USNTDP-U18 Team: Dannys Shining

U.S. National Team member Danny Kristo is a potential first-round pick in this summer's NHL Entry Draft, while teammates Robbie Czarnik and Sean Lorenz may not be far behind. McKeen's correspondent Kevin Hopson provides notes on these three players, as well as 2009 prospect Jordan Schroeder.

Sean Lorenz (2008), D, USNTDP-U18

Primarily a stay-at-home defenseman with limited offensive abilities .. not the type to bring the puck up ice, though he is capable of doing this .. owns a worthy point shot and is effective at holding the puck in the offensive zone .. defensively, Lorenz does a sufficient job of staying with his man and playing the body to break up attacks .. however, there were a couple instances when Lorenz left his man to help a teammate (when it was not necessary), which opened the door for a possible backdoor play .. his quality wing-to-wing passing abilities and quick decision-making skills are his greatest assets, as they allow him to get out of pressure situations in his own end.

Robbie Czarnik (2008), C, USNTDP-U18

A workhorse who possesses a mixture of speed, two-way play and physical toughness .. shows strength on the puck, as he does an effective job of moving to open space and utilizing his quick hands in tight situations .. can be a quality playmaker given his ability to see the ice and setup teammates .. really hustles around the ice, as he is a strong skater with a productive stride .. willing to work along the boards, get dirty in the corners and backcheck on a regular basis .. because of his solid two-way game, he is a valuable component on both the man advantage and PK.

Danny Kristo (2008), RW, USNTDP-U18

A gifted playmaker that is smooth in just about everything he does .. for instance, Kristo glides on the ice and uses his long fluid stride to cover a lot of ground in a short span of time .. he is also graceful when handling the puck, as he does not over utilize his stick .. instead, he takes advantage of his agile frame and flexible hands to move the puck laterally into open space .. does an adequate job of defending, making him a potential two-way player in the NHL .. however, he needs to be more involved in his own end and work better away from the puck .. despite being more talented than Czarnik, he could take some lessons from him when it comes to backchecking.

Jordan Schroeder (2009), C, USNTDP-U18

Though not eligible for this year's draft due to his late birth date (9/29/90), Schroeder will likely be one of the top prospects in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft .. Schroeder is the epitome of a guy who can do it all .. possesses swift feet and quality instincts .. also anticipates extremely well, as he has a tendency to break-up passes in his own end and then use his speed and puck-moving skills to counterattack and lead the rush .. precise passer who effectively finds the seams and creates a plethora of scoring opportunities .. productive in the circle and a valuable defender, which makes him a regular on the PK .. plays bigger than his size, as he will push and shove along the boards, in addition to throwing the occasional hit .. in summary, a complete player who is always around the puck.