USHL Fall Classic: Omaha Lancers Prospects

The reigning Clark Cup champions begin a new chapter in their history in 2008-09, as former Omaha Lancers GM/head coach Mike Hastings left the Lancers organization after 14 years at the helm to become Don Lucia' assistant coach at the University of Minnesota. The Lancers never had a winning percentage below .617 in Hastings' 14 seasons, and new GM/head coach Bliss Littler has huge shoes to fill, but talented forwards like Danny Kristo, Louie LeBlanc, and Pat Mullane ensure the former Tri-City Storm head coach has some talent to work with in living up to Hastings' standards.

McKeen's correspondents Kevin Wey and Max Giese had the opportunity to watch the Omaha Lancers at the 2008 USHL Fall Classic and enter notes on several key prospects.

Danny Kristo (Mtl), RW, Omaha

With Patrick Marleau-like speed, Kristo has the real potential of tearing up the USHL .. has phenomenal speed, generated even though he is slightly upright in his skating .. has good acceleration with the puck and can beat the best USHL defensemen wide with his speed with seeming ease and drive the net, but typically does so after having built up some momentum through the neutral zone .. a smooth stickhandler who handles the puck with confidence, because he knows it'll stay on his stick .. adept at drawing the puck back into his body with toe drags .. demonstrates excellent agility with tight, quick circles and pivots with the puck in order to ditch opponents .. is almost like a running back in some of the shiftiness and shuffles he can display and does not always rely on his pure speed .. soft hands for fielding passes and quickly transitioning to shots .. has a hard wristshot and can fire it in stride .. passing game was inconsistent, and did not demonstrate he has a natural finishing ability, either .. more adept at skating the puck than distributing, and teammates would be wise to trail for the rebound opportunities he'll create all season .. in 2007-08, he scored 21 goals and 17 assists in 55 games for USNTDP U-18 .. committed to University of North Dakota .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-1-3-4, 2 pim.

Additional Comments by Max Giese

Arguably the most impressive player at the Fall Classic .. like a racecar, Kristo is explosive and loves speed .. has lightning quick feet with the ability to accelerate by multiple opponents easily at this level .. exciting in one-on-one situations with quick hands and commanding lateral bursts of speed that keep defenders guessing .. his bread and butter is gaining a head of stream through the neutral zone before attacking defenders with every intention of shooting the puck .. can release his quick and accurate shot at full flight .. his playmaking skills leave room for improvement, as he doesn't utilize his linemates well .. needs to develop his lower gears and manufacture more offense from deep within the opponent's zone .. defensively, he has a great stick in traffic and is always buzzing around the puck .. an effective penalty killer that once nearly killed a penalty all on his own by holding onto the puck and skating laps around the opponents multiple times .. fearless and seemingly finds another gear of speed before absorbing a hit so he can slide through and retain possession .. not big and obviously in need of more strength, but he has a great work ethic and is rarely taken off his feet .. a dominant player that should be in the NCAA right now.

Drew Olson (CBJ), D, Omaha

An interesting combination of shooting and hitting .. has a hard shot from the point as well as a nice wristshot from the point, both of which are threats to score or to at least create rebound opportunities .. a decent passing game and can connect on long-distance passes, but is no powerplay quarterback .. will take a hit to make a play and demonstrates the peripheral vision to know when to do so .. has some speed, but skating appears a bit lumbering at times .. 6-foot-0, 206-pound defenseman is not shy about going for open-ice hits, connecting on some to level opponents and missing on others .. able to angle opponents to the boards and rub them out, too .. should be one of Omaha's top defensemen in 2008-09 and see regular time on the powerplay as a triggerman .. in 2007-08, he scored 20 goals and 16 assists in 27 games for Brainerd High School of the Minnesota High School Hockey League .. committed to University of Minnesota-Duluth .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-1-0-1, 8 pim.

Additional Comments by Max Giese

Assertive defenseman .. despite owning good lateral mobility and adequate foot speed, Olson needs to get lighter on his feet and upgrade his dot-to-dot quickness .. acts as the triggerman on the powerplay thanks to his huge slapshot and bomb of a one-timer .. has some finesse, but he's like a fullback that would rather skate through you than around you .. aggressive defender that runs around a bit trying to make too much happen on his own .. struggles to contain down low and needs to guard himself better against speedier opponents .. assertively throws guys around with his strength .. a feared open-ice hitter that wants to change the complexion of the game every time he takes the ice.

