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The Cup North American Championship (U14): Top 68

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, OHL, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone attended The Cup North American Championship tournament on January 12-15. There were 20 teams that played in the 2002 division that played over 4 days and was extremely competitive.  North York beat Syracuse in the finals 2-1 while Westchester took third.  Final standings for the weekend were (North York (7-0), Westchester (5-1), Syracuse (4-3), Sun County Panthers (4-2), Washington Little Caps (3-2), Kitchener Jr Rangers (2-2-1), North Bay Trappers (2-2-1), Quinte Red Devils (2-2), Mid Fairfield (2-2), Toronto Jr Canadiens (2-2), Buffalo Jr Sabres (2-3), Mississauga Senators (2-2), Team Illinois (1-2-1), Burlington Eagles (1-2-1), Brampton 45’s (1-3), Philadelphia Jr Flyers (1-3), Amherst Knights (1-3), Cleveland Barons (1-3), NJ Rockets (1-4), Toronto Red Wings (0-2-2).  Below are the listing of the Top Forwards, Defensemen and Goalies we saw this weekend.

Grades are for this tournament and relative to others on the list. Players did well to make this report and each profile will be updated with information/reports over time. Profiles can be viewed by clicking a player’s name.

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NAPHL Showcase U16/U18: Top 50

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone attended the NAPHL Showcase in Troy, MI from January 6-9, 2017. We scouted both the U16 and U18 Divisions and ranked the players A-C. As always, the rankings are based on the players performance at this particular event and not an overall indication of their ability or potential.

Sam Renlund-L-5’11/190 Omaha-00 – Sam works hard in both ends of the ice.  He has a high compete level and can slow the play down when he has the puck.  He is very good on the power play in which he makes nice passes and has the ability to score nice goals with his quick release. Grade: A

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Toronto Marlies Holiday Tournament: Top 180

Articles, Feature Story, Game/Tournament Reviews, OHL, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone’s Ontario staff met in Toronto for our Mid-Term OHL Draft rankings and sent our 10 scouts into the rinks to cover as much minor midget action as possible at the Toronto Marlies Showcase. The tournament featured some of the top talent in the province and we saw almost every team at least once, and most two or three times. We have written up the top 165 performers as well as 26 honorable mentions who showed us enough to be mentioned, but will need more viewing before we can rank them.

The rankings below are broken up into A, B and C’s. Their ranking is not an indication of how good the players are overall, rather a grading of how they played at this particular performance. Most players had multiple evaluations so we combined them and made a consensus evaluation but some players we attached several.

Michael Vukojevic #51 Mississauga Rebels (LD, 6-2/185, 2001)

Vukojevic looks and plays like a big time prospect every time we see him. He’s got great size and athleticism and plays a physical, focused defensive game. He’s arguably the best gap control defenseman in the province, uses his long reach to poke pucks off sticks and takes the body whenever an opponent tries to cut in on him (which doesn’t happen often). He is controlled, confident and zips passes flat across the ice either D to D or up ice to his forwards. He is able to get to pucks on dump ins and even if he’s not the first one in there he uses his strength and physicality to win the battle and quickly turn the puck up ice and break the puck out. He is used in every situation for the Rebels, he blocks shots and kills penalties with powerful clears and an active stick to cut down passing lanes, and he has a heavy shot and powerful presence on the power play. A major talent. College: Michigan

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Schwan Cup & Sports Authority MN High School: Top 40

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Two separate tournaments going on at the same time in Minneapolis, MN displayed 16 different teams from the top division of Minnesota High School Hockey, which is AA. Out of the 16 teams in the two tournaments, 13 were ranked in the Top 20 in the State of Minnesota.  To say there was an abundance of talent would be an understatement.  The 2 tournaments combined had 21 Current Division 1 commitments and when all said and done, the number will most likely be north of 40.

Making the top 40 in this write up was not an easy task and left out some future players that will be good additions to a Division 1 programs. Some players had good weekends and some were quiet, our guess is that you haven’t heard the last of some of the Honorable Mentions as they continue to develop.

The Schwan Cup Gold Division winner went to Edina, led behind a stout defensive core and great offensive depth. Edina proved too much for their opponents in the long haul and cruised to victory.

