USHL: Power to the Max

Chicago Steel

There is a new look and new attitude in Chicago this season, as the Steel look to improve

after finishing dead last in the USHL over the last two seasons. Columbus Blue Jacket's second rounder Will Weber and blue chip, 2008-eligible Max Nicastro anchor a young but talented blueline.

Max Nicastro (2008), D, Chicago Steel

Big and strong defenseman with few weaknesses that oozes confidence, poise, and owns an endearing work ethic .. may be the best 2008-eligible defenseman in the USHL .. quickly emerged as the go-to-guy on the Steel's blueline, is receiving loads of icetime in all situations, and has passed all tests with flying colors .. aggressive defender that uses his prodigious frame to finish his man hard and land some heavy open-ice hits .. astute defender with airtight positioning and gap control .. does an exemplary job neutralizing his man with his large body and suffocating defensive game .. utilizes his long reach well by keeping an active stick .. anticipates the play incisively and is a polished shotblocker .. technically sound skater with fluid pivots and crisp speed in all directions .. owns a big right-handed shot that he is still learning how to fully harness .. joins the rush and pinches in down low with confidence and precision .. stickhandles well enough to get out of trouble and he never coughs it up .. makes smart outlet passes .. sees the ice well and moves the puck maturely, as his creativity is beginning to blossom .. showing signs of being capable of orchestrating the powerplay.

Will Weber (CBJ), D, Chicago Steel

Blessed with all the athletic ability to be a stud but he must work on the mental side of the game .. has taken some time to adjust to the pace of the league but things are beginning to click .. thoroughbred skater with a long and powerful stride that propels his commanding top gear .. confident puck rusher with supple hands and a long reach .. does a masterful job of shielding the puck with his twists and turns or by using his brute strength, as he can carry the puck with the opposition draped all over his back .. owns a hard shot that is quickly released, although he does not always get proper leverage on his slapshot .. moves the puck hard but he needs to work on his finesse-passing game, as he misses the mark too many times on the breakout .. can be a thunderous hitter but he needs to take better angles to the puckcarrier to maximize body contact .. guilty of losing track of his defensive assignments and is caught watching the puck at times.

Mark Anthoine (2008), RW, Chicago Steel

Smart and gritty two-way winger that does all the little things .. short but stocky with good strength .. nothing sexy about him yet, he quietly puts a string of strong shifts together consistently .. cerebral and adaptable player who is always in position offensively and defensively .. character guy and is a strong penalty killer .. plays with some jam, as he never hesitates to finish his man with a stiff jolt .. an above-average goal-scorer coming down from the wing, as he owns a dangerous wristshot .. goes hard to the net and can finish in close thanks to his quick hands .. sees the ice adequately and moves the puck well under duress .. sturdy on his feet and is strong on the puck displaying good escape ability .. skating is the question mark, as he owns a choppy stride that needs to be lengthened as he lacks a top gear.

John Moore (2009), D, Chicago Steel

Cerebral puck-moving defenseman .. possesses a crisp first step, swift all-compass mobility, and impressive lateral range .. works the point well to open up shooting and passing lanes .. displays savvy shot selection and does a good job getting his shots low and on net .. wristshot is especially quick and accurate .. sees the ice well and can ignite the powerplay with his puck movement or make a crisp first pass .. poised while in possession, makes healthy decisions while under duress .. defensively takes good angles and does a nice job pressuring the puckcarrier limiting his time and space .. can be caught watching the puck around his net when he just needs to stick to his man.

Barron Smith (2009), D, Chicago Steel

The youngest player on the team is a towering but lanky stay-at-home defenseman with a healthy physical edge .. does not receive any icetime on the powerplay but is utilized frequently on the penalty kill, which fits his game ideally .. suffocating one-on-one defender that plays the body ferociously .. clears his crease area with vigor .. uses his engulfing reach to be a difficult force to get around .. sees the ice well enough to make a consistent first pass or get the puck out of the zone off the glass but is limited offensively and projects as a stay at home at the next level .. should develop into an above-average skater once he grows into his body, as his feet appear to be fine .. stride has nice length and strength behind it .. lacks straight-line speed when in possession of the puck but he can find another gear when he has to without it .. player to keep an eye on for the 2009 draft.

