Vantassell is a 2004 who is in his second year of NHL Draft eligibility
| Nicholas Vantassell | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | R | F | 6’4″ | 196 | UMass Amherst | 2023 | Basking Ridge, NJ | 2004 | 2022-2023: C2021-2022: C |
USHL: Green Bay vs Madison, December 28, 2022: Vantassell totaled 14:37 of ice time including 0:59 while on the power play. He did not contribute to the penalty kill. On the night he finished with 1 goal on 5 shot attempts, 3 shots on goal, 1 PP shot, 2 hits, received 1 hit, had 1 shot blocked, 4 giveaways, 0 takeaways and he won 31% of 13 puck battles. “Big, power forward type player with a high skill set. Played the half-wall, down low on the powerplay and did an excellent job at corralling pucks and getting them on net. His catch and release are quick and effective, allowing him to either beat the goalie clean (GWG) or creating rebounds. Not the most physical presence, but lots of upside to his game considering his hands, and footwork is pretty much there.” Mike Garteig. Game Grade: B
USHL: Green Bay vs Cedar Rapids, December 17, 2022: Vantassell totaled 17:07 of ice time including 4:05 while on the power play. Although Green Bay was shorthanded for 6:00, he did not contribute to the penalty kill game. He finished the game -2, but in total he was on the ice for one goal for and three goals against. On the Green Bay goal he did not receive an assist but it was his head’s up play to attack the middle lane as the puck carrier that forced Cedar Rapids to lose their coverage on an activating defenseman. Although none of the three goals against were directly Vantassell’s fault, coaches at the NCAA level and professional level will want to see more urgency out of him while he is away from the puck. He finished the game with 0 points, 0 shots, 2 hits, 4 giveaways, 2 takeaways and he won 60% of his 10 puck battles. Overall we have seen him play a more complete game and to play professional hockey we would like to see an dramatic increase in aggression and physicality. Game Grade: C
USHL American Cup: Green Bay vs Youngstown. December 2, 2022: Statistical Game Report: 16:33 TOI, 3:38 PPTOI, -1, 1 SOG, 1 PP Grade “A” that missed the net, 6 Giveaways, 2 Takeaways and 22% puck battles won. Game #2 “VanTassell has the frame and long reach for the pro level although not sure his foot speed made for higher levels. He would be a project for the pros. He showed his power forward ability in the 3rd period using reach and body to drive the puck to the net for scoring opportunity although failed to finish on the backhand. Like we said, has aspects for the pro game if he can continue to develop and added speed and quickness to his game.” Game #1 “The bigger right-shot forward had one of his better games in the USHL from this scout’s viewpoint. He showed his power forward style off the rush a few times, driving the puck to the net. Late in the 1st period, VanTassell toe dragged a defender in the slot using his long reach and produced a quality SOG. He had similar rush the night before again failing to finish. He did score PPG in the 2nd period as #8 Violins rebound shot pooped to him off the side of the net and he wristed home just before goalie #1 Fowler pushed over with blocker. He used his frame and stick to battle for pucks below the goal line this game. While bypassed last year’s NHL Draft, there is potential to develop in the college ranks and minors for opportunity to the NHL eventually. The NHL team that possibly drafts will need to be patient.”
USHL Fall Showcase, November 15, 2022: VanTasell is tall highly athletic winger entering his second season in the league and looks to have taken a real step forward. He’s up to 196 lbs he was stronger on the puck and on his edges particularly in traffic areas and has gained more confidence in his puck carrying and playmaking. He wasn’t perfect in that area by any means and got knocked off a few pucks and lost some stick battles along the wall but it was an obvious flaw in his game last year at this level and he’s taken noticeable strides to improve upon that aspect of his game. His hands are soft and smooth he has touch on his passes and was able to sauce it over stick-blades and place it in space both forehand and backhand. He made a few plays that demonstrated his skill set; he had a mini-breakaway where he was able to shield off backcheck pressure using his reach and puck handling. He had another sequence against Sioux City where he came down the wall with speed saw the defender was playing him aggressive so he chipped it around him and then skated by to pick it up on the other side and later that period he had a similar zone entry saw the defender playing him a bit loose so he cut in and then when pressured he made a slick drop pass to the late trailer. It showed he’s not pre-determined in what he’s going to do; he reacts to the way the defense is playing him which is another improvement/development in his game that was on full display here. Nicholas also showed he can beat defenders wide with his straight line speed and had a rush against Lincoln where he cut in towards the net and made a deke move that was stuffed by the goalie. His stat line of 0 points and -1 rating isn’t overly encouraging but he had 7 shots and his game exceeds his stats. Long strider highly athletic with speed and puck handling skilled passer and a quick tricky release makes this prospect a candidate for a breakthrough year and wouldn’t be surprised to see him grab some NHL teams attention as a late round consideration. Grade: A-
USHL: Green Bay vs Muskegon, October 15, 2022: Big-bodied forward who did a good job on the penalty kill. Got in shot lanes and blocked shots when coming his way. Additionally used his size to protect pucks and try to create offense by jamming pucks in the goaltender’s pads. Chipped pucks past defenders and laid the body when forechecking. Grade: B-
USHL: Green Bay vs Fargo, September 30, 2022: Vantassell made his presence known on some shifts but then disappeared on others. He showed a physical side of his game as well as some stick skill. He was not consistent but he certainly has the ability to be an impact player. His size and strength can be an asset if he brings it each shift. Nicholas’ play below the tops of the circles is really good. There are times though when he is not as engaged away from the puck. Grade: B
USHL: Green Bay vs Chicago, March 8, 2022: The announcer said it perfectly, it was an “ugly” goal but this “ugly” goal helped win the hockey game for the Gamblers. Both goals were similar in a sense that the Gamblers just created commotion in front of Homer and made him make multiple saves to keep the puck out. VanTassel was relentless front he wrap around try he had to the multiple whacks out of mid air until he finally buried the puck in the back of the net. It was a goal that needed hard work for it to go in. A great goal for VanTassel.
