The Cedar Rapids Roughriders have 2 forwards who may be called to the podium at the NHL draft in June.

Derek Deblois              F          5’10”    177

Deblois projects as an offensive player and point producer.  He has quick hands and is able to handle the puck in traffic.  Deblois is equally adept at giving and receiving passes on his backhand.  He is also very calm with the puck and will make the quick pass if needed or he can hold the puck and wait for the play to develop.  Deblois has all shot types in his arsenal.  I can’t say that he has a hard shot but he is able to get it on net with a good release.  Deblois really impressed with his toughness and willingness to pay the price in front of the net.  He has a knack for getting open but when a defenseman played the body, Deblois battled for position and got his stick free for deflections.  Deblois was very disciplined and never rattled on those occasions.  He continued to go about his business with a workman-like resolve.

Deblois weaknesses are that he lacked speed and explosiveness.   He showed a willingness to backcheck but couldn’t get back quickly enough after some of the battles in front.  His puck skills in traffic are a nice attribute but his inability to separate himself from defenders might inhibit him at the next level.  Also, as much as he showed a willingness to take punishment in front, he was knocked off balance enough to notice that he could improve his lower body strength.  Deblois will have to gain some muscle at Michigan but I’m not sure if that will improve his balance and quickness or slow him down.


Michael Parks              F          5’10”    184

Parks showed the speed and explosiveness lacking in Deblois’ game.  In doing so, Parks displayed a keen hockey sense in that he knew when to skate at full speed and when to back off and maintain his good positioning.  Parks played well in his own end and kept his head on a swivel to ensure that his man would not get open for a pass.  He showed discipline in keeping his stick in the passing lane at all times.  Parks was called upon often to kill penalties and on one occasion, killed 30 seconds on his own by exploding through the neutral zone to catch the puck carrier, strip him of the puck, send it back to the his D to dump it in then did the same thing as Youngstown came back through the neutral zone. 

Parks looked like the only player on the ice during that sequence.  His determination and his hockey smarts are the attributes that will suit him as he develops at North Dakota.  While there, Parks will need to develop more confidence and skills with the puck.  Parks was good at getting to open ice and finding the open man to pass to but he did not have the puck as much as I would have liked to see.

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I had the chance to check out the Indiana Ice for another look at some of the 2010 draft eligible prospects.  I also had my first look at Jacob Fallon since he left the USA U-18 team.

Jacob Fallon               F          5’10”               180

Fallon seems to play and look bigger than 5’10 180.  He’s a powerful skater with good balance and he uses his edges well.  He is also very strong on the puck whether he is handling it in traffic or if he needs to make a hard pass or dump-in.  Fallon played well without the puck and was a very responsible player in all 3 zones as well as a physical presence.  At times, he seemed tentative in getting to open ice in the neutral zone….possibly a result of becoming acclimated to his new team.  When he had the puck, Fallon possessed another gear and was able to take the puck hard into the zone while protecting it.  Fallon certainly looks like a hockey player and stands out with strong techniques in all facets of his game and a player who does the little things well.  Whether or not his offensive skills develop will dictate Fallon’s role as a second liner or third liner in college and beyond.

Nick Mattson             D         6’1”                 190

I was a big fan prior to this season but I have to say that I’ve been somewhat disappointed in Mattson’s play.  Mattson has the tools and plays with such ease that you expect to see more production and fewer mistakes than you actually get from him.  Mattson might be the type of player who plays up to the level of competition which will make his time at North Dakota critical to his development.

John Parker                F          5’11”               180

Parker is a well rounded player who also plays well without the puck.  He’s called upon to kill penalties as well as match up against the opponent’s top offensive players.  However, Parker just has not mustered the offensive production to match his skill set.  It’s hard to imagine a team taking a shot on him in June.

Brian Ferlin                F          6’1”                 196

Ferlin on the other hand, does have offensive abilities and potential to develop them even further.  He’s a slick stick handler and has the confidence to attack the net with the puck.  He also has the knack to be in places where the puck comes to him.  Ferlin just needs to improve his skating and continue to refine his skills.  He’s certainly worth a mid to late round pick on a team willing to wait for him to develop in college.

