D Ethan Prow | 6’0” 190lbs. | 92L YOB

There is no question that Prow has flaws in his game that may prevent him from pursuing a pro career.  However, he has enough skills and attributes that may make him worth the risk of a late round pick on a player who can develop at the NCAA level with St. Cloud State.  Prow’s skating and footwork are the aspects of his game that stand out as needing improvement.  He’s too upright and lacks both explosiveness and quickness in his first step although both have improved since last season.  If he were to focus on that aspect and gain lower body strength, he could improve enough to get by.

Prow’s strengths are in his obvious athleticism (which provides optimism in his ability to improve) and his offensive instincts.  The athleticism is evident in a quick stick and ability to poke the puck away from the attacking forward.  The offensive skills and upside are seen in an accurate shot from the point that finds the net, the knack for holding the puck in, and solid puck moving skills.  Prow also is a guy who doesn’t get outworked anywhere on the ice and in spite of his poor skating, has the ability to skate the puck out of trouble through determination and desire.  He’s also counted on by his team and the coaches as shown by the amount of ice time he gets in all situations including PP and PK and matching up against the top opposing players.  Prow is the perfect example of a player who will benefit from 4 years of NCAA hockey.

F Ray Pigozzi | 6’0” 190lbs. | 94 YOB

Pigozzi isn’t a surefire NHL or pro prospect either.  We may very well be talking about him next year as a player passed over in his first year of eligibility.  However, Pigozzi has some keen puck skills and offensive abilities that could intrigue a scouting staff.   He’s extremely creative and aware on the ice and uses those abilities to be a threat every time he has the puck.  Pigozzi’s puck distribution skills and anticipation stand out as well.  In addition, he’s very good at finding open ice and making himself an option to receive the puck.

Pigozzi has a solid skating technique but needs to be more explosive and quicker in his first step.  In the times I’ve seen him play live, Pigozzi has played the wing and can be outmuscled along the boards.  Based on that and his abilities in open ice with the puck, I wonder if Pigozzi’s future would look better as a center.  Either way, he’s headed to Denver University and an NCAA strength training program will help immensely.

DOB: Feb. 08/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 5.06 | Weight: 163lbs     

Midterm Rank: 26 | League Rank: 1st USHL | Country Rank: 1st USA

     Each of the players in our rankings has some sort of flaw in their game. Improving upon
them will dictate the level of success these players will enjoy in their pursuit of an NHL
career. Rocco Grimaldi appears to be the exception in that I have difficulty in identifying
any deficiency in his skills or game. The problem is that the only thing Grimaldi has to
do to eliminate any questions about his future is to somehow grow. Assuming that does
not happen, he will have to overcome that obstacle. Everything about his approach to
the game and the passion in which he pursues it says that his lack of size will not keep
Grimaldi from enjoying a successful NHL career.

     I have often described Grimaldi by suggesting that if you wanted to produce a video on
how to properly perform the individual skills necessary to be a hockey player, you would
simply take footage of him skating, passing, puck handling and shooting. Grimaldi has
a perfect stride with his knees seemingly constantly at a 90 degree angle enabling him
to get the maximum power from his stride. He has quick feet which enable him to keep
his legs under him and stay balanced at all points on the ice. Grimaldi’s feet are always
moving and he has the ability to identify seams in the defense and attacks relentlessly.

     Grimaldi uses his balance and low center of gravity to help him protect the puck in traffic
as well as quick hands that allow him to gather loose pucks or strip the puck from the
other team. Grimaldi’s vision and hockey sense enable him to make good decisions
with the puck. He also has a creative side that results in chances for he or his mates
through his puck handling or passing abilities. Grimaldi also owns a very good shot
and is able to pick corners on some of the better goaltenders in the world at his age as
is evidenced by his consistent play in the all the international tournaments in which he
has participated. His work ethic and heart are always on display and he shows
absolutely no reservations in engaging in physical battles on the ice.

