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Stage is set?
Last season was largely perceived as a “stage-setting” time for the move to next level game by Nick D'Agostino! Has the year panned out according to the desirable scenario? Did the 1993 year born forward vault himself into nation-scale hockey limelight over 2007-2008? Today Ice Scouting provides some answers to the challenging questions!
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Hohman, Ciocco, Greco!
There are good and bad days in every business. This week has been one of the most productive ever in Ice Scouting living history. A cornucopia of player feedback seems to have opened up and inundated us with information. Some of the better player reviews are getting released on a priority basis. So here we go. Get an inside take on such prospects as Cason Hohman, Julian Ciocco, Anthony Greco, Lenny Caglianone, Rocco Grimaldi, Colin Jacobs, Tyler Rostenkowski, Brent Benson, Kenny Gillespie, Vince Trocheck, Pete McMullen, Mike Conte, Brian Petrilak, Pat Lackey and Jimmy Ferretti!
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Seal of quality?
Scouts are a skeptical bunch. They want to see a sustained display of excellence from player prospects before attaching their own peculiar stamp of quality! This begs the question: did Mike Small erase any doubts about his status as a genuine contender for college hockey last season? Have scouts in the know already affixed a seal of quality to the 1990 year born winger’s (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL) credentials?
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Offensive prowess!
If anything hockey history has taught us it’s that 14-15 year old players that combine nice size with slick skating, top speed and heavy offensive artillery are getting snapped up like hot cakes by top level teams. Did the 1993 year born Tanner Sorenson bear out the truism last season? Did the Shattuck St Marys Bantam Tier I forward’s offensive prowess made a big impression on the industry insiders?
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Murphy, Peterson, Orange, Simonelli, Bournazos!
Over the years MWEHL hockey production line has churned out good many players with Junior, major junior, college and pro upside. Do Cody Murphy, Garrett Peterson, Anthony Orange, Frankie Simonelli and Chris Bournazos figure as next quality products of MWEHL talent-manufacturing machine?
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Any criteria?
Every scout has his own litmus test for good hockey upside. Some talent evaluators are attaching importance to dedication and work ethic along with skill. Other’s put more stock into raw natural talent and ability to play it by ear … Every scout has his own assessment criteria. This begs the question: is the 1990 year British Columbia forward Laine Keyes a type of prospect that can satisfy any demands scouts from next level make?
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McColgan, Irwin, Rostenkowski, Kaib!
Buffalo Saints Midget d-man Joe D'Agostino spent a bulk of last season manning a line-up on U18 teams and taking on opponents two/ three years his senior! Today Ice Scouting sat down with D'Agostino for an extensive chat. Find out why Shane McColgan, Kevin Irwin, Tyler Rostenkowski, Barret Kaib, Cason Hohmann, Daniel Cantecci, Dominc Trento, Riley Bourbonnais, Ryan Strome, Blake Roubous, Cole Bardreau, Riley Bourbaneis, Nick Dagostino, J.T Steglein and Luke Alethouzer produced the most indelible impression on D'Agostino out of all top-end prospects he got to face last season?
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Holding up playing up?
Hockey talent and text book approach to the game do not always go hand in hand. Gifted players usually have some attributes that allow them go beyond the conventional and try some new, impromptu moves and ideas on the ice! Can the 1993 year born Joe D'Agostino indulge in the luxury? Has the Buffalo Saints Midget d-man already asserted himself as a major talent with a knack for playing up and delivering versus players 2-3 years his senior?
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Hero, Richards, Pendenza, Collins!
Player prospects that don’t posses ability to adjust on the ice fold like an umbrella in a windstorm after stepping up in class! Hockey versatility and skill are two agents that make a transition up the hockey food chain smooth. This begs the question: do John Hero, Kyle Richards, Joe Pendenza, Stephen Collins, Devon Shipee, Rudy Sulmonte, Max Barron, Ryan Farman, Nick Jones, and Nick Winebrenner possess skills and intangibles to make a jump to college level game go off without a hitch?
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Randell, Hynes, Mathesson!
Without losers there would be no winners! Player prospects that embark on a hockey career must learn to take losing in stride, cope with it and move on! Take the case of Travis Randell, Brandon Hynes, Ryan Mathesson, Stephen Gillard, Zack O' Brian, Alex Dalley, Andrew Mathesson, Kennith Hickey, Travis Champion, Adam Lawernce, Marcus Freake and Mason Russell. The prospects in question have for the most part been playing a losing game at the scouting market to date in their career! Can they turn the tables next season? Is the potential really there?
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Big splash!
There is nothing more gratifying in real life and athletic sports then a sense of a job well done and reward well earned! Jonathan Oake is the living proof of the fact. Now that the season is over the 1993 year born Central Icepak Bantam AAA forward has every right to relax and admire his handiwork! So what did the 5’8, 150 centre man accomplish?
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Murray, Durward, Dixon, Dickson, Dezan!
