If you are a junior team looking to round out your roster for the 2022-23 season here is a list of players that we feel are worth your time and effort. Some are late bloomers physically, a few are coming back from injuries while others have something to prove. The best part is that we believe each of these players have intangible qualities that will translate to professional hockey. Enjoy and happy hunting.
| Ewan McDevitt | Maine Nordiques U18 | NAPHL 18U | L | G | 6’2″ | 181 | Uncomm. | Brookfield, WI | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
McDevitt is an above average sized goalie with very good strength and lateral explosiveness. On quick post to post to royal road passes we routinely see him explode off of his inside edge to takeaway any low scoring options as well as have the body control to keep his arm in the air to take away the high shot. McDevitt reads one-timers very well and his ability to stay square to the puck allows him to control and limit rebounds. When opponents attack from below the goal line McDevitt has a quick poke check that he disguises very well. He plays at the top of his crease and often times will come out to challenge much farther than that.
| Brendan Waivada | Maine Nordiques U18 | NAPHL 18U | R | RW | 5’11” | 175 | Uncomm. | Cedar Knolls, NJ | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Waivada is an energy winger with good straight line speed. On the forecheck he is a very effective F1 as he seems to understand that his job is to cut the ice in half as quickly as possible. Waivada is not a banger, but he consistently shows the strength to engage and win wall battles and net front confrontations. After winning the 50/50 puck he takes a direct route to the net and (again) shows the strength to carry defenders with him to the crease. He is a willing net front presence and shows the hand-eye coordination to get his stick blade on knee high point shots. Waivada has the ability to shoot while his feet are in motion and looks very comfortable releasing shots off his back foot from the high slot. We like his puck pursuit while backchecking and he listens to his defensemen’s commands while defending the rush or while defensive zone coverage.
| Jackson Truchan | Maine Nordiques U18 | NAPHL 18U | R | F | 5’8″ | 165 | Uncomm. | Farmington Hills, MI | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Truchan is an undersized forward who has the “skill” to get lost in the offensive zone and we mean this as a compliment. In man on man coverage often times we would see him engaged in a battle below the goal line, only to slide up the wall and out of the sight of his defender before appearing in the slot at just the right time for a grade “A” scoring opportunity. Truchan plays with a prepared stick. He has a very easy first touch and is an excellent one-touch passer into space. He also has the ability to fire one-timers from poor passes or bouncing pucks. He is the type of player that the puck seems to follow around in the offensive zone.
| Ryan Panico | Maine Nordiques U18 | NAPHL 18U | L | LW | 6’1″ | 190 | Uncomm. | Fairfield, CT | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Panico is a big strong left wing who has a high compete and work ethic. The inside edge skater with a deceptively quick first step has the ice awareness to draw opposing defenders close to him before he accelerates past them into the vacated ice. From inside the house Panico uses a curl and drag snap shot that allows him to shoot with his head up so he can catch goalies leaning. His shot is accurate. On zone entries he likes to drive wide using his strength to bull his way to the net, but he has shown us that he uses this body contact to create space for himself if he has to curl towards the wall looking for a passing option.
| Connor Miller | Maine Nordiques U18 | NAPHL 18U | R | C | 6’0″ | 181 | Uncomm. | Fenton, MI | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Miller is another Nordiques with a fantastic motor and never say die attitude. We have seen him score while jumping through the air and still showing the hand eye to get his stick on the puck for a great deflection. We’ve seen him have primary helpers after he’s been dragged to the ice by an opposing defender only to show the extra effort that coaches crave and make the play from his stomach. While on the power play Miller routinely outworks the opposing penalty killers to keep the play alive and then shows the quick stick to one-time bouncing rebounds for momentum changing goals. Has the skating ability to play with pace and the edge control to create space for himself.
| Owen Grainger | Maine Nordiques U18 | NAPHL 18U | L | D | 6’1″ | 186 | Uncomm. | Alexandria, VA | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Grainger is a big strong left shot defenseman with a good skating posture that will allow him to carry more weight yet still maintain his skating ability. While killing penalties we like his willingness to maintain shooting lanes, but in all honesty we love the courage he shows by getting big low to block one-timers. On the power play Grainger shows puck poise from the top of the umbrella as well as showing the game awareness to recognize and isolate the opposing penalty killer who has been stuck on the ice for an extended period of time. In the defensive zone Grainger clears shooting lanes by driving his legs and moving the opposing forward. He is a player who looks to be finding his game and confidence.
