From April 2-7, 2024, Neutral Zone was in Tampa, FL for the USA Hockey Tier 1 Girls Nationals Tournament. The following is our scouting report from the U14 Division. Players are listed in descending letter grade order beneath their respective team names. Players with the same letter grade are listed in no particular order.
Chicago Mission
Sarah Reeder #27 (Chicago Mission U14, F, 2028) : Reeder handles the puck well, able to skate it out and around from her zone and make. Smart pass through the neutral zone. Keeps control in the ozone, finding good outlet passes. She can drive hard with the puck protected, her speed is fast and she is very tenacious, she can draw penalties entering the zone. She headman’s the puck very well, showing a ton of potential with her hockey sense and ability to execute. Gets it to the offensive zone pretty much every shift. Reeder is a smart playmaker. She demonstrated her skill in the championship game against Assabet by setting up two goals with precisely placed passes. Her quick hands allowed her to win a high percentage of draws cleanly to her teammates to start the play with possession. Grade: A-
Caroline Hurst #33 (Chicago Mission U14, G, 2027) : Hurst has good instincts and reaction time. She challenges well and keeps her head on a swivel, reading the threats. She is able to cover up and absorb shots on the pk where the rebounders are fierce. Well positioned on the initial shot and very athletic in her movement to rebounds. Her focus and athleticism can get under the skin of opponents and start to wear them down. Hurst was very good in the championship game, she had to make very key saves early on and even made some outstanding desperation saves. She is very good at tracking the puck and can slide side to side fast and controlled. Hurst also never looks panicked while she is in net. Grade: A-
Alexis Bornhoeft #37 (Chicago Mission U14, D, 2027) : Good size, she is able to handle the puck through the offensive zone to the net. Handled through 3 Green Giants players on her way to the net and sniped in the Quarters. Bornhoeft has great speed down the wall and reads the cycle well. She cycled with her teammates and got to the front of the net and slid the puck backdoor to her teammate for a grade A scoring chance. Bornhoeft also has a great shot and showed it off in the championship game where she sniped it high blocker to score the 4th goal of the game for her team. Bornhoeft is a talented forward with a lot of potential. Bornhoeft uses her body to her advantage to protect the puck and carry it deep into the attacking end. She also battles and earns a strong net-front presence. Grade: A-
Sophia Monaco #81 (Chicago Mission U14, D, 2028) : Monaco keeps good control of the puck. Drove the zone, delayed, skated into the zone and found a hard pass to the weak side for a shot. Scored Missions second goal vs Flyers with good net front positioning and a quick release. She gathered a stretch pass and took off vs green giants, she got her shot off with perfect timing to put her team up 3-0. Monaco showed off her front of the net skills as she followed up on a rebound off of a 2 on 1 and roofed it high for a goal in the championship game. Monaco gets her stick in the passing lanes and intercepts pucks on the penalty kill. She gets in on the forecheck to battle along the boards and below the red line to force errors. Grade: B+
Amanda Rosen #23 (Chicago Mission U14, F, 2027) : Rosen engages in all three zones. She battles in the corners, gets in the passing lanes in the neutral zone and intercepts pucks for zone entries. She gets in passing lanes on the forecheck and intercepts clearing attempts. She wins races to the puck which can gain possession behind the net and resulted in her sliding a smooth pass to 39 for the assist against Assabet. Grade: B+
Charlotte Prodoehl #58 (Chicago Mission U14, F, 2028) : Tall forward with good net front presence which led to the first goal of the game vs FL Alliance. Her height makes her a very effective screen, you’ll often find her net front taking away the goalies eyes and taking a defender out of the play as they try to move her. She keeps her head up and is ready to tip or jump on loose pucks. Also makes good choices with the puck. Grade: B+
Gianna Monaco #51 (Chicago Mission U14, F/D, 2028) : Monaco is a quick, hardworking defender. She can kick it into another gear when opponents try to chip and chase. She can pivot quickly and accelerate, taking over the lane and not allowing the driving forward to get past her. Gets her feet moving up ice and always has her head up. She can identify the stretch pass and caught green giants on a change to send #81 for a beautiful goal. She’s tough in her own zone, not allowing players by her to the net. Monaco also has great patience with the puck and waits for her teammates to get open before she gets rid of the puck. Grade: B+
Helen Lane #39 (Chicago Mission U14, F, 2027) : Hardworking backchecker. After her D fell at the offensive blue, she was the first one back to overtake her opponents lane and be first to the loose puck. Lane was impressive in the championship game as she scored a hat trick to seal the deal for her team to win. She was always looking to create offense and always looking up ice to make plays with her linemates. Grade: B
Willow Sell #8 (Chicago Mission U14, D, 2028) : Calls good options on the breakout and supports the puck well. She is strong along the wall to win battles. Willing to skate it in for chances if the give n go presents itself. Shut down 1 v 1 and tries to engage with the play as soon as possible to keep ice. Grade: B
Lillian Heflin #86 (Chicago Mission U14, F, 2027) : Heflin is a smooth skater who uses her speed and puck control to gain zone entries for quick wrist shots on goal. Her soft hands allowed her to navigate in tight to snap a shot on net for a rebound assist against Assabet. Grade: B
Reese Warrington #38 (Chicago Mission U14, D, 2028) : Good hustle to gain inside body positioning in a close race. Cuts at the hands and takes control. Has a quick release on her point shot which found the back of the net along the ice vs Lovell in the semis. Kept players away from her net front, not allowing anyone around her for a chance. Warrington gets into position to provide good defensive coverage and support. She gets her stick in the passing lanes in the neutral zone to intercept passes and get pucks deep. Her passes back and forth with her partner are also smooth and precise. Grade: B
Elena Monaco #14 (Chicago Mission U14, F, 2029) : Monaco is a tall, long stride skater. She is hardworking and is very smart with her passes. She made several cross-ice passes that were tape to tape. After she makes a nice move, she quickly follows up the play and supports her teammates. Off of supporting her teammates she was able to get a great rebound scoring chance. She can read where her teammates are in the offensive zone, and slid back door which created another great scoring opportunity. Monaco would be a great asset to any team as she is a great playmaker and you notice her on the ice right away. Monaco battles in the corners and gets in the passing lanes on the forecheck to intercept breakout passes. Grade: B
Lyric Bessey #87 (Chicago Mission U14, D, 2028) : Bessey is strong on her skates. She can force players to the outside and squeeze them off the puck along the boards. She crushes her slap shot from the point through traffic and to the net for chances. Grade: B
Tate Roth #55 (Chicago Mission U14, D, 2027) : Good size at the point and releases heavy point shots. She has a long stride but can be a little unbalanced on her feet. As she develops and grows into her length she will gain more balance. Makes indirect passes with good accuracy. Vision from the point that shines on the power play, she puts very well placed shots on net for rebounds but she can even pick corners from there. Grade: B
JR Flyers
Ashlyn Jacobs #19 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, F, 2028) : Jacobs keeps her head up as she controls and handles the puck to get to the middle and rip wrist shots from the slot to create net front chances. Her passes are smooth, flat, and on the tape to move the play up ice and create opportunities. She forces errors by rushing the point and getting in quickly on the forecheck to disrupt the defense. Grade: B+
Shea Morey #12 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, F) : Morey has a quick release shot with good power. Morey uses her speed on the backcheck to take the player below the red line and out of a threatening area of the ice. Grade: B