     That work ethic and dedication to the game are what separates Grimaldi from so
many others. He made the commitment long ago as a youngster out of California
when he decided to develop his game with the Detroit Little Caesars program and
he has continued to defy odds and prove the nay sayers wrong whenever anyone
has questioned his ability to compete against bigger and older players. Grimaldi’s
determination was on display at the recent NHL Combine where he showed up many of
his peers in some of the strength testing. I’m putting my money on Grimaldi doing the
same in the NHL.

Pros: Technique and high end skills, work ethic, hockey sense
Cons: Lack of size
Skill-set Comparison: Tyler Ennis

DOB: Mar. 14/93 | Shoots: L | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 198lbs     

Midterm Rank: 30 | League Rank: 2nd USHL | Country Rank: 2nd USA

     Prior to this year, I’ve seen Miller dominate and be the best player on the ice, even as
a member of the U17 team last year against players 3 and 4 years older. At times, he
controlled the game during his shifts with solid skills and determination on both sides of
the puck. There was no denying that Miller had the look of a Top 30 NHL prospect it
was just a question of how he would put it together in his draft year.

     Miller is a very strong, powerful skater and he uses his speed to help him both
offensively and defensively. He’s an extremely hard worker and has the ability to get
to loose pucks as well as separate the puck from the carrier seemingly at will. Miller
has good balance and is strong on the puck when he has it and battles hard when
he doesn’t. He’s good along the boards and gets out of battles with the puck. Miller
handles the puck well and uses his balance and strength to protect the puck until he
makes a play.

     He’s not the most creative player on the ice but he does have the ability
to make the easy play. Miller’s passing and shooting abilities are at the very least solid
and consistent but he does show flashes at times of high end abilities in this regard.
Miller plays his end of the ice well and has a physical side that makes him difficult to
play against. The knock on Miller was that when you saw him play and admired his
skills, you wondered why he did not produce the numbers to match those skills. At
times, Miller’s decision making with the puck was cause to question his hockey sense
and offensive awareness. He seemed a safe bet to develop into a third line center who
could match up against the opposition’s top line. A prospect for sure but the first round
may have been a stretch.

     The U18’s this past April may have been the culmination of Miller putting it together
with the production level finally matching his skills. He was one of the top scorers in the
tournament and was selected as the top forward on the American squad. Miller’s ceiling
may have been raised to the extent that a team might feel more comfortable using a
first round pick on a player who now looks more like a second line center who will still
provide strong defensive play. The only other question on Miller that needs answered
is whether or not he will continue his development and the University of North Dakota or
Plymouth of the OHL.

Pros: Strong skater, good defensive player, solid skills
Cons: Production has only recently matched skill set leading to questions on hockey IQ.
Skill-set Comparison : Ryan Kesler

DOB: Feb. 15/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 5.11 | Weight: 193lbs      

     The one-time highly touted US defenseman has seen his stock drop in some circles and I’ll admit to not being overly impressed when I watched Russo last year on the U17 squad. His skills do not jump out at you at first glance. However, the more you see him, the more you have to come away impressed with Russo’s intangible abilities.

     Russo’s hockey sense is at an elite level both offensively and defensively as he seemingly has the puck on his stick most of the time he’s on the ice whether he’s skating with it through the neutral zone or intercepting opposing passes. Russo’s ability to anticipate the opposing play allows him to get into position in the defensive zone and take away passing options or suck the puck handler into thinking he has an opening for Russo to quickly take it away. He’s also very adept at recognizing if the attacking forwards are going to skate the puck into the zone or dump it. As a result, Russo is strong at gathering pucks dumped into the corner since he already has a step on the play. Russo uses that extra time and space to make sound decisions as to whether he should skate the puck or move it ahead.

     Another intangible Russo seems to possess is innate leadership ability. He clearly demonstrates this through his demeanor on the ice whether he’s standing up for teammates or communicating with them. The respect he commands is obvious and it appears to come naturally.

     None of this is to suggest that Russo is not a skilled player because he is. Russo is very smooth and effortless as he skates the puck through the neutral zone and he has the ability to find the seams in the opposing team’s forecheck. From there, he uses great vision and the aforementioned awareness to recognize his options. He can either keep it or put the puck on the tape of a teammate by way of a crisp forehand pass or a soft backhand pass to a vacated area for someone to skate into. Russo could improve his shot some to become more well-rounded as he mans the point on the power play. He’ll also need to pick up the physical play as he progresses against bigger and stronger players. Russo will need to become stronger himself and will benefit from an NCAA weight room and time to mature physically.