Top end exposure and Minnesota/Ontario hockey dovetail perfectly. It’s an accepted fact that players in the “marketable” areas of Canada get a ton of press and publicity if they are good enough! Today Ice Scouting takes a look at some 1992 year born prospects that were making a good name for themselves in Scugog Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada last season! Get an inside scoop on Matt Murray, Cory Durward, Colton Dixon, Zack Dickson and Trevor Dezan!
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Underrated?
Most humans have a deeply ingrained critical vein to their nature. Sometimes we tend to dwell on the negative and ignore the positive a little too much. Have Ontario area scouts fallen victim to the foible while assessing player potential of Josh Watson? Is the 1992 year born Port Perry Major Midgets goalie a much better player prospect than he is given credit for?
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Consistence!
Does Colton Phinney have what it takes to make inroads into WHL, OHL, Junior or college hockey? Hmmm, tough call on this one! At first sight, the 1993 year born goalie does not possess any amazing raw physical tools. He is not overly big standing at 5’4, 130 lbs. Size aside, Phinney has one any eye-popping hockey accomplishment that top caliber scouts would not doubt appreciate!
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Cargill, Houle, Watling, Wright!
Usually when the talk about best 1993 talent in Canada hits the airwaves it primarily makes an emphasis on the Sefton’s, Benson’s, Catenacci’s, Hurley’s and Hopkins’s of this world. Today Ice Scouting shifts the focus a little and levels the spotlight at such prospects as Catlin Cargill, Steph Houle, Pat Watling, Jake Wright, Andre Comtois, Niko Suban, Scott Pawson, Matthew Keetch, Derek Battigin, Brody Silk, Mitchell Byrne, Jordan Deppisch, Alex Bottigoni, Alex Battistelli and Ben Vincent.
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OHL?
Justin Konrad entered last season facing a fifty-fifty chance of getting his hands on the coveted ticket to WHL/OHL establishment! Have the season end results exceeded the youngster’s wildest expectations? Have whole new avenues of OHL opportunity opened up for the 1993 year born, 6’0, 200 lbs Nickel City Sons major Bantam AA forward when all was said and done in 2008?
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Looking for prestige?
Prestige can not be gained right away in athletic sports. Any athlete has to work hard to become well-reputed and respected. This begs the question: has the 1988 year born Kyle Berg already drummed up a solid recognition base for himself in Manitoba scouting circles. Is the youngster already being talked about as a solid candidate for top end game and why?
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Eberle, Deck, Beach, Myers!
In the current age of diversified hockey options and global competition youngish North American athletes have to be prepared to beat some long odds in order to advance far in the game. This begs the question: can Jordan Eberle, Nathan Deck, Kyle Beach, Tyler Myers, Colton Terburt, Zac Dalpe, Joe Colborne, Chris Doyle, Jordy Christian, Brandon Manning, and Zach Davies keep their heads above water or even prosper in the glutted hockey talent market based on the current stage of their skill development?
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Smith, Brooks, Harper, Graham, Court!
May’s draft just recently rumbled to a close but hockey aficionados are already busy mulling over the next one! What players already figure nicely into the next year’s draft equation? What prospects have the upside to be considered in two years time? Do Matthew Smith, Alex Brooks, Christian Harper, Mitch Graham and Richard Court stand a ghost of a chance based on skill criteria alone?
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Ontario gem?
There was a handful of prospects in the 1995 age class in Ontario last season whose stock unexpectedly hit through the roof. Did Jordan Brown belong in the category? Did the 1995 year born d-man find himself a hot commodity both in USA and Canada after stringing together a serious of sterling performances?
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Hagen, Gjurich, Linell, Zay, Macnamara!
A money player is an athlete, especially a team member, which has a knack for doing a stellar job in clutch situations and is possessed of top end skill set. Do Alex Hagen, Tyler Gjurich, Danny Linell, Matt Zay and Brian Macnamara meet the “money” criteria? What did last season vouch for?
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On the quest!
Every journey, even the longest one, begins with the first step. The 1992 year born Liam Mckillop commenced his hockey voyage many years ago and has been on the move ever since. The youngster changed some teams, coaches, teammates etc… Does it look like the quest for perfection is about to wind to a close next season? Has Mckillop finally reached his youth hockey goal of cracking open the doors to Jr. A/NCAA establishment?
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Wilson, Roller, Coon, Black, Lukasz!
Are Jr. B prospects Joey Wilson, Brian Roller, Devin Coon, Dillon Black and Brad Lukasz just the tickets for Jr. A/college teams looking for players that combine blistering speed and booming shot, great positioning and hockey acumen, superb vision and unparalleled ability to bury the puck, etc? Today Ice Scouting takes each player closely under the magnifying glass!
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In the nick of time?
The ticket to next level game slipped through Mason Richardson’s fingers on several of occasions over the last couple of seasons. The winger kept plugging away in hopes of finally securing a big scoop. Did the persistence pay off with interest last season? Did Richardson catch the tail-end of the train heading for Junior hockey? |
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Craig, Thomann, Payne, Duffy!
