The John Ferguson Memorial Evaluation Series is the provinces premier evaluation tournament. Teams from Northern Alberta utilize this premier event to select their U15 AA, U15 AAA, U17 AAA, U16 AA and U18 AA Midget (Leduc hosted) teams for the upcoming season during this competition series. Over the years the tournament has grown from 15 teams in 3 divisions to 50 plus teams in 4 divisions. The format of this series and the competitive nature makes this a valuable and much anticipated event every September. Over the years coaches and club executives have voiced their positive comments on the format and competitive nature of the games to help them select the best teams for their respective clubs for the upcoming hockey season.
Liraz Perrott #5 (D, L, Edmonton CAC, 12/03/2008) – Liraz is an above average skater who read the play well so that he could jump into the rush and get back to play defence without getting caught out of position. He displayed a strong shot and he moved the puck effectively to teammates such as through the use of saucer passes. Liraz has an athletic build and should continue to add size without sacrificing speed. Liraz must ensure that he does not focus too much on the physical side of the game as at times it led to him removing himself from the play. Grade: B+
Cole Trimble #9 (F, L, 5’7″, 132, Edmonton CAC, 01/28/2008) – Cole is an average skater with a strong and accurate shot who distributed the puck well to teammates. Cole displayed a willingness to participate in the cycle game and did so with some impact. Cole also showed good hands and overall put forth a strong effort. Grade: B-
Ben Guimaraes #10 (F, 5’7″, 140, Edmonton CAC, 08/05/2008) – Ben is a massive power forward who moves well enough for his size (average skating overall). He displayed strong stickhandling and was able to distribute the puck well from high traffic areas along the wall. Ben battled well for the puck able to use his size and reach to his advantage. Offensively Ben was very effective. On his goal against MLAC he went hard to the net and picked up the rebound before slamming it home. Ben also displayed deft playmaking throwing a fantastic cross-ice saucer pass over a defender’s stick to a teammate. His projection will depend on his ability to stay a power forward as that is the role he has carved for himself. If Ben’s size advantage goes away as other kids grow then the impact he has now as a player will be greatly reduced. Areas of the game that Ben can continue to work upon are his first few steps and his ability to play a North-South game away from the wall. Grade: B+
Carter Hillaby #14 (F, R, 5’8″, 122, CAC Edmonton Canadians Midget AAA, 08/09/2008) – Carter is an above average skater who is a little on the undersized side. Carter showed good skill with the puck and an effective shot but was pushed around physically at times. Grade: B-
Nathan Cabral #16 (D, L, 5’10”, 140, Edmonton CAC, 04/30/2008) – Nathan is an intelligent defender with average skating. He was able to do a lot of things quickly in this game such as jumping into the rush finding loose pucks getting back defensively not because of his feet but because of his brain. Nathan identified where the play was going before others and as a result had a head start in foot races. Despite average straight line speed Nathan is a strong lateral and backwards skater. Offensively he moved the puck well to his teammates and identified solid options for breakout passes. As mentioned above Nathan was excellent at jumping into the rush and read the play so as to get back in time without getting caught out of position. Defensively Nathan utilized a good stick and physical play as well as strong positioning to keep attackers at bay. Overall Nathan had a very strong game against MLAC and it will be interesting to see if his feet can catch up to his brain. Grade: B+
Liam Eisnor #19 (D, L, 5’10”, 150, Edmonton CAC, 04/23/2008) – Liam is a dynamic skater who excels forwards and backwards as well as laterally. Liam looked like a leader on the ice and excelled at distributing the puck as well as calling for the puck. Offensively Liam has a strong shot and was able to routinely get the puck through to the net. He read the play well and was able to respond accordingly to the situation such as by jumping into the rush or staying back. Liam displayed great skill on a play in which he received a pass in his feet and was able to kick it up to his stick negating any turnover which would have occurred. When carrying the puck Liam was able to use strong head fakes to deke opponents. Defensively Liam used a good stick to knock pucks away from attackers. Based on the strength of Liam’s feet he is a player who projects well in regard to playing at higher levels. Grade: A-
Ethan Smith #16 (F, L, 5’10”, 185, Neepawa Titans, 10/19/2001) – Ethan is an average skater who was able to rush the puck well at times during this game. Offensively Ethan displayed good puck handling but needed to move the puck quicker at times. It appeared that Ethan skated with his head down with the puck and surveying the ice before and after receiving the puck would enable him to find passing options quicker. Defensively Ethan positioned himself well on the ice and was able to break up a 2 on 1. Grade: B+
Tafari Chingwaru #99 (D, R, 5’10”, 150, Edmonton MLAC U15, 09/26/2008) – Tafari is a high risk high reward player who is an above average skater. One example of the risk reward element is that Tafari turned the puck over at the far blueline but was able to hustle back and prevent any type of chance from occurring. Tafari displayed strong stickhandling to go with his feet and as a result rushed the puck on numerous occasions. Offensively Tafari also showed off astute passing and a strong shot. Tafari will play this season for MLAC. Grade: A-
Peyton Panich #6 (D, L, 5’9″, 130, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 05/10/2008) – Peyton had a strong weekend scoring both Fort Saskatchewan goals in their opener against CAC. Peyton was able to score on a top shelf slap shot that he blew by the goaltender an impressive shot for his age. Peyton is a big body who is strong on his skates and is able to carry the puck up ice with ease. Peyton defended well using his stick and could be physical at times. Peyton is an intelligent puck distributor and rarely did he get caught out of position. The question mark with Peyton going into the year will be his quickness. Peyton is a good skater but it will be interesting to see if he has a strong enough first step to keep up to elite level players. When carrying the puck Peyton must work on holding onto the puck and turning back or waiting for reinforcements rather than dumping it in. There were times where Peyton appeared impatient and turned the puck over rather than waiting for help. Grade: B+