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I recently watched the USNTDP U-18’s play Ohio State.  Unfortunately, Jon Merrill, Kevin Clare and Jacob Fallon were suspended and did not play.  However, I did have the opportunity to see several of the other 2010 Draft eligible players in action.

Derek Forbort                        D                     6’4”                 195

Forbort’s raw athleticism and size attribute to his high ranking to this point.  He’s a strong skater with good balance and agility.  Forbort also skates well with the puck and appears to get through the neutral zone effortlessly.  In this regard he shows good hockey sense and the vision to skate to open ice as the play develops.  Forbort was able to maintain tight gap on the OSU forwards but had difficulty when taken wide and was beat by some of the quicker skaters.  He’ll just need to improve his technique and footwork.  Also, Forbort had difficulty recognizing shot opportunities as he, as well as some of his teammates, had several shots blocked.  I would have liked to see him more creative and confidant at the point.  Forbort is the type of player with a high ceiling and if he develops fully, will be a stud defenseman in the NHL.

Stephen Johns                        D                     6’3”                 215

In my opinion, Johns might be a safer bet to develop into an NHL defenseman as he appears more NHL ready now.  However, he does not have as high a ceiling as Forbort.  Johns is very strong on the puck and quickly moves the puck or takes the safe route by getting it to the red-line and dumping it in.  Johns plays physically and should develop into a prototypical defensive defenseman who does have the ability to make a good first pass.  He possesses a good, hard shot but he too was guilty of making poor decisions by forcing the puck, only to have it blocked several times.  Also, Johns will need to improve upon his technique in pressuring puck carriers in the corner.   On a few occasions, the OSU forwards were able to get around Johns and catch him flat footed

Jarred Tinordi                          D                     6’5”                 202

Tinordi has all the intangibles that would excite any scout.  He’s huge and has great leadership abilities as he is wearing the “C”.  Tinordi also seemed aware on the ice and has good hockey sense….defensively.  Offensively, Tinordi struggled on the point as well.  In addition to the blocked shots, Tinordi clearly does not have the agility that his fellow defenseman have.  Tinordi is an awkward skater without good balance and footwork.  He will need to improve upon his skating and puck skills when he’s at Notre Dame.  He’s clearly a project that if he works out, will be a force on an NHL blueline.  There is just a lot of work to be done.

Justin Faulk                            D                     5’11”               195

Faulk is the complete opposite of Forbort, Johns, and Tinordi in that his strengths are his offensive awareness and capabilities.  Faulk was able to routinely able to get shots on net where his teammates were not, scoring on a nice wrist shot from ten feet inside the blue line.  Faulk distributed the puck well in the offensive zone as well as making some nifty passes in the neutral zone.  Faulk also played physically and was able to throw his weight around.  It will be interesting to see how he tests at the combine though as at times, he appeared to labor, almost as though he was too heavy. 

Jason Zucker                          F                      5’10”               174

Clearly the cream of the crop of the USA forwards, Zucker stands out both through his offensive skills and creativity as well as his diligence as a backchecker and defensive player.  Zucker has speed and puck skills as well as a hard, accurate shot.  I believe that Zucker is the type of player who can play as a top 6 forward and provide offense, or as a responsible defensive player who can see time on a third line matched against another team’s first line while chipping in offensively as well.  This versatility will pay off on draft day. 

Bill Arnold                              F                      5’11”               217

Arnold is a big kid who works hard on the ice.  He was blocking shots and very effective on the boards.  However, I did not see a lot of offensive abilities that would merit a high selection.  It’s possible that he can develop a higher skill set at Boston College while providing the intangibles.

Chase Balisy                          F                      5’10                 170

Balisy is a quick, darting skater who did well in open ice.  However, he struggled in traffic against the physically mature Buckeyes.                   

