CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The 2007 Crimson Camp took place Monday and Tuesday at Harvard’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center. As usual, the Harvard coaching staff, particularly assistants James Marcou and Jim Tortorella, did a great job organizing the camp for the quality prospects in attendance.
In addition to competing in two games, each participant took part in on-ice practices and off-ice seminars from USA Hockey’s NTDP staff, including Kevin Reiter, Brent Darnell and Dave Lassonde. In addition to the Harvard coaching staff, including bench boss Ted Donato, and NTDP staff, games were watched by a handful of NHLPA agents, junior scouts and a few other college coaches from around New England.
There were a number of players from north of the border, some well known and some less familiar, who shined at the Crimson Camp.
Below is a look at 24 prospects from outside of New England, from both the U.S. and Canada, who had impressive performances at the two-day event.
Forwards
Will Moore
Toronto Marlies, 3/24/07, left shot
Moore came to the Crimson Camp after putting up huge numbers the previous four days at the Junior Chowder Cup. There might have been a little fatigue, as he didn’t put up monstrous numbers at Harvard’s camp. The Mississauga, Ontario, native is a big-time player and he showed it here in flashes. He’s big, protects pucks, can shoot it hard, and has offensive instincts. A power forward, his skating is a little bit of a work in progress right now after a recent growth spurt. Nonetheless, he’s a dual citizen whose playing services will be coveted by teams on both sides of the border.
Jesse Orlowsky
Long Island Gulls, 3/27/07, right shot
Orlowsky, from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a physically mature, big power forward. He was one of the more productive players here, also coming in after an impressive showing at the Junior Chowder Cup. He goes to the net, uses his big frame, protects pucks, and can dominate below the dots. He had two goals and two assists.
Matheas Stark
Toronto Marlies, 1/14/07, left shot
Stark is a smart, north-south skater who plays the game the right way. He was on the right side of the puck and seemingly knew where to be to find pucks and scoring chances. The Toronto native shoots it hard and could slow down the game and let it come to him.
Grayden Robertson-Palmer
Ottawa Myers, 8/29/07, right shot
From Kanata, Ontario, Robertson-Palmer had a productive day on Monday. He scored two goals and had three assists. His vision and willingness to hunt pucks were noted. One play that showed off those skills resulted in a goal. On the forecheck, he stole the puck from an opposing defender and roofed a backhand. Robertson-Palmer just played a hard, heavy game.
Aidan Lane
Toronto Marlies, 2/4/07, right shot
Lane, another Toronto area player, had success here. He scored a couple of goals and added an assist. Lane was good down low, having an impact on the cycle and in high traffic areas. He ripped a low wrist shot with deception on one of his goals. He drove the net and stopped on pucks, which were also good traits.
Luke Norcross
Los Angeles Junior Kings, 7/10/07, left shot
Norcross had three assists on Monday, displaying his stick skills. He’s slippery and exudes confidence with the puck. From Los Angeles, he sometimes over-handles it, but he made some nifty plays to set up teammates. A pass he made on a two-on-one for a teammate’s goal on Monday was highlight-reel worthy.
Hudson Routh
Team North Dakota, 4/7/07, right shot
Routh, from West Fargo, N.D., scored a goal on Monday. What impressed me most was his motor. He just kept going. He played hard each shift and was relentless in terms of being around the puck. He played hard in all three zones and a couple of backchecks were noteworthy. On Tuesday, he showed some skill, even though it didn’t result in any action on the score sheet.
Braden Walters
St. Louis AAA Blues, 9/21/07, left shot
Walters catches your eye right away, even during warmups. He’s a late birthday who skates well, has a quick twitch, and a good stick to go with it. He sniped for a goal and rang the post one other time.
Owen Knight
Lambton Junior Sting, 8/2/07, right shot
Knight had a goal and an assist and showed off his hockey sense throughout. The Sarnia, Ontario, native knew where to go and made some plays displaying his vision. He did a good job finding soft spots in opposing defenses and his skating was evident.
Mason Minsky
Chicago Reapers, 7/3/07, right shot
Minsky, from Libertyville, Ill., had a couple of goals on Monday. He crashed the net for a rebound goal and showed off a good shot on the other tally. His speed on the rush was also noted.