Easton Jamieson # (D, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 2008) – Easton played a calm and simple game against Sherwood Park. He displayed a good stick defensively and timed his pinches well in the offensive end. Easton made simple short passes to teammates rather than trying to get too fancy. An example of Easton’s strong passing was he hit Drouin with a seam pass in the slot finding him all alone for a chance on net. Easton displayed a willingness to battle for loose pucks and overall was an effective player. Grade: B-
Torren Budgell #99 (D, R, Grand Prairie Storm U15, 10/22/2008) – Torren is a strong puck carrier who engaged in multiple solo rushes in this game. Torren is an above average skater who stickhandled the puck well. An area to work on for Torren is his breakout pass. Grade: B
Kayden Sagmeister #99 (D, R, Grand Prairie Storm U15, 03/01/2008) – Kayden is an average to above average skater who was able to use his feet to escape high pressure situations. Kayden hinged well providing good support for his partner in the offensive zone. Kayden played physically and overall made strong reads to pick and choose his moments. Grade: B
Masen Fox #99 (D, R, Lloydminster Bobcats U15, 01/01/2008) – Masen is a strong skater who is adept at moving in all directions. He displayed a strong first few cuts and was able to move very well laterally and backwards. Masen played physically at times and played with his head up allowing him to make effective reads of the play and impactful passes to teammates. Physically Masen is undersized and it will be interesting to see if he grows over the course of the season. Against St. Albert Masen displayed strong edge work evading forecheckers behind his own net to get the puck out. Throughout the weekend Masen consistently showed strong skating puck distribution and a willingness to play physically. Grade: B
Daniel Niskanen #99 (D, HC Edmonton U15, 2008) – Daniel is an average skater with a solid frame. He moved the puck well at times but must work upon the strength of his shot. Grade: B
Rhett Romanchuk #99 (D, L, 6’1″, 165, Lloydminster Bobcats U15, 05/02/2008) – Rhett is a massive defenceman who displayed average skating in terms of straight line speed as well as lateral movements and acceleration. He was adept at jumping into the rush against Grande Peace and displayed confidence and good poise when carrying the puck into the offensive zone. Offensively Rhett distributed the puck well to teammates and used a good shot to get the puck through to the net. Defensively Rhett played physically and used his long stick to knock the puck off of attacker’s sticks. Rhett can continue work on his gap control as there were times when he was too far back and gave the attackers tons of space to work with. In the game against CAC Rhett was not as noticeable. That being said he did show glimpses of an ability to hop into the rush and to have a great impact on a game. Rhett’s feet also seemed to slow down as the weekend wore on potentially due to the fact that Lloydminster played 4 games in 3 days. Rhett’s fourth game of the weekend (against St. Albert) was his weakest as his foot speed decreased significantly. Areas of the game that Rhett can continue to improve upon are his acceleration and backwards skating. Rhett appeared to not properly flex his ankle both backwards and forwards and thus had difficulty generating force with his stride. Grade: B+
Jeremy Moellenbeck #10 (D, L, 5’9″, 150, St. Albert Sabres U15, 12/06/2008) – Jeremy displayed good skating in this game showing an ability to transition from forwards to backwards and vice versa. Jeremy moved the puck well D to D and was also able to distribute the puck up to the forwards with success. Jeremy stickhandled the puck well and overall displayed good ability on and off the puck. Grade: B
Riley Sinclair #9 (D, L, 5’9″, 157, St. Albert Sabres U15, 05/25/2008) – Riley played well both offensively and defensively in this game (CAC). Riley had a really nice shot block that he was able to corral to start the rush the other direction. Riley distributed the puck well to teammates both in the offensive zone and in transition. Areas of development for Riley to focus on include skating and shot selection. Riley had difficulty at times getting the puck through to the net and he must find ways of changing the angle of his shot and/or being deceptive in the timing of his shot. Riley timed his pinches well offensively and overall did a good job with his positioning. Grade: B
Briley Cherniwchan #17 (D, Sherwood Park Flyers U15 AAA, 2008) – Briley showed great speed on his goal where he beat the defender wide and was able to continue around the net with speed to score on the wraparound. He also displayed strong forechecking late in the game. Grade: B
Blake Csaszar #5 (D, 5’7″, 140, Sherwood Park Flyers U15, 2008) – Blake is a big and mobile defenceman who is a strong backwards skater and who pivots well. He played physically stick checked well and displayed good gap control. Offensively Blake showcased a strong shot but can improve upon his distribution and outlet passes moving forward. Grade: B+
Koen Komant #18 (D, 5’8″, 155, Sherwood Park Flyers U15, 2008) – Koen had a very strong game against Leduc using his strong IQ and situational awareness to provide value at both ends of the ice. He is an average skater whose best asset is his hockey IQ. Koen thinks quickly which allowed him to move the puck quickly to his teammates. Komant is an agile skater who used tight turns and a strong base to escape from attackers. There was one play of concern in which Koen gave up on a puck to get out of the way of a hit. Grade: A-
Damien Wiebe #7 (D, 5’6″, 115, Sherwood Park Flyers U15, 03/07/2008) – Damien’s best asset is his feet as he is an average to above average skater. Defensively he timed his pinches well and positioned himself effectively. He is of average size and played physically at times. Grade: B-
Brett Visser #6 (D, L, 5’10”, 162, St. Albert Sabres U15, 09/12/2008) – Brett displayed a good stick in the defensive end. The areas of development that Brett can focus on are skating and shot selection. Grade: C+
Lucas Mcconnell #99 (D, L, 6’0″, 166, K of C Squires U15, 02/07/2009) – Lucas was very calm with the puck against SSAC especially as the last man back. When carrying the puck Lucas moved very competently able to throw head fakes to deke defenders to go along with good stickhandling. Lucas’ passing was very strong the best example of this was a beautiful tape to tape pass cross ice through the neutral zone to spring a forward. Grade: B
Michael Kaplan #99 (D, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 01/19/2009) – Michael is an undersized player who used his above average skating good positioning and a strong stick defensively to make up for his size disadvantage. When skating with the puck Michael moved with his head up and made smart passes to teammates. There was one situation in which Michael missed a breakout pass to a teammate which resulted in a turnover and a 2 on 1 against in which Michael misplayed leading to a goal against. Other than that one play Michael had an overall strong game and will be an interesting player to watch this season. Grade: B-