| Oliver Genest | Seacoast Spartans 18U | 18U | R | F | 6’1″ | 190 | Uncomm. | Sanford, ME | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Genest is a powerfully built right wing who at times can man handle his U18 competition. In the offensive zone he shows high level anticipation when hunting rebounds or loose pucks. Genest likes to be parked in front of the opponent’s net battling to take the goalie’s eyes away and he does not shy away when a teammate fires a one-timer. While cycling he knows how to use his body to initiate contact which allows him to establish body positioning to protect the puck. For a big guy Genest has a slipperiness to him. We do not feel he is a dangler, but we have seen him make defenders lean and miss him totally in one on one situations. He uses a curl and drag shooting style that allows him to catch goalies leaning and have a deceptive release point. Genest has a nose for the net and we see him as having professional upside.
| Laurent Trepanier | Seacoast Spartans 18U | 18U | L | LW | 5’9″ | 174 | Uncomm. | Longueuil, QC | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Trepanier is a gritty undersized left wing who can absolutely fly, but still understands that changing his pace will lead to better scoring opportunities. In the offensive zone he uses his quickness to jump on loose pucks extending possession and creating scoring opportunities. We like that he plays with a prepared stick as he has shown the quick hand and touch to put quick stick rebounds up under the bar. On line rushes Trepanier does not just bury his head looking to get to the far post. He feels pressure or body contact and can expand the passing/scoring area by continuing to draw his defender towards him before making soft touch and area passes into the slot. At this point in his career his speed and tenacity are real asset.
| Kim Hilmersson | Seacoast Spartans 18U | 18U | L | F | 6’0″ | 190 | Uncomm. | Uppsala, SWE | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Hilmersson is a thick strong power forward who wins battles in all three zones. Although he has the hands to pull a puck out of the scrum along the wall and attack the net with his head up, we feel he is at his best when he plays a direct straight forward abrasive game and attacks the net like bull. While cycling Hilmersson shows the strength to protect the puck for extended periods with one hand on his stick and the body awareness to be looking over his shoulders while battling. When shooting he does not have a long sweeping wrist shot. Instead he leans into his stick and uses the whip to generate power and he has shown the ability to change the angle while shooting on a line rush.
| Seth Murch | Seacoast Spartans 18U | 18U | L | D | 6’0″ | 173 | Uncomm. | Lee, NH | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Murch is a steady two-way defenseman who relies on his ice awareness and hockey IQ to be prepared for any situation. Along the offensive blueline he has shown lateral mobility as well as the vision to find or create shooting lanes. He plays with his eyes up and has the puck skills to sell a shot or pass to the oncoming forward before making a hard flat pass to an open teammate. In defensive neutral zone transition he has the confidence to play with a tight gap and has shown the lateral mobility to attack an opposing forward as they are receiving a pass. Defensively we like his willingness to maintain shooting lanes and as an average sized defenseman we feel he disguises his poke check very well.
| Aaron Higgins | Seacoast Spartans 18U | 18U | R | RW/LW | 6’0″ | 172 | Uncomm. | Lewiston, ME | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Higgins is a smooth skating forward with the ability to be effective playing either wing. The first thing we noticed is his long fluid stride and deep knee bend. He finishes each stride with a powerful toe push and his stride blade returns on his flat edge. The second thing we noticed was on the forecheck where his feet were in constant motion and he never was just out there going for a skate. He worked to be an impactful F1 and as the F2 or F3 he anticipated the pass so he arrived on time to be disruptive. As the weakside winger in the defensive zone we liked his patience and ice awareness to stay on the inside hashmark. We also liked the confidence he showed while communicating with his weakside defenseman. He played with his head on a swivel looking for a crashing back door defenseman and once his team had control of the puck he used his speed to create space for his linemates.
