Neutral Zone had a scout in attendance for the first two practices of Hlinka Camp as well as game #1 of the tryout.
| Ajay White | Chippewa Steel | NAHL | L | G | 6’3″ | 188 | Bryn Mawr, PA | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: Standing at 6’3′, 190lbs White played at the top of his crease challenging shooters to make the first move. On royal road passes he showed a powerful inside edge thrust that allowed him to stay square to both one-timers and catch-and-release snapshots. He played the puck with confidence and left dump-ins on his defenseman’s forehand. He did get caught napping on a play from behind the net where an opposing forward banked a puck off his backside for a goal. His athleticism and the fact that he has a chance to play the majority of the games for Chippewa in the NAHL make him a real 2024 NHL draft prospect.
| Trevor Connelly | Tri City Storm | USHL | L | LW | 6’1″ | 156 | Providence | 2025 | Tuscin, CA | 2006 | 2023-2024: A- |
Game Rating: A
Comments: Connelly is an average sized left shot left wing who was the most dangerous player on the ice. He wanted the puck on his stick and truthfully his teammates wanted him to have the puck on his stick. He attacked the middle lane with confidence, changed pace with ease and passed the puck to his teammates when they were in positions for success. He is still slight and got bounced a bit on 50/50 puck battles, but he used his quickness to and strong hands to pop his opponent’s stick to win the puck back. In our opinion he was dominant.
| Tanner Henricks | Anaheim Jr. Ducks U16 | T1EHL 16U | R | D | 6’4″ | 195 | St. Cloud | 2024 | Las Vegas, NV | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B
Comments: Henricks is a 6’3′, 195lbs pro styled defender who has really grown into himself over the past twelve months. His skating has improved so dramatically that our scout had to keep looking at the roster sheet to make sure he was looking at the right player. This is a real credit to him and his hard work. In the defensive zone he was disruptive and showed some snarl around his net using well placed cross checks to the kidneys to clear lanes. He blocked shots and won races to loose pucks. Offensively his passes were hard flat and on time. In the neutral zone he worked to be on a hinge for his partner and when the time called for him to move his feet to make a play he showed a nice first step and carried the puck on his forehand so he was always ready to make a play. Defensively there were a few times that he got caught going the wrong in the neutral zone or going the wrong way after a grey area turnover, but we liked that he was being aggressive and moving his feet to stay up in the play. Henricks has turned himself into a real 2024 NHL Draft prospect.
Jackson Smithknecht | Rogers HS | Minnesota HS | L | D | 6’5″ | 177 | Albertville, MN | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: Smithknecht is a long raw 6’5′, 177lbs left shot defender who is still filling out and finding his game, but he has all of the makings to be an NHL defenseman. There were times when it looked like the game was moving a bit too fast for him, but we liked how he showed the game awareness to not chase the play and instead return to inside the dots so he could be in position to defend by using his reach and body positioning to his advantage. Offensively he went with the simple play and showed the ability to one-touch passes to his forwards. He athletically kept pucks in along the offensive blueline. Smithknecht is an NHL prospect who is just beginning his journey towards who he can be as a player.
| Niko Tournas | Rockets Hockey Club U16 | USPHL U16 | R | RW | 6’2″ | 195 | New Hampshire | 2025 | Redding, CT | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: Tournas is big strong right shot right wing who played a direct aggressive game. As the F1 on the forecheck he cut the ice in half and finished his checks with authority. We liked how after making contact he pinned his opponent to the wall and then scanned the ice looking for the loose puck or where his teammates were in their progression to win the race for the puck. He was a willing net front presence who took the goalie’s eyes away and he showed a quick stick on rebounds. In the defensive zone he had a tendency to drift towards the puck which exposed passing lanes to the point or weakside, but at this level he showed the quickness to recover. The combination of his size, grit and athleticism makes him a potential professional power forward.