Sullivan Fogolin #4 (D, 5’10”, 160, St. Albert Sabres U15, 06/23/2008) – Sullivan was very strong against KC using great ankle dexterity to walk the line with his head up able to find shooting and passing lanes. Sullivan’s offensive abilities and decisions were very good all of it stemming from his ability to keep his head up and read the play. Defensively Sullivan displayed strong positioning a good stick and physical play. Sullivan is an above average skater who displayed strong straight line speed good agility and strong first few steps. Against Lloydminster Sullivan displayed a strong ability to distribute the puck to teammates. Fogolin was willing to put his body on the line to make plays by drawing opponents in to hit him and then passing the puck passed them to an open teammate. Sullivan must continue to work on his positioning on the ice as at times he needed to play more conservatively when his D partner jumped into the offence. Grade: B+
Jaxon Pisani #12 (D, L, 5’6″, 118, St. Albert Sabres U15, 03/30/2009) – Jaxon is an above average skater who moves well forwards and backwards as well as side to side. He rushed well with the puck and was strong in situations that required him to use his feet. Jaxon did however struggle with his puck distribution and decisions with the puck at times earlier on in the weekend. As Jaxon became more comfortable his reads became better and his passes were much more effective than in earlier games. Jaxon needs to make sure that he moves the puck quickly and that he is scanning the ice for passing options while carrying the puck and before he picks it up. Grade: B
Kalton Mortson #99 (D, R, 5’9″, 158, K of C Squires U15, 04/07/2009) – Kalton displayed average to above average skating and did a good job of hopping into the rush getting a breakaway. He displayed an ability to get the puck through to the net and was able to shoot the puck even when off balance. Kalton played well defensively using a good stick to knock pucks away. An area to continue to build upon for Kalton is puck management as he turned it over a couple of times. Grade: A-
David Lu #8 (D, SSAC Lions U15) – David is an above average skater who made very smart plays with the puck. One example of David’s intelligence is that he was able to skate the puck into the offensive zone on the power play and whereas most players would have tried going all the way to the net on a low percentage solo effort David stopped and set up the play. This small selfless decision helped his team to set up the power play and led to sustained pressure rather than a one off rush that most likely would have been stopped. Throughout the game David regularly made smart simple moves that helped his team to advance the puck up ice. Grade: B
Rozin Lowry #99 (D, R, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 2008) – Rozin is a big body who is an average skater. He was a strong puck carrier against Grande Peace but needed to ensure that he was searching for passing options so as to eliminate turnovers and reduce the need to make every rush a solo effort. An area of development for Rozin is his decision making with the puck so as to cut down on turnovers. Grade: C+
Colt Carter #8 (D, R, St. Albert Sabres U15, 2009) – Colt is an average skater in a straight line but is strong in terms of his ability to pivot and switch directions. He was astute at head checking before picking up pucks in his own end and this enabled him to move the puck well to open teammates. Colt is a little bit on the smaller side and will need to work on adding physical strength so that he can continue to compete with bigger competition. Grade: B-
Owen Bashow #99 (F, L, 5’6″, 145, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 11/02/2008) – Owen displayed good stickhandling and strong skating over the course of the weekend. He was able to attack defenders with speed and created space for himself through quick turns. Grade: B-
Kesler Ashton #18 (D, L, SSAC Lions U15, 05/09/2008) – Kesler did an excellent job of being patient when breaking the puck out of his zone. One such play Kesler was carrying the puck behind his net when he identified that the side he was trying to come out on was clogged so he stopped and reversed the puck to his D partner who was able to break out of the zone. In the offensive zone Kesler was able to get the puck through to the net regularly and distributed the puck well to teammates. Off puck Kesler played physically and was able to defend well using his stick. Grade: B
Riley Thorpe #16 (F, L, 5’7″, 130, St. Albert Sabres U15, 03/27/2008) – Riley is an average skater who is a little undersized. He read the game well and as a result was able to position himself well in the defensive end while making smart plays to move the puck out of the zone once it was acquired. Riley displayed an average shot. Against Lloydminster Riley was really strong along the wall as he is very good at identifying loose pucks and moving them to safer areas of the ice. When Thorpe held onto pucks that he picked up along the wall he did a very good job of walking off the wall with his head up so he could survey the ice for opportunities. Grade: B
Jesse Mckinnon #7 (F, L, 5’8″, 140, St. Albert Sabres U15, 10/19/2008) – Jesse was outstanding against KC and was dominant in all areas. Jesse is an above average skater who is excellent at using tight turns to create space for himself. McKinnon is strong on his skates and showed excellent hands able to hold off defenders while maintaining control of the puck. Jesse is also very strong off the puck as he attacked loose pucks and used a good stick to defend while also playing with a physical element. The only critique of Jesse’s game would be that he needed to utilize his teammates more offensively. In this game Jesse was able to escape any problematic situations utilizing his speed and skill but will most likely not be able to do that against stiffer competition. Against CAC Jesse once again displayed his high skill by burying a one timer off a saucer pass a difficult shot for a player of his age. Jesse displayed creative and effective means of skating and protected the puck through the use of mohawk strides which allowed him to protect the puck and face the play at the same time. Grade: A
Mathieu Lajoie #19 (RW, R, 5’4″, 112, St. Albert Sabres U15, 03/20/2008) – Mathieu is an above average skater who had a strong game against KC scoring two goals and adding an assist. Mathieu’s second goal was a beautiful solo effort in which he skated the length of the ice before putting it past the goaltender. He created opportunities with his feet in this game utilizing a quick stop to create space to shoot in one instance an ability to find space to be a passing option in the offensive zone and a quick pivot in the neutral zone to get back defensively after a turnover. Lajoie also distributed the puck well overall showcasing a good feel for the game. Against CAC Mathieu played a 200′ game and was able to contribute offensively while also being mature and responsible in his own end helping out the defencemen. He displayed a strong stickhandling ability while also making astute passes to teammates such as an excellent seam pass to Ossie McIntyre for a chance. Mathieu also showed off a strong curl and shoot release that led to a rebound and a goal for St. Albert. Grade: A
