL prospect.

Chris Hickey (Min), LW, Tri-City Storm

Left winger with good size and strength that excels defensively .. his stride has fine length to it with a decent top gear but his lack of finesse skills and on-ice vision leave him fumbling the puck while skating with .. ultimately, he is ineffective at using his speed as a weapon with the puck to gain a step on a defender coming down the wing .. strong in front of the net and does own a hard shot with a good release .. does not compute the game well offensively and is often caught chasing the play instead of initiating it .. at his best on the defensive side of the puck where he blocks shots, displays good marking skills, and shows the awareness to take away the middle lane while on the forecheck .. a gym rat, Hickey possesses good size and strength that allows him to be effective in the trenches .. not naturally skilled, Hickey is a Wisconsin recruit that will only go as far as his defensive game and size takes him.

Troy Power (2009), RW, Tri-City Storm

While physically overmatched this year in his first season in the USHL, Power does display glimpses of his skill around the net while improving on his defensive play .. his agility is okay but he lacks that second gear of acceleration needed to win foot races or be effective skating the puck up ice .. owns a good shot with a natural touch around the net that he displays while on the powerplay, but he's currently timid and ineffective offensively five-on-five .. committed to his defensive assignments and his willingness to compete in his own end makes him a helpful defensive asset .. owns a good motor and he is not shy to get his nose dirty in the trenches .. not a sure thing but is a prospect worth a second look next season when his draft year approaches.

Josh Berge (2008), RW, Tri-City Storm

Pint-sized winger that works hard while performing his checking-line role .. despite his lack of size, Berge is no softy and can surprise the opposition with a stiff open-ice hit .. his work ethic is commendable and he sees the ice adequately, but Berge will go undrafted this year because his lack of great speed and skill.

Greg Thocker (2008), D, Tri-City Storm

Physically aggressive defender with decent size .. his skating is fine with a strong straight-line stride and decent agility, but he does not see the ice well with the puck and struggles to make the first pass .. does a fine job in his own end but lacks the puck skills to be selected in this year's draft.