| Ray Mueller | Seacoast Spartans 18U | 18U | R | C | 6’1″ | 175 | Uncomm. | Miromar Lakes, FL | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Mueller is a good sized right shot forward who has the ice awareness and skating ability to be effective playing all three forward positions. At center we have seen him be responsible in his end while maintaining net side positioning, but as soon as there is a loose puck he has shown the strength to pin his man to the wall as well as the quickness to beat his man up the ice to create odd man opportunities. As a winger in transition he knows when to push the pace to create underneath passing lanes as well as when to delay to the weakside so he can attack the offensive blueline with speed. In the offensive zone Mueller has a quick release on his snapshot to go along with the presence of mind to change the shooting angle. On the power play he sets up as the shooter along the left dot lane and he has shown the ability to fire one-timers off of bouncing pucks or poor passes.
| Jacob Fowler | Selects Academy 18U | T1EHL 18U | L | G | 6’2″ | 210 | Clarkson | 2023 | Melbourne, FL | 2004 | 2022-2023: C+ |
Fowler is 6’2″ athletic goaltender who has gotten better with each viewing and has since earned a call-up to the USHL and will finishing his U17 season with the Youngstown Phantoms. This is our most recent evaluation on Fowler from our USHL Goalie report from February 17, 2022: Fowler put together a strong game for his team allowing only 1 goal on 33 shots to pick up the win. The big goalie is off to a strong start in the USHL, and showed some great ability in this game. He played with great composure throughout the game, especially during in-tight battles. He adjusted his positioning well, and cut down angles on shooters in the slot. He controlled his rebounds well, and showed a great ability to track pucks through screens. It was a very impressive game for Fowler and he will be one to keep an eye on down the stretch of this season. Grade: A
| Marian Mosko | Selects Academy 18U | T1EHL 18U | L | D | 5’11” | 174 | Cornell | 2023 | Zilina, SVK | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Mosko is a smooth skating average sized defenseman with exceptional puck poise. In neutral zone transition we love his ability to corral a bouncing puck while a forechecker is bearing down on him and do a crisp reverse escape like he’s in the middle of a power skating session. Mosko combines an easy first touch with a the passing ability to one touch pucks into space or fire bullets to a streaking forward. In the defensive zone Mosko relies on his brains to establish body positioning before the next play is made. This allows him to establish his skating base of strength and protect the shooting lanes early.
| Just Sopotnik | Selects Academy 18U | T1EHL 18U | L | LW | 6’4″ | 191 | Uncomm. | Ljubljana, SLO | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Sopotnik is a massive young man who we feel is just beginning to understand how to be successful playing in North America. At 6’4″ he has the frame to intimidate and own the ice below the tops of the circles in the offensive zone, but again we feel he is just beginning to understand and play that way. On line rushes he keeps it simple and shows the awareness needed to play at the next level by recognizing his opponent’s gap and using a soft chip for puck retrievals. We honestly feel that combining his U17 year with his first season in North America has motivated him to train hard this off season and come back next year with something to prove.
| Simon Gaul | Selects Academy 18U | T1EHL 18U | R | C | 5’10” | 170 | Drummondville | 2020 | Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC | 2021-2022: C |
Gaul is a solidly built right shot forward with a shooter’s mentality. When the puck is on his stick he is looking to fire it on net and then drive the net looking for rebounds. Gaul has shown the quick stick to one-time bouncing pucks and poor passes from just about anywhere inside of the house. We like his skating posture and ability to withstand initial contact, but feel he needs to continue gaining confidence to attack the play after protecting the puck. With a full off season of training he will compete for a top six role for Drummondville next year.
| Luke Lisko | Selects Academy 18U | T1EHL 18U | R | C | 6’1″ | 171 | Uncomm. | Marine City, MI | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Lisko has a professional frame and seems to do his best offensive work within ten feet of his opponent’s net, showing a quick stick and the strong hands needed to win puck battles as well as the ability to put the rebound up under the bar. To us he is a player who has really come into his own and found his groove at Selects Academy. We’ve always thought Lisko has a very good skating base and played with pace, but as this year progressed he’s looked stronger through contact and he regularly showed the power or explosiveness to drive wide on a defender and then beat him to the far post. We like his ability to one-time bouncing pucks and still hit the net. We also like that he seems to have a short fuse.