Ty Meunier #17 (F, L, 5’7″, 145, St. Albert Sabres U15, 08/16/2008) – Ty displayed excellent tools: he is an above average skater he possesses a deceptive and accurate shot great hands and he thinks the game very well. Ty generated speed to the middle of the ice after corralling a loose puck off the wall. Ty also was able to cut to the middle on a rush to generate a shot on goal he appeared unafraid to carry the puck through dangerous areas of the ice. Meunier distributed the puck very well and displayed astute stickhandling. He showed off a dangerous shot as he was able to get the puck off his stick with little to no windup. Ty has one of the best releases in the AEHL. Ty scored three goals and added two assists against CAC. On one of his goals Ty was able to shoot the puck without any wind up or any indication that he was in a position to shoot the puck as the puck was ahead of him and most people have to pull it back from that position if they wish to shoot. On Ty’s second goal he was able to dangle the goaltender before finishing top shelf. On Ty’s third goal he sniped top shelf from a bad angle. Ty distributed the puck well in this game utilizing a beautiful saucer pass to Jesse McKinnon. Ty displayed strong spatial awareness and IQ able to find quiet areas of the ice to get open in. Ty is a very fast skater and utilized his speed advantage to beat defenders in this game on multiple occasions. Ty is also able to play through contact and is able to stickhandle away from danger along the wall. Grade: A
Finn Werner #29 (G, L, 5’8″, 137, St. Albert Sabres U15, 02/17/2008) – Finn had a strong game against KC stopping 22/24 shots that he faced. Finn battled for loose pucks tracking rebounds through legs and sticks often taking contact in the process. Finn also moved quickly through his crease to get square to shooters. Throughout the game Finn showed strong leadership and game awareness communicating well with defenders when they came back to pick up pucks and had their backs to the rest of the ice. Keenan’s replacement Joseph Naccarato stopped 15/19 shots. Grade: B+
Connor Mah #6 (D, L, SSAC Lions U15, 06/23/2008) – Connor is an average skater who was competent walking the line in the offensive end with the puck. He engaged in battles along the wall and showed a willingness to partake in the physical aspect of the game. Grade: B
Avery Watson #9 (F, L, 5’6″, 113, K of C Squires U15, 02/27/2008) – Avery is an above average skater with an athletic frame. Offensively he showcased very good passing to teammates and overall had a strong game against St. Albert as he registered a goal and an assist. Avery showed strong IQ on his goal jumping on a rebound and burying it for the score. Throughout the weekend Avery showed an ability to play through contact and worked well with his teammates to drive the offence. Grade: A-
Rockston Ror-Chow #17 (F, L, 5’7″, 127, K of C Squires U15, 08/27/2008) – Rockston had a very strong game against SSAC displaying great straight line speed which is above average overall. Puck distribution is another asset of Rockston’s as he was able to hit teammates with passes from high traffic areas. Rockston displayed good skill and stickhandled the puck well. Grade: A-
Declan Brinkman #10 (F, R, 5’8″, 140, Edmonton MLAC U15, 01/16/2008) – Declan is an intelligent player who drove the game against SSAC through the use of his dynamic skating. Declan constantly used his feet to draw defenders to him and beat them wide or forced them out of position. Once the defenders were scrambling he used astute passes to set teammates up for chances. One example of this is that Declan drove hard to the net and faked as if he was taking the puck behind the net only to kick it back out the way he came to a teammate who was able to score on the play. Declan is an astute stickhandler who’s hands moved as fast as his feet allowing him to play into contact without fear of losing the puck. Grade: B+
Martin Hackenberg #31 (G, Grand Prairie Storm U15, 03/11/2008) – Martin had a very solid game against Lloydminster stopping 18/19 shots he faced. His replacement subsequently allowed three goals in a similar amount of ice time. Martin is a good size for a goaltender of this age group. He appeared calm in his net and really was not very noticeable which for a goaltender is not a bad thing as it means that he was in the position to make easy uneventful saves. Grade: B+
Tristan Slywka #19 (F, R, 5’10”, 124, Sherwood Park Flyers U15, 04/28/2008) – Tristan is an average straight line skater but is strong on his edges and was able to create space for himself using tight turns and agility. He moved the puck well especially on the powerplay and displayed effective stickhandling and a good shot. Grade: B
Rylan Emigh #18 (F, L, 5’11”, 150, Lloydminster Bobcats U15, 03/27/2008) – Rylan is a big body forward who skates well and was responsible defensively. Against St. Albert Rylan distributed the puck well to teammates and used seam passes to the front of the net to help create offence. Ryan had another strong game against SSAC scoring a goal. Rylan displayed a good ability to shoot the puck displaying a curl and rip shot as well as a one timer. Overall Rylan was able to get the puck off his stick quickly and effectively. He fought through contact in this game and also threw a big body check. Grade: B+
Tailon Scott #99 (F, L, 5’7″, 115, K of C Squires U15, 05/11/2008) – Tailon displayed great skill with the puck in high traffic areas and was able to use tight turns to evade defenders. Tailon showed good awareness on the ice such as by cherry picking and calling for a long pass when SSAC was in the midst of a line change. Defensively Tailon positioned himself well on the ice and was good at knocking away pucks with his stick. Grade: B+
Gabriel O’Brien #99 (F, L, 5’10”, 137, K of C Squires U15, 03/03/2008) – Gabriel is an average skater who was aggressive on pucks. Offensively Gabriel displayed strong puck movement and an accurate shot which he was able to get away quickly. Grade: B-
Joshua McKague #4 (D, L, 5’5″, 137, K of C Squires U15, 01/12/2008) – Joshua displayed fantastic speed against St. Albert best exemplified by his goal in which he beat multiple defenders wide before beating the goaltender with his shot. Joshua also displayed good hands which were able to keep up to his impressive feet as well as strong passing to teammates. Against SSAC Joshua was able to show off creative passing such as by drawing in attackers before passing it around them to a teammate. Joshua must continue to work on passing the puck quicker as there were times that he held onto it too long which led to a turnover. Grade: B+