Madeline Allen #23 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, F, 2027) : Allen has a tall body. Back checks hard and uses her size and reach to wear down her opponent and force them off the puck. Grade: B
Alika Li #1 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, D, 2027) : Does an excellent job at making herself available for passes. Steps up on plays in the offensive zone. Li is a strong skater who will wind and weave her way out of the d-zone with the puck to move up ice and gain the attacking end. Her head is always up and when she sees an opening, she will take it and carry the puck deep into the offensive zone. She makes good puck distribution decisions on the power play with crisp cross-ice passes on the tape for the breakout and hard wrist shots from the point to create chances. Li’s management of the blue line is good as she keeps pucks in and gets pucks deep to maintain pressure. Grade: B
Rachel Steward #35 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, F, 2027) : Agressive on loose pucks, forechecks and backchecks leading to scoring chances. Able to make skillful moves in tight and has great vision in the offensive zone. All of these things paired with her patience with the puck led to two goals. Steward plays on the defensive side of the puck, always ready to disrupt the oppositions attack. She is successful winning draws cleanly to her teammates to start the play with possession on the powerplay. Grade: B
Caroline Coen #9 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, F, 2028) : Coen creates opportunities with smooth passes on the tape to her teammates. She received a pass and got to the middle of the ice to rip a wrist shot from a distance to light the lamp against Assabet for a beauty powerplay goal. Grade: B
Ella Rajnys #30 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, G, 2027) : Rajnys maintains good depth, allowing her to cover more of the net and reduce the angle. Keeps her hands well positioned in front of her to watch quick shots right into her glove. Grade: B
Team Colorado
Corinne Mainwaring #6 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U14, F) : Mainwaring has nice hands that allow her to be calm and poised with the puck. She is confident and at her best with the puck and can buy time for herself by finding open ice and surveying the surface. She takes the puck up ice effortlessly and is unselfish with the puck who sometimes may force passes but she is trying to feed her linemates. Grade: B-
Sophia Samora #30 (Team Colorado U14, D, 2027) : Samora is focused in her crease. She came up with big saves on the breakaway in the Florida alliance game. She kept her team in it until the very end with good structure and skill. Grade: B-
Florida Alliance
Meagan Precourt #86 (Florida Alliance U14, F, 2028) : Agile and able to get to the net for a chance. The same shift she got another similar angle shot off with 2 good chances on one shift. She has good speed that help her create space as well. Grade: B
Sydney Munsie #87 (Florida Alliance U14, F, 2028) : Munsie is a smaller player but she has great feet that allow her to shield pucks and make it hard for defenders to take pucks away from her. She bounces around the ice with good acceleration and quickness and can be hard to cover. She also has scoring ability and is not afraid to get pucks on net. Grade: B
Victoria Leach #1 (Florida Alliance U14, G, 2028) : Made some huge saves vs. Mission. A big one off a rush that deflected back, almost trickling in but Leach stretched her pad out in the butterfly and shut the door again. Grade: B
Assabet Valley
Mia Daley #13 (Williston Northampton School, F, 2027) : Daley is a quick forward that shows great speed up the wall, and knows when to drive to the net off of a rush. Her hard net drive produced an early chance in the first period of the championship game. Daley has great hockey sense as she made a slick chip pass off of the boards and created a 2 on 1 with herself and a teammate. She passed it over and her teammate had a short breakaway chance. Daley is noticeable on the powerplay as she moves the puck well and takes her opportunities to shoot on net when she can. Daley’s prowess in the faceoff circle is evident through her craftiness and strategic approach. She demonstrates a keen ability to read her opponents and adjust her tactics accordingly, often opting to win draws forward to initiate offensive opportunities for her team. Her quick hands and technique allow her to consistently come out on top in faceoff battles, providing her team with a valuable advantage in possession. Daley’s communication skills contribute to her success on the ice, as she effectively coordinates with her linemates before each draw to ensure they are on the same page and ready to execute their strategy. Daley makes significant contributions on the power play, where she operates from the point with confidence and vision. She exhibits awareness of her surroundings, allowing her to make precise passes to set up her teammates and create scoring opportunities. Furthermore, her slap shot and quick wrist shot add an element of unpredictability to her offensive arsenal, keeping opposing defenses on their toes. Defensively, Daley uses her physicality to take away time and space from opponents. Whether it’s clearing the zone with authority or engaging in battles along the boards, she demonstrates a commitment to maintaining defensive stability and limiting scoring chances. She tipped in a shot from the point to light the lamp against Philly. Grade: A-
Blake Metcalf #4 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, D, 2027) : Rushed a decision on breakout without pressure that led her to pass directly to Syracuse for a chance. But she bounced back to play physically, take the body, and get pucks to the net with hard shots on net from the point. Metcalf really thrives in playing support elements of the game. She is a constant puck battler in and around the boards, helping win possession for her team. On both the offensive and defensive breakouts she demonstrates quality risk assessment that once calculated are often followed by quick ups and chances for her team. Although probably more known for her physicality she has hints of soft skill as well with short-passing, and puck control. Grade: B+
Molly Bardol #91 (Cushing Academy, F, 2027) : Bardol is a good sized forward who battles hard along the boards. She uses her body to win pucks off the wall and make herself very effective on each shift. Grade: B
Isabella Freitas-Almeida #18 (Cushing Academy, F) : Freitas-Almeida uses her speed and long reach to control and carry the puck out of the zone and into the attacking end for a quick snap shot on goal. She works from the flank on the powerplay to be a shooter. Her passes are crisp and on the tape. She is successful in the faceoff circle, winning draws cleanly to her teammates to start the play with possession. Grade: B
Sihyeon An #55 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, D) : An is a good sized defender who gets to the middle to rip hard wrist shots on net from the high slot to challenge the goalie and create chances. Grade: B
Lana Hardin #82 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, F, 2027) : Hardin plays physically. She rushes the point to force errors and uses her active stick check to take away pucks in the D-zone. She receives passes on the fly with effortless ease to gain the zone and use the screen to drag and shoot quality shots on goal. Grade: B
Zoe Smith #21 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, F, 2027) : Smith is a good sized forward who battles in the corners and along the boards. She applies pressure on the backcheck to frustrate and disrupt the opposition. Her speed allows her to gain the zone and send a precise pass to an incoming teammate. Grade: B
Kathryn Butkus #51 (Rivers School, D, 2027) : Butkus reads the play on the forecheck to get in the passing lanes and intercept breakout attempts. She controls and handles the puck with poise under pressure. Her wrist shots from the point get through traffic and to the net to create chances. Butkus defensive acumen is noticeable as she plays a calm and collected game. Her defense in transition is particularly good as she is able to isolate attackers and push them to the outside, decreasing the quality of chance against significantly. Even when she is significantly out of position she recovers well and makes a positive impact on the play. In the O-zone she is a capable facilitator that keeps plays alive for her teammates. Other elements to note is her above average hand-eye as it can manipulate traffic, or keep a play that would have otherwise ended going. Grade: B