| Kelijah McElroy | Selects Academy 18U | T1EHL 18U | R | C | 6’0″ | 162 | Uncomm. | Laurel, MD | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
McElroy is listed at 6’0″ 160lbs, but he certainly plays bigger than that and wins more than his fair share of 50/50 battles. We like his skating posture, especially when he sees a loose puck in the slot or blue paint as he loads up his inside edge and fearlessly explodes to the puck. In traffic McElroy has a very quick release and shows the body control to fire a puck no matter what position his lower body is in. He relentlessly digs for rebounds and will poke a puck three or four inches just so he can get a better handle on it and roof it. We like the awareness he shows on line rushes as he understands that his line must enter the zone at different speeds and McElroy adjusts his pace accordingly. He is a player who was new to Neutral Zone when this season begun, but he has left an impression on us at each game.
| Charlie Major | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 | Independent Prep | R | F | 5’9″ | 146 | Cornell | 2023 | Skaneateles, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Major is a slightly below average sized right shot center, but please don’t tell him that. He plays with jam and grit expecting to win every loose puck battle and score on every shot. He plays his strong side right flank on the power play where he shows the poise and vision to find royal road passing lanes to his teammates. We like his a ability to open those passing lanes by simply changing the face of his stick blade and how quickly he can zip passes through the vacated lanes. Major shows a very quick release and the again shows the ability to make goalies lean by simply changing the face of his stick blade just prior to ripping it. Major has the stick skills and vision to make plays while on the line rush, but he also shows the awareness to be a hard middle drive when needed and hand eye coordination to get his stick on down hill tips or bouncing far pad rebounds.
| Tyler Stern | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 | Independent Prep | R | F | 5’10” | 174 | Uncomm. | Plainview, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Stern is a rock solid right shot forward who initiates contact and wins physical confrontations simply because he wants it more than the player he is competing against. It is easy to see why he plays the bumper on Bishop Kearney’s power play as he is always ready to make a one touch pass or “accidentally” run into someone to set a pick. Stern may not be a rocket on a straight line, but his game awareness and anticipation allows him to win races for loose pucks and when he gets there he knows what he wants to do with the puck. In front of the opponent’s net he shows quick hands and will do what it takes to bury the puck or keep the play alive until someone else can. He plays with emotion. He plays with grit and honestly he plays like he expects to win every game.
| John Henry | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 | Independent Prep | R | D | 6’0″ | 185 | Yale | 2023 | Syracuse, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Henry is an average sized offensive minded defenseman who relies more on his brains and ice awareness to create opportunities more than his legs. In offensive situations we like how his stick is always prepared as he anticipates the next play. He has a knack for joining the rush as a secondary option, showing the hockey IQ to mismatch his speed with the backchecking forward so that when he receives a pass he has more time and space than anyone else on the ice anticipated. While running the power play from the top of the umbrella we like how his feet are not anchored to the ice. In preparation for making a play, Henry is very light on his feet and slides laterally as well as any defenseman we’ve seen.
| Hans Martin Ulvebne | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 | Independent Prep | L | F | 6’0″ | 175 | Uncomm. | Oslo, NOR | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Ulvebne is a wiry left shot forward who consistently surprises his opponents with how strong he is on the puck. While cycling he will welcome contact using his body to protect the puck. He will then show his agility as he rolls off the defender in one explosive cross-under to create space and get to the net. Ulvebne has a smooth first touch that allows him to play the game with his eyes up. He does not need to stickhandle before making a play unless he is baiting a defender into moving his stick so he has a better option. We like that Ulvebne believes he can score on every shot, but as his game matures we feel he will need to recognize when shooting for a rebound is the best option.