The Sports Authority Classic was a round robin tournament that came down to the last day with the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the state battling it out. Stillwater HS remained undefeated as they took down Elk River in the final day in a great show down.

Many of these games set the tone for what could be a great AA State Tournament in March at the Excel Energy Center. There isn’t much separation between the top 10 teams in the state and it could very well come down to who is playing the best hockey in early March.

Casey Mittelstadt (6/200, Eden Prairie HS, 98) – A special player who was leading the USHL in scoring when he left to return to Eden Prairie to avenge a State Championship loss.  He is as dynamic as they come and can change a game every time he is on the ice.  He has an elite stick in traffic and can make something out of nothing.  He is strong, fast, quick and smart which covers pretty much every category.  He is currently ranked #5 overall in North American Skater by NHL Central Scouting.  Look for him to go in the top 15 or 10 depending on how he finishes with Green Bay when he returns in March.  College: Minnesota  Grade: A+

 

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HPHL Honeybaked Showcase (U15, U16, U18): Top 75

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

We had scouts at the HPHL Showcase hosted by Honeybaked December 27-29th. We saw action in all divisions U15, U16 and U18 and wrote up the top performers we saw. Obviously with the sheer size of this event we couldn’t see everyone and some players we only saw once, but we have listed the top players we evaluated below.

Antonio Stranges-L-5’9-Little Caesars/02- Antonio is a young player playing with the older players. You wouldn’t have known with the way he plays. He is very quick out of corners and he uses edges very well. Possesses quick stickhandling skills and a quick, accurate shot. He uses his teammates to create scoring opportunities and works hard at both ends of the ice. Grade: A

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Catholic Conference/Middlesex League Challenge: Top 70

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone spent MLK Day 2017 at the O’Brien rink in Woburn, MA for the inaugural Middlesex League/Catholic Conference challenge. Ten teams played five games with the Catholic Conference going 3-0-2. It featured seven of Massachusetts’ top 15 teams by most rankings.

St. John’s Prep handled Woburn; Xaverian beat Reading and BC High blew out Winchester in the first three matchups. The last two games featured the best action of the night with two ties. Catholic Memorial and Arlington ended in a tie in a back and forth, fast game. In the night cap Burlington tied up defending Super Eight Champ Malden Catholic 1-1 in a gritty, hard fought battle.

In our opinion based on just these games we would rank the teams as follows:

  1. BC High-Big, heavy, skilled team that can play a number of ways.
  2. Malden Catholic-Lacked offensive creativity but made very few mistakes.
  3. Arlington-Played the fastest of any team here. Aggressive and in straight lines. Have experience.
  4. Catholic Memorial-Tough, gritty and good in all three zones. They will only get better.
  5. St. John’s Prep-Good along the blue line. Skilled but light up front.
  6. Xaverian-Not much depth and they seemed to wear down through stretches.
  7. Burlington-The toughest team perhaps here. Very well coached. Patient and opportunistic.
  8. Reading-Above average public team right now. Must find scoring from their second group.
  9. Woburn-Solid public school team but overmatched here.
  10. Winchester-Totally outclassed by a BC High team that could win it all.

Below are players we noticed throughout the day. Profiles below are linked to players’ names. Most players here are new to us at Neutral Zone. Profiles will be updated as we gain more information over time.

We placed each player in a grade category. That grade is for these games only and in no particular order. Grades are in relation to others on this list.

Thomas Kramer #27 (F, So. BC High; 2000)-Kramer is big and balanced. He played all 200 feet. He used his large frame and reach to protect pucks in all three zones. He scored a goal and went about his business. He was just OK in transition and on the rush but his game is built for success below the dots. He needs some work on his first step. We really liked his game and he has a high ceiling.  Grade: A

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STX Minor Midget (15U) Showcase: Top 35

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone headed to South Bend, Indiana for the STX U15 Showcase January 6-8, 2017. Games were played on the campus of Notre Dame. Below is a list of the players that stood out on the weekend. Almost all of the players below are new to our player profiles. You can click each player’s name to view his profile. As they progress over the seasons/years, profiles will be updated with any new information and evaluations.

