USHL – Neutral Zone focused on undrafted players who we feel have attributes to turn into NHL prospects.
| Price Grimes | Chicago Steel | USHL | R | D | 6’2″ | 183 | New Hampshire | 2025 | Franklin, TN | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Grimes is a lanky long limbed right shot defender with a quick first three steps that allows him to be first to loose pucks. He is still gaining explosiveness and adding power to his frame but he uses his body to get his hips in front of his opponents on the way to loose pucks. Offensively he played a simple game that kept him out of trouble but he did have two shots blocked. The first came in the second period when it looked like the puck bobbled just as he was about to fire it. On the play he received a D to D point pass from his partner and did not need to stckhandle before shooting. The second blocked shot occurred 0:55 seconds into the third period. On the play Green Bay was scrambling and he received a royal road pass from his left. The opposing forward took a knee about 10′ in front of him and Grimes ripped the puck into his hip. On the night Grimes finished sixth among Steel defensemen with 13:47 in total ice time. He did not play on special teams. He finished even with 0 points, 0 shots, 0 hits, received 2 hits, had 2 shots blocked, 4 giveaways, 4 takeaways and for the season he is winning 61% of his 50/50 puck battles. We love his loose puck battle winning percentage as he played U16 hockey last season so we feel this is a great indicator for competitiveness.
| Hudson Gorski | Chicago Steel | USHL | R | D | 6’3″ | 183 | Cornell | 2024 | Scotch Plains, NJ | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Gorski is a right shot 6’4′, 184lb defenseman with a forward leaning skating style and a return leg that lands on it’s inside edge. He earned the secondary assist on the Steel’s first goal. On the play he recognized that Green Bay’s right winger had flown the zone after a Gambler’s defensive zone grey area turnover and Gorski activated into the high slot. He then received a royal road pass in the slot and after no stickhandles fired a down hill tip shot-pass that created a rebound for the goal. He did have a point shot blocked after receiving a pass and walking towards the middle. On the play it looked as though Gorski had made his mind up that he was shooting no matter what was happening with the coverage in front of him. With 8:05 minutes remaining in the third Gorski activated into the rush to be the puck carrier on a 2 on 1 with him coming down the off wing. Again it looked like he made his mind up that he was passing and failed to recognize that he was facing a left shot defenseman who was playing pass all the way. The 2 on 1 resulted in no shot on net and an odd man 4 on 3 rush heading the other way. For the game he finished seventh among Steel defensemen with a total ice time of 13:25 including 0:35 on the penalty kill. He did not play on the power play. He finished +1 with 1 assist, 0 shots, 0 hits, had 1 shot blocked, 3 giveaways, 5 takeaways and for the season he is winning 49% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Chris Reiniger | Chicago Steel | USHL | R | D | 5’8″ | 168 | Princeton | 2024 | Annapolis, MD | 2006 | Free Agent |
Game Grade: B-
Comments: Reiniger is a heady extremely athletic smooth skating undersized right shot defenseman who can play either side. Offensively he retrieves pucks with pace, makes hard flat passes and is consistently working to provide support to his teammates. He was pretty unnoticeable during the game and we mean that as a real positive as his feet allowed him to win loose pucks and his passing skills allowed him to generate transition. On the night he finished fifth among Steel defensemen with 14:07 of total ice time. He did not play on either special teams unit. He finished even with 0 shots, 1 grade ‘A’ opportunity, 0 hits, 0 giveaways, 3 takeaways and for the season he is winning 51% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Michael Hage | Chicago Steel | USHL | R | C | 6’1″ | 190 | Michigan | 2024 | Mississauga, ON | 2006 | 2023-2024: B+ |
Game Grade: A