| Ryan Conmy | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 | Independent Prep | R | RW | 5’10” | 175 | New Hampshire | 2023 | Alexandria, VA | 2004 | 2022-2023: C+ |
Conmy is an offensively gifted right shot forward who has very natural and creative offensive instincts. This season he has only played in 26 of Bishop Kearney’s games, but he has 23 goals and 19 assists for 42 points. Conmy is excellent at the give and go-go game, meaning that after he makes a pass or there is a pass made anywhere on the ice he is in motion looking for the open ice. When he’s engaged with a defender in front of the other team’s net he makes sure to keep his eyes on the puck so he can be the first player to jump on a rebound. He has a smooth first touch on both his forehand or backhand as well as the touch to make soft touch passes into space with his backhand. Conmy has a quick release and has shown the ability to shoot through defender’s legs.
| Drew Hansen | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 | Independent Prep | R | D | 6’3″ | 195 | Uncomm. | Mahwah, NJ | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Hansen is a massive right shot defenseman who’s skating and mobility have improved with each viewing this season. We feel he is still growing into himself physically and gaining confidence, but we like what we have been seeing recently along the offensive blueline. There were stretches early in the season where it seemed as though Hansen would make up his mind that he was going to shoot it and it did not matter if there was someone or something in his lane because he was firing it. Recently we’ve noticed that he is showing more puck poise along the line and at times will open up his hips before pulling the puck to change the shooting angle. At higher levels he will be expected to be difficult to play against making life miserable for the opposing team’s top players and to make a good first pass. We feel that at 6’3″ 200lbs he can add these attributes to a team.
| Anthony Carone | Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18 | T1EHL 18U | R | RW | 6’1″ | 183 | Uncomm. | St. Clair, PA | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Carone is a lanky right wing who continues to improve every year as he gains strength and confidence. As the puck carrier he has a very slippery aspect to his game and often times will avoid contact all together without looking like he is bailing on the play. Carone may not be a straight line burner, but he has good lateral mobility and we feel he is faster with the puck on his stick thane he is without it. In tight quarters he works give and goes very well. We also like that he can receive a pass without having to stare down at the puck as well as give a pass through the defender’s legs or triangle without telegraphing it. Carone’s year over year improvement has been quite dramatic and we feel that with another offseason of training he will continue on his upward trajectory.
| Tyler Mahoney | Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18 | T1EHL 18U | L | C | 5’9″ | 157 | Uncomm. | Venetia, PA | 2003 | Long Term Player Watch |
Mahoney is an honest hard working left shot forward who’s game has grown considerably as he’s gotten stronger. A lot of it has to do with the confidence he now has when he goes into a 50/50 battle, but we like how he positions himself and uses his hips to take his opponent’s legs away. Mahoney plays in direct straight lines and is not afraid to take the hard route on his way to the net. He is a willing net front presence and no matter the size of his opponent he will battle to take away the goalie’s eyes.
| Saxen Robertson | Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18 | T1EHL 18U | L | D | 6’1″ | 201 | Uncomm. | Cranberry Township, PA | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Robertson is a big strong left shot defenseman who has the confidence in his feet and lateral mobility to play with aggressive gaps throughout the neutral zone. During the offensive zone cycle he is very active as he looks to move laterally for a potential one-timer or activate for a mid-wall scissor play. Robertson has a nice hard low snap shot and is starting to show the consistent awareness to shoot for rebounds or high tips rather than buzzing rockets that miss the net. In the defensive zone he has the core strength and overall power to end the cycle quickly by pinning his man to the wall. We like how he uses his legs to drive opponents from the shooting lanes, but the ting that we’ve noticed is how he does not get tied up while fighting for ice so he can win the loose puck battles. Robertson is willing to get big low to block shots.
| Zachary Hixon | Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18 | T1EHL 18U | L | D | 6’4″ | 170 | Uncomm. | Shavertown, PA | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Hixon is an incredibly long lanky left shot defender who we believe is just starting to grow into himself and believe in himself as a player. He is very raw and can wander in the defensive end, but when it comes right down to it he plays with his stick on the ice, takes smart angles through the neutral zone and has the ability to contain the cycle to his corner in the defensive zone. He seems to understand how to be effective offensively by moving the puck quickly and then joining the rush as a secondary passing option or outlet. Again he is a work in progress, but we like his length and the fact that he defends with his chest high.