Barak Braslavski (L, 5-6/138, Detroit HoneyBaked, ’01) – Barak proved to be extremely slick and slippery with the puck. Between his smallish size and his exceptional feet and hands, he is very evasive and nearly impossible to catch. He rarely takes direct physical contact, but doesn’t shy away from hits and will take contact to make a play. His physical skills are well utilized in tight spaces and he can stick handle out of any jam. Very confident with the puck and is not afraid to try create plays on his own, which occasionally leads to turnovers but generally he was pretty smart about not doing it in the dangerous areas. Grade: A

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E.G. Watkins Cushing Tournament: Top 35

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

E.G. Watkins Tournament

The Watkins Tournament put a lot of higher end prep talent on display. Lawrence won the tournament in a shootout over Culver. The champions have been building for a few years now under Head Coach Rob Barker. Beyond being very skilled, they seemed to be playing as a complete unit and on the same page.  Culver displayed signs of a team that has been on the ice longer than the New England schools, as their structure proved to be on a different level.   Very good players, very good coaching, but they also showed more of the mid-season form that you don’t get from NE schools until January/February. Dexter looked strong as well, and of all the teams, Dan Donato’s squad seems to have the most upside with an incredible group of freshmen.   Gunnery, as well, boasts a young team with excellent potential. Lacking a pure point producing threat, the Highlanders will win a lot of games with depth should they overcome inconsistency. Thayer also has Elite Eight potential with their top end guys being as good as anyone else’s that we saw. Cushing, also in a bit of a rebuild after losing some guys early to the USHL, was trying to find their way during the tournament. Canterbury is an older team that lacks skill but will work hard. They need to keep games close in order to keep their mucky forwards engaged and believing that one shot/one goal can be the difference maker.   NMH finds itself searching for identity in the post Tom Pratt era. Under Pratt, they always had low numbers but a few high end skill kids who would play a very offensive style.   The current squad has a few skills guys on the top end, but the team, overall, needs to figure out who they want to be.

Below are players we felt stood out here. We listed them by teams in no particular order. Each player profile can be viewed by clicking on his name.

Dominic Vidoli, 11th grade, D:  Talk of the tournament and top uncommitted here. Incredibly smooth and fluid skater. Dominated in his game against Dexter with his feet leading the way. Possessed the puck and started the rush many times, but he also jumped into the rush for an odd man situation goal. Showed a quick, accurate release both off the rush (his goal) and from the blue line. Pro scouts were also showing interest in the Poti scout room. It cannot be long until he commits to a Division I program.

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USPHL Winter Showcase: Top 100

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone went to Marlboro for the USPHL Winter Showcase January 6-8, 2017. Our focus was the Premier Division. Below are the players that we feel stood out. Grades are for this weekend only and in relation to others at this showcase. Each team played three games over three days and league rules applied.

All the players below have profiles with Neutral Zone. All reports we have that mention that player will be linked to those profiles. There are about a dozen new additions here.

Lucas Michaud #74 (F, R; 5’11”, 190lbs, IHC, 1997)-Lucas showed why he and Lemieux make up the most dangerous duo in the USPHL. We have liked Lucas’ game in the past but he seems to have taken his play to another level. He is getting better. He was very good in transition and moved well laterally to create passing and shooting lanes. Where he was most impressive was along the wall. He was slippery with the puck and protected and distributed at a very high level. We cannot think of a time all weekend where he made a poor decision or play with the puck. His puck management was excellent and his patience showed his maturity and high IQ. He finished the weekend with a goal and four assists. After a disappointing season in the USHL, he’s returned home and showing signs of major improvement. Grade: A

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Flood Marr Holiday Tournament: Top 58

Articles, Feature Story, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone attended the Flood Marr tournament on December 16-18.  There were eight teams in the tournament and the play over the three days was very competitive. Deerfield edged Milton in the finals 4-3, while KUA took home third place after beating Westminster. Included are the records of each of the teams during the weekend: (Deerfield (3-1), Milton (2-1-1), KUA (3-1), Westminster (1-2-1), Andover (2-2), Nobles (1-3), Salisbury (2-2) and Hotchkiss (1-3)). Below is a listing of the top forwards and defensemen on the weekend.