Comments: Hage is a slightly below average sized right shot center with a fluid stride, easy glide and upright skating posture that allowed him to scan the ice during both defensive and offensive situations. He scored the Steel’s first goal of the game by beating his man to the backdoor and then showing serious hand eye coordination by batting a waist height puck out of mid-air for the goal. Yes it was very athletic but the hockey play was made by Hage winning the valuable ice and then maintaining body positioning. He earned the primary assist on the Steels third goal of the game off a set face-off play where he was positioned as the left winger and rolled behind his center on the face-off win. After the puck was on his stick he was running the ‘option’ like a quarterback in football who had to recognize where Green Bay’s coverage was going to go. He stared at the weakside winger forcing him to freeze and then Hage passed to Chicago’s weakside defenseman who was going back door. The play was made on awareness and preparation. He had a game high seven shots with four coming in the first period and the other three coming in overtime with one in the overtime being a rocket one-timer from the left dot-lane. On the night he led Chicago forwards in playing time with 21:06 total time on ice including a team high 3:02 on the power play and 0:31 while shorthanded. He finished +2 with 1 goal, 1 assist, 7 shots, 4 grade ‘A’ opportunities, 10/19 on face-offs, 0 hits, received 1 hit, had 1 shot blocked, 4 giveaways, 9 takeaways and for the season he is winning 46% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Anthony Cardilli | Chicago Steel | USHL | L | LW | 6’3″ | 189 | St. Cloud | 2025 | Chicago, IL | 2005 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B
Comments: The October 2005 Cardilli is a 6’3′, 190lbs left shot forward who has the frame and skating base to play a power forward’s game. In this game he showed good strength along the walls and used his body to separate his opponent from the puck without taking himself out of the play by getting trapped along the wall. He earned the primary assist on the Steel’s first goal of the game by winning a 10′ race to the top of the crease and positioning himself on the net side of the opposing defenseman. The whole play originated with Cardilli being a good F# when coming off the bench during a line change. His awareness to not over pursue the passing lane allowed him to be in middle lane to be a disruption to the Green Bay’s attempted pass to the weakside winger. In the offensive zone he was very comfortable making plays from the extended goal line and during the third period with 14:00 minutes left he had two opportunities simply because he pinned the opposing defender to the net so he could receive a pass and then quickly spin for the shot. For the game he finished sixth among Steel forwards with 13:07 in total ice time. He did not play on either special team’s unit. He finished +1 with 1 assist, 4 shots, 3 grade ‘A’ opportunities, 0/1 on face-offs, 1 hit, 3 giveaways, 1 takeaway and for the season he is winning 46% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Tobias Ohman | Chicago Steel | USHL | L | C | 5’7″ | 154 | Uppsala | 2006 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: C
Comments: Ohman is an undersized left shot forward with high end lateral quickness who is not slowed by the puck. He likes to play the game with the puck on his stick, his eyes up looking to beat whoever possible with his quick deceptive hands. For the game he finished ninth among Steel forwards with 12:56 in total ice time. He finished even with 0 points, 1 shot, 3 grade ‘A’ opportunities, 0 hits, received 2 hits, 5 giveaways, 3 takeaways and for the season he is winning 42% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Ben Merrill | Cape Cod Whalers U18 | Midget | R | C | 6’4″ | 190 | Harvard | 2025 | Hingham, MA | 2005 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: Limited Viewing
Comments: Merrill is a 6’4′, 190lbs right shot forward who was playing in his first USHL game after playing U18 Split season hockey all fall. As expected he played limited minutes but he showed long arms and a long stride with a return leg that lands on his inside edge. He played forth line minutes but with 12:30 remaining in the first period he showed a quick stick in the slot off a broken face-off play. For the night he finished even with 1 shot, 1 grade ‘A’ opportunity, 0 giveaways and 0 takeaways in 4:10 of total ice time
| Owen Buesgens | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | R | D | 5’8″ | 163 | St. Thomas | 2025 | Victoria, MN | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Buesgens is an undersized right shot defensemen with quick powerful strides who consistently looked to be involved in the rush as a secondary option in the wide dot-lane or at the top of the diamond on zone entries. His passes were on the tape and he showed a quick stick one-timer from the strongside point that hit the goalie’s chest with a stunning thud. For the game he finished fifth among Green Bay’s defensemen with 14:15 in total ice time including 0:19 on the power play. He did not kill penalties. He finished -1 with 0 points, 1 shot, 0 hits, received 1 hit, 2 giveaways, 4 takeaways and for the season he is winning 63% of his 50/50 puck battles. This is obviously a very telling stat in regards to effectiveness at the next level but we will have to wait to see if he can add the offensive numbers he will need to have to get consistent looks from professional organizations.