Grady Wedman #99 (F, L, Leduc Oil Kings U15, 09/18/2008) – Grady was prevalent on the score sheet in this game against Sherwood Park being credited with two assists. Grady is a big body who is an average to above average skater who displayed good puck movement as well as good skill with the puck. Grady must ensure that he is engaged throughout the entire game and that he does not take any shifts off. Grade: B
TJ Terpsma #99 (F, L, Leduc Oil Kings U15, 08/18/2008) – TJ is an average to above average skater. He was physically dominant in this game utilizing his size advantage to win puck battles. On the scoring play that he assisted on TJ won a puck battle just to the right of the net below the goal line knocked the defender off the puck and spotted Grady Wedman out front for the easy goal. TJ was very patient with the puck and read the ice to ensure that the choice he made with the puck was the correct one. TJ played a 200′ game but must ensure that he is playing his position properly. TJ was playing the wing in this game but defensively he was playing like a centreman causing confusion with his linemate and leading to inefficient coverage of the zone. Given TJ’s combination of size and skill he will be an interesting prospect to watch this season. Grade: A
Jaya Schippel #99 (G, MLAC Midget, 10/20/2008) – Jaya played a solid game against SSAC stopping 17/18 shots on goal. Jaya is a big goalie who positioned herself well in this game staying square to the puck. Jaya moved around her crease well and never appeared to be rushing. Jaya’s movements were calm and controlled. Grade: B+
Logan Zimmer # (F, MLAC Midget, 2009) – Logan is an undersized player who was a water bug out on the ice. Logan’s feet never stopped moving and he showed great hustle corralling loose pucks. Despite being an underager and despite being one of the smallest players on the ice Logan did not shy away from the physical play and threw effective body checks from time to time. Grade: B
Matthew Evancusky #99 (G, 5’10”, 126, MLAC Midget, 02/12/2008) – Matthew was the only reason that the game against CAC was close as the final shot totals were 34-11. MLAC sat approximately 8 of their roster players and were greatly out matched as a result. Matthew battled in this game getting out to the white ice to meet shooters. Matthew took a lot of shots in the logo in this game a by-product of his strong positioning. Matthew pushed across his crease well in this game coming across the net with his chest up. As this game was a shelling there were a few saves that Matthew made where technique was thrown out the window and he simply threw himself in front of the puck. Overall Matthew displayed a valiant effort. The only criticisms of Matthew’s game would be that he needed to keep his stick down when pushing across and there were a few times he led with his chest not his feet when pushing across his net. Grade: A-
Dominik Robinson #1 (G, L, SSAC Lions U15, 01/01/2008) – Dominik was solid against KC making over 20 saves. He tracked the puck well and was able to find it through traffic. Dominik effectively pushed across his crease and was able to take lots of shots to the chest. Grade: B
Jacob Evans #15 (F, SSAC Lions U15, 2008) – Jacob is an above average skater who created opportunities for himself through the use of speed. One example of this is that Jason was able to beat a defender wide on his backhand cut hard to the middle and was able to get a shot off on his forehand. Jacob distributed the puck well to teammates and he was responsible defensively. He also covered well for defenders when they hopped into the offence as he would go back to play the point for them. Grade: B+
Landon Bourque #7 (F, L, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 01/01/2008) – Landon displayed above average straight line speed. One example of this is that Landon was able to pick up the puck in his zone dangled the defenceman and was off on a breakaway in which no one on the ice could catch him. Landon displayed a strong shot good stickhandling and he played with a physical edge. Landon is a little on the small side but his strong tools make up for his size disadvantage. Grade: B
Ethan Berard #1 (G, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 04/18/2008) – Ethan stayed square to the puck and angled well out of his net against CAC. Ethan did a good job of fighting through traffic to see shooters and displayed a strong second effort on loose pucks. An area of development for Ethan is cross-crease movement. Ethan stopped 11/15 shots against CAC. Against Sherwood Park Ethan was not really tested but stopped all 8 of the shots he faced. Ethan did a good job of positioning himself within the net to stay square to shooters. He also did a strong job of finding the puck through traffic. Grade: C+
Evan Lee #99 (F, L, Grand Prairie Storm U15, 05/21/2008) – Evan had a strong game against PAC scoring two goals and adding an assist. He is an above average skater who is strong on his skates. One example of his balance was that he was lined up by an opponent for a hit and was able to stay on his feet and stay in the play despite the contact. Evan displayed impressive hands on one of his goals in which he dangled the goaltender on a breakaway utilizing an effective forehand-backhand deke. Grade: B+
Nixon Ganske #99 (F, L, Leduc Oil Kings U15, 12/27/2008) – Nixon is an undersized player who possesses above average skating. Ganske worked well with his teammates and displayed competent puck movement in the form of give and goes and breakout passes. His skill level is something that he will have to continue to develop if he wishes to be an impactful player at this level. Grade: B-
Carson Tourand #1 (G, Red Deer Rebels U15, 05/25/2008) – As St. Albert is one of the strongest offensive teams in the AEHL this was a good game for Carson. He displayed solid rebound control in this game and was square to initial shots. Carson stopped a breakaway and overall faced quality chances throughout the game. Carson must ensure that he keeps his stick down when coming across as he allowed a goal through the five hole as his stick was lifted. Carson showed a willingness to move the puck and must continue to work on this skill. Grade: B-
Aidan Prosser #35 (G, L, 5’5″, 115, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 01/25/2008) – Aidan had a strong game against PAC stopping 17/17 shots he faced in 30 minutes of play. He displayed good feet and an ability to track rebounds to stay in position for the second or third saves. Aidan pushed off hard across his crease and did a good job of keeping his stick on the ice between his feet when moving laterally. Overall Aidan played very well but must ensure that he does not go down too early especially when the puck is behind the net. Grade: A-