Paisley Meyer #34 (Phillips Exeter Academy, F, 2027) : Meyer is a hard forechecker and puts great pressure on her opponents. Sometimes she can look a bit uncontrolled in her pressure, but she makes the other team make mistakes. When she gets the puck, she takes her chances to get them on net and makes quick cuts to get to the net. Meyer received a pass on the fly to gain the slot and rip a wrist shot past the goalie to light the lamp against Philly. Grade: B
Tatum Friedholm #14 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, D, 2027) : Friedholm is a tall defender and a straight up skater that picks up speed as she gets going. She makes sure to do the little things right as you can see her shoulder checking in the defensive zone before she grabs the puck. She also made a great heads up play to pick off a cross-ice pass and get it back deep into the offensive zone. Friedholm has great promise in her game as she gets older. Friedholm gets pucks through traffic and to the net for chances with a hard wrist shot and quick snap shots from the point. She controls and handles the puck with poise to elude checkers. Friedholm is able to carve out lanes to the net, and generate chances for her team. She proved to be a competent in-zone facilitator. In the offensive zone she is able to see through lanes of traffic demonstrating good on-ice vision and has a decent shot release, something that will further improve with time. Grade: B
Evelyn Harris #44 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, D) : What Harris lacks in reach she more than makes up for in smart body positioning, often gaining inside leverage on rush attackers pushing them to the boards or stripping the puck. This is noticeably paired with her above average gap control, which makes her an effective transitional defender. At both ends of the ice she shows good instincts. Her offensive game shines under pressure. Harris is able to make relatively safe scramble plays that demonstrates good awareness and poise with the puck. We look forward to further improvements with puck skills, to really elevate her game even more. Grade: B
Anna Davidson #6 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, F, 2028) : Davidson is able to identify good play support options and is generally quite aware in all three zones. Her positioning off of draws can really help her team defensively with stick tie ups or help generate chances with jumps up in the zone. She can make effective outlet passes, but further refinement will come with time. In-zone she has decent vision and shows elements of having a good compete level. Her skating is above average in all aspects, and with time will be an effective player. Grade: B
Alexandra Lee #9 (Pomfret School, D, 2027) : Lee retrieves pucks quickly to set up and send a smooth pass on the tape to move the puck up ice quickly. She uses her speed and puck control to gain the zone and dish the puck to an incoming teammate. Her pinches are successful in keeping the puck in and maintaining pressure. Lee fired a wrist shot from the point and through a screen to set up the first goal against Philly. Lee clearly excels at the offensive side of the game. She has good offensive instincts that often lead her to being a contributing factor in chances for, especially off of the rush. Her offensive awareness and play anticipation is extremely solid, as she can recognize instantly which play to jump up in and which to not. Oftentimes this can lead to her leading the rush. She has moderate puck skills and good handling which adds even more layers to her game making her a threat whenever she’s on the ice. Grade: B
Erin Chen #8 (Assabet Valley Red Major U14, F) : Chen is a solid forward who has a heavy shot. Her stick handling ability is also noticeable as she dangled around a defenseman in the middle of the ice and fired it on net. She went and followed up her rebound and got a great second chance at scoring. Her skills range all over the ice as well. Her positioning in the defensive zone is good as well as the far side winger she slid over to cover the middle of the ice multiple times and took away chances from the opposing team. Chen has elements of a higher than average hockey IQ, as she has decent play anticipation at both sides of the rink. To go along with this she also exerts good defensive pressure, and it’s obvious she’s selective which adds to her multi-layered game quite well. Grade: B
Callan Stewart #15 (Lawrence Academy, F) : Stewart excels with in-zone positioning, as she knows where to be to drive plays forward. She also contributes to puck battles, and has decent skating speed. Grade: B-
Minnesota Green Giants
Madeline Wolter #9 (Centennial High School, F, 2027) : Wolter is a great skater who takes the puck up ice so well and with purpose. Her edge work is strong and it allows her to explode to open ice. She picks up speed in less than 3 strides and makes plays to her teammates at an advanced pace of play. Wolter shows good senses through her advanced play reading in zone, space creation in transition, and situational awareness; she always makes herself an option. She provides good puck support for her teammates. In transition, she has above average skating including her inside edges, power, and stride. She rarely struggles to keep pace with the game. When the opposing team gives her space they definitely regret it as she has excellent acceleration that allows for her to blow by defenders and generate quick zone entries and chances off of the rush. She also displays good soft skill with quality puck handling, passing, and control. She will be an offensive threat at the next level. Great skater and a hard working player. Grade: B+
Teagan Olson #6 (Minnesota Green Giants, F) : Olson is a smooth skating smaller forward who is always moving and supporting the puck on the boards. She handles the puck well and does not rush decisions due to her poise with the puck. She also is always looking for open space and making herself a passing option. She is able to identify defensive risk at a more advanced level, especially in transition. Grade: B+
Karma Waste #20 (Minnesota Green Giants, G) : Waste got out during the quarter finals after Mission took a 3-0 lead. You could tell from the moment she came on the ice that she was ready to go. She is smaller in size but she challenges well to compensate. The change helped her team feel more confident in front of her, and while they were unsuccessful in scoring, they got more opportunities feeling confident in Waste as their backbone. She made saves up high, catching the rebound before net drives could. Also sealed the ice well, stopping a late 2 v 0 as a result of a tough change. She was engaged and prepared right to the buzzer. Grade: B+
Taylor Schreifels #8 (Andover High School, D, 2027) : Schreifels is a defender with great feet and pucks skills. She is smart with the puck and manages the puck well so that it is away from harm. She moves on the blue line real well and makes herself a passing option by creeping in to make her a higher scoring threat. She also keeps good gaps and is engaged in the play at all times. Steps up through the neutral zone to protect her defensive blue. Schreifels is a prototypical puck moving defender that shines in transition and the O zone. She is a notable asset to her teams breakouts often leading with a short pass that initiates favorable controlled breakouts. She also echoes this agility in breakouts also in team regroups which bodes well for her teammates. Schreifels game is partly defined by her quality offensive instincts, be it closing off the wall on attempted defensive clears or active sticks and pinches. She displays quality play anticipation that should translate to the next level. On both special teams and 5 on 5 play she proves to be a competent facilitator that dishes out the puck and can identify options. If her puck skills can take another step in development she can transform into a power play specialist at future levels. She sees the ice well, finding open areas to make good plays and keep puck possession for her team. She’s solid in the D zone, keeps good gaps and pinches. She can also find open teammates and make good plays on and off the puck. Grade: B+