Pros: Elite hockey sense, vision and ability to pass the puck
Cons: Shot needs to improve, physical play
Skillset Comparison: Brian Rafalski

DOB: Nov. 14/92 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.04 | Weight: 200lbs
Midterm Rank: 16 | League Rank: 4th USHL | Country Rank: 5th USA

     Entering the 2010-2011 season, Scott Mayfield was high on most lists and seemed to be a sure 1st round pick. Other rankings appear to have dropped Mayfield and most cite the fact that he played with Youngstown of the USHL and perhaps he did not progress as hoped or even regressed in some eyes. My opinion differs in that I think in some ways Mayfield may have benefited from that experience.

     What everyone does agree on is that Mayfield owns the skills to be a first pair defenseman in the NHL. Also, he uses his 6’4” 200lb frame to play with a nasty edge. He skates well with a powerful stride that allows him to take ice quickly and move well laterally, Mayfield’s 1 on 1 skills were without par at the USHL level including the USNTDP squads. His long reach, good footwork and text book technique made him very difficult to beat.

     Offensively, you would be hard pressed to find more accurate shot from the point whether it’s a booming slap shot or hard wrist shot. Mayfield makes the 1st pass with ease and transitions the puck quickly to offense. The problem is that over the past few seasons watching Mayfield closely, I witnessed several occasions where he made a great play on the puck only to have one of his teammates skate the wrong way or not get into position quick enough for the pass. That is one of the reasons his skills did not translate into enough points to please those expecting more offense. Those instances contributed to the belief that Mayfield did not do himself any favors by returning to the USHL.

     However, you can’t ignore the fact the Mayfield can and does play up to the level of his team and the competition contributing to the US team at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Tournament and being named MVP at the 2010 World Jr. A Challenge. Mayfield also used the season to develop some of the finer points of his game. For instance, he had a tendency to always take the puck to his backhand when skating through traffic in the neutral zone. As a result, he would often limit his options and take himself out of the play by entering the offensive zone on his backhand as he came down the left side.

     Mayfield appears to have gotten rid of that habit and can move handle the puck equally well on the forehand or backhand. Also, Mayfield ascended into a leadership role that appears to have made an already mature kid even more mature. He’s moving on to a great situation at Denver where he will no doubt continue to grow and elevate his game.

Pros : Physical skills and 1 on 1 defensive technique
Cons: Level of play may not have pushed development
Skillset comparison: Chris Pronger

F Colten St. Clair | 5’10” | 190lbs. | 11/22/92

NHL Eligible: 2011

Followers of the USHL were anxious to see how the 3 year veteran would perform in his draft year.  While St. Clair has steadily improved his production, the reality is that he does not figure to develop into a top 6 contributor at the next level.  St. Clair’s offensive upside is limited by his lack of high end one on one skills.  His game is based more on hard work, finishing checks along the boards and providing energy.  St. Clair plays a responsible game by being defensively alert and aware of his responsibilities and would have to make a career in that role.

D Garrett Haar | 6’0” | 193lbs. | 8/16/93

NHL Eligible: 2011

Haar has the raw athleticism that is sure to excite scouts as they assess his potential.  His footwork is particular strong, allowing Haar to move well laterally and display confidence by maintaining tight gap control.  He’s tough to get around as he has the knack and ability to step into the puck carrier and separate him from the puck.  Haar also keeps his head on a swivel and reads his backchecking support to know when to pressure the puck carrier.

Those abilities suit him offensively as he patrols the point and moves the puck across the blue line looking for shooting lanes.  Haar just needs to pick his spots better as he can be prone to taking himself out of position in order to make a great offensive play.  He also needs to improve on some of the finer points of the game in areas such as taking better angles when forcing the puck carrier in the corner.