Drew Keiver
Dartmouth Whalers, 5/7/07, right shot
Keiver had a goal and an assist, scoring on a redirection of a point shot. From Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, he did a good job with less around him than some of the other players here.
Kale Bergante
Chicago Reapers, 10/9/07, right shot
Bergante had three goals. He skated well and got a lot of chances. One of his goals Tuesday was a beauty, sniping with deception right after breaking into the offensive zone. From Naperville, Ill., he definitely looks like a goal scorer.
Zach Greenlund
Washington Little Caps, 3/1/07, right shot
Greenlund, from Ashburn, Va., had a goal and an assist. He has size, reloaded on top, and made some smart hockey plays. He’s tall and lanky with upside.
Defensemen
Donato Bracco
Long Island Gulls, 7/26/07, left shot
Bracco has always been a good player, but Tuesday was the best I’ve ever seen him play. He had a goal Monday, but picked up three assists Tuesday. The Freeport, N.Y., native has good vision, making some nice slip passes and cross-ice passes to the weak side while walking the blue line. He made a couple of stretch passes that set up quality scoring chances.
James Barr
Oakville Blades, 6/1/07, right shot
Barr is an elite skater who caught my eye right away because of that part of his game. He only competed in the Monday game, but his footwork and ability to transition pucks north certainly were noteworthy. From Oakville, Ontario, he’s a player to keep an eye on, if he spurns the OHL for the NCAA route.
Matthew Grimes
Mount Saint Charles, 5/19/07, left shot
Grimes might have had the best overall physical tools of any defenseman at this event. His skating, stick and size are all valuable assets. From Locust Valley, N.Y., he can improve his stock and chances of being in contention for the NTDP by firming up his decisions and reads offensively so more plays end up being continued.
Jonathan Brown
Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 3/9/07, right shot
Brown is a smooth-skating defenseman from Scarsdale, N.Y. He’s poised when walking the blue line and when escaping trouble on breakout attempts. He does a good job in terms of being in the right position to defend well and stop opposition plays.
Carson Steinhoff
Shakopee (Minn.) HS, 7/10/07, left shot
Steinhoff was solid in both ends and displayed some shiftiness, whether it was walking the blue line or escaping oncoming forecheckers. A point-per-game player as a freshman on the varsity team last winter, he has a trajectory pointing him toward playing college hockey someday.
Tyler Russell
Los Angeles Junior Kings, 4/5/07, right shot
Russell, from Redondo Beach, Calif., had a very good two days at the Crimson Camp. He had tight gaps, broke pucks out quickly, got shots through from the point, and found his way onto the score sheet a few times.
Stephen Grumley
Los Angeles Junior Kings, 4/29/07, right shot
Grumley is a puck-moving defenseman who skates well and keeps the game under control. The Manhattan Beach, Calif., native has a good stick and can break pucks out and get the play heading north quickly.
Dom Somma
Mount Saint Charles, 7/16/07, right shot
Somma is a big, strong defenseman who has a good shot from the point. One such shot got tipped home for a goal. His boots need a little work, but he’s got a solid foundation and is certainly worthy of being on the radar of college coaches as the Rye, N.Y., native enters his second season at Mount.
Stephen Bloomer
Windy City Storm, 3/12/07, right shot
Bloomer is a big righty who had a goal and an assist on the first day of the camp. From Chicago, he’s been a longtime member of the Windy City Storm, previously known as the Chicago Young Americans.
Goaltenders
Grady Peterson
Notre Dame Hounds, 8/25/07, catches left
Peterson stood on his head during his half of action in the first game. The Calgary, Alberta, native made a number of saves on quality chances while going up against the team with the most loaded offense. He’s solid technically and didn’t have to make many acrobatic saves. Peterson was in the right position, squared to shooters, and took away second chances by covering up any rebounds.
Brady Knode
Washington Little Caps, 9/18/07, catches left
A late birthday from Ashburn, Va., Knode is on the smaller side, but he skated well, was quiet, and was perhaps the best statistical goalie at the camp.