Ellie Bailey #12 (Minnesota Green Giants, F) : Bailey’s skating stands out a bit, for she has a decent stride, and edge work that allow for clean zone entries. Mix this skating base with a tinge of physicality and decent offensive vision, she can be a choice as a generator and difference maker for her team. Grade: B
Ellarae Atkinson #11 (Andover High School, F) : Atkinson possesses vision and this allows for her to be a chance generator off the rush and in-zone. Her vision mixes well with her puck skill and control of the puck to be a real good offensive threat. On the defensive side of the puck she proves to be a capable forechecker. Grade: B
Sophia Menne #3 (Andover High School, F, 2027) : Menne looks competent at both ends of the ice. At the base level she has a good clean stride and a normal level of skating prowess in all major categories. In the defensive zone she is positionally responsible, but could benefit from a more active stick. In defensive transition she can be a hard forechecking presence with an above average motor that propels her to another level. In the offensive transition she does a good job of finding her spots and creating open space if there is none. In the offensive zone she shows promise with her ability to look for gaps, her high motor, and offensive instincts. She can be quite an unpredictable threat for opponents that could lead to above average chance generation. With possession, she shows good puck control, handling, and has an adequate release point in her shot. She also has notable hand-eye coordination that could be useful for tips and play longevity at the next level. Grade: B
Taylor Nelson #4 (Minnesota Green Giants, F) : Nelson proved to have decent on-ice awareness and create space for herself and positively contribute to plays. Plays the top on PP, normally makes some pretty creative passes and calls for the puck to show she is hungry for the puck. Grade: B
Alyssa Nuernberg #5 (Rogers High School, F) : Nuernberg plays a very reactionary game that makes her quite unpredictable for opposing teams. One of the notable qualities of this is how she shows quality consideration when it comes to puck protection, and this makes her very hard to push off of the puck. She shows a tinge of physicality, and is not scared of getting into board play, which can make her an asset in both transition and zone play. In the offensive zone she posts up in and around the slot making her a constant pester for opponents. Grade: B
Alexa Larson #17 (North Wright County, F) : Works really hard. She is constantly noticeable on the ice, moving her feet and forechecking hard. She finds ways to join the offense and get open for opportunities. She also makes good passes and plays with grit. Grade: B
Erica Maida #2 (Rogers High School, D) : Maida is a good net front defensive presence that makes chance generation against her more difficult. In transition the defender has shown good elements of play support, particularly puck movement and strategic body positioning to move the puck forward for her teammates. We look forward to improvements in her senses as her game develops. Grade: B
Brooke Ueland #18 (Centennial High School, D) : Ueland is a stable, physical, defensive presence for her team. She plays a very calm and collected game with gap control and defensive poise. She is capable of managing 2 on 1’s in a good manner. On the offensive side of the puck, Ueland displayed notable power and release points on her shots. Grade: B-
Syracuse Valley Eagles
Makenna Komanecky #22 (Syracuse Valley Eagles U14, F, 2027) : She keeps her feet moving, getting into good positions to set herself up for success. She can find soft spots on the ice and sneak behind to give herself chances. She is aggressive in front of the net and jumps on loose pucks. Grade: B
Rori Roche #23 (Syracuse Valley Eagles U14, F, 2027) : Good speed, she is always a threat because she always wants to score. She can win races to loose pucks and play physically, protecting the puck well and getting good shots off, creating good opportunities for herself. Grade: B
Cora Major #9 (Syracuse Valley Eagles U14, D, 2027) : Major is speedy and someone noticeable in games for doing the small things. She intercepts passes and takes good shots on net. Sometimes she holds onto the puck a little too much. But she plays with compete, forechecking hard and working in battles to try and gain puck possession. Grade: B
Brooke Coffey #88 (Syracuse Valley Eagles U14, G, 2027) : Great size to fill holes, giving little opportunity for a shooter to beat her on an initial shot. She challenges the puck well and always seems to be square to pucks. Grade: B
Lily Kennedy #18 (Syracuse Valley Eagles U14, F, 2027) : Kennedy sees the ice well, and can find open teammates to set them up with good scoring chances. She is a good skater and lays the pressure on opponents making smart plays. Grade: B-
Heather Gao #11 (Syracuse Valley Eagles U14, F, 2027) : Speed to beat icings. Not super noticeable consistently, but she does have good speed and can use it when she wants to create time and space for herself to make big plays with the puck. Grade: B-
Washington Pride
Kennedy Myles #7 (Washington Pride U14, F, 2028) : Myles plays an all around solid game. Most notable is her physicality, as she is not scared to throw the body around or engage in board play. This physicality mixed in with a higher than average compete level helps her establish good defensive pressure on the opposing team. In addition to her compete level she shows a good hustle for the puck in all three zones. She has decent puck skills, puck protection, and handling. All in all she plays a calm and collected game that could be even more elevated with a bit more on-ice scanning. A very aggressive player, she is physical and is strong in battles. She is a solid skater and lays down pressure on opponents, forcing turnovers and gaining puck possession. She is patient with the puck and protects it well, not forcing plays and keeping possession. Grade: B
Amina Wilbur #4 (Washington Pride U14, F, 2027) : Wilbur is a capable forward that really shines in transition. One of the most noticeable elements to her game is her ability to disrupt opponents plays, through an active forecheck, good stick, and significant defensive pressure. She also shows capable instincts at both ends of the ice, highlighted by on-ice awareness and a decent amount of scanning. Wilbur plays with high compete. She plays physically in battles and pins opponents. She also forechecks hard and with a purpose. Grade: B
Maya Brenner #30 (Washington Pride U14, G, 2028) : Brenner is very square and focused on pucks. She puts rebounds in good spots and if there’s a rebound shot she has quick kick saves that save her from allowing goals. Grade: B
Camden Van Kirk #13 (Washington Pride U14, D, 2027) : Against Assabet Valley she played largely at forward/center. She has a faceoff form that prioritizes a low center of gravity mixed with favorable body leverage allowing the puck to be drawn back or won by teammate support. Generally, Van Kirk’s game is one of senses, physicality, and skating. In both ends she shows quality play anticipation and innate offensive instincts that adds layers to any offensive pressure from the rest of her team. Her play support sets herself apart from her teammates. She is definitely not hesitant to join board play, and even something as simple as one of her pre-emptive stick lifts can keep plays alive and going. She has above average skating in all aspects including stride, edgework, and crossovers. Mix all of this together with a strong compete level and she should be able to transition to the next level. Grade: B-
Emily Arida #5 (Washington Pride U14, F, 2027) : Arida’s skating and senses are above average. In addition she has a good compete level that keeps her involved in the game no matter the pace. She is especially deadly off of the rush, as she can generate deception and chances for her team. In o-zone play she has demonstrated a decent release. Grade: B-
Elyse Harris #3 (Washington Pride U14, F, 2027) : Harris plays center in a stable manner. She has a distinct push and shoulder based faceoff draw that will get even better with time, and increased strength. The center has decent puck skills and senses. One thing that particularly stands out is her ability to handle pressure, as it benefits her entire team, and decreases the likelihood of any throw-away plays. One element we look forward to seeing improvements in is her skating, particularly around her stride. Grade: B-
