USHL Report: Indiana and Fargo

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey enters notes on Indiana Ice forward Sean Kuraly and Fargo Force forward Colten St. Clair, as well as a few other Ice and Force prospects of note eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Also featured is Fargo Force defenseman Brian Cooper, who is not eligible until the 2012 Draft, but is already a league all-star.

Indiana Ice

Sean Kuraly (2011), LW, Indiana

Playing a third-line checking role, but offensive numbers are starting to come around .. has nice cruising speed with the puck .. good quickness and hustles to loose pucks .. executes smooth turns and gets reasonably low .. able to make tight switchbacks to evade opponents down low in the offensive zone .. makes crisp passes that are generally on target .. has a decent wristshot, although it could be more consistently crisp .. still lacks the stickhandling prowess to beat opponents one-on-one and drag the puck around opponents without getting stripped .. needs to make sure he takes a look before moving the puck, as he moves it blindly at times, creating turnovers .. relied upon heavily on the first penalty killing unit .. takes a lot of the faceoffs on the first PK unit .. uses his stick well to clog passing lanes, tip passes, or intercept passes .. has decent size at just under 6-foot-2, and at 190 pounds .. finishes his checks .. sees a little time on the powerplay, but isn't a regular .. committed to Miami (2011-12).

Jarrod Rabey (2011), D, Indiana

Racked up some points early for the Ice, but has generally served as a fifth or sixth defenseman .. able to build decent speed with the puck .. able to power out of his crossovers and power out of turns when circling backward .. smooth circling backward with the puck .. gets a bit upright in his pivots from backward to forward .. appears unable to play with sustained quickness at 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, but does flash some quickness now and again to stick with opponents defensively .. calm with the puck and generally makes the simple play .. willing to skate the puck, but will also chip it off the glass and out if he has no play .. able to shield the puck with his size .. makes smooth, crisp passes .. does need to make his passes harder, though .. able to make smooth, crisp saucer passes .. has a decent wristshot that he'll lob toward the net .. has a decent slapshot from the point .. however, shot power is one area Rabey could afford to improve .. maintains a wide base backward, gets fairly low, reduces crossovers, and lets his gaps close .. isn't an overtly physical defenseman .. sees semi-regular time on the second powerplay unit .. only sees spot duty on the PK .. a potential late-round pick, particularly if he starts showing real progress in losing non-quality mass and playing with at least some physicality on a consistent basis .. committed to St. Cloud State (2012-13).

Brian Ferlin (2011), RW, Indiana

Second-year-eligible right-winger has been on fire since mid-December .. able to build impressive speed with the puck .. able to shield the puck and circling the offensive zone with his size and reach .. comfortable shielding the puck on his backhand, both circling and straight .. drops his chest quite a bit when skating, giving him a nice Gretzky hunch .. displays good quickness down low and can emerge off the boards and out of the corners .. gets a bit upright in his first few steps under acceleration, but then gets down .. makes crisp passes, although he tends to carry the puck more than he passes it .. has decent size at just under 6-foot-2 and at 200 pounds .. plays with a little physicality, but is more of a puck protection power forward .. named one of the USHL's Mid-Season All-Stars for the East Division (although the USHL had no All-Star Game this year) .. building a strong case to be a late-round pick in the 2011 Draft .. committed to Cornell (2011-12).

Blake Coleman (2011), C, Indiana

USHL's leading scorer, but doesn't do it with finesse .. has decent speed with the puck, although not breakaway speed ..gets upright accelerating without the puck .. drops his chest when accelerating with the puck .. drops his chest some when skating in general .. makes crisp passes .. has a decent wristshot .. doesn't have the skating and the release to get shots off quickly in closed quarters .. stickhandling has improved a lot over his time in the USHL and can now make nifty toe drags in close .. much of his offense comes from sheer effort .. does a good job of driving the net off the boards and out of the corners .. sticks with plays and has a knack of finishing loose pucks out front .. hustles to the net after making passes to teammates .. creates chaos out front for the opponent and lots of chances for his team .. icetime he receives as first-line center makes it impossible for him to play with the physicality he played with last season .. does still play a physical game, though .. finishes his checks .. steps up for big hits at the blueline and in the neutral zone .. able to explode into his hits .. stout at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds .. established his fighting abilities last season, but that's not one of his primary roles in 2010-11 .. long-term future is likely as a left wing, the position he played in 2009-10 .. named one of the USHL's Mid-Season All-Stars for the East Division .. has some real potential as a checking-line or energy-line forward in the NHL if he improves his speed .. worthy of late-round consideration .. committed to Miami (2011-12)