Luke Larson #99 (G, Red Deer Rebels U15, 02/14/2008) – Luke had a tough game against SSAC as he surrendered 3 goals on 16 shots. Despite a low save percentage Luke may have had a positive goals saved above expected as he made multiple difficult saves. Luke moved his feet well and controlled his rebounds and also displayed a strong glove. He is a little undersized and will hopefully grow this season. Luke received a B- grade for this game. Against St. Albert Luke was fantastic stopping 25/28 shots he faced. He turned away multiple breakaway attempts including a 2 on 0 rush in which he pushed hard and made a huge save coming across the crease. Luke battled very hard and was forced to make numerous second and third stops. He did a really good job of staying with shooters in this game and made sure to come across the crease with his chest up when going side to side. Larson also handled the puck well helping out his defencemen and helping to start the breakout at times. Luke received an A- grade for this game. Grade: B+
Kai Zurowski #31 (G, St. Albert Sabres U15, 2008) – Kai did his job against Lloydminster stopping 19/20 shots he faced. Kai was able to push hard to get across the crease to face shooters. He was able to control rebounds and locate loose pucks in the crease. Kai showed strong fundamentals staying within his butterfly to make saves. Overall Kai was not challenged greatly by the Lloydminster shooters but he maintained his composure despite probably struggling to find rhythm due to the low volume of shots faced. Grade: B+
Jayden Mah #12 (D, R, 5’6″, 132, SSAC Lions U15, 03/13/2008) – Jaden is an average skater overall but displayed a strong first few steps. Offensively Jaden distributed the puck well to teammates. Defensively and off the puck Jaden was very physical throwing multiple hits and rubbing out attackers along the wall. Grade: B-
Michael Zhao #21 (LW, L, 5’10”, 156, SSAC Lions U15, 02/01/2008) – The first thing you notice about Michael is that he is a very big body. Despite his size advantage Michael utilized other tools to contribute rather than just ‘bullying’ other players. Michael displayed an ability to keep his head up when controlling the puck and was able to distribute to teammates from high traffic areas. His skating is good for his size but if he wants to take his game to the next level he will have to work on his acceleration as it is just average. Michael was strong on his edges and was able to lean on defenders but having extra get up and go speed and an ability to create separation from defenders would add a ton to his game. Grade: B+
Chance Vaughan #99 (D, R, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 06/06/2008) – Chance is a big right shot defenceman who moves well for his size forwards backwards and laterally. Chance played with a physical edge and used his size and strong skating to cover lots of ice. He displayed some offensive jump rushing the puck at times. Vaughan did have a rush in which he tried to deke all 5 defenders before turning the puck over. Moving forward Chance can continue to work upon using his teammates when jumping into the rush. Grade: B
Mason Smith #99 (F, L, 6’1″, 180, Dauphin Kings, 03/11/2002) – Mason positioned himself well on the ice and displayed strong puck movement. An area of continued development is his skating as his skating is not as strong as his puck movement and positioning. Grade: B-
Paulo Borrelli #4 (D, R, SSAC Lions U15, 01/06/2008) – Paulo displayed good stickhandling in this game dangling defenders at times. Borelli showed an ability to jump into the rush and contribute offensively by activating off the blueline and through the use of his hard shot. Paulo also displayed a physical element to his game. An area to continue to build upon is skating specifically lengthening Paulo’s stride moving in a straight line. Grade: B-
Kaleb Morrison #22 (D, R, 5’7″, 125, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 05/28/2008) – Kaleb is a little undersized but what he lacks in size he makes up for with his skating. Kaleb is an excellent skater who displayed strong acceleration through the first few steps and who showed a good top speed. His backwards and lateral movements were very strong as well enabling him to cover a lot of ice in a short period of time. When under pressure Kaleb could escape through the use of tight turns and good acceleration. Kaleb read the play well and was able to activate off the line to jump into the offence. When retrieving dumped in pucks from his own zone Kaleb head checked before picking up the puck enabling him to identify passing options quickly. On one occasion Kaleb jumped into the offence after making a breakout pass creating a two on one chance. Morrison displayed a hard shot and moved the puck well to teammates especially breaking out of his own zone. Defensively Kaleb utilized good gap control strong stick checks and physical play. Grade: B+
Mason Guertin #99 (F, R, Leduc Oil Kings U15, 08/30/2008) – Mason had a strong game against Sherwood Park registering two assists. He is an average to above average skater with a good frame who likes to play physically. Guertin showed good IQ reading the play so that he could jump on loose pucks and distribute to teammates. Grade: B+
Jake Redden #99 (F, L, 6’0″, 175, Lloydminster Bobcats U15, 05/24/2008) – Jake is another large forward who is an average skater who moves well for his size. Jake used his size impactfully throwing multiple hard hits. He showed flashes of skill in this game including nice hands on his goal. Offensively Redden was able to rush with the puck and ultimately displayed an average top speed but struggled to accelerate at times. Jake positioned himself well on the ice in the defensive end and overall had a strong game. Grade: B+
Makhi Wandler #99 (F, R, SSAC Lions U15, 07/11/2008) – Makhi is an above average skater who was able to use a quick release to score against SSAC. He shot the puck hard and was able to get it off his stick fast a deadly combination. Makhi also displayed good hands able to stickhandle around opponents. Against St. Albert Makhi once again showed off his speed. He was responsible with the puck and distributed it well to teammates both in the offensive zone and in transition. Grade: B+
Trayvis Shirt #99 (F, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 2008) – Trayvis is an average straight line skater who displayed a powerful first step and utilized hard cuts to create space for himself. He played a solid 200′ game chipping in offensively with two assists while also getting back to help out defensively. Trayvis played physically and made intelligent decisions with the puck in his own end. Offensively Trayvis was able to control the play as he is a strong puck carrier and made smart passes to teammates. Grade: A-