D Brian Cooper | 5’9” | 180lbs. | 11/1/93

NHL Eligible: 2012

Cooper took his offensive game up a notch in his second season.  There is no guessing as to what type of player Cooper would project to at the next level as he not only has the physical skills and attributes of an offensive defenseman but also an obvious confidence in those abilities.  Cooper shows an ability to anticipate as well as create turnovers, and then quickly pounce on those loose pucks and transitioning to offense.  He’s not afraid to cheat a little since he has an explosive first step to take the puck forward or to recover and get back if he guesses wrong.

Cooper’s forte is using his skating and vision to take the puck from his zone and weave through the neutral zone.  He’s also able to see trouble and dish the puck to open teammates.  Cooper will need to tighten up his defensive play and his ability to do so will have an effect on when he’s selected next year.  He has the ability to make up for mistakes at the USHL level but those same mistakes will get him into trouble as he progresses in his career.  Cooper also needs to improve in that as strong as his skating is, he slows down noticeably with the puck and can get caught by backchecking forwards on occasion.

D Keaton Thompson | 6’1” | 165lbs. | 9/14/95

NHL Eligible: 2013

I lucked out since I watched Fargo after they added Thompson to the roster after his high school season concluded.  The 15 year old immediately stood out with his skating and smooth footwork.  Thompson was good at gaining and keeping tight gap control by trusting that skating and lateral movement.  Offensively, Thompson used the same skills to buy time and space which enabled him to make very good passes.  He’s got tons of upside both defensively and offensively.

Most impressive was his calm demeanor with the puck and obvious confidence in all situations…nothing phased this kid and he looked like a seasoned veteran on the ice.  He’s committed to play in Ann Arbor with the USNTDP next year and should be a gem for the squad…..remember him for 2013 if you don’t know him already.

Nick Lappin | 2011 Eligible | F | 6’0” | 170 | 11/1/92

    I haven’t seen Lappin mentioned anywhere but I became a fan of the way he plays the game.  Lappin skates well and has very good technique that allows him to generate speed through an efficient, powerful stride.  He needs to improve in changing directions, his turning radius, as well as improving his lower body strength. His first three steps after a series of stops and starts also needs some work.  Lappin is an extremely hard worker and gives everything on the ice and never gives up on the play.  He has the awareness to keep his body square to the puck at all times.

    On offense, he presents a target to receive a pass and is decisive when he gets the puck.  Defensively, Lappin is aware of the opposition and puts himself between the puck and his man.  Lappin surprises in the fact that he likes to throw his body around and uses very good technique in taking the body along the boards.  He also executed some perfect open ice checks in the neutral zone that stood out.  Lappin is a good faceoff guy and is counted on in key defensive situations.

    He has quick hands that enable him to emerge from battles along the boards with the puck and a knack of getting to open space with the puck.  From there, he makes good decisions in getting the puck to the open guy.  Simply put, I love the way he plays the game.  I just wish his point production at the USHL level matched the skill set that I see.  That said, if I were a team with extra picks in the later rounds, I might take a shot on him or at least keep an eye on him next year and see how he progresses.

Daniil Zharkov | 2012 Eligible | F | 6’3” | 195 | 2/6/94

    The big Russian joined the Storm mid-way through the season.  I’m not sure what his long-term plans are in regards to the NCAA or where he could end up next year if not the USHL, but he has the look of a player who has the talent and potential to be considered a top 120 pick in 2012.

    Zharkov skates hard and with a purpose, and has good speed that will improve as he refines his skating just a bit by lengthening his stride.  Offensively, Zharkov has the awareness and ability to get the puck to his teammates as well as an above average shot.  However, his one on one skills and creativity are his strengths.  Zharkov displayed those skills often when I watched him and while on some occasions his hands weren’t as quick as his legs, he made some sick plays with the puck and beat several players one on one.

    Additionally Zharkov showed not only a willingness to throw his weight around but also finished his checks and at times was a dominant player in both ends.  Zharkov also appeared to score points with his teammates when he went after a player who took a run at one of the Storm and appeared ready to drop the gloves if the other player obliged.  Zharkov is a player to watch for sure.

The Green Bay Gamblers have a few players ranked on Central Scouting’s watch list as well as a few not ranked but who may be sleepers.

