World U-18 Championship: USA

The Americans were the host team and harnessed the home ice advantage to win the gold medal. They were an exciting team to watch, including players like Jeremy Morin, who has polarized NHL scouts this season. A key to the American's success was the contributions they got from 2010 eligible prospects Jack Campbell, Cam Fowler, and Jon Merrill. McKeen's director of scouting Max Giese filed this report on Team USA.

Jeremy Morin (2009), RW, USNTDP

Has million dollar hands and as long as the work ethic is there, Morin looks like he could be the next Jonathan Cheechoo .. a clunky skater that lacks quickness and an open ice separation gear .. has spectacular hands and he creatively unleashes some electrifying moves .. terrific from the blueline in, Morin has the ability to make things happen in heavy traffic areas and in tight around the goal .. owns a heavy shot and the natural goal scoring ability that cannot be coached .. not a selfish player and can create through the passing game, although at times, he lapses into overhandling the puck .. his defensive play was inconsistent, as he was lazy and caught flatfooted at times, while others he busted his balls and made things happen all on his own .. not a big player, but few are better at winning one-on-one battles for the puck in the offensive zone .. scored a beautiful goal when he fore checked hard and out muscled the defender for the puck before driving it to the net and finishing up high on the goaltender .. his work rate dissipated at times here, but when he's working he's a player and one can overlook his skating issues .. however, when he's not working he looks like he could be a bust .. worth a first-round pick and is a potential homerun if the work ethic is consistently there.

Drew Shore (2009), C, USNTDP

An honest two-way pivot with above-average athleticism and skill .. needs to quicken his feet some more, as his lack of a dynamic burst prevented him from being able to get outside on defenders with any regularity .. despite not being blessed with a super high-end level of skill, Shore definitely has some talent and is especially effective when his hands and feet are working in unison, because he can't just rely on either to get by .. a decent passer and a capable scorer, Shore shields the puck well and has good size with lots of strength yet to come .. committed to Denver University, expect Shore to be picked in the late first to early second round.

Cam Fowler (2010), D, USNTDP

An ingenious skater that already moves with the puck better than some NHLers, Fowler is the type of skill package that will challenge to be one of the first picks taken at the 2010 draft .. a thoroughbred skater that is graceful and powerful in all-directions .. capable of maneuvering his skates in some inhumane ways, such as using a spin'o'rama before accelerating backwards to create new opportunities on the point .. gracefully changes directions without losing a step .. is almost as good as it gets for a defenseman skating the puck out of his own end .. in fact, some times he skates too fast with the puck, as his teammates can't keep up with him and he will end up skating into a dead end .. sees the ice well and can slow the game down or quicken the pace to his liking .. does a solid job on the point and he owns a crisp shot .. his ability to move the puck through the passing game is above-average, but right now he's reliant and more effective skating the puck up the ice on his own .. has the acceleration to carry the puck out of trouble and his recovery speed is a great defensive weapon .. positionally sound defensively .. will be challenged by the physicality the OHL has to offer next season while playing for Windsor .. he's so smooth everything's almost too pretty with the puck.

Jonathan Merrill (2010), D, USNTDP

Like his defensive partner Cam Fowler, Merrill will be a high first round pick at the 2010 draft and projects to be the American version of Alex Pietrangelo .. an exceptional skater with smooth backwards and lateral mobility for a youthful player of his height .. can find a powerful gear of speed when needed, but he's such a smart positional player that it isn't always displayed .. has a deceptive skill set because he doesn't elect to skate far with the puck unless needed, instead he efficiently moves it to the open man .. played it fairly safe during the course of the tournament, but did hit the homerun pass when the opportunity arose .. nothing flashy, Merrill is a calm and deliberate puck mover with good vision and a great first pass .. defensively, his positioning was rock solid and his long reach was utilized properly .. a big boy with a lot of strength yet to be added, Merrill is a cerebral defender and not a bruiser, but adding a mean streak to his game would nearly complete the package .. committed to the University of Michigan.

Chris Brown (2009), RW, USNTDP

A freight train that is difficult to stop once he gains momentum, Brown is a good skater with healthy speed heading north, but he needs to get a step quicker and improve on his agility .. more power than finesse, Brown has a feisty shot and a decent touch around the net, but he will never beat a defender with a lateral move .. he's a north/south forward that can bull his way down the wall before getting a heavy shot on net, but he's limited offensively because he doesn't see the ice well and struggles to find the open man with the puck .. an intense competitor that was even killing penalties .. he's a mean, strong power winger that can overpower the opposition and he has a knack for landing the big hit that can energize his squad .. goes to the net and is like a bull in a china shop once there .. not effective if he isn't playing physical, but that rarely happens .. set to play for the Michigan Wolverines next fall.

Nick Mattson (2010), D, USNTDP

A quick skater with encompassing mobility and great footwork, Mattson also packs a crisp kick to his stride .. a quick puckhandler with a good shot .. will jump into the offensive attack when the opportunity presents itself, even while on the penalty kill .. however, Mattson is a two-way player and will often be the last guy back to break up plays .. was prone to forcing passes .. difficult to beat one-on-one despite his modest size because of his tight gap control and stout positioning .. however, he didn't always courageously enter the corners and his lack of size will always be an issue .. a North Dakota recruit.

