USHL: QA with Jake Youso

International Falls standout forward Jake Youso was a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award in 2007-08, and he also played a split season in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. The speedy Youso will have a new destination in 2008-09, though, as he was traded to the Des Moines Buccaneers in a draft-day deal, the USHL Entry Draft, that is.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey had the chance to talk with Youso at the Des Moines Buccaneers invitational camp the Tuesday before the NHL Entry Draft. Draft. Youso discussed his trade to Des Moines, his impressive high school hockey career in "The Falls," his split season with Des Moines, his commitment to the University of Minnesota, playing for Team USA, and the possibility of going in the draft.

McKeen's: Well, some of the biggest news for you lately is the fact you were traded from the Green Bay Gamblers, along with Aaron Crandall and Joe Gleason, to the Des Moines Buccaneers before the USHL Entry Draft. When and how did you find out and what was your reaction?

Youso: I actually found out in school. I turned on the computer and I looked to just see who Green Bay got for picks and then, there I was, right on the first page. So, it came as kind of a surprise, but a pleasant surprise. I'm happy to be here, but kind of funny I found out when I turned on the computer and there it was.

McKeen's: You have skated now some at camp with the Bucs, what are your initial impressions of the organization and coaches [J.P] Parise and [Scott] McConnell?

Youso: I was very impressed with Mr. Parise and Mr. McConnell. I'd spoken to both of them on the phone right away after I was traded, and they had high hopes for this year, obviously. They both have great backgrounds. They'll be great coaches and I'll be looking forward to playing with them, and the organization looks like a great one, too. I mean, they've got meals for us after the game, and look at the fans, they come to our scrimmages. It looks like a fun place to play and I'm looking forward to it.

McKeen's: Going back to your time with the Gamblers, you skated a split season. Tell me about the decision to skate your senior year with International Falls instead of a full USHL season.

Youso: Well, I wanted to stay true to my high school. I was very fortunate to be able to do the split season, just to gain experience like that was good for me, and then I got to back and play hockey. So, it just worked out good and I was happy with my decision.

McKeen's: Was that a decision you made, a decision they made, or was it more of a joint decision?

Youso: It was my decision. I presented the option to them. Well, they presented it to me, it was kind of a neutral thing in that respect, but I wanted to do the split season and I asked them if that would be possible and we worked something out, and that's kind of how it was done.

McKeen's: How did you feel your time with the Gamblers went?

Youso: It went pretty well. I was happy with my housing family, and the coaching staff treated me well, and the players were great, too. Unfortunately, they weren't as good of a team as I thought we could be, but I had a good overall experience and just to get into the USHL and play a few games was good for me.

McKeen's: Obviously, in high school last season, things went fairly well. This past season with International Falls, you scored 33 goals and 36 points in 27 games and were named Second Team All-State and a finalist for Mr. Hockey. That said, what were some of the highlights for you this past season and the accomplishments you are most proud of this past year?

Youso: The Mr. Hockey finalist, that was a big accomplishment, probably the biggest one I've ever done, or one of them. But, just playing in "The Falls" and bringing the tradition back there (pauses)… It's a very hockey-rich community and we put people back in the stands, and we won our holiday tournament, and we won our conference title this year. So, kind of bringing it back in "The Falls" was just an overall high for me and playing with my buddies one more year.

McKeen's: Similarly, what are some of your accomplishments from high school prior to last season that you're most proud of?

Youso: Oh, I have a bunch. There was one time when we were playing in Two Harbors, this is my sophomore year, we were down 5-2 with 10 minutes left and we won the game 8-5, and I had five goals in the game. That was probably my biggest memory, just because we were at a huge deficit there. That game stands out in my mind, and also, as a sophomore, I had an eight-point game at home in front of my grandparents, they came with some relatives from The Cities (Twin Cities), and to have a good game like that in front of my relatives meant a lot to me.

McKeen's: Eight points is more than some guys get all season. Now, the past three years at International Falls you skated under John Prettyman. What were some of the areas of your game that improved the most under him and that you learned?

Youso: Oh, I think, Mr. Prettyman just encourages me to play wide open. I think I've gotten faster. I'm always working on my shot with him, but he's just taught me to play hard, competitive, and just play wide-open hockey and give 'er my all.

McKeen's: On that track, what would you consider to be the strengths of your game?

Youso: Oh, I think my speed. I know my speed is my strength, and I always continue to work on it, because it never hurts to be a little faster. My ability to move with the puck at high speeds is probably my strongest asset to my game.

McKeen's: On the flipside, what areas of your game do you look to work on the most this coming season?

Youso: I'd have to say my biggest aspect right now is my shot. To score in the USHL, you've got to have a great shot, and you've got to be pinpoint with it. I also want to play a little more physical. I'm not some goon that's going to go around taking people's heads off, but I just want to play a little more tenacious in the corners and be a physical player more.