Nick Pisellini (2008), G, Chicago Steel

Athletic goaltender with cat-like reflexes but with almost zero technical ability .. has a hunched-over stance and he extends his gloves far from his torso making him big in the net but gives the shooter some daylight to look at .. possesses long and lively limbs .. nearly unbeatable down low, as he displays exceptional leg quickness and flexibility .. has superb dexterity in all of his limbs .. confident and loves to challenge the shooter aggressively by stationing himself well beyond his crease at times .. flashy and flexible .. possesses quick recovery speed and is capable of robbing the opposition with a highlight-reel save on a secondary scoring chance .. flops around a lot and makes many unorthodox saves .. a tenacious competitor that never gives up on a play .. plays the puck adequately but it is not a strength.

Sioux Falls Stampede

The defending Clark Cup Champions are a team stacked with above average Division 1 prospects and two players already drafted by NHL teams. Early returns suggest however that they will not be able to match the success they had last year at the NHL draft.

Jake Hansen (CBJ), LW, Sioux Falls

Fast and elusive winger with raw offensive talent .. at his best when he is moving his feet, as he can execute at full speed .. especially dangerous off the rush, as he is dangerous in the open ice capable of making a man miss .. sees the ice well and moves the puck crisply at full speed .. displays a good motor with the puck and is a fluid skater with quick feet .. possesses quick hands and a nice touch in close .. dangerous coming down the wing at full speed, as he's a right handed shot playing on the off wing capable of forcing the goalie deep into the crease because of his speed .. displays good offensive awareness and creativity on the powerplay .. perimeter player that does not compete hard enough to win one-on-one battles and is too easily out muscled off the puck .. does not use his size to his advantage .. wild in his defensive zone, as he is often caught leaving the zone early or skating recklessly after the puck and neglecting his defensive assignments .. backchecks lethargically .. displays poor body language after taking a hit .. plenty of intriguing offensive ability here but he is raw and it is hard to fathom how Columbus was sold on him to take him in the third round.

Scott Kishel (Mtl), D, Sioux Falls

Small but skilled defenseman struggling to adjust to the USHL .. possesses a soft pair of mitts and a booming wristshot that is quickly released and precisely accurate .. pesky, finesse defender that uses his stick well and does a fine job positioning himself correctly in the defensive zone .. has a technically sound stride with a wide base however, his weak legs leave him lacking explosiveness and his pivoting is rough allowing him to be beaten by speed to the outside .. lacks a burst out of the gates although he shows fluid mobility backwards and above-average lateral range .. small and weak and can be pushed around by bigger opponents .. largely ineffective in traffic and along the boards .. for a player that was drafted for his offensive ability, he must begin to identify the open man quicker and make better decisions while under duress .. can be forced into a turnover when pressured and needs to be careful about not forcing a pass through a lane that isn't there and begin to use his secondary options on the breakout .. does support his partner well but he is being used sparingly early in the season.

Marc Rodriguez (2008), C/RW, Sioux Falls

Small but thick and gritty winger with a mature defensive game but his limited offensive repertoire will have him go undrafted this year .. strong on his feet and pinball's his way through traffic, although he lacks quickness and severely needs to upgrade his poor top gear .. competes hard and is feisty in one-on-one battles for the puck .. gets involved on the forecheck and does a commendable job away from the puck .. besides making a few nifty short-range passes through traffic, Rodriquez lacks an offensive element to his game.

Eric Hartzell (2008), G, Sioux Falls

Big butterfly goalie with a quick glove and the ability to make the first save .. the key to beating him is by getting him moving, as he opens up holes while moving laterally and tends to lose his angles .. challenges the puckcarrier well on the breakaway but is guilty of dropping to the back of the crease on in-close scoring chances leading him susceptible to shots up high .. his long limbs allow him to recover for some of his tactical errors.