Sara Caldicott #22 (Washington Pride U14, D, 2028) : Caldicott’s game is one of vision and stability. She has gap control and stick in the middle concepts down pat proving her defensive growth. In the offensive zone she employs a decent release, but further improvements in shot power are typical of this age group. Quick ups allow her team to exit their own zone in an efficient manner. She has decent acceleration, but with improvements to her stride the skating element of her game will be more complete. Grade: B-
Alayna Ray #14 (Washington Pride U14, F, 2027) : Pretty good skater and reliable. She works hard and backchecks hard to picks up sticks. Supporting low and giving her defense an option on the breakout. Winning puck races and using her body to protect the puck is also a strong skill of hers. Grade: B-
Hadley Kramer #11 (Washington Pride U14, D, 2027) : Kramer is a solid puck moving defender, who supports plays and looks for offensive opportunities. On the defensive transition she is a capable defender that often looks to strip opponents of puck possession around the blue line, and this is aided by relatively good gap control and backwards crossovers. She has a good compete level that allows her to thrive in both transition and the offensive zone. She employs good play instincts as she often initiates cycles when no other option is there, and provides smart offensive zone pinches when needed. Grade: B-
Ellie Crossett #10 (Washington Pride U14, F, 2028) : Crossetts game is that of a thinker. She is proactively and continuously scanning the ice for opportunities. These senses and vision shines in both transition and zone play as she is constantly interrupting passing lanes, and thus limiting the quality of chances against. She has good defensive instincts and is quite defensively responsible in transition. In both transition and zone play she looks to establish good body positioning that allows for puck protection and a good pass. All of this is combined with above average skating with particularly noticeable outside edgework on turns. She also has good acceleration, and a relatively clean stride/crossovers. One element that was obvious in the game against Assabet Valley is her ability to get deceived by top players. All in all she plays a solid 200-foot game. Grade: B-
Adeline Vederman #20 (Washington Pride U14, D, 2028) : Vederman is a solid two way defender. She shows good gap control and instincts in transition as she rarely leaves the middle open, instead blocking it with her stick and taking away passing/play creation options. In the d-zone she appears to be quite defensively responsible at times, and with more consistency will excel in this area. On the offensive side she values quick ups, and could be an asset to a team’s breakouts, with short/medium passing skill. To match, Vederman has a noticeable compete level. One area we look forward to improvements in include her play under pressure as she often rushes decision making in those situations leading to unfavorable outcomes. Vederman is a solid defender. She plays the body well on the rush, she plays a physical game in general, not afraid of a battle and pinning opponents to help her team gain puck possession. Grade: B-
Minnesota Walleye
Brynn Heising #8 (Benilde-St. Margaret’s, F, 2027) : Heising is a solid all around forward who can make plays on both ends of the ice. She is a strong skater with high offensive instincts and feel for the game. She forechecks hard and is strong on her stick during board battles. Heising can set up teammates through traffic, on the move and create space offensively with the puck. Grade: A
Gabi Lopez #19 (Orono High School, F, 2028) : Lopez has very fast top speed, forcing opponents to work hard to try to beat her to loose pucks. She has a very high percentage of pucks that she is able to win simply by out skating and out thinking whomever she is racing. Flies around the ozone, showing hockey IQ and she shifts her weight to protect the puck and drops sneaky passes for fast driving teammates. Her speed is dominant, making it extremely difficult for her opponents here to match. She is a dynamic forward who is a constant threat with the puck. Her ability to weave in and out of traffic while maintaining puck control is unique for her age. She has a high hockey IQ with and without the puck and forces the opposition to challenge her and leave others open or to give her space to operate with the puck. She backchecks well and is solid positionally on both ends of the ice. Does not force the puck into traffic and doesn’t panic under pressure from multiple defenders looming. Grade: A
Fiona Gallagher #6 (Maple Grove High School, D, 2027) : Gallagher understands the game well at such a young age. She uses her space to skate it to the offensive zone when the opportunity presents. Does an excellent job shielding the puck from her opponent, and reading where pressure will hit. Gallagher is an offensive minded defender with a great sense for the puck and the play. She is a very strong skater and makes the right plays defensively to win pucks and force turnovers, and create break in opportunities with her passing and skating ability. She scored a really nice goal from the point off a snap shot through traffic to seal the game. Grade: A
Josie Virnig #4 (Benilde-St. Margaret’s, D) : Scored a PP goal vs Caesars with a well timed shot through a heavily screened goalie. Scored 2 goals vs Capitals. Good accurate hard shots with her head up. She as well is good at quickly getting to the middle. Grade: B
Lauren Albrecht #18 (Orono High School, F) : Albrecht is a good skater who is shifty with the puck and can make defenders miss using speed and solid puck control. She often finds loose pucks and can create chances off of turnovers in the offensive zone. Grade: B
Little Caesars
Kate Malachino #91 (Little Caesars U14, F, 2027) : Malachino is strong and balanced on her skates. She can drive pucks into the ozone and handle the physical contact that can follow. She is willing to work in the corners to maintain possession with a focus on getting the puck to the net. Makes decisions quickly as the puck comes to her, she knows where she is putting it next. Grade: A-
Rylan Harwood #17 (Little Caesars U14, F, 2027) : Hardwood has good size. She is a hard worker in the offensive zone, battling low and feeding net front chances. She is a hard worker with an unselfish style. She plays with poise, collecting pucks and ensuring that they get to her teammates’ tape. Grade: B+
Leah Peffer #20 (Little Caesars U14, D, 2029) : Defends the offensive blue well. She is mobile and active, willing to drop down a bit if there is a chance. Reads the possession well and takes away the winger as an option to be active off the puck. Grade: B
Madeleine Schiff #23 (Little Caesars U14, D, 2027) : Schiff is tall with a good reach. She uses her stick to steer her opponent in the direction she wants and was able to poke pucks away as a result of her tight gap control. Grade: B
Rilyn Stolz #32 (Little Caesars U14, G, 2028) : Stolz has quick reactions, able to drop to the butterfly and keep her stance tight for the quick rebounds that MN Walleye was producing. Grade: B
Madison Capitals
Brooke Lakowske #10 (Madison Capitols U14, F) : Lakowske carries the puck up ice well and with a purpose. She does a good job of entering the attacking zone with speed and keeping her head up to move the puck to teammates to make strong zone entries. Her passes are tape to tape and makes herself available off the puck. Grade: B+
Mckenzie Apicella #7 (Madison Capitols U14, D) : Apicella has good edges that help her escape and create time for herself. She loves forcing the player with the puck using good angles. She has good size which helps her along in battles. She is good at keeping her gap tight and stopping zone entries. She as well has the ability to jump up in the play when she notices it’s the right time to create odd man rushes. Grade: B
Brettlyn Lane #15 (Madison Capitols U14, F) : Lane is a good skating forward who picks up speed quite well when she is transitioning up ice. She uses this skill to create separation and find good space with the puck to open up chances. Grade: B
Alyse Anthon #12 (Madison Capitols U14, D) : Anthon is a great offensive threat while in opponent’s end. She loves pulling opponents towards the middle and dishing it back out to the side. She is great at sneaking behind players in the offensive zone to get open for a scoring opportunity. She has a good hard shot. She uses size well, angling and rubbing people out to retrieve the puck again and get it going the other way. Grade: B-