| John Stout | Minnetonka HS | Minnesota HS | L | D | 6’1″ | 187 | Minnesota Duluth | 2025 | Deephaven, MN | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B-
Comments: Stout is an averaged sized left shot defender with a high compete and power base that allowed him to knock opponents off the puck whether he was keeping a puck in the offensive zone with a pinch, maintaining tight gaps in the neutral zone or while ending the cycle in the defensive zone. Offensively he moved his feet to open passing lanes and when the best play was to carry the puck he showed the lateral agility to make a wide dribble past a hard charging opposing forward. Defensively he played a tough hardnosed style without taking himself out of position and he seemed to have little difficulty separating smaller quicker players or larger more powerful players from the puck. He is a professional prospect who doesn’t excel at any one thing, but does so many little things well that he will be watched very closely this season.
Thatcher Bernstein | Dubuque Fighting Saints | USHL | L | G | 6’4″ | 213 | Brookline, MA | 2006 | 2023-2024: B+ |
Game Rating: C
Comments: A very average game for Bernstein. Standing at 6’4′, 210lbs there is no denying that he has a presence in the net, but for him this was a game to move on from. Although he was able to get square to the puck on shots from the slot he never seemed to get his feet set and he looked to be bouncing from inside edge to inside edge as the shot was being taken. He gave up four goals that were were midway up the post on his blocker side as well as a wrap around after getting sucked way outside of his blocker-side post after a mid-wall cycle. This game is an outlier from past games we have seen over the past two seasons, but we will be watching his blocker side very closely.
| Luke Osburn | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL | L | D | 6’1″ | 170 | Plymouth, MI | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B-
Comments: Osburn is an average sized left shot defender with a long wing span and a bit of a 10 & 2 skating base. He is not a straight line burner, but bit he showed a very fluid pivot and quick lateral mobility that allowed him to play chest to chest while defending even man line rushes or while containing opponents to the corner in the defensive zone. At 170lbs he is still developing his power source to be able to move opponents from in front of his net or to pin them to walls, but we liked that while defending his body positioning was sound and we feel this will lead to him being a more impactful two-way defender as he matures and gains strength. Offensively his passes were hard flat and where his teammates wanted them. He played with his eyes up and showed nice puck poise in all three zones (especially along the offensive blueline). His smooth inside edge to inside pivot allowed him to shake opposing forwards when they tried to force him by attacking him at full speed.
| Will Felicio | Madison Capitols | USHL | L | D | 5’10” | 160 | Denver | 2025 | Holden, MA | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Rating: B
Comments: Felicio is an undersized left shot defender who plays with an incredible amount of offensive confidence and we view that as a positive. He believes that he can make any pass and that every decision will work out in his favor. Defensively his feet were smooth and he played on his flat edge which allowed him to effortlessly maintain tight gaps. Often times he was moving/defending on his opponent’s pass which forced bobbled pucks and turnovers that led directly to offensive transition. In the defensive zone he relied on body positioning and arriving at his ice earlier than his opponents to keep shooting lanes clear and his puck anticipation allowed him to win loose pucks. Overall he is still gaining strength and explosiveness, but in a world where every organization wants defensemen who can start transition Felicio is a defender who will be watched very closely.
| Elliott Groenewold | Bishop’s College | MPHL | L | D | 6’2″ | 200 | Quinnipiac | 2025 | Montpelier, VT | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: Groenewold is a raw left shot defender with a professional frame and a powerful skating base that will allow him to gain more mass and power while still keeping his fluidity. Defensively he made solid reads while defending through the neutral zone and showed the confidence to call out to his backcheckers telling them what he wanted them to do or who to cover. In the defensive zone there were times when he got caught leaning or looking down at the puck, but at this level he showed the skating ability to recover back to his strong side post. Offensively he was most effective when he kept things simple. There were a few times when he got himself in trouble by overhandling the puck and ending up on his backhand with no option other than to try to pop it into space. Over the course of the season we will be watching to see if this habit is removed from his game because he has the skating base and frame to play impactful two-way hockey at higher levels.
