Griffin Mason

(F): DOB: 08/27/95. 6’0, 171 lbs. Shoots left.  A big body who moves pretty well and is a raw talent waiting to be molded.  Has size and length with a spacious frame for more strength and physical growth to come.

Skates well for a guy his size although his feet still need some work.  Has a smooth stride with good knee-bend, but should take it a step further and get even deeper in his stride.  This upright skating style gives him an inefficient kick to his stride where his skate blades pop up off the ice. If he gets deeper in his knee-bend his stride will lengthen and it will improve his top-speed.  Does accelerate rapidly but could be stronger on his edges yet.  Did too much circling away from the puck in this viewing and he needs to develop the habit of always stopping, starting, and coming back directly to the puck.

These wide circles away from the puck are the key flaw in his game right now and if he fixes this (it’s easily coached up) it will benefit several aspects of his game.  One aspect in particular is his defensive play.  Griffin works hard to come back defensively, wants to block shots, and he will stick with his man all the way back to the net.  But, the wide circles are taking him out of position and he needs to start taking better, more direct angles to the puck.  Also, because he’s drifting too far away from the play currently his puck support isn’t very good and that’s why he doesn’t have the puck on his stick much.

If he becomes more disciplined in his positioning off the puck it will eliminate the moments where he’s chasing after the puck and behind the play.  He needs to get his head on a swivel, stay in his lanes, and anticipate instead of react to the play.

For the most part uses his size well.  Plays with a high running motor and makes for a good F1 on the fore-check.  He shows strong puck-pursuit and he always finishes his checks.  Will manufacture goals at the next level because he goes hard to the net and will plant himself there.  Has a burgeoning nose for the net and showed he can find the quiet ice near the goal.  Once he fills out his lower-body he will be stronger on his skates and better on the boards too.

Griffin is a big and athletic kid with pretty good feet and a lot of upside.  He would benefit from getting to a higher level of play next year and getting better coaching.  What he has you can’t teach and what he lacks can be taught.  The next two-years of his development will decide whether he is a D1 or D3 prospect.

Patrick Flynn

(F): DOB: 07/30/96. 5’10, 150 lbs. Shoots right. A perimeter skill player with good feet and hands. Is a slight and lanky kid with some projectible size if he can put on some muscle mass.  Right now he lacks the upper body strength to be strong on his stick and he lacks the lower body strength to sustain his balance when hit, so he loses too many puck battles.

He’s a smooth skater with quick feet and a pretty stride.  He moves fluidly in all-directions and shows good acceleration.  He does have skinny legs though so his balance is poor but if he can get stronger in his legs –  he should become a more powerful skater and be able to lengthen his stride in the open-ice a bit.

Has good, soft hands and plenty of puck-skill.  He’s a deceptive player who is tough for opponents to get a hold of when he has the puck on his stick.  He shows good poise and thought process with the puck on his stick and is clever in puck-protection.  Does a nice job of allowing opponents to get on top of him and then twisting and turning to shield the puck away.  Sees the ice well and is a good, patient distributor.  Would like to see him spend more time around the net and show he’s willing to pay the price to score.

You can tell he thinks the game well and knows where the puck is going but he needs to trust his instincts more.  Instead of trusting his anticipatory reads and getting to the puck first, he allows the play to develop, and then reacts,  but by then he’s already behind.

He’s definitely an F3 on the fore-check which is okay sometimes but too often he hangs back and waits for the play to come to him.  He needs to engage more and rev up his motor a bit.  Patrick, like a lot of young players, is trying to impress scouts and coaches and right now those in charge of making personnel decisions have to look too hard for him when he’s out on the ice.

He has the skating ability and puck-skills to play at the next level but he needs to get stronger, compete harder, and become a more dynamic player away from the puck.

Kai Barber

(F): DOB: 03/10/96. 5’9, 170 lbs. Shoots left. A power-forward with imposing strength. Is a real physical force out there and is one of the heaviest-hitting ‘96s in the country.  When he hits guys, it hurts and it takes them out of the play.  Opponent puck-carriers better get their head up when he’s on the ice.