Louis LeBlanc (2009), C, Omaha

Omaha's only prospect that is a sure thing to be selected in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft .. skates a bit hunched over but has good speed with the puck and can separate from opponents .. needs to generate more power in his crossovers to produce more speed and not just place one foot over the other .. displays poise with the puck and is a consistent threat around the net .. plays the point on the powerplay at times and has the offensive vision to do so .. has good agility with the puck and can ditch opponents with tight turns .. has soft hands for catching passes and distributing the puck .. 6-foot-0, 178-pound center plays with a little physicality and will engage physically to create chances around the net and drive the net .. shows the requisite commitment to defense a center needs and is willing to block shots .. probably a mid-to-late second-round pick, but should be a certainty to go in the top 100 of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft .. hard for me to imagine a 6-foot-0, 178-pound Harvard recruit going in the first round in this day and age, despite his strong all-around game .. in 2007-08, he scored 54 goals and 37 assists in 43 games for Lac St. Louis Lions of Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League .. committed to Harvard University .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-2-0-2, 2 pim.

Additional Comments by Max Giese

The top draft-eligible prospect out of the USHL this year .. hunched-over skater with a wide stance that stimulates his deceptive acceleratory burst and phenomenal balance .. has a knack for finding the appropriate amount of speed to suit the situation when skating the puck, which allows him to catch defenders off guard and beat them wide or to the net .. has velvety hands and can stickhandle in a phone booth, as he does a phenomenal job at controlling the puck in congested areas .. seemingly uncontainable below the hash marks, as he expertly pulls the puck out of scrums along the wall and then gives defenders nightmares with his boundless attacks to the net .. his stealth-like approach and innate sense of timing in the offensive zone leaves defenders puzzled on how to defend him .. can finish and create equally well, as he owns a deft touch around the net with a compact release and consistently delivers catchable passes on his linemates' tape .. has great hockey sense and a strong stick, which allows him to strip the puckcarrier off the puck with striking ease and regularity .. a multi-faceted player that grows on you the more you view him, as his game is loaded with subtleties that continue to ooze out of him shift after shift.

Jeff Teglia (2009), G, Omaha

Definitely not the technical-based goaltender scouts are used to looking at in the 21st century .. goes down on most everything and it's not uncommon for him to go into Hasek-like sprawls .. even drops his stick when sprawling a la Hasek to cover the puck .. does his best to track the puck, but you never know what method he's going to use to stop the puck .. makes quick, short lateral movements across the crease, which can be exploited in cross-crease passes .. can be great in his unorthodox style one night and then give up weak goals another .. difficult to have confidence in Teglia at this level, and Omaha decided to trade for Waterloo backup goaltender Dan Sullivan after the tournament, as their own goaltending resembled wet tissue paper too often .. doubtful he can succeed long with his Hasek-like style in the USHL, and unknown whether he could be re-trained to play a more technical game .. in 2007-08, he played Midget Major for the Chicago Mission and appeared in 14 games for 756 minutes with a 6-6-2 record, 2 shutouts, , a 2.00 goals-against average, and .923 save percentage .. no college commitment of yet .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 80 min, 1-1-0, 4.50 goals-against average, .842 save percentage.

Additional comments by Max Giese

Old school reactionary goaltender that relies on Hasek-like unorthodox saves to get the job done .. utilizes paddle-down techniques to take away the lower portion of the net and has fast legs .. possesses cat-like reflexes with a lively glove hand and superb flexibility .. has quick lateral movement and rapid recovery from his butterfly back to his stance .. his rebound control was okay, although he was overly adventurous playing the puck .. mentally tough but inconsistent, as he can be great one night and then awful the next .. NHL teams may be scared off by the fact he has no mechanical foundation to build on and just average size (6-0 180).

Mike Chiasson (2009), D, Omaha

Son of the late Steve Chiasson saw very limited icetime and actually played primarily at forward due to injuries on Omaha's roster, but looked very good in his limited time at defense .. maintains a low, wide stance skating backwards and demonstrated excellent mobility backwards and can change directions easily .. 5-foot-11, 175-pound defenseman is a tad undersized but plays with some grit and is not afraid to engage larger opponents .. able to connect on some big hits .. looked much more comfortable at defense, but did a good job helping his team however he could .. worthy of a regular shift at defense in the USHL, and hopefully he gets it .. lack of size and potentially limited icetime could make him an extreme long shot to be drafted in 2009, but he's actually a talented young defenseman .. in 2007-08, he played Midget Minor (U16) for the Nevada Stars .. no college commitment of yet .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-0-0-0, 2 pim.