Louisa Hahn #9 (Madison Capitols U14, D) : Hahn is active on the blueline always looking to get the puck. She has the ability to play her offside and when needed can cover for her partner. Grade: B-
Mateya Conklin #14 (Madison Capitols U14, F) : Conklin is a high effort player who runs on a high motor. She is always moving and working hard on the forecheck. Around the net she whacks at pucks and will dig until she hears a whistle. Grade: B-
Kara Grudzinski #6 (Madison Capitols U14, F, 2027) : Grudzinski is a high motor player who handles the puck well and is always moving around the dangerous areas making herself available. She also will get pucks to the net and create good offense pressure for her team. Grade: B-
Casco Bay
Lydia Trytek #2 (Casco Bay Mariners, D) : Trytek is a smart and focused defenseman who puts the puck in great spots to succeed. On the penalty kill she killed time behind the net and showed good poise but not rushing the puck deep down the ice. She handles the puck well around the ice and always has a strong stick that break up plays and cause turnovers. Grade: B+
Lovell Academy
Annabelle Lovell #5 (Lovell Academy, F, 2027) : Lovell is able to angle well through the neutral zone, protecting her defensive blue. She is very fast and agile, fakes out opponents and easily navigates a whole zone of pressure. She can noticeably carve up lanes to the net. Her puck handling is excellent, and her puck protection is superb as it’s not easy to take the puck off her stick at all. Her edges are sharp and she is able to stop on a dime and accelerate out of trouble. Her outside edges are particularly noticeable which gives her increased agility on turns and balance. Lovell has a clean stride that should transition well to the next level as she does not struggle at all with pace of play. This footwork allows her to be a great option at the point as well as finding breakout passes in her own zone. She has played forward and defense and has been impactful at both. She has proven to be a very competent power play facilitator, and has quality vision and can identify pass options and play options quite well. Created some plays that require a very well developed hockey sense that is not typically on display at the U14 level. Grade: A
Aubryn Monter #11 (Lovell Academy, D, 2027): Fast skater with quick acceleration to top speed. This acceleration can create quick zone entries and generate chances off of the rush. Her compete level stands out as she tends to have a high end motor and this shows with play support as she can keep options and plays alive for her team. Monter shows flashes of good puck skills, particularly in short passing situations. She has a hard accurate shot that she got off right off the draw. She drives the net with purpose being a favorable play disruptor that can use her body and speed to generate chances. She uses her body to shield pucks, and continues to gain speed. Grade: A-
Sydney Stoughton #21 (Lovell Academy, F, 2027) : Good size. Plays the flank on PP and does a good job of being an option. Created several chances vs LA on the PP. She is creative and uses the back of the net to bank pucks and lose pressure. Has a crushing one timer slap shot. She is physical and very strong on her skates, you don’t want to get in her way nor the way of her shot. A game changer for her team, Stoughton is able to identify all sorts of play and passing options, displaying her high creativity and puck skills. Grade: A-
Madeline Carey #3 (Lovell Academy, F, 2027) : Carey has great puck skills. She can control it at top speed and navigate through pressure well. Has the ability to hang onto it until she can find an option, and demonstrates good risk assessment. Also showcased some fancy dangles around defenders in every game. Grade: B+
Caroline Clark #2 (Lovell Academy, F, 2027) : Clark has size and speed. In both zones she is able to establish favorable body positioning and leverage that allows her to support and further plays quite nicely. Helps out defensively and drives pucks that she recovered all the way to the offensive zone. She cut in nicely and got a hard shot on net with a quick release that can fool goaltenders. Makes good quick choices on the odd man rush to generate offense from the best possible position. Grade: B+
Chyna Taylor #9 (Lovell Academy, D, 2027) : Taylor is a very consistent and defense oriented defender. She plays a nice calm and collected game that limits mistakes. She is so good one on one with great gaps that make it tough for forwards to get by her. Along the boards she uses the body and plays physical to free up pucks. Chyna was particularly noticeable on puck retrievals keeping opponents on the outside looking in. Offensively she does gave a heavy shot and skates well along the line to look for shot lanes. Holds the offensive blue well, with a quality sense of when to pinch, and can generate quick ups. Goes stick on puck, and doesn’t get beat. Has poise to her game at a young age showing great potential. Grade: B+
Mirella Martinelli #14 (Lovell Academy, D, 2027) : Strong defender. Took it into the offensive zone at the end of a shift and battled off 3 mission players to ultimately get a shot on net. Martinelli is a play support machine that is hard to push off the puck, and can identify play options in a decent manner. Has ok on-ice vision, and if nothing is available will initiate cycles to keep the play alive for her teammates. She shows above average puck handling and passing. She looks most comfortable when shooting the puck, and does so lots, which is matched with an above average mechanical release that has a tinge of deception to it. Has shown to be a competent power play facilitator and special teams asset. Grade: B+
Kari McKay #19 (Lovell Academy, D/F, 2027) : Mckay does a lot of things that any coach would like. In her own zone she displays smart defensive instincts, positioning, and handles pressure quite well. She has good puck protection, often using the boards to her advantage and great body positioning to prevent forecheckers from gaining anything. Off of the rush, Mckay has decent gap control and once again her quality instincts allow her to have great chances against neutralization. She shows elements of good puck skills, with quality short-medium passing and puck handling that is above average. A noticeable compete level makes her a defensive asset. Grade: B
Makenzie Grabie #8 (Lovell Academy, F, 2028) : Grabie has good size and puck control. She pressures the points tenaciously and can pick up speed to fly past the pinching D. She is good with the puck and makes smart decisions with the puck as well. Grade: B
Peyton Scott #51 (Lovell Academy, G, 2027) : Smaller sized goalie who moves quickly and smoothly. Good hand eye to allow her to catch pucks. She smothers pucks well and gives off very few strong rebound chances. Grade: B
Grace Hildebrandt #7 (Lovell Academy, F, 2028) : Hildebrandt’s game is best articulated through her compete level, and on-ice senses. In defensive transition and zone play she shows good intelligent efforts in puck battles. In transition, she is not scared of creating her own lanes, and pushing for open space in the offensive zone, where she can generate chances for off the rush. Grade: B
Joely Wexler #63 (Lovell Academy, F, 2027) : Wexler is a smaller player, who has speed and a great work ethic that make her effective in the offensive zone. She handles the puck quickly, though her hands are still a bit choppy but will improve. She is able to navigate tight spaces very well. Speed is her best asset which she uses to wheel out of pressure or to close space on her opponent. Wexler uses her stick well to take away passing options and force turnovers. Grade: B
Emme Margolis #12 (Lovell Academy, D, 2028) : Margolis has decent on-ice vision, and offensive option identifying. She can keep up with the pace of play. Improvements to defensive awareness and play anticipation will bring another layer to her game. Grade: B-
Pens Elite
Amanda King #33 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2027) : King is a very skilled player who also takes no shortcuts in her game. She works for everything she gets. She has good hands that can make defenders look silly and allow her to create solid chances for herself individually. She is hungry towards pucks, who fore checks and back checks to win possession of the puck and apply good pressure on defenders to create turnovers. She also has an act towards going to the net and getting offense the hard way. King is a strong forward with very smooth skating ability. She is determined on the forecheck and hustles for pucks off the dump and chase and often wins 50/50 battles. King is able to carry the puck up ice individually and gain zone entry with tight handles and quick feet to beat defenders with speed. She made a great play to win the puck off a dump in and dish it into the slot. Grade: A-