Ty Domshy #20 (F, L, 5’8″, 141, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 12/10/2008) – Ty is an above average skater who displayed very creative puck distribution. He hit Ty Meunier with a beautiful pass off the glass in the neutral zone that may have been a set play. Domshy identified that both defencemen were guarding the blue line aggressively and banked it off the glass while Meunier came streaking in from the other side of the ice. This creativity was very impressive for this age group. He also positioned himself well on the ice and played with a physical edge. Grade: B+
Crue Mohr #99 (F, L, K of C Squires U15, 01/31/2008) – Crue began the weekend with St. Albert but is now a member of the KC team. He is an average to above average skater displaying strong straight line speed and good acceleration. Crue also showed nice deception such as picking a puck up along the wall where he turned his body so that he could start skating forwards behind the net before picking it up rather than picking it up facing the wall. In small area puck battles along the wall where he had possession Crue was able to utilize tight turns to shake off a defender and create space for himself. Puck movement is an area of the game that Crue could improve upon as at times he held onto it too long. Grade: B
Marcus Lamoureux #10 (F, Sherwood Park Flyers U15, 2008) – Marcus is an average to above average skater as evident by his goal where he blew by the defenceman before slipping the puck past the goaltender. Defensively Marcus was quite strong displaying sound stick checks as well as strong positioning. An area to improve upon for Marcus is his puck distribution as he occasionally carried the puck with his head down which limited his ability to see the ice. Grade: B+
Nolan Bisson #14 (F, L, 5’11”, 182, St. Albert Sabres U15, 06/13/2008) – Nolan is an average straight line skater who distributed the puck well to teammates. An area to work on for Nolan is strength on his skates as at times he appeared to have difficulty taking contact. Grade: C+
Kayne Poitras #16 (F, R, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 06/01/2008) – Kayne displayed a strong effort throughout the weekend battling hard along the wall for 50/50 pucks. Kayne is a strong skater displaying good edge work and an ability to battle through contact. He was able to win a race to a loose puck by getting on his inside edges and turning sharply to go back and get the puck. Poitras also displayed good hand eye coordination on one of his goals corralling a bouncing puck while off balance for the goal. Kayne also read the play well on his other goal he tracked a loose puck and was the first player on it slamming it home for a virtually empty net goal. Kayne will play for the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers this season. Grade: B+
Blair Erickson #99 (D, L, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 08/05/2008) – Blair is an average skating defenceman who defended the rush well in this game. In one instance Blair was faced with defending a 1 on 1 and did a good job of keeping the shooter wide negating any chance. At times Blair neglected to engage with the man in front of the net allowing for that forward to get touches on the puck and this is an area of development moving forward. Offensively Blair stickhandled the puck well and was confident as a puck carrier. Blair also distributed the puck well to teammates especially against St. Albert. An example of this puck movement was Blair hit Makhi Wandler with a beautiful pass through the neutral zone to send him on a rush. Grade: B
Blake Grycak #99 (F, R, 5’7″, 130, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 2008) – Blake had a very strong game against Grande Peace scoring three of PAC’s five goals. Blake is an above average skater who displayed great straight line speed and quick feet along the wall and in traffic. He displayed his combination of speed and skill on one of his goals when he busted wide through the neutral zone and won the foot race up ice before blasting a shot past the goaltender. Grycak also displayed strong breakout passes and good stickhandling. He was a little trigger happy at times such as on the powerplay when he chose to take a low percentage shot off the rush rather than slowing the play down and setting up the attack. Grade: A-
Evan Dowling #20 (F, R, SSAC Lions U15, 06/19/2009) – Evan was especially strong on the penalty kill against KC. He was able to control the puck and fight off multiple checks to kill time for his team. Evan was responsible defensively and did a good job of back checking in transition. Evan handled the puck well and was able to effectively give and receive passes. Grade: B
Kade Hughes #99 (F, R, Grand Prairie Storm U15, 06/11/2009) – Kade is a strong skater especially in terms of acceleration and in tight spaces. He utilized mohawk strides to keep himself facing the play while turning hard with the puck. Kade read the play well able to time his entry into wall battles in order to come away with a loose puck. Overall Kade played a solid game against PAC and displayed good intensity. Grade: B
Ethan Collins # (F, Fort McMurray Oil Barons, 2009) – Ethan had a strong first game against CAC registering an assist. Ethan displayed good stickhandling and an ability to move the puck under pressure such as while being body checked. Ethan was strong defensively hustling back to get into position when the play transitioned and blocking shots in the defensive end. Ethan’s skating is an area that could be developed as his toes are pointed outwards when he strides and it appears that he is unable to push off his edges in an ideal manner as a result. Grade: B-
Adam Cutting #21 (F, L, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 01/27/2009) – Adam battled well for the puck throughout the weekend and was unafraid to engage in contact. He displayed effective stickhandling as well as good distribution throughout the weekend. Offensively Adam has a good shot and utilized a deceptive release. An area of development for Adam is his skating and his balance on his skates. As he is a bigger player Adam will be a target for contact and needs to make sure that he is ready for the rigours of his style of play. Grade: B-
Landon Horiachka #11 (F, L, 5’10”, 140, Sherwood Park Flyers U15, 01/06/2009) – Landon is an above average skater who was hard on the forecheck and attacked loose pucks. In transition Landon made strong breakout passes to teammates. Defensively Landon was physical and also used a good stick check to knock pucks away from attackers. He displayed a hard and accurate shot and stick handled well. Landon had a strong game against Lloydminster registering a goal. He played a strong 200′ game in which he was effective defensively. Landon played physically and was hard on loose pucks and in puck battles. Overall he is of a good size and is an average skater. Moving forward Landon must continue to improve upon his puck distribution as there were times when he held onto the puck for too long. Grade: B
