On New Year’s Eve we watched the Black Hawks take on the Capitals in Waterloo in a high scoring affair.
Wyatt Schingoethe (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B-) Forward
We like how Wyatt plays. He is hard nosed, sticks up for his teammates and plays an honest two-way game. He is at his best along walls or when he is attacking the net and this game was no different. Even though the game could have been viewed as a “point night” and a lot of players became undisciplined, Wyatt continued to play his game. He made the correct decisions on line rushes by using his speed to force defenders deep into the zone or when facing a tight gap he used the soft chip to avoid foolish turnovers and instead established quality fore-checks. In the defensive zone he was reliable while maintaining defensive side positioning and protecting his goalie from second or third scoring chances. He did get beat on a 1 v 1 situation just over the defensive blue line while he was playing as a defenseman that lead to a goal, but we do not think this is an area for concern. We feel that Wyatt has the long term potential to be in a top 9 role where he plays a shut down role against the other team’s top line. There is no doubt that he will have a lot of NHL eyes on him as Waterloo heads into the January grind.
Ethan Szmagaj (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Defense
Ethan had a very strong two-way game. He makes quick tape to tape outlets in transition and showed the foot speed to carry the puck out of trouble when the time was needed. There were times when Madison was able to establish positive in zone pressure and Ethan was able to break down the pressure by showing veteran poise to move his feet to open passing lanes rather continue to force the puck up the walls into trouble. Ethan also uses his quick lateral mobility along the offensive blue line. He shows the confidence to receive any type of pass and explode to the middle of the ice with his head up while evading the defending winger and get his point shots through. He was very effective on power play breakouts where he made a good first pass that trapped Madison’s F1 and as the top man on the umbrella he was poised while isolating Madison’s high forward. The late 2001 is a defender to watch. His skating and mobility are a perfect fit for today’s NHL and he is gaining the confidence needed to be a difference maker.
Patrick Guzzo (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C) Forward
Below you will read what we wrote about Patrick back in October of 2019 and not much has changed. Honestly, this is a huge compliment. As a player moves to higher levels their consistency is a thing that can separate being in the lineup or being in the press box and every game we have seen Patrick play this year he has been the same. He might catch a fortunate bounce, or even have something unlucky go against him, but every shift is consistent. He is a player who might not end up on YouTube, but he is a player who will consistently be on the coaching staff’s positive game tape. Our comments from October – “Patrick is a late 2001 with upside. He plays center like a pro. What exactly does that mean? Well he’s very responsible defensively, provides great low support in transition, does not lose face-offs and is hard to play against. Does this mean he’s going to get drafted? No, but it certainly means that NHL teams are going to have him on their radar. He’s a 6’2 center who plays a responsible game and has a bit of an edge. NHL teams seem to like these guys and so do we.”
Johnny Waldron (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, 2021 NHL Draft Grade — C+) Forward
We loved Johnny’s game this past summer at the 2002 Natty Camp. He played with grit and composure while scoring 5 goals in 5 games and being one of the more dominate players in Buffalo. His game against Madison was very similar. Johnny was a threat both coming through the neutral zone or while cycling in the offensive. He may have picked up a cheesy assist on Waterloo’s forth goal, but it was a direct result of him making the correct decision at the offensive grey area rather than trying to do too much while in a bad situation. As a late 2002 there is a lot to like about Johnny’s growth as a player. His improved strength is obvious as he is winning battles against more mature players. He has always been able to attack the net from below the goal line, but where we noticed the biggest difference is during battles along the wall. When a defender appeared to have him pinned to the boards, Johnny was able to fight through the contact beating his man to the net and generating rebounds or chaos in the blue paint. Again, we like Johnny’s progression and the upward trend to his game.
Ryder Rolston (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B-) Forward
Ryder is an elite skater with incredible high end speed that was almost intimidating for the Madison defensive core. It is really no surprise that he was able to attack the offensive blue line at will and generate high quality scoring chances all night. His speed differentiates him from his peers and it always will. There is no doubt that Ryder will get drafted and he will immediately be a highly ranked prospect in whichever organization holds his rights, but where we are seeing the biggest difference is his grime. Ryder is no longer just a speed guy. He is jamming the scoring areas and initiating contact with intent on scoring ugly goals. He will always be a player who gets pretty points, but we loved his power play helper because he was digging and kept the play alive. His determination and quick stick kept the puck moving until it was in the net. If Ryder continues to have the sandpaper quality in his game we feel there is a chance he will move himself into the first round.
Joseph Cassetti (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Free Agent Grade– C) Forward
Joseph has played 3 games for Waterloo since leaving Merrimack College and has 6 goals after registering a Hat Trick versus Madison. He is a man among boys right now and the game has slowed down for him.