Luke Moffatt                         F                      6’0”                 179

Behind Zucker, Moffatt was the most visible offensive threat among the 2010 eligibles.  Moffatt had the knack of being in the right spots and had several opportunities to create offense.  However, once he had the puck, he did not always make the right play.  He forced a few bad angle shots from the boards that were easily turned aside and transitioned by Ohio State.  On those occasions, Moffatt had more time to survey the play and wait for support.  Moffatt is a kid who will benefit from the coaching at Michigan and should play out his eligibility.

Bryan Rust                             F                      5’11                 191

Rust has good size and played a responsible game.  Rust did not display the skill that Moffatt did however he made better decisions with the puck and also had the knack for getting to the right spots.

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The Fargo Force have a few NHL prospects for this year’s draft as well as a couple who may develop into prospects over the next few years.  Unfortunately, one of those prospects, Alex Lippincott, was not in the lineup the night I saw the Force.  I am hoping to see him before the season is over.


Eamonn McDermott                    D                   5’10           176

McDermott has put up some nice offensive numbers by relying upon his bread and butter…the ability to make very good passes.  He has a nice touch and has the ability to make hard crisp passes or soft passes to space for his teammates.  McDermott has good recognition for developing plays and is very poised with the puck.  He has the ability to recognize the amount of time and space he has to either take his time to look things over or quickly make a pass.  In those instances where he is rushed, McDermott was not simply making the safe, predictable pass.  Rather, he was able to find other options that led to some better transitional opportunities.

I would have liked to see him shoot more as he is clearly a pass first player.  When he did shoot, he was able to put the puck on net.  Defensively, McDermott has good defensive positioning and skates well enough to maintain tight gap control and angled the on-coming forwards safely to the outside.  What McDermott also has in his arsenal is a very quick stick, one of the quickest I have seen in the league so far.  His ability to poke check and intercept passes was uncanny.  Even in situations where he was at a great size disadvantage, McDermott still had the knack for separating the puck from the puck carrier.  McDermott’s future looks to be linked to how much he can grow.  Adding an inch or two and 15 – 20 pounds could make McDermott a real top 2 defensive pair prospect.  If he doesn’t grow, you have an offensive specialist who can take some minutes on a third pairing.


Garrett Allen                                   F                 5’11            170

Allen impressed with his offensive capabilities, particularly near the net.  He posses good hands in tight and was able to get shots on net when it was difficult to do so.  He showed off a nice backhand in displaying the ability to get shots off in traffic.  Allen would need to smooth out his skating as it became difficult for him to backcheck and help out defensively after the puck went into the Fargo zone.  If he could do that, and add some muscle to his frame, he might develop into a point producer at the professional level.

As for 2011 prospects, Colten St. Clair impressed with a strong two-way game.  He showed a willingness to work hard through diligent backchecking and finished all his checks on the boards.  Offensively, St. Clair found open space and made good decisions in shooting the puck vs. passing.  If he continues to develop and puts up points next year, he could be one of the higher rated USHL prospects going in to the 2011 draft.  On the other hand, Marek Hrbas did not impress.  The Czech blueliner was visibly rattled when Youngstown’s Ryan Jasinsky knocked him to the ice twice on the same shift.  I would have liked to see some sort of response but there was none.  That shift effectively knocked him out of the game.

A name for 2012 could be Alaskan native Brian Cooper.  Cooper was paired with McDermott and showed the fortitude lacked by Hrbas in this game.  He has a nice skill set with good hockey smarts.  He’s only 5’9” but he will bear watching over the next 2 seasons.

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The Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL have a pair of wingers who are being mentioned as potential NHL draft picks.

Scott Wamsganz        6’4″    180

The Colorado College recruit possesses the attribute that can’t be taught…size.  Wamsganz should easily bulk up after spending a few years training in college.  He also had a knack for finding the puck and being in the right spots for the puck to come to him.  Wamsganz will need to correct some bad habits to have a successful pro career.  For one, he’ll need to lengthen his stride considerably to improve his speed and skating.   As each shift went on, Wamsganz became more upright and wasn’t able to generate power in his stride.  Also, Wamsganz had a tendency to take the puck on his forehand and automatically make a move to his backhand.  He took himself out of a shooting lane on one occasion and in a few instances, missed the chance to make a safe, solid breakout pass on the forehand, resulting in turnovers.  He needs to learn to trust his size and may do so as he becomes stronger.  Wamsganz also needs to work on shooting the puck as he missed the net with weak shots on two scoring chances when he had time to tee up  good hard shots.

