In just its second year of the event, the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game has already developed into a cant-miss event for the scouting community.
Played in Muskegon, MI. Wednesday, scouts got a glimpse of 40 of the best the league has to offer the 2013 NHL Draft.
Waterloo Blackhawks goaltender Eamon McAdam earned MVP honours, leading Team West to a 2-1 victory over Team East, but it was the scouting community that came away the big winners in the event.
That includes five of Future Considerations’ talent evaluators in attendance and watching live on FastHockey, who filed notes on the USHL’s scouting extravaganza this season.
Goaltenders
Charlie Lindgren – Sioux Falls Stampede
“Charlie had a solid game. He had some real big stops to keep his team in it early on. He seems to have the ability to make the saves in big spots. He finds the puck well after saves. He tracks the puck well, even through traffic.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry
Alex Sakellaropoulos – Chicago Steel
“I was not too impressed with Sakellaropoulos’ game. He did not play as well as the other goalies. With that said, he is big, has good reflexes and moves real well laterally.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry
Defensemen
Gustav Olofsson – Green Bay Gamblers
“Rangy two-way defenseman. Takes care of his own end first. Tough to play against. Good reads, very physical on the boards and against the rush. Can rush the puck and play the point on the power play. Looks like he has room to get even stronger.”
-Future Considerations scout Josh Deitell
“Olofsson played a decent game. He did not shine but he also did not make any major mistakes. His strength lies in his passing ability. He sees the ice well and makes good passes. He also holds the offensive line well and knows when to pinch.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry
Michael Downing – Dubuque Fighting Saints
“Was not particularly impressed with his reads or coverage tonight. A couple badly flubbed clearances and positional errors. Has ideal size and plays with an edge but had some problems with the puck. Got leveled by a much smaller Justin Kloos. I can see the two-way potential here but he was off by a step.”
-Future Considerations scout Josh Deitell
“Repeatedly stepped up on puck carriers; great mobility too- his ability to cover space and punish opponents means his floor is probably a little higher than most.”
-Future Considerations Minnesota scout Dan Shrader
“I really liked his defensive game. He was very sound in the defensive zone and plays with a nice physical edge to his game too. He enjoys hitting and is pretty good at it. He holds the line well in the offensive zone.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry
Michael Brodzinski – Muskegon Lumberjacks
“Is a sturdy skater; deceptive agility and good edge control give him a bit more “wiggle” than what you would expect. Thinks the game well, although he will have a lapse or take a bad penalty. Can try to do too much with the puck- is at his best when he keeps his game simple. Possesses a heavy and accurate point shot. Has an edge to his game; will push around opponents. Smallish, but skilled and feisty.”
-Future Considerations Minnesota scout Dan Shrader
“Brodzinski had one of the better games out of the defenseman. His skating may be one of his best assets. He is quick, agile and has the great ability to make forecheckers miss him due to his feet. One play, he was able to quickly reverse directions to avoid oncoming pressure and made them miss him, which allowed for an extremely easy breakout. I did not see him much in the offensive zone, but he is a real nice passer. He sees the ice real well and makes a good pass. He is also responsible in the defensive zone. He has an active stick and takes away passing lanes.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry
Jordan Gross – Green Bay Gambler
“A smallish defender with very good skating ability, but he doesn’t utilize that tool to its utmost potential. Has good agility and excellent north-south speed, but tends to shy away from rushing the puck; more of a pass-first player. Owns a blistering point shot; very good on the one-timer and has a very quick release on his wrist shot. Likes to jump up in the play. Doesn’t have great creativity; more of a trigger man. Plays like he doesn’t like to be hit; will try and use the poke check as much as possible.”
-Future Considerations Minnesota scout Dan Shrader
Forwards
John Hayden – Team USA
“Real gritty two-way forward. Showed good touch in the offensive zone tonight, was the catalyst for much of Team East’s offense. Tough on the boards, wins battles and protects the puck well. Backchecks hard. Proved tonight that he’s willing to fight when needed.”
-Future Considerations scout Josh Deitell
“An absolute beast on the ice. While not a mean player, he doesn’t mind getting into the dirty areas and battle his way out. He has an absolute monster of a build, bigger than many NHL players. Likes to lean into players, and is very effective at doing so. Average acceleration and feet, but his top speed is decent, and combined with his size and strength, he is hard to contain when he drives towards the net. Was a consistent physical presence, driving to the net, forechecking hard – the works. In addition, he surprised me with some decently nifty offensive moves while on the drive.”
-Future Considerations Western Canadian scout Dan Chan
Ross Olsson – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
“Was inconsistent with his effort. Physical on the forecheck, then weak on the back check. Made a move to pull the puck from behind the net and get a shot, then passed up a great shot opportunity. Flashed some great skill for a player of his size but would’ve liked to see more hustle and decisiveness.”
-Future Considerations scout Josh Deitell
“Olsson had an interesting game in my opinion. He had some good moments and there are some things he needs to work on. I was impressed with his physical play and gritty style. He has a nice edge to his game. One thing I believe he needs to really work on is his skating.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry
Frederik Tiffels – Muskegon Lumberjacks
“An average sized skater that skates with energy, quick feet, and very good top speed. His acceleration is great and has the ability to blow past defenders. Always keeps his feet moving, which makes him hard to defend against. Was one of the more well-put together flashy prospects in the game, in that he can make the moves but still maintain control and produce a play from it using skating and vision. He is easily shutdown by bigger players because he doesn’t have the strength to battle. A dangerous player on the rush but is easily negated when the battle happens along the boards.”
-Future Considerations Western Canadian scout Dan Chan
Nathan Walker – Youngstown Phantons
“I think Nathan Walker had one of the better games of all the forwards, which was great to see from a last minute replacement. He is a good skater, powerful and fast north-south. He is real strong, especially on the puck. He did not show the best hands or puck skills, but he was able to use his skating and strength to drive hard to the net. He seems to excel when he is moving through traffic. He has a nice ability to receive a pass and maintain possession in traffic and congestion. I think he has a decent shot, but it needs work. He needs to do a better job of getting the shot off quicker.”
-Future Considerations Eastern US scout Colin Mayberry