Austin Czarnik | F | 5’7” | 140lbs | 12/12/92

2010/11 – 11GP 3G 1A 4P +1 21PIM

Czarnik’s offensive talents and instincts are unquestionably his bread and butter.  He has a nose for loose pucks and uses his quickness to pounce on them and create chances for himself or his mates.  He has good vision and awareness as to who he should get the puck to in order to generate quality shots.  In addition, he’s smart at recognizing when he needs to shoot the puck and does so with a quick release.  Czarnik is also relied upon in key defensive situations and is a strong two-way player.  The obvious knock on Czarnik is his size and strength.   As hard as he battles, he tends to wear out a bit on long shifts and can be a liability when on the ice in those moments.  It’s nothing that can’t be addressed in the weight room at Miami University and could entice an NHL team to use a pick on a kid who only needs to mature physically.

Andrew Welinski | D | 6’0” | 190lbs | 4/27/93

14GP 3G 1A 4P +2 4PIM

Welinski did not stand out in my two viewings this season as an NHL prospect whereas CSB has him ranked as a top 25 player in the USHL.  He plays a steady defensive game and holds the point well from the right side.  He does well in maintaining gap control and has the ability to force the puck carrier wide or into dumping the puck behind him.  However, he needs to be a bit more agile and at times was not smooth in his pivoting from forward to backward and vice versa.  I would rank Josiah Didier from Cedar Rapids ahead of Welinski at this point.

Sam Herr | F | 6’0” | 192lbs | 10/13/92

13GP 2G 4A 6P +5 6PIM

My sleeper pick of the Gamblers’ first time draft eligible players.  Herr has very good offensive instincts and puts his body where the puck is going.  He is very strong on the boards and protects the puck well as he plays bigger than his listed size.  He has a knack for getting the puck off the boards and getting it to his teammates equally well from his forehand or backhand.  Herr also possesses a hard shot with a quick release.  I also liked the grit he displayed and the willingness to do right by his teammates.  Herr just needs work on his skating.  He has a nice, powerful stride and can skate well in a straight line but has difficulty in the tight turns and in changing directions.  In those situations, he tends to narrow his base and skate more erect.  Some individual power skating and a commitment to improve should fix that.

Markus Lauridsen | D | 6’1” | 201lbs | 2/28/91

15GP 2G 1A 3P -8 10PIM

The 19 year old native of Denmark intrigued me enough to mention him as a player to watch in his first season playing in North America.  Lauridsen simply looks like a pro on the ice with a strong, powerful stride and lower body strength.  He’s very skilled in using his hips and rear end to box out opposing forwards in front and positions himself well to allow his goalie to see the puck and take care of the rebounds.  He also has good shot blocking ability when the situation dictates and can discern when to put his body in the way or allow his goalie to make the save.  Lauridsen has very good hockey sense and is used in all situations for the Gamblers.  He’s a good backwards skater and maintains tight gap control and has the awareness to recognize when he can force the puck carrier or wait for backchecking help.

Offensively, Lauridsen plays within his limitations and quickly moves the puck up ice.  His greatest attribute on the point is his ability to find the net with hard, low shots for deflections or rebounds.  He’s very good at surveying the traffic in front and knows when to tee it up for a powerful blast or quickly send a hard wrist shot on net.  His ability in this regard stands out in this age of blocked shots.  He is limited somewhat by his foot speed and upper body strength but I am very anxious to see how he develops during the course of the USHL season and where his travels take him.

Nikita Sirotkin | F | 6’1” | 190lbs | 11/26/93

9GP 1G 0A 1P E 2PIM

The 2012 draft eligible Russian clearly thinks offense first and has a skill set that permits him to do so.  He’s confident with the puck and attacks the opposition with speed and conviction.  Sirotkin is not afraid to carry the puck into traffic and trusts his quick hands to allow him to create offense.  His long term prospects will hinge on his ability to adapt to the North American game.  Sirotkin has the ability to make quick one time passes and can spot the open player.  However, he can hang on to the puck a bit too long at times.  He also needs to improve his skating.  As mentioned, Sirotkin will skate into traffic with the puck but his stride needs to smooth out and at times he skates erect and can be an easy target when coming through the neutral zone.