Nick Sorkin        6’2″      165

The biggest flaw in the New Hampshire recruit’s game is his slender build.  It becomes even more concerning when realizing that Sorkin was eligible for last year’s draft.   A team will have to take a chance on this kid and hope that he does fill out.  What he does have is great play-making and passing abilities.  Sorkin sees the ice well and is able to find his teammates and make accurate passes to moving targets.  Sorkin is very unselfish and seems to have  good hockey sense when it comes to creating offense.  Sorkin has made a good transition to the USHL.  He might be a late bloomer who can develop into a solid pro.

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I had a chance to check out my first USHL action of the season last Saturday in a couple of games that featured a lot of high quality USHL talent on display. The first game was a highly anticipated matinee matchup between league powerhouses, the Indiana Ice and Omaha Lancers. After heading to the first intermission tied at two goals apiece, the rest of the game was a tight defensive affair until Indiana’s Antti Roppo broke the deadlock midway through the third period, with Max Cook icing the game with a late empty netter. In a game featuring arguably two of the most talented teams in the league, several players will be on the NHL’s radar moving forward. Here’s the boxscore from the game:

http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048919

Brian Ferlin (Indiana) | 1992 | 6’1″ | 196lbs | 22GP 4G 3A 7P +3 4 PIM

It was an unspectacular game for the 2010 Draft Eligible. He moves well on the ice, but his skating needs a bit of refinement in regards to his technique. His offensive skills are raw, but there is room for growth, and he looked like a guy that could generate some later round consideration.

Nick Mattson (Indiana) | 1991L | 6’1″ | 190lbs | 17GP 2G 4A 6P -1 8PIM

Given the amount of hype Mattson received during his time with the NTDP, I was extremely underwhelmed with his game on Saturday. Despite showing some good puck handling skills, Mattson didn’t really present anything that indicates that he has the high end skill to make him a Top 50 pick. Unless his offensive game starts to come around, his lack of a true identity to his game could hurt his stock. I’ll likely check in on another Indiana game later in the season to see how hes’ progressing, as he’s definitely an intriguing prospect.

John Parker (Indiana) | 1992 | 5’11″ | 180lbs | 17GP 2G 5A 7P -4 12PIM

After being pretty highly regarded coming out of U16 AAA in Pittsburgh, it looks like Parker’s transition to Junior Hockey has been a bit of a bumpy ride. Despite having some good overall skills, it appears as though he’s struggled to adapt to the physicality of junior hockey and his offensive production has been hurt because of it. I’m not really sure what his draft stock is looking like, but if he could maintain a .50 PPG average, I wouldn’t be completely surprised if somebody took a shot on him in one of the late rounds.

Seth Ambroz (Omaha) | 1993 | 6’3″ | 205lbs | 19GP 8G 10A 18P +11 31PIM

Definitely the player that I was most excited to see in this game, Ambroz showed me a lot of good things, but he also looks very raw. He has great size and he has a very high compete level which are major positives. He has a hard shot and was determined to drive the net and work the corners which were also positives that indicate he has a lot of potential to be a high pick in 2011. However, I’m pretty concerned with his skating. His stride is long and choppy and from what I saw, is probably the one aspect that’s going to hold him back the most so far. Right now he seems very comparable to a player like Sean Couturier, another 2011 eligible, and it will be very interesting to see how the 2011 Draft shapes up over the next 18 months.