| Brady Zugec | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | R | C | 6’2″ | 191 | Western Michigan | 2025 | Geneva, NY | 2006 | 2024-2025: C+ |
Game Grade: Limited Viewing
Comments: Zugec is a November 2006 with an NHL frame to continue adding on to. At this point he is still adjusting to the USHL but he showed a shoulder width skating base with a return leg that lands on its flat edge. He also showed a three quarter length stride but that simply may be he is a 6’2′ young player who is playing forth line minutes and he is still getting accustomed to playing limited minutes. With 17:10 remaining in the third period he came off the bench into the high slot as the F3 and picked off a breakout pass. After the puck hit his stick the right shot took an athletic curl and drag snapshot from the high slot that showed nice athleticism. For the game he totaled 5:06 in ice time. He did not play on either special team’s unit. He finished -1 with 0 points, 1 shot, 0 hits, 2 giveaways, 1 takeaway and for the season he is winning 45% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Geno Carcone | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | L | LW | 5’9″ | 187 | Woodstock, GA | 2006 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: He wore #52. Carcone is an undersized November 2006 who is not NHL draft eligible until the 2025 draft. He is a quick elusive left shot forward who uses a smaller stick which helps him make plays with the puck while the puck is literally almost touching his toe caps. He scored two goals in this one simply because he outworked his opponent to get to the front of the net. On the first he was a hard middle drive and when the rebound shot out directly to him he maintained ice contact with his stick as his feet were taken out from under him. It was a classic hard working goal as both Carcone and the puck slid into the net together. His second goal came as the result of him out working and muscling his opponent to the top of the crease. From there he received a pass on his forehand and quickly pulled it to his backhand to roof it into the open net. Both goals came from determination and effort. On the night he finished seventh among Green Bay’s forwards with 13:16 in total ice time. He did not play on either special team’s unit. He finished +1 with 2 goals, 2 shots, 2 grade ‘A’ opportunities, 1 hit, had 2 shots blocked, 7 giveaways, 7 takeaways and for the season he is winning 63% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Libor Nemec | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | L | RW | 6’3″ | 187 | UMass Lowell | 2024 | Bardejov, SVK | 2003 | 2020-2021: C+ |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Nemec is powerful left shot forward who can play either wing. He is a bit of a choppy skater but he showed high end puck anticipation which allowed him to constantly be in the way and win races or allow his teammates to win races to loose pucks. He scored a power play goal with 15:15 remaining in the third on a quick stick one timer from the backdoor. On the play he recognized the Steel defender standing on the strongside post with his toecaps facing the puck in the corner. Upon seeing this Nemec slid to the backdoor for better pass receiving options and then buried the puck as it came through the defender’s feet. we don’t necessarily view him as a threat to put anyone through the boards but we do like that he initiates contact whenever possible. On the night he finished forth among Green Bay’s forwards with 22:06 in total ice time including being tied for the team lead with 2:24 on the power play and an additional 0:24 while shorthanded. he finished even with 1 goal, 1 assist, a team high 4 shots, a team high 4 grade ‘A’ scoring opportunities, 3/3 on face-offs, 1 hit, had 1 shot blocked, 9 giveaways, tied for a team high 8 takeaways and for the season he is winning 53% of his 50/50 puck battles.
| Garin Ludwig | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | L | D | 5’10” | 172 | Michigan State | 2025 | Eagle River, AK | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: C
Comments: Ludwig is an undersized left shot defender with very smooth feet. During defensive situation s he did not need to cross over. Instead using a powerful heel to heel pivot and an explosive inside edge thrust to take away time and space. He used his stick like a snake’s tongue and showed tremendous hand strength forcing bobbled pucks. On the night he finished eighth among Green Bay’s defensemen with 10:25 in total ice time. He did not play on either special team’s unit. He finished even with 0 points, 1 shot, 2 giveaways, 5 takeaways and for the season he is winning 63% of his 50/50 puck battles. We think this puck battle winning percentage is a great sign for success at higher levels, especially since he was playing U16 hockey last year. We also understand that he is playing a more conservative game than he’s played in the past and think that is great for his overall development but there is no doubt as an undersized defenseman professional organizations will be looking for him to add offense.
| Tanner Bruender | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | L | C | 6’0″ | 180 | Northern Michigan | 2024 | Chaska, MN | 2005 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: C
Comments: Bruender is a slightly below average sized left shot center who plays a hard working 200′ game. He stopped on pucks and felt very comfortable when engaged in physical confrontations. He was a very effective F1 who looked to be as disruptive at every opportunity. Offensively he attacked the net and we liked his willingness to not only attack the net by try to lower his shoulder to get to the far post. With 9:40 remaining in the second period we loved the awareness he showed as he drove the net. On the play he recognized that the backchecking Steel forward had become too hyper focused on the puck so Bruender slammed on the breaks to create space for himself in the high slot to have a better scoring opportunity. For the game he finished ninth among Green Bay’s forwards with 12:42 in total ice time including 0:49 while shorthanded. He did not play on the power play. He finished +1 with 0 points, 2 shots, 3 grade ‘A’ opportunities, 9/17 on face-offs, 0 hits, 4 giveaways, 1 takeaway and for the season he is winning 45% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images