Berkeley Whitehead #22 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F/D, 2027) : Whitehead is a skilled and creative forward who is also quite confident by trying the Michigan in a game. She is a smaller player but moves around the ice so well. She is quick and speedy and can beat defenders with her hands and skating ability. Whitehead is a quick forward who is shifty with the puck and is a tough match for slower defenders. She has smooth hands and can beat defenders holding the blue line with speed and puck shielding. She can anticipate plays and make good decisions. She is quick and can win puck battles and not afraid of physicality. Grade: B+
Brooklyn Ligda #38 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2028) : Ligda has tons of skill matched with great skating ability. She can get around the ice so well and is a true threat with the puck. She takes the puck up ice well and confidently to get her team on the attack. She also gets pucks on net and is a strong scoring threat. Grade: B+
Mia Grasser #98 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2029) : Grasser is a good skating forward who has great hands to be creative with the puck. Her skating is good and she keeps her feet moving up ice to always be an option to pass to. She creates good space for herself and moves the puck when needed to limit turnovers. Grasser is a good skater who is smart with the puck and does not force the puck into traffic. She does well to skate with her head up with the puck and can make stretch passes with ease for easy break ins and breakouts. Grasser is solid defensively as well, maintaining solid positioning and is active along the boards during puck battles. Grade: B+
Payton Somers #6 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2027) : Somers plays an all around solid game. In both zones she is quite positionally responsible. Her skating looks decent with ok acceleration, edgework, and power, although she does have slightly busy-feet with her stride but this doesn’t take away from her transitional or in-zone game too much. On the defensive she has proved to be an adept lateral attacker, and with her higher than average compete level this is definitely an asset. Upon o-zone entries off of the rush she attempts to create lanes and options for her teammates. In the o-zone she proves to stay busy as she’s always looking for open space and to be an option, pointing to above average offensive awareness and instincts. Grade: B
Layla Pegnato #88 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, D) : Pegnato is a transitional defender who shows growth. At both ends of the ice she shows play anticipation, allowing for her to generate opponent turnovers, and thrive on takeaway chances. Other notable offensive contributions include in transition, as she can be an asset on the breakout showing good short passes and play identification. On the defensive end of the puck she shows very conservative gap control, which can be beneficial as it gives her more time to react. In the defensive zone she shows a decent amount of defensive poise that can help limit the quality of chances against. One area we look forward to is growth in her senses, specifically decision making. Grade: B
Sienna Suisham #25 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, D, 2027) : Suisham is a puck moving defender with a great stand up presence on the ice. On the defensive side she displays gap control in transition, and shows a relentless pursuit of her opponent in her zone, while still remaining positionally aware. On the offensive side is where Suisham shines a bit more. She is an asset on team breakouts, as she shows good puck control and D to D passing along with short/medium forward passes that result in quick breakouts for her team. She occasionally leads the rush. She has decent vision that combined with her poise with the puck in the o-zone allows her to generate more than average chances and plays for her team. In other instances she displays good hockey IQ, in just making the simple play, and providing play support for her teammates. She serves competently on both Powerplay and Penalty Kill. Grade: B
Alyssa Pilarski #20 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2027) : Pilarski’s game is overall solid. At the forefront is her good hustle level, as it means she can be anywhere she wants on the ice and this provides great play support for her team. Mix this hustle in with relatively unproblematic skating and she’s a threat whenever she gets on the ice. Both offensively and defensively she shows strong play reading and second efforts during plays to further elevate her compete level and senses. Her soft skill is also very present as Pilarski shows decent puck skills, particularly control, and has some offensive instincts to make plays/chances herself. Grade: B
Claire Clifford #11 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2027) : Clifford plays a solid game with many tools that she can build off of. In transition she showed a decent amount of on-ice awareness and situational awareness, demonstrating better than average senses. Mix these senses with her good puck skills and she becomes an offensive threat both in transition and zone play. More often than not Clifford settles for making the safe simple plays which demonstrate an element of conservative but decent risk assessment. In the defensive zone she often shows poise above the dot covering her zone and opponent adequately. Grade: B
Mia Monaco #58 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, D, 2027) : Monaco is a taller player that is very strong on pucks. She has a good stick that keeps players from having success one on one against her. She has a hard shot that hits the net and is placed where she wants it. She is also a strong skater and moves around well. Monaco is a strong and tall defender who skates well for her size and maintains solid footwork down low. She is strong on her stick and on the puck and is tough to be moved off the puck along the boards. Monaco can hold the blue line effectively and get shots on net through traffic often forcing a rebound. Monaco is a good skater with size. She carries the puck well and uses her size to drive hard to the net and generate offensive opportunities. She jumps into the rush and is able to backcheck hard. Grade: B
Allyson Wasson #9 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2028) : Wasson plays a very versatile game, which makes her an asset to her club in a multitude of ways. First thing that is quite noticeable is Wasson’s above average play anticipation in all three zones which means she can force turnovers and make unexpected plays in transition. When she does take draws she has a low center of gravity quickdraw style of faceoff form which should be transferable to the next level. On the defensive side she is a regular penalty killer, and shows a decent in-zone active stick. In general her game also has a tinge of physicality and boardplay. Grade: B
Jolene Smith #10 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, D, 2028) : Smith is a player that provides decent play support for her team. In addition she can be defensively responsible and is not scared to block a shot. Grade: B-
Natalia Maserati #77 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, D, 2028) : Maserati has noticeable skating, and patrols the blueline well. She can be a presence. We look forward to improvements in senses as she often plays catch up in transition. Grade: B-
Samantha Brennan #13 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, F, 2027) : Brennan was most noticeable on the defensive end of the puck and in transition. She proves to be a capable forechecker, and good at exerting defensive pressure on her opponents. In transition she plays a calculated game of which lanes to block and is very conservative and cautious with her transitional positioning. Grade: B-
Emma Hilliard #42 (Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U14, D, 2027) : Hillard also plays forward in some games. Hillard finds open lanes, and often serves as the last player back as a safe rush option for her teammates showing her awareness for the game. Grade: C+