Erik Haula (Omaha) | 1991 | 6’0″ | 175lbs | 21GP 12G 23A 35P +19 16PIM

A seventh round pick of the Wild in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Haula has started his USHL career with a bang this season. Despite being held off the scoresheet, he was arguably the best player on the ice, and showed a lot of offensive creativity. He has good vision in the offensive zone, and is definitely a playmaker first type player. He got into trouble when he neglected his teammates and tried to do to much with the puck, however. He’ll need to work on his strength a lot in the NCAA, but he’s definitely progressed a lot thus far.


The second game I had a chance to check in on featured the Green Bay Gamblers taking to the road to face the hometown Waterloo Black Hawks. One of the main reasons I wanted to see this game was to get a look at Waterloo’s pair of 1994′s, Nick Ebert and Brady Vail, who will both be eligible for the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. The game itself was a very back and forth affair, with a lot more offensive chances than the Indiana/Omaha game. After Waterloo jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second, Green Bay responded with three straight goals to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. Vail tied the game up for the Black Hawks early in the third on his first USHL goal, but Reed Seckel iced the game for the Gamblers late in the third as Green Bay hung on for a 4-3 win. Here’s the boxscore for the game:

http://www.pointstreak.com/stats/pro/boxscore.html?gameid=1048921

Anders Lee (Green Bay) | 1990 | 6’2″ | 216lbs | 22GP 13G 11A 24P +13 24PIM

Lee was a sixth round draft pick by the Islanders last season after putting up strong numbers alongside Nashville second rounder, Zach Budish. Lee has good size which is something that he utilizes a lot in his game. He was pretty dangerous in the offensive zone and created a lot of strong chances for the Gamblers and could have had a lot more then just one assist. Like Haula, Lee is a player who looks to be a pretty good value selection for the sixth round and adds some quality depth to the Islanders prospect pool.

Nick Ebert (Waterloo) | 1994 | 6’1″ | 185lbs | 15GP 1G 5A 6P |

I was pretty impressed with the 15 year old defenseman in this game, and he did a lot to show me that he should be one of the first players taken in the OHL draft next year. Ebert has very good size and plays a real solid game on the backend. He competes hard and is effective positionally. Transitionally, he moves the puck well and has some untapped offensive potential. His skating needs some work moving forward and he could stand to utilize his teammates quicker when he headman’s the puck, but there’s a lot to like about Ebert’s game.

Brady Vail (Waterloo) | 1994 | 6’1″ | 190lbs | 10GP 1G 0A -6 6PIM

Unlike Ebert, Vail appears set on the NCAA route, so he’s likely not going to be selected very high in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. In this game, the Michigan native notched his first USHL point, a goal, which tied the game up in the third period. Vail looked to have a lot of good physical skills, but I’m not sure how much offensive potential he has. Once he adds some more strength to his frame, he should be a solid USHL player, but I’m interested to see how his offensive production grows moving forward.

With that being said, it was nice to get an opportunity to check out a couple of USHL  games on an off-day for the Wolves. I was impressed to see that the quality of play in the league is continuing to get better, and the speed is especially something that has improved a lot. I’ll be certain to make sure I have an opportunity to catch a few more games throughout the year as well.

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Kevin Lind | D | 6’3″ | 200

Lind stood out not only with his 6’3″ frame but also displayed skating abilities that are sure to attract NHL scouts.  Lind is very agile with quick feet for a big kid.  He was able to move laterally across the blue line and was very light on his feet.  He was also able to change directions and put himself into passing and shooting lanes while handling the puck.  Lind also anticipated the play well and knew exactly what he wanted to do with the puck the instant it came to him…the puck was not on his stick long and he never made a bad pass.  He kept his head up while in possession of the puck and made quick little passes in addition to long, lead passes.  Lind’s puck and skating skills along with great vision will enable him to have a good shot at an NHL career.  Lind was solid defensively and was able to get his frame in the way several times.  He wasn’t the most physical player and sometimes did not take good angles in the neutral zone and allowed the forward to get by him.  As he grows, he should get stronger without losing the abilities that set him apart from most USHL players.

