Here is an inside look at how Neutral Zone generates our NHL Grades, as well as how our overall viewings and evaluations contribute to our Star Ratings for amateurs and the impact those evaluations may have on player’s NHL Grade.
Frankie Carogioiello (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Forward
We recently (11/30/19) saw the St. Andrews College 2002 play at Dexter Southfield in Brookline, MA and came away impressed. Here are our expanded notes on Frankie’s evaluation from that game. What those notes told us are written in Italics underneath the game notes;
#21 – Carogioiello – RW, Left Shot, 5’10 164lbs, Miami
Buzzing in warm-ups, absolutely flying, very powerful base and stride, passes with authority and puts it on the tape, handles poor passes, good 1st touch on backhand
- Frankie was playing his 4th game in about 40 hours, but he was ready to go and looks well prepared for a 10AM puck drop. He has a wide sturdy base and a strong stride. Although he looks undersized he is very powerful & strong. Frankie has a good 1st touch and has very soft hands that allow him to handle poor passes cleanly. Good passing skills.
- Plays with pace.
- He carries the puck with his head up & does not slow down while it is on his stick.
Back-checks with a purpose, moves feet into / through the “house”, stick is on the & ready to break-up royal road attempts.
- Frankie cares about defensive zone responsibilities, is coachable and by having his stick on the ice Frankie pays attention to details.
- The stick on the ice may seem like a little thing, but it is incredibly important as he begins to play at higher levels and earns more responsibilities. Frankie plays with his stick on the ice in defensive situations.
Defensive Zone – Head on a swivel into the corners and in the slot, contains if in low support situation, strong, not a banger, competes, controls sticks in the slot, reads the cycle well, not a puck watcher, maintains shootings lanes, willing to eat pucks, responsible F3 and communicates with defenseman and low forward.
- Frankie battles and competes at both ends of the rink. If he ends up as the low forward or F1, Frankie is strong enough to contain players & pin, but prefers to maintain defensive side positioning with his feet. He is aware of the movement of the cycle and protects from the slot area out. Frankie will block shots = competitive and wants to win.
Neutral Zone – defensively, cuts the ice in half, active stick, aware of passing lanes, understands the lines, forces poor decisions with body positioning and stick. Offensively, pivots well, faces puck, accelerates while receiving any type of pass, seems to understand middle drive / slash support, very quick, excellent lateral mobility
- The above in game “defensive” comments show us that Frankie is not just a speed freak or workman like robot. By cutting the ice in half Frankie is making the game easier on himself and his teammates by limiting the opposition’s options, time & space. And by understanding the lines we are referring to trying to make the other team ice the puck or go off-sides. Both are signs of good coaching and Frankie’s ability to understand concepts. What this all means? Frankie has a brain and can think on the ice.
- “Offensively”, Frankie keeps his eyes on the puck during re-groups or transition. He can handle both good and bad passes and has the the stick skills / body control to accelerate through the pass. He is quick in transition. Understanding middle drive shows us (again) that he understands concepts, coaching and willing to go to the dirty areas.
- This is the second time we’ve noted that Frankie has a good 1st touch
Offensive Zone – smooth, finds quite area but does not stay in one spot, strong on the wall and while protecting the puck, battles for ice, pushes off to create slot space, poised with puck, carries low to high looking for activating D, tape to tape, no “hope passes”, rolls off of contact to the net
- He has poise with the puck and a low panic point. He’s confident with the puck or without. Although Frankie is undersized, he plays through contact while protecting the puck and can attack the net or find the activating defenseman who is crashing the net on the weak side.
- Not making “hope passes” shows us that Frankie values puck possession and is willing to battle or grind to keep control of the puck. It also shows us that he is confident with the puck and believes he can make plays.
Attacks the blue line with poise and confidence, reads gaps well, changes speeds very well
- This also shows his vision and poise as well his hockey IQ. Reading gaps and changing speeds may seem like an easy thing, but it is not. Frankie has the skating ability and stick skills to manipulate the gap into his favor.
Release – quick, accurate, head’s up, soft quick hands, good first touch on backhand, poor passes don’t matter
- This one is pretty self explanatory. He has a quick release and he puts the puck where he wants it.
- This is the third time we have noted that Frankie handles poor passes well with the other times being in warm ups and during neutral zone transition.
NO 1Xs
- We did not see Frankie attempt any one timers. This is strictly about shooting. Not 1 touch passing.
Played 1st unit PP, not on 1st unit 4on3 Ot, 2nd unit 4v3 Ot, smooth passes, does not dust it off, Quick, 1 touch passes.
- Frankie played on the first 5 on 4 power play unit, but was not on the first unit 4 on 3 power play during overtime. Was he tired, having an equipment issue or was he just the odd man out?
- He makes crisp tape to tape passes and the “dusting off” comment has to do with his first touch, which is now the fourth time we have mentioned that Frankie has a good first touch or that he can easily handle poor passes.
- 1 touch passing – on multiple times while on a 5 on 4 power play, he was able to “1 touch” passes through the box or initiate quick give and go situations.
PK- direct, straight lines, played system, active stick, like to force down ice but didn’t get trapped
- Another pretty simple one, Frankie has the potential to be a high level killer.
- Straight lines – shows us that he did not drift or puck watch. Another thing that seems simple, but it shows his attention to detail and that he accepts the high level of coaching that he is receiving at St. Andrew’s
- Forcing down ice, but not getting trapped shows us Frankie’s speed and brains to not chase mindlessly behind the net.
That may be it for our game notes versus Dexter, but we also have 10 published Amateur Scouting Reports on Frankie. Our most recent one coming on November 25th, 2019 – A 3rd round OHL draft selection and a Miami University commit Frankie can absolutely fly. His quickness, speed and agility jump out at you in all three zones of the ice. He continually wins foot races for pucks everywhere and is quick to jump on any loose puck. When he has the puck, his head is up and he is looking to move it to open teammates quickly. More of a play maker than a scorer but very adept at carrying the puck and forcing a defender or two to commit to him, then dishing off to the open line mate. If you are a goal scorer you want Frankie as your centerman. Frankie also goes to the net for loose pucks, and a second effort net battle allowed him to score a goal in this viewing. Grade A... And our oldest report was published on October 24th, 2017 – high energy, high high skill. Always wants the puck and generally gets the puck and makes a positive play. Plays a 200 ft game with skill and is able to make plays in all 3 zones. Smaller, shifty skilled player. Can make plays with time and space. Needs to work on getting into the scoring areas more often.
We also had Neutral Zone scouts at all of St. Andrew’s games that took place at Belmont Hill during the 2019 Thanksgiving Weekend. All of our viewings and reports help us generate our current ‘C+’ NHL Grade for Frankie and contribute to why we think Frankie Carogioiello is a player that deserves more NHL attention as we head into 2020.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
**Published in 12/19**