Jordan Harris (KUA, 5-10/170, ‘00) Smart, poised defensemen who plays in all situations. Never out of position and controls the play with his strong vision and patient play. Has an active stick and closes gaps well. Does not allow forwards much time through the neutral zone. Does not hesitate to take chances on offense. Makes a strong first pass out of his zone, carries the puck well and has soft, swift hands. He can quarterback their powerplay, breaks pucks out quickly and effectively and is able to shake off forecheckers with his quick, agile feet. Grade: A

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Lawrenceville Holiday Tournament: Top 47

Articles, Feature Story, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone had scouts in New Jersey for the Lawrenceville Tournament and wrote up the top 47 players (including goalies). The tournament showed great parity and while there weren’t any serious NHL draft picks here, there were still a lot of quality players.

1-Taft: Taft had only one loss on the tournament which came in a shootout with Choate. They beat NMH 4-2, Canterbury 4-0 and beat Nichols 6-3 (the game was closer than the score). Andrew Farrier the Taft goalie and captain was awarded tournament MVP in a selection process that heavily weights  final game.

2-Nichols School: A bit of a surprise. They are not one of the older teams and at times had a tough time  finishing. They beat Lawrenceville 2-1 in 2OT, they upset Belmont Hill with a 6-1 pounding and toppled UCC 5-2. Graziano was the key to their success with consistent play in the net.

3-Choate: A hard earned third place finish. They started out slow losing to an older Canterbury team 3-1 then came back to beat NMH  3-2. The big game where Kramer got the shootout winner v Taft which was the turning point. They then whitewashed UCC 2-0. The scoring is not very deep here but they have some guys that make a difference.

4-UCC: They started out with a bang then cooled off in every game after that. They beat Belmont Hill with a workmanlike 2-1 effort, then shut out Lawrenceville 3-0. After that it was downhill…5-2 loss to Nichols and then a 2-0 loss to Choate. Muise played well in goal.

5-Belmont Hill: This was a disappointing tournament for Belmont Hill. They are a talented team but a combination of bad luck, poor discipline and inconsistent play hurt them. They started out with a flat 2-1 loss to UCC,. then lost to Nichols 6-1. After that they were able to handle Lawrenceville 7-1 and Canterbury 2-0. Not that a 2-2 record is a bad thing here, but they have the talent to win this event.

6-Canterbury: A veteran team who started off the tournament with a 3-0 win against Choate and looked poised to make a run but went on to only score 1 goal over the next 3 games and lose all three to NMH, Taft and Belmont Hill.

7-NMH: NMH is better than last year but still have a way to go before they’ll be competing for championships. They were never really beaten badly here, they lost 4-2 to Taft, 3-2 to Choate and beat Canterbury 2-1 and Lville 6-2. They don’t have a ton of firepower but defenseman Kennedy and goaltender Green are quality prospects.

8-Lawrenceville: The locals,were just out gunned.  Pito Walton had a strong showing and they have a few 01’s and 02’s worth watching, but not enough veteran talent.. After they gave Nichols a real scare with the 2OT loss they were manhandled…UCC 3-0, Belmont Hill 7-1 and NMH 6-2. A long weekend for them, but at least they got the moral victory of not going pointless. We give them credit, the team gives it all they have even in lopsided games.

 

Christian O’Neill (L, 5-11/175, Belmont Hill #19, ’98)

When Christian was on the ice, you knew he was there. O’Neill has a high skill level and just understands the game. He has quick feet, a great shot with a nice release and sees the ice well. He was used as a point man on the power play where everything seemed to go through him. For a skilled player, he is very involved and has a great work ethic, he has a nice second effort keeping the play alive. There is solid of upside here because he can play a lot of different roles and his skill set translates well at the next level. College: Princeton  Grade: A-

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St. Sebastian’s Holiday Tournament: Top 65

Articles, Feature Story, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

The St. Sebastian’s Holiday Tournament has always been a very high paced, well played tournament and this year was no exception. The eight-team field were all competitive and played hard and fast. Joining St. Sebastian’s was, Albany Academy, Winchendon, Thayer, St. Andrew’s, Rivers, Northwood and Williston. Many scouts were in attendance ranging from D1, D3 and NHL at the Henry T. Lane Rink over the weekend.