Kenny Ryan (2009), RW, USNTDP

Anyone looking for a player that simply knows how to put the puck in the net will likely look Ryan's way at this years' draft once all of the studs are gone .. is ingrained with the instincts and touch of a goal scorer .. works hard at both ends of the rink, but he was guilty of some bad touches in the defensive zones and he must erase the errant plays out of his game .. not overly large, but he plays tough on the body and does an adequate job at building a wall between him and the puck .. committed to Boston College.

Ryan Bourque (2009), C/LW, USNTDP

A phenomenal skater with awesome acceleration and dynamic lateral explosion .. he's fast, quick, and has a non-stop motor .. when Bourque gets the puck, he's gone in a flash .. oozes talent and is fun to watch .. he handles the puck better in his feet than almost anyone, as even at full speed he can receive the pass in his feet and kick it to his stick without losing a beat .. elusively dangerous in one-on-one situations and is a creative passer too .. visibly wants the puck and he seems to own it every time he's on the ice .. however, Bourque still needs his talent to be harnessed and playing under a no nonsense coach like Patrick Roy in Quebec next season will help .. not a one-dimensional performer and was on the penalty kill where his sharp defensive marks were evident .. the biggest knock on Bourque is his miniature-sized frame, but he plays bigger than his size because he's fearless and aggressive .. was dynamic and one of the most exciting players at the tournament .. will light it up next year in Quebec and the fans are going to love him.

Jack Campbell (2010), G, USNTDP

Campbell has been regarded as one of the top goaltenders in his age group since he was 14 and that potential became a reality over the course of this tournament .. held Canada to only one goal before shutting out the Russians in the gold medal game .. the subtleties and polish to Campbell's repertoire is what separates him, such as the way he proficiently uses his stick to deflect pucks to the corners and the way in which he angles his blocker to do the same .. technically flawless, he boasts a compact butterfly and an ideal stance .. diligently deciphers the play developing in front of him and is always square to the puck .. sharply tracks pucks into his glove and is a smart puckhandler .. difficult to beat on breakaways because he never flinches, forcing the shooter to commit first .. does a great job getting his whole body behind the saves he makes and he also leans his body weight into outstretched saves .. committed to University of Michigan .. on a path to join Cory Schneider and Al Montoya as an American goaltender to be selected in the first-round of the NHL entry draft.

William Wrenn (2009), D, USNTDP

Serving as the American's team captain, Wrenn is a mobile, two-way defenseman with high character .. nothing special, but Wrenn is a smooth skater and is efficient on the offensive side of the puck .. does a nice job jumping into the open seams when they are available and he also showcased his seeking shot by scoring three times .. a Denver recruit .. Wrenn also has understated toughness and is very steady defensively.

Jason Zucker (2010), LW, USNTDP

A powerful skater with remarkable speed, Zucker can sip in and out of traffic with the puck remaining on his blade .. can play in any role asked of him because he owns a good pair of mitts and is also an energetic player that outworks his opponents .. did get too cute with the puck at times and became a showmen when the American's played against weaker opponents, but he always settled in and was a warrior in the tough games .. committed to the University of Denver.

Adam Clendening (2011), D, USNTDP

The fact that Clendening was one of the youngest players on the roster and isn't eligible until the 2011 draft speaks volumes about how highly USA Hockey thinks of him .. his skating is a work in progress and he was brutally weak defensively .. played soft and would get walked by opponents heading to the net with the puck on their blade .. appeared nervous and out of his element, as he was jittery with the puck .. however, he still flashed the upside he possesses .. his hand skill and offensive creativity are undeniable .. at times, he showed he can handle the physicality .. still very young and green, Clendening is a promising player that just needs to grow his game.

Jerry D'Amigo (2009), RW, USNTDP

The type of player that makes his living in the dirty areas .. he's not a great skater, but it's his ability to make plays in tight around the net that separates him .. cunning and creates great space inside the offensive zone, even within the slot area .. has the skill to make plays in tight around the net.

John Ramage (2009), D, USNTDP

His father Rob played in 1044 NHL games .. the younger Ramage is a smart and tough defenseman that could be a sleeper on draft day .. he's calm and collective with the puck .. makes a good first pass and owns a howitzer of a pointshot, as his slapper is an absolute bomb .. Ramage has everything your looking for in a defenseman except the height and the feet, as his skating will require improvement .. committed to the University of Wisconsin.

Brendan Rempel (2009), D, USNTDP

A big and strong defenseman that is very effective when he understands and executes his role .. he's a physical stay-at-home defenseman and shouldn't confuse himself with being an offensive playmaker .. he now understands this and was very useful at the World U-18's and has NHL upside .. a strong skater with a good stick that is difficult to beat one-on-one .. makes a good first pass and it's not like his hands are made of stone .. part of Harvard's strong recruiting class.