Patrick Mullane (2009), LW, Omaha

Provides speed and skill to the Omaha lineup, even if overshadowed by Danny Kristo's sheer speed .. has good speed with the puck, can make some nice moves, shows confidence with the puck and uses his speed and hands in driving the net .. hustles to loose pucks and shows good acceleration in his speed bursts off faceoffs, on the forecheck, or on the backcheck .. 5-foot-11, 190-pounder plays with a little physicality, but more importantly is able to fend-off larger opponents and maintain control of the puck .. makes crisp, accurate passes .. ranked 138th among North American skaters by CSS but went unselected in 2008 NHL Entry Draft .. has a real chance of proving his non-selection in 2008 was a mistake with a strong season in the USHL, and he has the skill and a few teammates to do that .. in 2007-08, he scored 21goals and 34 assists in 55 games for Avon Old Farms of the New England Prep School Ice Hockey Association .. committed to Boston College .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-1-0-1, 2 pim.

Luke McManus (2009), D, Omaha

Minnesota high school standout has a ways to go .. skating needs improvement and must add more muscle and power to his legs .. did not have much knee bend in his stride and looked shaky on his edges at times .. skating made 6-foot-1, 190-pound blueliner ineffective physically at the USHL level, as he was beaten in one-on-one battles, out of corners, and was forced into bad penalties .. did show some prowess as a puck distributor from the point on the powerplay when he had time and could set up .. makes crisp, accurate passes .. wristshot from the point appeared to be a little weak .. ranked 161st among North American skaters by CSS but went unselected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, and is a real long shot, especially if he does not improve his skating ..in 2007-08, he scored 16 goals and 27 assists in 28 games for Rosemount High School of the Minnesota High School Hockey League .. committed to University of Minnesota-Duluth .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-0-0-0, 6 pim

Joe Marciano (2009), D, Omaha

Defensive defenseman with good size and mobility .. 6-foot-2, 190-pound blueliner does a good job of letting opponent come to him and close the gap .. plays with some physicality and can separate opponents from the puck, although he does not make huge hits .. demonstrates quick feet and good lateral movement with the puck at the point and mans the point well, even if he's not a dynamic offensive force .. has a strong shot from the point and a good wristshot that he can keep low, too .. makes crisp, accurate outlet passes, although he did show poor chemistry in d-to-d passing with McManus .. when set up in the defensive zone, he must avoid wandering high and chasing opponents .. National Team Developmental Program d-man was unranked last season and went undrafted, but he had a good Fall Classic and is worth watching as a potential late round pick .. in 2007-08, he scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 47 games for USNTDP U18 .. committed to Colorado College .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-0-0-0, 2 pim.

Seth Ambroz (2011), RW, Omaha

Youngest player at the 2008 Fall Classic struggled to keep up, but has amazing size for being so young .. a 1993-born forward that is already 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds .. challenged for the slowest player at the Fall Classic, as his skating appeared labored and slow in movement and in velocity .. appeared out of his league in terms of handling the pace of the play and had difficulty handling passes, getting off crisp shots, and keeping up .. when given some time, he did make some nice plays .. plays with some aggressiveness, but will need to improve skating, balance, and speed to become an effective power forward at the USHL level .. still, for a 1993-born player, he is advanced and could become a monster with three more years of development until his draft year .. of note, he did look better on day two than day one, so the adaptation already appeared to be taking place .. in 2007-08, he scored 37 goals and 32 assists in 27 games for New Prague High School of the Minnesota High School Hockey League .. committed to University of Minnesota .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 3-0-0-0, 6 pim.

Additional Comments by Max Giese

The only 1993-born player in the USHL this year, Ambroz is at an embryonic stage of his development, but projects as a player capable of supplying offense and physicality on the wing .. slow skater that needs to upgrade his quickness and agility .. lumbers out of the gates because of his heavy feet and sluggish turns .. there isn't anything glaringly wrong with his stride and he is okay once he hits full speed .. shields the puck well and owns a decent release that propels an accurate shot that just needs more velocity .. it's obvious he possesses some natural offensive instincts and was placed in front of the net on the powerplay where he displayed his impressive playmaking touch in tight .. saw some brief time on the penalty kill, but defensively still leaves room for improvement .. has great size and strength for his age with a burgeoning power game and the ability to land some heavy bodychecks

C.J. Ludwig (2009), D, Omaha

Appears to be the best of the Craig Ludwig progeny .. has decent speed, a smooth stride and can win races for the puck against speedy opponents .. smooth pivots and good backward acceleration .. maintains a wide base backwards, a fairly low stance, and can use his mobility to step-up on opponents or rub them out with hip checks .. makes crisp accurate passes and proved more than once that he can spring forwards with long-distance passes on the tape .. unselected out of midgets for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and still a long shot to be drafted, but appears to have more potential than his older brothers .. main drawback is size, as he's 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, even though he plays bigger .. in 2007-08, he played Midget Major AAA for the Dallas Jr. Stars .. committed to University of Northern Michigan .. 2008 USHL Fall Classic stats: 2-0-0-0