St. Andrew’s proved to be too much for the rest of the field as they defeated Thayer to win the Championship. The following skaters are who we feel had themselves a good tournament. These grades are based on the overall performance of the skater throughout the weekend. Kudos to Providence who have commitments from 4 of the Top 7 performers in the tournament (Dugan, O’Brien, Hillis, Mulera).

Cameron Hillis (R, St. Andrew’s #10, ’00) A year ago this time of year we saw Hillis at the Toronto Marlies tournament as he led a York Simcoe Express team and was one of the top prospects for the OHL Draft. He ended up going being taken in the 2nd round but decided to go the NCAA route and committed to Providence. He’s a talented forward with excellent instincts and elusive stick skill. He’s able to go into traffic areas with the puck and stickhandle his way out of jams. He has a quick release and accurate shot and scored a beauty against Rivers on Saturday. He’s on the small side but really dynamic and has the rare ability to create offense from any situation; the rush, in zone, off broken plays, turnovers, etc. He was inconsistent here but when he’s on, he’s a lot for defenders to handle with his speed and puck skill.  College: Providence   Grade: A-

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Lawrence-Groton Holiday Tournament: Top 57

Articles, Feature Story, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone attended the Lawrence/Groton tournament on Thursday and Friday December 15-16th. The tournament was cut short due to the snow on Saturday, however, our scouts wer able to see each team play at least once.

There were eight teams in the tournament. Included are the records of each teams after 3 games played: (Culver 3-0, Cushing 0-3, Holderness 1-2, Lawrence 2-1, Dexter 2-1, Pomfret 2-1, Groton 1-2 and Proctor 1-2). Below is a listing of the top forwards and defensemen on the weekend.

Santeri Hartikainen (Groton, 6’1/185, 1/5/99) – Long, powerful skating forward who doesn’t have breakaway speed but has hockey sense and great touch. Plays a very controlled game and uses his long body and reach to protect the puck from defenders. Doesn’t hesitate to shoot the puck and has an above average snap shot. Thinks the game well and is always looking to create offense. Have seen him take shifts off in the past, however this weekend his compete level was high. Plays with an edge and although he does not go out of his way to be physical, he doesn’t shy away from contact. He was listed on NHL Central Scouting as a C rated prospect but will likely need to improve his quickness and speed before he gets serious attention from the NHL brass.  Grade: A

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EHL Simsbury Showcase: Top 63

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone headed to Simsbury, CT for the EHL Showcase in mid December, 2016. We did not see the entire event. We were able to watch almost every team at least once and about half the games overall. We did not evaluate the Boston Bandits or Hartford Wolfpack. Below are the players we noticed. Players’ grades are for this showcase only and relative to others on this report.

In our previous report from the Cyclones’ Showcase, we evaluated 125 players. Considering here in CT, we saw about half the number of games we did at the NH showcase, 63 players is about right. We will continue to evaluate the EHL this season and post reports. Players’ profiles can be seen by clicking on their names. All scouting reports on those players will be linked to their profiles. Thirteen players below are new additions to our player profiles.

Adam Papayoanou #9 (F, Jr. Flyers, 5’10”, 170lbs, 1996)-Adam was excellent here. The 1996 is a water bug type that was previously with the Nighthawks. We noted back at the Cyclone showcase that he was fast but had some trouble accessing his skills at full speed. Here, he was better. He made plays with speed and showed very good stick skills. He scored on a nice deak at full speed on a breakaway. The puck seemed to find him and size did not limit. Grade: A

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T1EHL U15 Showcase: Top 28

Articles, Game/Tournament Reviews, Prospects, Scouting Reports

Neutral Zone headed to catch some Tier 1 U15 action December 9-11, 2016. As is the case with many U15 games, there was a wide range of talent and quality of teams. The games ran the gamut from a great battle between Buffalo and the Avs to some really bad “running time” affairs. The players below stood out and grades are relative to others on this report. Almost every player listed is a new addition to our player profiles. Click on players’ names to view their profiles.

Adam Varga (Washington, 5-1-6) Adam has dynamite acceleration good hands and can flat out shoot. He plays a lot like a European though he is from the states. A pure natural sniper, he is great in tight can shoot off forehand and backhand. He does not distribute a lot off the rush, he is a pure shooter. In the zone he likes to carry around the net at speed to look for openings. Grade: A

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