LA Lions
Maecyn Anderson #93 (LA Lions, F, 2028) : Anderson is a workhorse all game long. She is first to pucks and always keeps her feet moving at all times. She battles hard and uses her body to win puck possession. She handles the puck well and is a playmaker at heart to set up her teammates for scoring chances. Anderson sees the ice well, she plays with a high compete. She is fast and can win puck races, she wins a lot of puck battles and plays physical. She can find open teammates and set them up for scoring chances. Grade: B
Charlotte Lee #17 (LA Lions, F/D, 2027) : Lee plays a heads up game. She is confident skating the puck and has the skill and vision to do so. She plays a patient game, not forcing plays and making smart passes to keep puck possession. If she is given the room to skate the puck she will. Grade: B-
Camryn Seekins #20 (LA Lions, D) : Aggressive, she steps up into the play and closes the gap. She battles hard and for possession. Her work ethic was a treat to watch. Grade: B-
Hannah Blom #91 (LA Lions, F) : Good skater, she can easily beat defenders and be first on loose pucks. She is a good support in battles and is not afraid of physicality, using her body to protect the puck and drive the net. Grade: B-
Sophia Liu #21 (LA Lions, F/D) : Carries the puck with confidence. She is willing to take the room she is given and bring the puck into the offensive zone, keeping puck possession. She has good edgework and uses an active stick and even stopped a breakaway with a good stick lift without getting a penalty. Grade: B-
Gianna Orizotti #18 (LA Lions, F, 2028) : She possesses the puck well. She has good vision and skill to maneuver easily through traffic and start odd-player rushes. She takes smart shots on net, normally generating rebounds for scoring opportunities. Grade: B-
Team North Dakota
Kaylee Augdahl #14 (Team North Dakota U14, F) : Augdahl plays the game of an offensive minded sniper. She shows above average senses as she is constantly scanning the zone, and generally has good on-ice awareness. In transition and zone play she shows quality soft skill elements like passing and handling. Augdahl has a decent shot release and finishing skill in the offensive zone. We look forward to improvements in skating and senses, as she does tend to have a bit of a mechanically short/choppy stride, and plays quite a passive game with a low compete level. Grade: B
Lola Klein #10 (Team North Dakota U14) : Klein is an all around solid player. She plays the role of disrupter, often on the most aggressive F1 forecheck and this is further helped by the fact that she has an above average motor and compete level. Hinting at an above average hockey IQ, Klein is constantly in movement looking to block opposing lanes and limit the opposing play/chance generation. Her skating is slightly above average as she can get bursts of acceleration, and show ok power in her crossovers and stride. In transition she can get clean entries and generate the beginning of a good play, but often fails to get support, no fault of her own. In both zones she shows elements of creativity and moderate puck handling/skills. Klein is confident when skating the puck, high-traffic areas don’t scare her and she uses her skill and body well to maneuver the puck through and end up still possessing it. She has speed and can drive wide and to the net for good scoring chances. Grade: B
Lydia Fylling #9 (Team North Dakota U14, D) : Fylling is an all around stable defender. She shows ok defensive and offensive awareness. She is a capable defender on the breakout and is relatively responsible positionally, while providing play support for her teammates. In the O-zone she proves to be a capable presence patrolling the blueline. She displays a quality compete level, especially on special teams often being the sole reason the puck gets cleared in some instances. In transitional play she displays ok gap control, while maintaining position. We look forward to improvements in her risk assessment. Fylling takes the space given to her. She doesn’t force plays but will turn instead to open up her options again. If she is given a lane to skate she will, using her body to protect the puck. Grade: B-
Marin Nelson #4 (Team North Dakota U14, F) : Nelson plays a game of a relentless modern two way forward. She is the first one of her teammates on the forecheck, and is a constant burden for opposition players. What makes her so effective in transition is her ability to maintain an active stick and acceleration/edgework. In the defensive zone she displays good instincts, and knows when to pressure opponents, often forcing them into possible mistakes, and further defensive pressure. In transition she employs about average skating mechanics/posture, but has a decent stride that serves her game well. At both ends of the ice Nelson is a play disruptor. In the offensive zone she is not scared to crash nets and create slightly unpredictable routes to do that. Nelson is an impact player for her team. Grade: B-
Elliana Mattson #7 (Team North Dakota U14, F) : Mattson plays an all around solid game. She has increased reach which helps further her game. She also proves to be capable on the forecheck with adequate stick positioning getting it into lanes and disrupting opposing option identifications. At the base level she shows above average skating, stride, power, and edgework. She shows elements of senses as she employs a decent risk assessment, but doesn’t always act on it. We look forward to further improvements in her senses as she can be seen puck watching. Mattson uses her first three strides and jumps on the puck right on the faceoff. She is a great skater and beats opponents to be first on pucks, giving herself good scoring opportunities and gaining puck possession. She is constantly around the net, whether it’s driving on the rush or standing in front, she is hungry for rebounds. Grade: B-
Makenna Kiland #6 (Team North Dakota U14, D) : Kiland is shown to be a capable defender. Her game excels with her ability to slow the pace of play down and foster teammate support in the meantime. Confidently can skate with the puck and skates fast with it, but then throws it away under pressure. Grade: B-
Sophia Rerick #15 (Team North Dakota U14, F) : Rerick plays a solid all around game. She has increased reach which can be an asset in both board battles, and on the forecheck. She is a relatively active forechecker, and can exert defensive pressure. The forward also shows elements of physicality and grit in her game that helps push plays and pressure. If she takes a more active role in the play, she could be an asset at the next level. Grade: B-
Jocelyn Field #2 (Crookston, F, 2028) : Field plays a tenacious game, which starts at the faceoff dot, with a quickdraw, on wins generating puck possession, and on losses she’s quick to the backcheck. Her skating has a relatively quick stride compensating for a lack of reach because of her frame. She can maintain the pace of play decently, with possession, where bursts of acceleration and speed create quick zone entries in transition. Her puck handling is about average. Her game shows some aspects of creativity, and she certainly displays an above average compete level, and remains in the game consistently despite getting outmuscled quite often. We look forward to improvements in her senses especially around risk assessment, and play anticipation. Grade: B-
Paige Rohrich #5 (Team North Dakota U14, D) : Rohrich shows elements of being a puck moving defender. With that being said she shows active in-zone positioning but can overcommit. One of the fundamental elements to her game is her physicality and aggressiveness often being a punishing presence in the net front in the D zone. In transition she proves to be a competent puck mover entering the zone regularly. In offensive zone play she is often not scared to pinch and push the pace of play. We look forward to improvements in her senses, particularly off the rush and defensive instincts, while further puck skills will allow her game to translate to the next level. Grade: B-
Emma Hassler #8 (Team North Dakota U14, D) : Hassler proved to be a capable defender. In transition she shows ok skating, and backwards crossovers, which leads to gap control. She also shows an awareness for her stick positioning in transition. She does have to be more careful in-zone positioning, and defensively responsible as she can inherently open up lanes and space for the opposing team. Grade: C+