Sahir Gill | F | 5’10″ | 180

Gill has certainly been very productive this year for Chicago and has made the transition to the USHL.  He has good puck skills and skates well enough to get from point A to point B, but you have to wonder if his game will translate to the pro ranks.  Gill played mostly on the perimeter and was able to bring the puck to the middle of the ice with some deft puck handling.  However, those moves may not have played out as well against better skaters and more disciplined, defensive players.   Gill might be one of those players only suited for a top 6 role.  It will be interesting to watch him develop at BU.

Andrei Kuchin | F | 5’10″ | 184

After being passed over at last year’s draft, Kuchin started the season by putting points on the board for the Steel and has people wondering if he would be selected this year.  Kuchin was ok  at this level but did nothing exceptionally well to stand out.  He has offensive abilities but not enough to make up for defensive short comings.  Kuchin did not backcheck hard and when he did come back, it wasn’t with much purpose or outcome.  It would be difficult to imagine a team using a draft pick on a player with so many question marks.

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The Green Bay Gamblers have a few draft eligible players and one not selected last year who may hear their names called at the 2010 draft.

Aaron Harstad            D              6’2″         183

Harstad has all the physical attributes that would interest an NHL team.  He has good size and is an excellent skater.  Harstad can handle the puck well, makes good decisions with the puck and has a hard shot.  Harstad’s trust in his skating allows him to play well in one on one situations by keeping tight gap control.  On several occasions, attacking forwards were forced to dump the puck in or were rushed into bad decisions as a result of Harstad’s presence.  He was also strong on the boards and was happy to throw a few big hits, the most notable one on Youngstown’s 6’5″ 215lb Nick Czinder.   On these skills alone, Harstad could be selected in the top 120.  However, on two occasions he was on the ice for breakaways that resulted from passes made deep in Youngstown’s zone to an awaiting forward at or near the middle of Green Bay’s blue line.  On both instances, Harstad was near the boards in no man’s land by himself.  It was hard to determine the breakdown between Harstad and his partner, but Harstad’s ice time went down after those instances.   Some seasoning and coaching at Colorado College should help.  His raw athleticism alone should entice a team to take a chance on him in June.

Chris Crane       F          6’1″     193

Crane is the the prototypical energy forward.  He’s a quick skater who will fly to the puck and create havoc.  He thrived as the game became more physical and attempted to rally the Gamblers when they got down in the game by challenging some of the bigger Phantom players.  However, he had no takers.  Crane was on the ice in critical PK situations and acquitted himself well.  My opinion is that he would need to hone his puck skills and smooth out his skating at Ohio State before a team would draft him next year or take a shot as a free agent.

Ludwig Karlsson      F          6’2″     200

Karlsson was not drafted in 2009 and his name has been mentioned as someone who could possibly be selected in 2010.  It’s easy to see that Karlsson wishes to play a skilled player’s game by relying on his puck handling.  However, Karlsson was routinely stripped of the puck by backchecking forwards.  He would be more suited to play a power forward’s game  by dishing to his linemates and getting his big frame in the dirty areas in front but did not show a willingness to do so.  He was consistently out-muscled on the puck.

A few other notes on the game:

Youngstown goalie, Matthew Mahalak, a 2011 eligible played particularly well in goal.  The Phantom’s were outshot 35-9 and were still able to win 3-2 because of Mahalak’s strong play.  The 6’2″ 185 netminder displayed good positioning and rebound control.  He was also impressive in that he was never visibly rattled as Green Bay scored 2 third period goals to draw the game close and was never bothered by traffic in front of the net.   Mahalak will certainly draw interest next year.

Two players previously mentioned in my reports, 2010 eligible Nick Czinder and 2011 eligible Scott Mayfield continue to improve.  The skating and footwook of both players have gotten noticeably better.  Mayfield has the look of a top 60 player and will probably merit first round consideration if he continues this path.   I will update both as the season progresses.