Cason Hohmann | F | 5’8” |160lbs. | 1/10/93

The USHL veteran clearly has the skill set to play at the pro level.  Hohmann is a quick, darting skater who also has great first step acceleration.  He sees the ice well and has the ability to find open players.  He’s also not afraid to shoot the puck and has a knack of getting open.  Hohmann has the ability to handle the puck in tight quarters and is particularly strong at changing directions to shed the opposition.  He plays equally well in open ice or along the boards where his small stature and skating ability make him an elusive player.  Hohmann is responsible defensively and a leader on the ice.  He plays sound positional hockey and is relied upon on the PK.  Hohmann is also very good at creating turnovers by forcing the puck carrier in all three zones.  The only knock on Hohmann is his size.  As solid as his skills are, they aren’t the caliber of a smaller player such as Rocco Grimaldi who can compensate for his lack of size.  That said, he’s worth the risk of a pick on draft day as he will have up to 4 years at BU to mature physically.

Josiah Didier | D | 6’2” | 200lbs. | 4/8/93

At this point, Didier does not look like a sure-fire NHL draft pick.  However, he brings enough to the table to merit a close watch.  He has a perfect frame with long arms and legs and covers so much ice with his body.  He has very strong skating techniques and moves well laterally as well as getting from point A to point B to retrieve loose pucks.  Didier is very strong on the puck and saw tons of PK duty on the Cedar Rapids blueline.  He reads the play well and puts himself in the right spots.  Didier has a long reach and poke checks pucks with ease.  The question marks in his game are his offensive skills.  He’s very composed and patient with the puck and clearly looks to move it quickly.  His pro prospects will be determined on how much more he can enhance those skills at Denver University.  It will also be interesting to see how he progresses during the season.  I’ll be getting another live look in March.

Matt Hansen | F | 5’10” | 163lbs. | 5/11/93

Maybe I got lucky and saw this kid at the right time, but I really liked his game.  He has very good hockey sense on both sides of the puck and was involved in the play all night.  He has quick hands and very good vision and awareness.  It was clear that Hansen was always seeing the game one step ahead…. from anticipating turnovers, executing quick tic-tac-toe pass plays, and getting open for shots on goal.  He made a great play to set up Hohmann for an easy tap in as he barely had the puck on his stick, looked off the Youngstown defense, and through a crisp pass to Hohmann off the far post.  He maintained discipline in the D zone and was also careful to play within the Roughriders’ system as he never chased the puck needlessly to take himself out of position.  He’ll need to get stronger and can hone his game at the NCAA level with some great coaching as he is committed to Colorado College.  I’m anxious to see him later in the season as well.

Anthony DeAngelo | D | 5’10” | 165lbs. | 10/24/95

In my opinion, the first star of the game.  If you did not have a roster, you would never have thought this kid was 14 years old.  Everything was at a high level especially his poise and confidence.  All physical skills were top-notch….quick hands, powerful skater with quick first step acceleration, vision and awareness to make the right play and the ability to shoot the puck.  DeAngelo played very strong positional defense and found himself on the ice in key situations.  DeAngelo was never intimidated and showed heart and determination that set himself apart from most players on the ice that day.  He made a great play to score…he saw a Cedar Rapids winger Sam Warning take the puck wide 1 on 2,  burst down the middle of the ice and as he was beating the second Youngstown defender to the net, called for the puck.  Warning made a nice saucer pass that DeAngelo easily handled to complete the play and put it past Youngstown netminder Matt O’Connor.  I don’t know who the other 2014 top players are, but I can’t imagine many more better at this point than DeAngelo.

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#10. Derek Forbort | D | USNTDP (USHL)

Date of Birth: March 4th, 1992
Height: 6.04
Weight: 195lbs.
Shoots: L
Season Statistics: Regular Season | 26GP 4G 10A 14P 26PIM
Playoffs | n/a
TSR Midterm Rank: 11 | Position Rank: 4th Defensemen
League Rank: 1st USHL | Country Rank: 2nd USA

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