Needs to work on his skating to take the next step in his development. Is a bit heavy-footed and needs to lengthen his stride and get lighter on his feet.  His first few steps lack burst and his short stride prevents him from having a top-gear of speed.  That said he is very strong on his edges and once he gains momentum, he gets around adequately. Just really needs to improve his quickness. Does have good edge control, so he’s tough to knock off balance and he can execute sharp turns.

Will never be a finesse playmaker but he shows great habits offensively.  He makes simple, smart plays with the puck and instinctively gets the puck going north.  Coaches waiting for him at the next level will love that he doesn’t fool around with the puck.  He will even just chip the puck off the boards around defenders and then go get it.  He makes subtle but great plays that add up to individual and team success.

Arguably, the most enticing quality to Kai’s game is his willingness to go to the net.  He’s a big and strong boy who can’t be stopped once he begins his attack to the net.  Does a great job of playing north/south, going to the net, and planting himself there.  He will score a lot of goals at the next level because he’s always buzzing around the net and he shows good hand-eye coordination for pouncing on rebounds and tipping pucks on net.  Would make for a good net front on the powerplay.  He’s tough to defend below the dots because he does such a good job of using his size/strength to gain and maintain positioning down low.

Away from the puck he is most effective when he’s being aggressive and just attacking opponents looking for the big hit.  He back tracks to the puck well and can dish out punishing hits on the wall. Tends to get into trouble when he tries to hang back and contain because he tends to react instead of anticipate.  His defensive positioning wasn’t good here but likely it had a lot to do with the environment of the combine where there aren’t any systems in place and his teammates were all new to him.

Is a type of player every team can use and opponents hate to play against. He’s very effective when using his size to drive the net and being aggressive away from the puck finishing all of his checks.  If he improves his skating,  he will play in the USHL and NCAA, and potentially even professionally.

Ryan Mezera

(F): DOB: 02/20/96. 5’8, 165 lbs. Shoots left. An elusive, crafty, and skilled offensive pivot. Is a smooth skater who is light on his feet with good quickness and agility.  Shows a burst behind his first stride and as he gets stronger in his core he should be able to get deeper in his stride and add a more explosive top-gear.

His hands are quick and soft and he skates well with the puck. Uses arguably too long of a stick which gives him surprising reach and length but it hurts his ability to control the puck in-tight around his body.  Lacks the strength to protect the puck successfully once physically engaged by an opponent. Gets too cute with the puck at times and tries to do too much east-to-west and he would benefit from simplifying his game a bit and spending more time going north/south.  Turns the puck over too much considering how skilled and intelligent he is.

Shows good hockey sense and he supports the puck very well.  Does a great job of anticipating the play and always moving to open space with his stick on the ice.  Shows strong offensive awareness and he’s a lurk in the weeds type who can disappear and then strike in hurry with his quick, hard shot-release.  Shows the instincts of a goal-scorer as he will innately shoot against the grain even in traffic.

Lacks prototypical size but he will engage and isn’t afraid to go into the corners and compete for loose pucks.  The first effort is there and he doesn’t show fear but he needs to stick with it more and give a better second effort to start winning the puck battles.  He has good balance and now just needs to get stronger and show more tenacity in the one-on-one battles.

Was defensively inconsistent here – although it could’ve been the environment of playing in the USHL Combine with new teammates and dozens of scouts in the stands.  For the most part he is a smart and committed defensive hockey player who will back check hard and then get his head on a swivel to pick up his man.  But here there were shifts when he was the last man floating back and then he was the first to leave the defensive zone trying to cherry pick.  He took too long of shifts and did a lot of circling away from the puck in this contest.  He needs to stop and start, and always face the puck.  That’s the type of habit he needs to ingrain himself with to take the next jump and play in the USHL.

Ryan has the offensive skills and hockey sense to be a productive USHL and NCAA player.  Because he knows the game and is so talented,  he’s gotten away with a lot of bad habits in Wisconsin High School Hockey.  He needs to commit himself to getting stronger and adopting the habits required to play at the next level.  If he does that Ryan projects to get power-play time wherever he goes and while he put up 34 assists to only 14 goals in 24 games this year with Homestead High School - he projects to be more of a goal-scorer than play-maker at the next level.

Steven Owre

(F): DOB: 06/21/96. 5’10, 155 lbs. Shoots right. Average sized but has room for upgrades. Plays big and is surprisingly strong – finishes his checks and has a bit of a bite to his game. Owns a high compete level and plays the game with a high degree of hockey sense and vision.

