Amherst, N.Y. — The first day of the 2018 USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp is in the books.
Many of the country’s top 2001-born players showcased their skills in front of a myriad of NHL and junior scouts, college coaches, and NHLPA agents.
They're building up to an All-Star Game on Monday morning, from which the roster for the U.S. entry into the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup is selected. That event, held in early August, is one of the premier tournaments for NHL draft-eligible players, in this case the 2019 one in Vancouver.
While many of the usual suspects stood out on Day 1, some uncommitted players came to the forefront Wednesday at the Northtown Center. They're listed below, as well as two most-improved and first-time standout players.
Ahead of the Selects 17s kicking off, we had a full rundown of all players with New England ties who'd perform throughout the week.
Coming tomorrow: a recap of Day 2's events at the Select 17 Player Development Camp.
Five Uncommitted Standouts
John Prokop
#5 Red, Team Wisconsin 16U, 5/13/01, defense, left shot, 6-1.75/161
Prokop has professional potential written all over him. He has the size and while he’s still a little lanky, he’s starting to fill into his frame nicely. He skates well and has strong hockey sense. He fills gaps and finds lanes. His stick skills still are a work in progress, but he shows some flashes of brilliance there. He’s capable of making nice outlet passes. He’s a home run for whichever school is lucky enough to land a commitment.
Cam McDonald
#2 Grey, Kenai River Brown Bears, 2/3/01, defense, left shot, 5-8.5/162
The Eagle River, Alaska, native was a complete unknown heading into this season, having competed at the high school level and U-15 with the Alaska Oilers. Having never seen him play before Wednesday, it’s obvious to see why he had generated buzz. He’s on the smaller side, but he can skate, move pucks north, defend with his feet and a good stick, and he has a little bit of an edge to his game. He has several major programs pursuing a commitment hard.
Brendan Brisson
#16 Red, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 10/22/01, forward, left shot, 5-10.25/172
Brisson is the son of NHL super agent Pat Brisson. The younger Brisson, who grew up playing for the LA Jr. Kings program before heading to Shattuck, has always been a smart player with a little bit of skill. On Wednesday, he appeared to have taken his game to another level. He’s added a step or two to his skating and has developed some explosiveness. He scored two goals, both on absolute snipes.
Camden Thiesing
#11 Forest, Chicago Mission U16, 3/26/01, forward, right shot, 5-11.25/164
Thiesing, who is projected to play for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL this coming season, had a solid first day. He’s a good skater and was able to impact all 200 feet. He made a couple of nice backchecks and sniped a shot for a goal.
Danny Colon
#11 Grey, Phillips Exeter Academy, 2/13/01, forward, right shot, 5-7.25/176
Colon certainly isn’t as high-end as the players mentioned above, but perhaps no one works harder than the former Delbarton star. He scored a goal on a rush into the zone. He forces turnovers and he made a nifty little play in tight to show off his hands.
Most Improved
Austen Swankler
#17 Orange, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, 8/21/01, forward, left shot, 6-0/181
NCAA Commit: Michigan
Swankler has always been a nice player, and often stood out with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U-16s during the 2016-17 season. He’s produced in the past at Select 15s and Select 16s, but now there’s an explosiveness to his game that wasn't present before. He put up over 100 points with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U1-6 this winter. He drove the net hard and played heavy on pucks, and it's easy to see why he's committed to a Big Ten program like Michigan.
John Lundy
#17 Grey, North Jersey Avs U16, 4/27/01, forward, left shot, 5-8.25/162
NCAA Commit: UMass Amherst
Lundy is another great recruiting victory for the Minutemen. His skating and speed continue to come out, plus he has a good snap shot with a quick release to boot.
First-Time Players
Jackson Lacombe
#2 White, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, 1/9/01, defense, left shot, 6-1.25/171
NCAA Commit: Minnesota
Lacombe recently committed to play college hockey for the Golden Gophers, and it didn’t take long to see why Bob Motzko and his staff offered. He defends with his feet and he has a good stick. He has good feet to sidestep oncoming forecheckers on the breakout, plus makes plays from the point. He was really good.
Nate Warner
#12 Columbia, St. Cloud Cathedral HS, 9/3/01, forward, left shot, 6-0/177
NCAA Commit: St. Cloud State
In his USA Hockey Player Development Camp debut, Warner was up to the task. He was tough and all over the puck. He was heavy on pucks and had a hard shot. The puck just seemed to find him whenever he was on the ice.