| Jake Manfre | Long Island Gulls U18 | AYHL U18 | L | F | 6’0″ | 197 | Princeton | 2024 | Kings Park, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Manfre is a bull in a china shop with a shooter’s attitude that he will score on every shot, but if he doesn’t score he’s just going to run you over on his way to score on the rebound. At 6’0″ 200lbs he has the frame to take and give punishment at higher levels as well as the deep knee bend-low hip skating posture that will allow him to carry even more muscle as he continues to train. Over the past few months we’ve seen Manfre score in a variety of ways, including showing explosive breakaway speed while winning a race to loose puck for a shorthanded breakaway as well as outworking opposing defenders in front of their net for hard earned rebound goals. Although a bull, Manfre has also shown the soft hands to bait defenders into leaning hard in one direction before quickly pulling the puck around them into the open ice.
| Johnny McMahon | Long Island Gulls U18 | AYHL U18 | R | F | 5’11” | 190 | Long Island University | 2023 | Oceanside, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
The simple thing we like about McMahon is that he plays the game with his eyes up scanning the ice for an open area or flat footed opponents. Rarely do you see him getting surprised by a pinching defenseman or have a backchecking forward pop his stick from behind. In the defensive zone he provides support from below the puck and does not cheat looking for the easy way out. As the puck carrier who’s approaching the offensive blueline McMahon attacks the middle forcing the opposing defenders to respect him before he dishes to the wing who now has more time and space to make a play along the wall. After making passes he keeps his feet moving and he understands that incidental contact will lead to more time for his linemates. We feel that McMahon’s offensive game translates to success at higher levels.
| Ryan Friedman | Long Island Gulls U18 | AYHL U18 | L | F | 5’8″ | 162 | Uncomm. | North Merrick, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Friedman is an undersized forward who has the strength and will to out battle his opponents for loose pucks in the slot for high percentage scoring opportunities and goals. He understands that he can get under opposing defenseman’s hips to take their ice or knock them off balance before he uses his quickness to win the loose puck. Friedman has a very quick stick and strong hands which allows him to fire bouncing pucks or poor passes with velocity. He has good straight line speed, but we feel he creates his space with his edgework and lateral explosiveness after contact has been made. Friedman also uses his edgework to manipulate the gap into his favor by attacking the offensive blue line at angles rather than straight lines.
| Odin Ford | Long Island Gulls U18 | AYHL U18 | R | D | 6’2″ | 174 | Uncomm. | Freeport, NY | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Ford is a player who we saw early in the season and we were instantly intrigued by him. He is a 6’2″ plus athletic right shot defenseman who is still raw, but has very good lateral mobility and explosiveness. There were times that he could get himself in trouble trying to do too much offensively, but he consistently showed the skating ability to recover and usually pinched the play off just inside his defensive blueline. During offensive neutral zone transition we liked how he worked to be a back diagonal pass for his partner and after receiving the pass Ford moved his feet rather than sitting back waiting for a lane to open. As he moves into higher levels we would like to see a consistent mean streak because we know it would give him more time and space offensively. Basically he is an athletic raw work in progress, but there is a lot to like about his upside.
| Noah Jones | NJ Rockets U18 | USPHL 18U | R | D | 6’4″ | 211 | Uncomm. | Bridgewater, NJ | 2004 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Jones is a 6’4″ 210lbs right shot defenseman. We have seen him play for the New Jersey Rockets and we have seen him utterly dominate New Jersey high school hockey with Morristown-Beard. There is no doubt that he is a project, but we feel if you are a junior coach he is 100% worth your time and effort because the reward could be huge. His skating posture is good and we love how his stride leg returns under him, but as he continues to train and gain strength in his lower body Jones will lengthen his already fluid stride. His ability to slide laterally and still rip a one-timer is quite impressive and his shooting area is cleanly from his back foot through to about six inches in front of his left foot. Jones has a clean first touch on both his forehand and backhand as well as having the ability to make hard accurate passes from both sides of his blade. As he continues to mature Jones will need to add pace to his puck retrievals and more jam in front of his net, but don’t be surprised if in five years people are asking where the hell did Noah Jones come from.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images