2004s: USA Hockey Select 17’s. July 14, 2021: Nicholas used his reach to shield pucks. He was strong on his skates and could drive the net. He made quick shots on passes and scored on a catch and shoot. He came off the wall and cut to the net where he snapped hard shots on goal. His reach is long and stride is powerful so he covered a lot of ground in straight lines or cutting to space. He looked athletic and showed speed outside. He zipped passes to the middle and was tough/hard on the forecheck. He protected the puck well and worked hard. Vantassell played wing and canter and we had more notes on him in the middle. Intriguing, athletic player with quality upside. Grade: B
U16: USA Hockey National Championships, May 12, 2021: Big, long-player that gets to the net. Nick is physical and uses his reach to put pucks into spots defenders can not get to it. He is good below the dots in the offensive zone and rolls off pressure easily. He grinds along the boards and wins puck battles. He keeps his feet moving off the cycle and is tough to slow down once he gets to speed. He scored two rebound goals in one of our viewings. Not afraid to stand and play in the dirty areas. Strong net-front presence and has the touch down low to make skill plays. He has slick hands to pull pucks around defenders. Still improving top-end speed but he was a big threat at this level all weekend. Grade: B+
Neutral Zone NHL’s Ian Moran’s comments, April 2020: Nicholas is the type of player I love tracking. He’s obviously a big strong power forward who’s going to get stronger, but the thing that makes him so intriguing to me is the fact that he’s good without the puck. He plays with his head on a swivel in the defensive zone and he already backchecks with a purpose. Now you might say why the hell does that matter? But to me it shows that he pays attention. That he’s coachable. A lot of of big kids who can dominate physically cheat all over the ice. Nicholas does not. He shows a good understanding of cutting the ice in half while on the forecheck, having an active stick to shut down passing or shooting lanes and he forces players at the lines to create off-sides and icings. This stuff might go unnoticed by the toe drag crew, but it is the little details that college and pro coaches notice because they’ll have to spend less time teaching it. So yeah, he’s got a hard accurate shot and is a bull on the cycle, but to me Nicholas is more than that. He’s a 200′ foot hockey player who is already 6’1″ and understands how to play hockey. These players tend to play hockey for a long time.
U16: Play Hockey Championships, March 24, 2021: VanTassell is a tall, long prospect with soft hands and puck carrying ability. He was the leading point producer for the NJ Rockets U15 squad last season and while he didn’t have as much offence here, he showed flashes of skill and power combo. He outmuscles defenders along the boards, leans in on them and drives the net, he has touched on his passes and can maneuver his way with the puck through a crowd. Grade: B
2004s: USA Hockey Select 15’s. August 24, 2019: Nicholas is a big strong winger who knows how to use his size to create mismatches. Our scout actually wrote that he scored a cheesy goal against Team White, but after looking over all of our game notes it is very obvious that he goes to the dirty areas looking to score goals. He is very strong below the goal line and welcomed body contact. He has the skating ability to be dangerous on line rushes and gained the offensive blueline with ease. Nicolas can change the shooting angle while his head is up yet still has a very quick release. He is a very intriguing prospect. Grade: B
2019 Liberty Bell Games, June 29, 2019: Nicholas was another 04’ player on Team Independence who had some really good qualities to his game. His willingness to come down low in the defensive zone and help out on the breakout helped his team move the puck up ice on several occasions. He moves relatively well for his size and will only continue to get faster as he grows into his body. He played with confidence, utilizing his skill set and playmaking abilities on several goals. Also showed he has a slick set of mitts on penalty shot goal.
U14: TPE Spring Showcase, April 16, 2018: Vantassell was one of the bigger skaters we saw today and as a result he was one of the toughest to knock off the puck. True to many NJ Rockets that have come before him, Vantassell has a high compete factor and puts in work to dig the puck out of tight spaces or through tie-ups.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images