Fluid and balanced skater. Can shake pressure with tight pivots and mobility. Speed will develop with enhanced leg strength.

Smart and knows where to be for the puck. Crafty and can maneuver himself to make plays in traffic. Fore-checks hard in the offensive zone and battles to claim ownership of the puck. Would like to see him take his grit and tenacity to the front of the net more. Possesses a soft touch with the puck and a sharp instinct for the net. Poised and patient. Offensively versatile and can distribute the puck or finish the play.

When he is on his game and defensively engaged – he is disruptive  - extremely effective at rushing the puck carrier and working an active stick. However, he goes through spells where his urgency and consistency away from the puck falter and tend to jump in the backseat.

Offensively versatile and potent forward with grit that needs to become more defensively balanced. Is a USHL capable player and an undoubted NCAA prospect. Eligible for the NHL Entry Draft in 2014.

Joe Wilkinson

(D): DOB: 01/24/96. 6’1, 180 lbs. Shoots right. Stay at home shut-down defenseman with size and a developing presence of toughness. The 2011-2012 season was his first in AAA hockey and he proved to be quite effective and resilient with the Team Illinois U16 squad. Continued to display a high learning curve and strong work ethic throughout the entire season. Mature beyond his years.

Smooth all directions skater with balance and mobility. Possesses a powerful sweeping range of lateral agility and quickness that can be quite smothering. Needs to continue developing his leg strength and put some thrust in his first few strides.

Keeps his head up and on a swivel. Great anticipation and readiness and owns an abundance of hockey sense. Strikes quickly and does not give the puck carrier the privilege of time, or space. Works a hearty defensive stick and closes his gaps exceptionally well. Grinds opponents off of the puck in the corners and along the boards. Tough in front of his own net and is willing to pay the price to make a play. Needs to develop better timing when initiating contact and work on keeping the edge he plays with sharp and consistent.

Shows flashes of having a soft touch with the puck and his passes are for the most part crisp and manageable.  At times shows a lack of confidence while under pressure and resorts to forcing the puck with a suspect pass, or chip, instead of regrouping and trying to move it up ice himself. Needs to work on skating the puck up ice more.

Committed to the game. Put on ten pounds at the end of this season to begin getting ready for the  next. Presents a rugged and stoic vibe on the ice and emanates a maturity beyond his years. His resiliency, size, smarts and strength is intriguing. A hidden gem with what is looking like big-time potential, possibly even pro. Still has two more years to develop his craft before becoming NHL Draft Eligible in 2014.

Sioux Falls (Teal) vs Omaha (Orange)

Rosters:

Sioux Falls / Teal:

01, Goaile – Jordan Severo

30, Goalie – Lukas Kania

02, Defense – Chris Martenet

03, Defense – Collin Charyszyn

04, Defense – Matthew Stief

05, Defense – Carson Gatt

06, Defense – Logan Gestro

07, Defense – Zach Balodis

08, Forward – Isaac Ceh

09, Forward – Rowan Savidant

10, Forward – Kevin Charyszyn

11, Forward – Brett Gruber

12, Forward – Mason Appleton

13, Forward – Jake Jaremko

14, Forward – Mike Watson

15, Forward – Mitchell Fossier

16, Forward – Guyot Lapointe

17, Forward – Ryan Burton

18, Forward – Brandon Fushimi

Omaha / Orange:

01, Goalie – Joe Staely

30, Goalie – Nathan Siclovan

02, Defense – Brenden Walch

03, Defense – Michael Facchiano

04, Defense – Nicholas Rolli

05, Defense – Charlie Manley

06, Defense – Shawn Brennan

07, Defense – Theodore Rotenberger

08, Forward – Austin Ricci

09, Forward – Dylan Malmquist

10, Forward – Kyle Pollitt

11, Forward – Christopher Kusch

12, Forward – Dakota Joshua

13, Forward – Keegan Miller

14, Forward – Mitchell Lundholm

15, Forward – Dillon Coats

16, Forward – Michael Merulla

17, Forward – Kevin Fitzgerald

Waterloo (Red) vs Chicago (Black)

Rosters:

Waterloo / Red:

01, Goaile – Eric Schierhorn

30, Goalie – Chris Krotz

02, Defense – Chase Priskie

03, Defense – Will Scherer

04, Defense – Mac McFarland

05, Defense – Tyler Tate

06, Defense – Bobby Wurster

07, Defense – Anthony Wyse

08, Forward – Colin Schuringa

09, Forward – Steven Owre

10, Forward – Thomas Horn

11, Forward – Colton Schmidt

12, Forward – Ryan Mezera

13, Forward – Brady Jones

14, Forward – Luke Lijewski

15, Forward – Charley Graaskamp

16, Forward – Aaron Roschinsky

17, Forward – Austin Kamer

Chicago / Black:

01, Goalie – Nathan Churchill

30, Goalie – Jack Berry

02, Defense – Dominik Rovero

03, Defense – Frank Hora

04, Defense – Damian Chrcek

05, Defense – Ryan Solomon

06, Defense – John Zimmerman

07, Defense – Matt Berkovitz

08, Forward – Nicolas Sanchez

09, Forward – Chase Phelps

10, Forward – Zachary Roberts

11, Forward – Joey Marooney

12, Forward – Dylan Gambrell

13, Forward – Mason Peterson

14, Forward – Morgan Reid

15, Forward – Walker Sommer

16, Forward – Nathan Bryer

17, Forward – Ethan Somoza

Tri-City (Purple) vs Sioux City (Green)

Rosters:

Tri-City / Purple:

01, Goaile – Mac Berglove

30, Goalie – Dominic Prosser

02, Defense – Andrew Holcombe

03, Defense – Jack Walker

04, Defense – Tristan Conrad

05, Defense – Joe Wilkinson

06, Defense – Robby Fosdick

07, Defense – Andrew Blumer

08, Forward – Cullen Munson

09, Forward – Patrick Flynn

10, Forward – Jason Kowalczyk

11, Forward – Benjamin Sharf

12, Forward – Mitch Margitan

13, Forward – Kai Barber

14, Forward – Peter Kessel

15, Forward – Bryan Sienerth

16, Forward – Beau Rossbach

17, Forward – Nick Klishko

Sioux City / Green:

01, Goalie – Jeremy Wik

30, Goalie – Andrew Wagner

02, Defense – Johnny Walker

03, Defense – Anthony Scarsella

04, Defense – Alec Mono

05, Defense – Tristan Rostagno

06, Defense – Riley Hillis

07, Defense – Adam Baughman

08, Forward – Eric Bolden

09, Forward – Andrew Zerban

10, Forward – Luke Galatiuk

11, Forward – Matt Sorisho

12, Forward – Braden Brown

13, Forward – David Giroux

14, Forward – Drew Cleereman

15, Forward – Patrick Grasso

16, Forward – Tyler Berginski

17, Forward – John Yenchak

Chase Priskie

(D): DOB: 03/19/96. 5’10, 165 lbs. Shoots right. One of the more promising ’96 U.S. born two-way rear-guards. Carries himself with a quiet physicality and swagger.

Transitionally smooth skater with balance and mobility. Gets stuck in one gear when activating laterally and needs to develop varying speeds and thrust. Could use more punch with his defensive footwork.

Shows the ability to contain his man down-low at this level but will have to develop more strength to do so at the next one. Would like to see him become more intolerant near his net. Works a nifty, quick and strong defensive stick. Although he connected on a few pristine outlet passes, he is somewhat inconsistent in his own zone when under pressure with the puck – seems to hear footsteps when beneath his blue line and tries to force the play out more times than not. Supported his partner effectively.

Anticipates the game well and does a good job disrupting plays and jumping on loose pucks in the neutral zone – does a fantastic job reclaiming possession and resuscitating the play by simply sending the puck back into the offensive zone. Will join the rush much like a fourth forward. Confident with the puck when offensively charged and protects it well with his wide skating base, size and reach. Good vision from atop the blue line and can read just when to spring into open ice to become the option. Possesses a strong nose for the net and shows glimmers of having soft hands but does not run awry with them. Needs to power up his shot.

Already committed to Quinnipiac University for 2015. Owns an intriguing blend of burgeoning defensive prowess and offensive upside. Not unlikely that he will be playing USHL hockey within the next year.  Still has two years to get stronger and put it all together before becoming eligible for the NHL Draft in 2014.