| Andrew DellaSalla | Brunswick School | NE Prep | L | LW | 6’0″ | 167 | Harvard | 2025 | Rye, NY | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: DellaSalla is a slightly below average sized left shot forward who can play both center and wing. Offensively he has a soft first touch to handle bouncing passes quickly and has the puck skills to make plays on both his forehand or backhand. He likes to slow the play down and he showed a wide dribble that got defenders to lean exposing passing lanes that originally were not there. Defensively when playing without the puck he relies on body positioning to contain and keep opponents outside the dot-lane. Overall he is still developing his explosive first three steps and he will need to continue to be more assertive on both sides of the puck, but there is no denying his vision, passing and ability to put his teammates in position for success.
| Lukas Fischer | Sarnia Sting | OHL | L | D | 6’3″ | 171 | Sarnia Sting | 2022 | Detroit, MI | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Rating: B
Comments: Fischer is a long lean left shot defender with an NHL frame who showed a mature understanding of who he is as a player. Defensively it was obvious that he was ‘counting’ to see who was where which allowed him to quickly sort out odd man versus even man situations. He used a hidden poke check to force hurried decisions showing the awareness to move on bobbled pucks and force opponents to their backhands. Offensively he moved pucks quickly and did not need to stickhandle before making a pass. In the defensive zone he worked to be a short pass outlet for his partner and we liked how he looked up the strongside wall before making a tape to tape pass to his partner or weakside winger. Over the course of the game there were times when it looked like his feet were caught on his inside edges which led to some indecision on loose pucks and softer gaps than we would have liked to have seen. As a September 2006 Fischer is almost a 2025 draft so there is a lot to like about the direction his game is trending.
| Callum Hughes | West Kelowna Warriors | BCHL | L | C | 6’1″ | 170 | Boston University | 2024 | Basking Ridge, NJ | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: B
Comments: Hughes is a slightly below average sized left shot center who played a very reliable 200′ game. In the defensive zone he was quick to defend, working well with his defensemen to shut down the cycle and start offensive transition. As the puck carrier he attacked the middle lane showing an understanding that by attacking the middle he would give his linemates more space and time in the dot-lanes. He scored a goal by executing and understanding everyone’s roles on the forecheck and when he got the puck in the slot it was off his stick in an instant. His game is built on reliability and that is what professional organizations are looking for.
Luken Huff | Wayzata | Minnesota HS | R | D | 6’2″ | 193 | Mazama, WA | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Rating: C+
Comments: Huff is a raw right shot defender with a powerful professional frame. Defensively he maintained shooting lanes with an extended stick and showed a willingness to block shots whenever possible. He used his powerful leg drive to initiate contact clearing shooting lanes early or driving opposing forwards into the walls to end the cycle. Offensively he is still developing his first touch, but he showed the awareness to use the strongside wall to keep himself out of trouble. At this point he is still developing his skating base and explosiveness, but he has the type details in his game that will translate to higher levels.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Average player size at different levels. Data compiled by ChatGPT
U14 – 5’5” , 127lbs
U15 – 5’7” , 136lbs
U16 – 5’8” , 149lbs
U18 – 5’11” , 168lbs
NCDC – 6’0” , 183lbs (Tier 3)
BCHL – 5’11” , 179lbs (Tier 2)
AJHL – 5’11” , 176lbs (Tier 2)
NAHL – 5’11” , 173lbs (Tier 2)
USHL – 5’11” , 174lbs (Tier 1)
NCAA D3 – 5’10” , 170lbs
NCAA D1 – 6’0” , 190lbs
WHL – 6’0” , 188lbs
OHL – 6’0” , 185lbs
QMJHL – 5’11” , 179lbs
ECHL – 5’11” , 183lbs
AHL – 6’0” , 194lbs
NHL – 6’1.5” , 206lbs
NHL All-Star – 6’1” , 201lbs