Fargo Force

Colten St.Clair (2011), RW, Fargo

Now displays all the physical tools to be a top player in the USHL, just needs to put up the commensurate numbers .. stickhandling has improved, which was the last question mark in terms of tools .. showing more confidence with the puck and is now slicker with the puck .. ability to quickly drag the puck in or sweep it across is now fairly impressive .. able to weave his way through traffic even better now, but is also successful in close .. throwing in some body jukes, too .. quite explosive with the puck and separates easily from opponents .. new level of separation is giving him even more time and space, and he's using it to his advantage making plays .. has very good top speed with the puck, but can be very shifty with his speed while handling the puck .. has impressive shot power .. wristshot is quite hard .. slapshot and one-timer are also hard .. features a quick release .. fires hard, crisp passes .. also able to make nice one-touch passes .. still plays his responsible two-way game .. sees regular icetime in all situations .. adequate size at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds .. offensive production is a bit disappointing for a third-year veteran in the USHL of his skill level, but still worthy of a late-round pick and could still challenge for mid-round selection in the 2011 Draft .. committed to North Dakota (2011-12)

Garrett Haar (2011), D, Fargo

Playing a two-way game for Fargo and is making his presence felt .. small by NHL standards at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, but is playing with a distinct physical edge .. is no longer backing in but now consistently angles his man toward the half boards and plays the body, with some force .. engages physically for the puck down low .. steps up for hits at the blueline from time to time .. was impressive in one particular viewing against Omaha, as he really took it to Seth Ambroz and was successful separating him from the puck and taking him out of the play .. has good cruising speed with the puck and can skate it out of his zone .. a heads-up stickhandler who can assess his breakout options and keep his feet moving .. passing game has fully adapted to the USHL .. now consistently makes a hard, crisp first pass .. transitions the puck well with his defensive partners .. able to make smooth one-touch passes .. has a decent wristshot from the point .. able to make quick sweeping stickhandling moves across his body at speed .. sees some time on the second powerplay unit .. limited icetime on the PK, but not because he isn't capable .. a potential late-round pick for the 2011 Draft, particularly if he can finish strong offensively .. committed to Northeastern (2011-12 or 2012-13).

Brian Cooper (2012), D, Fargo

Fargo's number one defenseman and sees major minutes in all situations .. smaller defenseman at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, but plays with a physical edge .. is strong on his skates and can really thrust into his hits .. engages opponents physically regardless of size or reputation .. maintains a wide base backward, gets down low, eliminates crossovers, and lets his gaps close .. consistently engages at or near the blueline and it's not uncommon for him to do so in the neutral zone .. is also good with his stick in deflecting and intercepting passes .. strong all-compass mobility .. has nice cruising speed and acceleration with the puck .. poised with the puck and doesn't panic when pressured down low, when skating the puck, or at the point .. maintains a good offensive gap so as to make himself an offensive option and to quickly engage opponents off Fargo turnovers .. will join the play deep if he's one of the first three in the offensive zone .. makes smooth, crisp breakout passes .. also transitions the puck well with his d-partners .. very good shot power .. has a hard, crisp wristshot .. able to fire hard, crisp slapshots in stride .. keeps his slappers from the point low .. also has a hard one-timer and keeps that low, too .. has an outside chance at being named to the USHL's All-First or All-Second Team at the end of the season .. named one of the USHL's Mid-Season All-Stars for the West Division .. committed to Nebraska-Omaha (2012-13)