Steven Craig, Kyle Thomann, Alex Payne, Mike Duffy, Nick Galvin, Kevin Laurich, Chris Yates, Nick Miller, Robby Woods and Jake Miller have not been basking in scouting attention to date in their career! Will the situation on the recruitment front take a turn for the better next season? Ice Scouting sat down with one Colorado based player to get his take on each prospects hockey upside and potential! As they say, draw your own conclusions lady and gentlemen!
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Decisions!
Each player standing on the verge of important career-related decision would be well served to think twice before taking the plunge. In hockey, as in everyday life, haste often leads to waste! This begs the question: has the time to put on his thinking cap arrived for the 1991 year born Matt Sertic? Does the right winger (Mission Colorado Kodiaks) need to give his career progress some serious thought before next season?
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Hopkins, Rattie, Topping, Bell!
One interviewee with a great read on Alberta hockey scene supplied Ice Scouting with top quality analysis on the best players he got to see in AMBHL and around last season. Get an exhaustive take on Ryan Nugent, Ty Rattie, Mitch Topping, Myles Bell, Nils Moser, Jason Swyripa, Brenden Hurley, Tanner Muth, Colin Smith, Phil Tot, Luke Sutter, Rhys Kingston, Shane Pilling, Tyler Hansen and Brandyn Hulit!
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Who was right?
There were two schools of thought about the 1993 year born Max Moline early in the season. We heard two sources express widely divergent views on the youngsters upside. One source identified the 6’3, 175 lbs forward as a player that was “going places”. Another held that Moline was more of a work in progress type with some big question marks to erase! Which school of thought proved to be on the target when all was said and done last season?
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Ennis, White, Alzner!
Natural selection is a process by which only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive while those less adapted tend to be eliminated! Every year in youth hockey sees the better, the more versatile and talented prospects supplant their lesser peers on scouting charts! This begs the question: do Tyler Ennis, Ryan White, Karl Alzner, Ryan McDonald, Matt Robertson and Ryan White carry the skills needed to adjust themselves to the ever changing competitive environment of high level game?
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Youth hockey is a theater of the unexpected. You don’t have to go far to prove the notion true, just take a look at this May’s WHL bantam draft! Many draft prognosticators are still scratching their heads in bafflement trying to digest some of the picks. This begs the question: does Nathan Granitto figure to become the next big surprise in 2009? Can the Mississauga Senators AAA centre man, that has so far escaped notice of elite WHL/OHL scouts, make a name for himself next season?
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Davies, Kingston, Pilling, Weersink, Owsley!
Today Ice Scouting takes a look at some of the better 1993 year born player prospects from the province of Alberta. Find out why WHL draft 7th rounder Rhys Kingston is an elite player! Get to know why Shane Pilling is one of the better underrated d-men from the province of Alberta! As well as get an inside scoop on such lesser known prospects as Kyle Davies, Adam Weersink and Mitch Owsley!
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Turning-point summer?
Players that harbor major hockey ambition yet fail to realize it are not rare in the game of youth hockey! Is the 1993 year born Racey Big Snake a graphic representation of the trend? For years the Alberta prospect has been entertaining thoughts of making a foray into WHL system! So far, no good! Is the youngster heading up a blind alley? Is he braced to break the scouting deadlock as early as this summer?
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Late bloomer?
Conventional scouting appraisal does not apply 100 percent for late bloomer type prospects. Late developers must be measured with a different ruler. More in terms of their potential for big things rather than current upside and skill level! Is the 1993 year born Jesse Benvenuto your typical late bloomer type prospect? Does the North Jersey Avalanche/ Rockets Jr. B product posses a big but yet untapped potential?
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Man on a mission!
Taking his foot off the gas pedal is not something Victor Zanders can afford to do at the current stage of his development! The 1995 year born Swedish based winger has a packed docket! He has yet to win over exacting European and North American recruiters, crack the line up of a solid team at the next level and establish himself as a go to player for Huddinge Red Jets (Stockholm League)! Will Zanders rise to the challenge this summer and next fall?
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Terenzio, Greiner, Elser, Greco, Traber!
Playing for a great team is both hard and easy. Hard due to high expectations top teams have to meat. Easy thanks to top end coaching and great teammates. This begs the question: did Anthony Terenzio, Ben Greiner, Danny Elser, Anthony Greco and Peter Traber establish themselves as poster boys for great team success last season?
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Sit, Walker, Ford!
Today Ice Scouting secured a home-run scoop on player prospects Michael Sit, Nathan Walker, Andrew Ford, Cason Homann, Vince Torochek, Emerson Etem, Davey Toews and David Carle! Get the answers to the following questions, what player from the bunch is: The best underrated 1993 year born player in MN? Best 1992 goalie in MN? Top 10 1993 player in the nation? Fastest skater in 1992 North America talent pool? Has one of the greatest acumens in all of youth hockey? And many others!
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