McKeen's: You're committed to the University of Minnesota, and are slated to go there in 2009. When did Minnesota first start watching you and then contact you and, although this is obvious for a Minnesota boy, what made you decide becoming a Golden Gopher was right for you?

Youso: Yeah. Well, the first time I had contact with them was after my sophomore year. I went down to model camp, and I suppose I got their first watch there, maybe they heard of me before that, but that's when I first kind of had contact with them, and then I made my visit later that fall, in my junior year. That was the first time I ever had contact with them, and I committed later in April, after my junior year. Being a Gopher has been my dream. I think that's a lot of kids' dream in Minnesota. I grew up watching them on TV with my dad as a little kid and I just remember always wanting to play for them. It was always a dream, but I never thought it could come true. But, I'm excited for it and I'm looking forward to playing there.

McKeen's: If I may ask, what other programs were recruiting you and which ones were you considering?

Youso: Yeah. Well, UMD (University of Minnesota-Duluth) comes to mind. It's close to home, great program. I really liked them and I considered that school very much, and Yale was another big one. Obviously the education, I liked the coaching staff, I talked to them quite a bit. So, those were probably my two other major schools that I was considering.

McKeen's: Yale would have been quite happy, I'm sure. Last August you played for Team USA at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. What was that tournament like?

Youso: Oh, that's a great experience, to represent your country. I loved it. I loved it, and to be over in Europe experiencing that, how many people get to do that my age? The hockey was great, and we had a great group of guys, so I just had a great time and I loved it. It was fun.

McKeen's: How did playing in that tournament compare to, later, what you played in Green Bay?

Youso: I think it was definitely just as fast. There's a lot of skill. The USHL is probably a more physical league, in that respect, and I probably had a time with that in the USHL, overall. I felt it was, maybe, even tougher back here in the United States Hockey League. But, those teams were very skilled and extremely fast.

McKeen's: It was not overseas, but you also skated for Team USA at the 2006 Three Nations Tournament in Rochester, New York. Tell me about that experience.

Youso: Oh, that's one of my most memorable weeks ever in my hockey career. I got to be captain of that team, which meant a lot to me. Again, we had a great group of guys, the coaching staff was phenomenal, and then to win the tournament really capped it off. I had a wonderful time, and I'll never forget that, either.

McKeen's: This Friday and Saturday is pretty big, the NHL Entry Draft, and your name has been in the mix for some time. Is there any particular range of rounds you expect to go in and what NHL teams have shown the most interest in you?

Youso: I'll probably be a late-round guy if I get picked. I have no idea, though, I've never had any indication. I've talked to a few teams recently, Florida and Ottawa have made calls to my house, and I've had a questionnaire from Toronto and Pittsburgh, and I know there's been other teams watch the games this year. So, I'd hope in the later rounds, or anywhere would be fine with me.

McKeen's: Even if you go last like Trent Vogelhuber last year, that's still being drafted. Do you have a family advisor or anything like that?

Youso: I don't have one, but Neil Sheehy would be that guy for me. He's a family friend, grew up in "The Falls", played hockey, played in the NHL, and he's always been close to us. So, he would be my "agent," I guess, if you call it that, but no family advisor, we don't bother with that.

McKeen's: If I'm a director of amateur scouting for an NHL team, why should I consider drafting Jake Youso?

Youso: Oh, I think, obviously I want to say I'm a great hockey player. I have a lot of good aspects on the ice, but I think I'm a valuable person to have off the ice, I'm very committed, hard-working, honest, and I love the game. I have a passion for the game and it's something I want to continue for the rest of my life.

McKeen's: Going back to your childhood, when did you first start playing and how did you get your start?

Youso: I think my dad started me, and I first started playing floor hockey in the house. They gave me a stick and I'd whack the ball around. My dad was a great hockey dad, he built a rink in the backyard, and that's where I got my start. I can still remember skating for hours on end out there. I loved the game, and that's where it all started.

McKeen's: How old were you when that all started?

Youso: I was five years old.

McKeen's: What other organizations did you skate for growing up, or was it perhaps entirely International Falls?

Youso: I came up right though the International Falls program. You've got your bantam level, pee wee level, and squirts, so I grew right up through "The Falls" program, and it's been great for me.

McKeen's: Lastly, who are some of your favorite players and who would you say you're comparable to or equate to?

Youso: Being from Minnesota, Marian Gaborik stands out right away. I like to think I'm similar to him in just the way that I create a lot of offense with my speed like he does. He's a fast player, but I think everyone loves watching Ovechkin. He's got a bomb and he hits guys, he does everything. I like to really watch those two guys. I like to model my game on them, or I try.

McKeen's: Sure, aim for Ovechkin and even if you fall just short, you still end up one helluva hockey player.

Youso: That's right.