Luke Ruptash #11 (F, R, 5’8″, 135, St. Albert Sabres U15, 01/02/2009) – Luke displayed fantastic skill throughout the weekend. He is a dynamic skater who utilized strong cuts to change angles when he rushed with the puck. Luke passed the puck well finding teammates with smart passes that helped generate offence. Defensively Luke positioned himself well and played with a physical edge. As Luke is an underager he is a little on the small side in terms of height but has an athletic frame. He should be one of the top 09’s in the AEHL this season and does not look out of place against older competition. Luke once again displayed his strong tools against CAC. He used his feet to drive wide to beat the defencemen with speed. Ruptash is also strong enough on his skates to fight through contact when he is unable to find a clear lane. Luke is a strong stickhandler and distributed the puck to teammates with his head up. He displayed a strong wrist shot and slap shot able to vary his release to keep goaltenders guessing. Grade: A-
Keenan Fox #99 (F, L, 5’8″, 150, K of C Squires U15, 05/23/2009) – Keenan was a bright spot for KC in this game against St. Albert displaying above average skating to go along with his solid frame. Keenan is physically strong and was able to utilize his strength in puck battles and when receiving hits. Offensively he displayed great hands able to stickhandle past St. Albert defenders throughout the game. Keenan also has a strong shot and distributed the puck well to teammates. Throughout the weekend Keenan backchecked well and was impactful in all areas of the ice. An area of development for Keenan is puck movement as he held onto it too long at times. Grade: A-
Kade Harstad #99 (F, L, Leduc Oil Kings U15, 04/02/2008) – Kade’s skating is his best asset. He was able to use his speed in this game to pull away from defenders in foot races allowing him to create chances. Kade also utilized strong cuts in busy areas creating space for himself. Harstad displayed strong passing and was able to hit seam passes to teammates to create opportunities. He is a bigger body which enabled him to be hard on loose pucks and to win puck battles. Grade: A-
Ossie McIntrye #22 (F, L, 5’3″, 110, 03/18/2008) – Ossie had a strong game against CAC scoring a goal and was all over the ice. Ossie is a smart player who effectively distributed the puck to teammates. He also read the play well and despite his small stature went to the net with his stick on the ice looking for opportunistic rebounds.Throughout the weekend Ossie did a good job of identifying open areas to position himself in so that he could become a passing option. Grade: B
Jack Langill # (F, R, 5’10”, 154, MLAC Midget, 01/09/2008) – Jack is an above average skater who carried the puck with his head up allowing him to scan the ice for teammates to pass to. Jack displayed a good shot and scored a goal on the power play in this game. Jack’s skating and skill are strong foundations for his game to grow upon. Grade: B
Graydon Chomey # (F, SSAC Lions U15, 2008) – Graydon had a strong game offensively registering two assists. On the first assist Graydon fought hard through traffic to get the puck to the net. On the second assist Graydon showed great skill engaging in a nice passing play with Cole Peterson. On this play the defender coughed up the puck at the Lloydminster blueline and Graydon and Cole passed the puck back and forth repeatedly giving the Lloydminster goaltender next to no chance of knowing who was going to shoot it. Graydon is a little bit small physically and is an average skater overall. Grade: B
MacKenzie Manuntag #9 (F, R, SSAC Lions U15, 08/27/2009) – Mackenzie is a player who’s career path will depend greatly upon physical growth as he is currently one of the smaller players in his loop. Despite his size Mackenzie played fearlessly stickhandling through traffic jumping on loose pucks and even throwing body checks. Mackenzie is an excellent skater who played a 200′ game. His tools (especially his skating) are all very good and if he is able to grow he will be a very enticing prospect. Grade: B
Emmett Jones #11 (F, L, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers U15, 01/01/2008) – Emmett is an undersized player who is an above average skater who is quick and difficult to hit. Emmett moved the puck well to his teammates and was able to use his speed to generate chances such as on his assist. His stickhandling is an asset and enabled him to dangle numerous opponents. An area of improvement for Emmett is his strength as he was out muscled on plays at times. Grade: B-
Ray Skaksen # (F, Grand Prairie Storm U15, 2008) – Ray is a physically strong player who is an average skater. Ray was able to knock an opponent over with a body check from a standstill an impressive feat of strength and balance. Ray was a strong net front presence able to use his strength to fight for positioning. Ray also showed good stickhandling good puck distribution and a cannon of a shot. Grade: B
Ty Edwards # (F, HC Edmonton U15) – Ty was very strong against Sherwood Park scoring two goals. Ty is an above average skater who displayed good skill and a good shot. Ty positioned himself well on the ice and battled hard for loose pucks. Ty has an athletic frame and looks like a player who will only continue to get better as the season progresses. Grade: B+
Peyden Chief-Iron # (F, R, Lloydminster Bobcats U15, 07/05/2008) – Peyden is a power forward who is a decent skater considering his size. He displayed a hard shot offensively and off the puck was able to throw multiple hard hits. Areas of continued development for Peyden include puck movement as well as skating. Grade: B-
Adrian Mercer #99 (F, L, 5’6″, 141, Spruce Grove PAC Saints U15, 2008) – Adrian displayed strong skating which he used to exploit defenders. One such play a defender had to haul him down as he could not keep up in transition. Adrian did a good job of using his defencemen as passing options in the offensive zone and was astute at hopping on errant passes and loose pucks. Hopefully Adrian will continue to grow over the course of the season. Grade: B
Eric Ripka #21 (F, L, 5’2″, 110, Edmonton CAC, 04/21/2008) – Eric is one of the smaller kids on the ice but he makes up for it with fantastic skating. He was able to use his feet to beat defenders wide as exemplified by his assist where he beat defenders wide before locating Linklater with a seam pass for the easy goal. Offensively Eric also has a strong shot and distributed the puck well to teammates. Eric did not shy away from the physical play and was able to move through contact to make plays. His size is the main thing holding him back from being an elite player right now and it will be interesting to see how he progresses this season. Grade: B+
Carson Olson #3 (F, R, Sherwood Park Flyers U15 AAA, 03/28/2008) – Carson played a strong 200 foot game positioning himself well both offensively and defensively. He moved the puck well even displaying strong passing off his backhand. Offensively Carson shot the puck well. Grade: B