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Recently I was able to see Yasin Cisse of the Des Moines Buccaneers.  Cisse is certainly an interesting prospect with loads of pro potential.  He possess the size of an NHL power forward at 6’3″, 208lbs, and still growing into his frame.  Cisse also displayed top end speed and first step acceleration.  He was a diligent backchecker, very often the first forward back, and a disruptive forechecker by using his speed to outrace the Youngstown skaters.  As fast as he was, there is still room for Cisse to improve his skating.  He skated with a narrow base and at times lost his balance.  With some fine tuning and widening his base, he should be able to lengthen his stride and also handle the tight turns better.

Offensively, Cisse owns a powerful shot with a very quick release whether he was in open ice or traffic.  He had a knack for getting the puck on net and forcing the goalie to make good saves.  Cisse also possessed good hands and was able to make some nifty passes by quickly spotting open teammates.   Defensively, Cisse showed good hockey sense and the ability and commitment to play within a system.  As mentioned, when he was the first man in, he was able to apply pressure to the defenseman.  He also showed discipline by taking away passing lanes when he was the second or third forward.   Cisse also had an active stick in the defensive zone and was able to prevent any offense materializing by simply being aware of the Youngstown defense and wingers and not allowing the puck to pass through him.

He seems to have taken his coaching well and should continue to do so at BU next year.   Aside from the skating work, Cisse could be a bit more physical.  He finished a few checks in the third period but before then wasn’t really a factor in that regard.  At times, he also seemed to avoid checks when he was about to jump on loose pucks.  Rather, he tried to poke the puck ahead.   All in all, Cisse shows the intangibles as well as physical attributes that an NHL  team will be happy to allow develop at a program such as BU.

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On Saturday, the Tri-City Storm completed their two game weekend sweep against the Youngstown Phantoms.   The Storm’s Jaden Schwartz displayed the skills that have NHL scouts excited about this talented forward. Another draft eligible forward from the Youngstown Phantoms, Nick Czinder, might be the kind of player NHL teams may take a chance on in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Jaden Schwartz     F        5’10         180           Tri-City

Saying that Schwartz was the best player on the ice is not exactly going out on a limb.  Schwartz possesses innate abilities that cannot be taught.  His hockey sense is uncanny as the puck seems to follow him all over the ice.  In addition, Schwartz’s ability to see the ice and the developing plays put his teammates in position for scoring opportunities.  Schwartz was credited with 2 assists but he contributed to several more quality scoring chances with his ability to distribute the puck and in some cases, catching his linemates off guard by threading passess through legs and sticks.  Schwartz also displayed strong skating with separation speed when he had the puck and the ability to quickly transition from backchecking to pouncing on loose pucks in the neutral zone and passing the puck ahead.  Schwartz’s size did not keep him out of the dirty areas in front of the net both offensively and defensively.  He also seemed to find another gear when he was battling for the puck on the boards and rarely lost those battles.  The only thing lacking on this night was the ability to finish on chances Schwartz created on his own.  On one occasion, the puck simply rolled off his blade when he was fed in the slot.  The Colorado College recruit’s ability to score goals this year might be the difference between being a first rounder, or sliding out of the Top 30.

Nick Czinder     F         6’5″          215          Youngstown

NHL.com recently rated Czinder as Youngstown’s best pro prospect for this year’s draft.  He did not play in the previous Phantom’s game I attended but he did play Saturday.  Size is clearly what  Czinder brings to the table.  He displayed decent straight line skating and was able to effectively backcheck and provide puck support offensively.  Also, Czinder was able to throw his weight around and buried the Tri-City defenseman, directly leading to Youngstown’s goal.  However, Czinder must improve his skating in traffic as he often became entangled in other players’ bodies and fell to the ice.  If he improves that aspect of his game, an NHL team could take a shot at him, although he will be a bit of a project to develop.

Also, a quick update on Youngstown defenseman Scott Mayfield who is a 2011 draft eligible.  Mayfield has certainly improved since the beginning of the season.  His skating is slightly better but his confidence with the puck is what was noticeably improved.   Also, Mayfield was on the ice in Penalty Kill situations and could be heard barking out instructions on the ice to his partner.  It will be interesting to see how much further this kid will develop this year.

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