Caden Brown | NTDP U18 | USHL | L | F | 5’11” | 175 | Wisconsin | 2021 | St. Louis, MO | 2003 | 2020-2021: C+ |
USHL: NTDP vs Dubuque Fighting Saints, February 2021: After seeing him earlier in the month playing center, Brown was used almost exclusively on the wings in this one and by our count did not take a single draw. He used his speed to create havoc on the forecheck and was consistently the first man on a loose puck in the offensive zone. His grit and willingness to jam for loose pucks was a real asset on the power play where he play a perfectly positioned bumper and exploded to loose pucks at the net or below the goal line. We feel Brown’s speed and his ability to consistently outwork his opponents is what separated him from his peers in this 8-2 loss.
NCAA: NTDP vs Arizona State, February 2021: Brown played a simple and effective two way game. His quickness and agility were very noticeable all over the ice, but especially below the goal line. It won’t win him much fan fare, but his active stick while defending was excellent. Offensively he used his speed to create mismatches through the neutral zone either driving the ASU defenders back below the face-off dots or darting to the middle when coming down his off side wall. He seemed to have little trouble rolling through contact to beat his defender to the scoring area and he showed excellent ice awareness using the net as a “pick” to lose man while cycling on Gilmartin’s second period goal. One area that we feel Brown will need to work on as he continues to develop is face-offs. His overall quickness and willingness to stop on pucks will give him a long term opportunity to be a penalty killer, but to maximize his value he will need to work on the dot.
USHL: NTDP U18 vs Muskegon Lumberjacks, December 2020: Brown is a speedy forward for the NTDP that did his best work in the offensive zone, with and without the puck. When his team doesn’t have possession of the puck, Brown is hard on the forecheck consistently causing turnovers or forcing poor decisions by his opponents. He drives his feet, reloads over the puck well, and does a good job reading the play, all of which make him effective in hunting and retrieving pucks for his team. When he does get the puck back Brown is creative in the offensive zone and plays with his head up, displaying good vision. On one particular play Brown caused a turnover behind the net on the forecheck and immediately looked to the slot where he hit his teammate with a pass for a Grade A scoring chance. On the NTDP’s first goal, Brown made a really nice pass out of the corner to hit his linemate in the high slot where he buried a quick shot. Brown buzzes around the offensive zone and is a high energy player that does his best work with the puck on his stick and time to get his head up, finding his teammates in scoring areas. Grade: B+
NAHL: NTDP U18 vs. St. Cloud and Aberdeen vs. Austin, October 2020: Brown had a great weekend and was a dynamic playmaker for his team. He sees the ice very well and makes difficult plays look easy setting up his teammates with great scoring opportunities. Brown also scored a couple goals driving the net and finishing secondary chances while fighting off defenders. He played a complete game this weekend contributing in all three zones, helping his team transition quickly, and by setting up his teammates with great passes. It was a very solid weekend for Brown to build on going forward this year. Grade: A
CSSHL Bantam Championship, March 2020: A dominant winger who has a full complement of skills that will make him very much sought after as he develops. He displays very good speed and can beat defensemen wide or use an outside in fake to beat defensemen through the middle. From here he is a dangerous shooter, his shot is hard and it is accurate and he can bury. And he is unselfish. If the shot is not there he can dish. He knows when to hold and he knows when to pass off. His passes are quick and they are accurate. Caden will also hit the corners of behind the net, engage in battle and use his size and physicality to win battles. Grade A
U16 USA Hockey Nationals, May 2019: Brown was recently named to the NTDP U17 team after a strong performance at the NTDP Evaluation camp after missing parts of the season with injury. He’s a strong, powerful skater with wide, balanced stride and plays a complete, 200ft game. He wins a high percentage of draws, he has strong and smooth hands, excellent puck control and the ability to get off checks and maneuver through traffic areas with possession. He has mature hockey sense and awareness of his age and as is able to read the whole sheet, find the open guy and make smart decisions with the puck. He scored a nice rebound goal in tight and created a ton of scoring chances on the power play coming off the wall, drawing a defender and dishing to open space. He led his team in points with a 2-3-5 line and showed he’s ready for the next level. One of the top ‘03s and most complete, honest, 2-way forwards in the tournament but could add more speed and agility to his game in the coming years to reach his true potential. College: Wisconsin
NTDP Evaluation Camp Report, March 2019: Brown is coming off an injury season but showed well here playing an honest two-way game and displaying a sturdy, balanced stride with deceptive speed. He isn’t overly dynamic offensively but he sees the ice well, he gets to the right areas and can get off checks and get to the net. He drives the net hard away from the puck which lures defenseman away from the puck carrier and he also had several middle lane drives with the puck and when the defense collapsed he dished it to the open areas. Brown as the dual ability to push the pace with his edges and hustle but he can also slow it down, pull up and find his teammates. He’s got great zip on his passes and once he gets rid of the puck he fights to get open again. Defensively he was strong in his own end, he defends the net front well, he can win battles along the boards and gets his stick in lanes. He scored a brilliant catch and shoot goal from a low angle spot beside the net catching the goalie down. Very aware prospect with a good combination of skill, sense and power skating who can play any role on the team. College: Wisconsin
Rocky Mountain Classic, December 2018: The underage player showed well over the weekend for his team, creating and being a nuisance in the offensive end. Brown has a thick build and loves to throw the body off the forecheck and when he see’s chance in the offensive end. Brown has puck protection skill and can extend play in the offensive end. He’ll attack the net often and look for second chance rebounds. Most of his chances com from in tight but he can create for his teammates off the perimeter using his vision of the ice. Brown is a decent skater but could get better overall top speed as it limits his options and doesn’t allow him to carry the puck up ice very much. Brown could also improve his defensive game as he can stop moving his feet and become pretty much ineffective in his end. Player with very good upside for the 2020 WHL draft. Grade: C+
T1EHL U16 Showcase Michigan, December 2018: Brown is another one of those players whom you just come to expect a certain level of consistency from and he always seems to deliver. His compete and effort are always very good, so his skill and skating ability take over from there. Excellent foot work and edge work, and he really utilizes the pivot well with the puck in keeping defenders guessing and trying to bait them into overcommitting. Very quick and speedy, and especially elusive with the puck. Excellent hands, playmaking ability, and has the skills to finish and find the back of the net. Really good two-way game and high level of maturity for a young player. Grade: A
U16: USHL Fall Classic, October 2018: The son of former NHL player Jeff Brown and the younger brother of former 1st Round NHL Pick Logan Brown got his families jeans. He has some size and is a thick body. A strong skater with puck skills to match. His game down low with the puck and in traffic is impressive. A mix of a power forward and a skilled player. We have seen better production out of him than he had here but with his talent level he should get it going again soon. USNTDP Top 40 Candidate. College: Wisconsin
T1EHL U16 Showcase; Milwaukee, WI, September 2018: Brown is a really sharp, smart player. His intelligence jumps out immediately. Excellent vision and subsequently a great passer. Can really thread the needle but also makes really smart, short passes, banks, chips, etc. Very good in traffic and can make plays one-on-one. He also has a really good wrist shot that we would love to see more of. College: Wisconsin Grade: A
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images