USHL: Omaha Lancers Notes

Nick Petrecki (2007), D, Omaha

Throwback defenseman in the mold of Scott Stevens has tremendous lower and upper body strength that allows him to land devastatingly powerful checks .. finishes his man every time with vigor even after the whistle .. excellent at protecting his goalie and clearing the crease .. is short-tempered and may have the nastiest mean streak among the 2007 NHL Draft class .. uses tremendous lateral speed to close the gap on his man and rub him out along the boards with a stiff check .. stands his man up inside the blueline and has a knack for the big open-ice hit .. maintains a tight gap with his man and does a good job using his long reach to poke the puck away .. pressures the puckcarrier and does a good job limiting the opponent's options .. great skater for a big man as he possesses a powerful stride with exceptional backward and lateral mobility .. pivots effortlessly .. offensive game has greatly improved this season .. sees the ice much better lately and is making a great first pass .. decision-making has improved ten fold and did not turn the puck over once this weekend .. hands are supple and he can perform some trickery at times .. starting to show some offensive creativity in joining the rush and pinching in at appropriate times .. doing a fine job rushing the puck up the ice proactively .. passes the puck harder than most NHL'ers and putting them on the mark .. shot accuracy has vastly improved having full control without losing any velocity .. release has quickened .. holds the zone well but is not a natural power play QB .. wears the "A" as a 17-year-old and is a natural leader who communicates well .. a top-15 candidate and a defenseman you can build around.

Adam Comrie (2008), D, Omaha

Is still raw but has tons of upside which makes an intriguing project .. consistency is an issue as he can stand up his man and cork a guy, but at times can fall victim to watching the puck.. can quarterback the power play or stretch the ice with a pro-caliber, home run pass and then next shift will brain cramp and turn it over up the middle .. playing more tentative than earlier in the season as his ice time was cut in half since the trade from Ohio to Omaha .. controlled the game earlier in the year with his athleticism but has become preoccupied about making mistakes, which has hurt his play .. pivots smoothly and feet are nimble with decent lateral and backward mobility.. possesses a fine top gear with a quick burst out of the gates .. stride is a bit choppy but very strong .. has a quickly released slapshot that is powerful and accurate .. creative on the point and can play the PP .. has soft hands and is capable of rushing the puck up ice but will get caught at times .. appears a bit uncoordinated and will need to grow into his body .. competes and does a decent job clearing the crease although is not mean spirited.. calm for only a 16-year-old in the USHL .. scouts love his physical ability but will look for improvement between his ears next season .. still uncommitted and may go the OHL route to play for Saginaw.

Brett Bruneteau (2007), C, Omaha

Honest, two-way workhorse but lacks offensive upside.. a good penalty killer who can clog the gaps and does a fine job pressuring the puckcarrier .. competes hard with or without the puck .. solid in traffic areas and along the boards .. displays impressive puck pursuit and forechecks with vigor ..strong on face offs and if he loses, will tie his man up effectively .. possesses a nice, long stride that produces an adequate top gear and first step, but must generate more power as he attempts to accelerate.. hands are soft and covers the puck well but is not a dangler .. drives hard to the net and is sturdy on his feet .. can keep the play moving but lacks the top end creativity and vision to be a playmaker .. has a sneaky release with decent velocity and accuracy as he can finish his chances .. solid second-day selection that will attend North Dakota next year.

Barry Almeida (2007), F, Omaha

Smooth, agile skater with nimble feet .. gifted skater in small areas but lacks explosiveness in open ice .. above average playmaker who can execute a nice touch pass near the net .. displays adequate vision and creativity .. decent finisher from in tight with a quick release and good accuracy, but lacks velocity .. has soft hands and is slippery shielding the puck with twists and turns .. strong on the backcheck and takes his man well defensively .. can get chippy at times and did not back down from traffic .. will get his points but never controls the play .. an NHL future remains uncertain but he should be a fine NCAA player.

Will O'Neill (Atl), F/D, Omaha

Still fluctuates playing forward and defense .. currently on the fourth line but will play the point during the power play .. simply has not developed at all this season .. finishes his checks but is not a physical presence, as he lacks overall strength .. panics easily and makes soft plays with the puck leading to many turnovers .. at times will display decent vision and puck movement but it is not there for the most part .. discouraging development.

Jack Downing (2007), F, Omaha

Strong two-way power forward with soft hands and a rocket shot .. lack of instincts however might keep him away from the NHL Draft .. is a good athlete with a long reach and soft hands but is not a creative one-on-one threat .. has a quick release with fine accuracy and booming velocity .. needs to shoot more but must learn to find open-ice in the offensive zone .. displays decent creativity but lacks the vision to be an effective set-up man .. goes hard to the net and displays a good motor and puck pursuit .. stride is a bit choppy but very strong and produces a commanding top gear .. although he cannot execute with the puck at top gear .. finishes his checks, does a fine job away from the puck, and shows good defensive awareness and commitment.

Matt Thurber (2008), F, Omaha

Pint-sized power forward has tremendous balance with a low center of gravity allowing him to bounce off checks and deliver surprisingly powerful ones .. is fearless and makes his living in traffic areas .. strong competitor plays the role of the pest well .. soft hands but is not a creative one-on-one player as he just drives to the net .. has a good release with devious accuracy and decent velocity .. has a good slapshot but is not a real threat to score with it .. vision has improved and is beginning to distribute the puck better as the year progresses .. stride is fine but his startup gear needs upgrading .. very good on the defensive side of the puck and is an exceptional penalty killer who anticipates the game well .. Wisconsin recruit.

Keir Ross (2007), D, Omaha

Calm two-way defenseman that is savvy away from the puck .. small but does not get beat one-on-one as he maintains good body positioning .. defensive zone awareness is top-notch .. stride is short and choppy but is a good all compass skater with a fine first step .. started the season as a stay-at-home defenseman but has been much more assertive offensively by jumping in the rush and pinching down low .. has decent hands and makes a good first pass but is still not effective offensively .. moves the puck well side-to-side without turning it over but does not attempt to move it up the ice much .. reliable two-way type will play college hockey but not in the NHL despite being liked by McKeen's

Ben Arnt (2007), F, Omaha

Plays on the fourth line .. stride is seriously lacking power and his top gear is very poor .. lacks vision and is unable to utilize a good shot with scanty offensive instincts and abilities .. not worthy of a draft selection at this point

Mark Olver (2007), C, Omaha

Younger brother of Rangers draft pick Darin Olver centers the first line for the Lancers .. not selected at the 2006 NHL Draft but has a shot this year with encouraging development curve .. very small with extremely thin legs though never backs down from traffic areas and has a knack for going untouched in congested areas .. has a strong, quick stride and fantastic skating ability .. accelerates effortlessly to a superb top gear, and is a fine lateral skater .. is dangerous one-on-one with some impressive shifty and creative moves .. has soft hands and a quick release that produces an extremely accurate and very heavy shot .. displays excellent anticipation and seems to see the play a second before it happens .. adequate away from the puck but is definitely an offense-first player .. might be worth a shot late in the draft.

Corey Toy (2007), D, Omaha

Savvy two-way defenseman was not selected at the 2006 NHL Draft but has a chance at this year .. alternate captain is a calming presence at both ends as ice water runs through his veins .... good all compass skater with fine agility and power in his stride .. makes a good first pass and sees the ice well but lacks the creativity to be an offensive defenseman .. has a heavy, low shot with a decent release .. always makes good decisions .. not tall but is well built and does a good job playing physical .. competes in his end and clears the crease area adequately .. maintains solid defensive positioning and awareness .. very smart two-way player that is reliable at both ends.