The top '04s in the country converged on the Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y., from July 15-20, to take part in the USA Hockey Select 15 Player Development Camp.
The '04 age group is a good one with a lot of the high-end talent concentrated in Michigan, Minnesota and Florida.
USA Hockey's Assistant Director of Player Personnel Rod Braceful had already been keeping tabs on this age group, but this was the first time all of the top American talent, sans a couple of omissions, was in one place competing under one roof.
Here's a look at the top defensemen and top goaltenders followed by some players worthy of honorable mention, in alphabetical order:
Top Defensemen
1. Seamus Casey
#4 Purple, Florida Alliance 16U, 1/8/04, Right Shot, 5-8.5/146
NCAA Commit: Michigan
Casey demonstrated why he’s considered one of the top players in the age group throughout the camp. He’s an elite skater who uses his edges well. He has immense skill with the puck on his stick. He can break pucks out and he can quarterback a power play or zip it around the attacking zone with his feet or passing. He has a good shot. Casey has played forward in the past and could move back to that position.
2. Ryan Chesley
#5 Columbia, Shattuck St. Mary’s, 2/27/04, Right Shot, 5-11/170
Chesley is an elite, two-way, puck-moving defender. He makes good plays defending the rush with a good stick and tight gaps. He has the mobility to turn pucks up ice quickly and the second gear to draw penalties or beat opposing players on the rush. He makes good lead passes with a good first touch.
3. Tyler Duke
#7 Gold, Compuware 16U, 7/19/04, Left Shot, 5-6.5/161
NCAA Commit: Notre Dame
Duke is a smart, elite, two-way defenseman. While undersized, he plays with jam and plays the game the right way. He sees the ice well and makes good breakout passes. He makes some high-end plays, including a great feed to a forward for a goal in Friday’s game. He also had a great goal in the shootout in another game.
4. Seamus Powell
#2 White, Rochester Coalition 15, 4/26/04, Left Shot, 5-10.25/138
Powell has added a step and an explosive element in his game when it comes to the jump in his step and ability to move pucks north. He’s an elite skater with a smooth and effortless-looking stride. He has patience and poise with the puck on his stick. He has a good stick defending the rush.
5. Aidan Dubinsky
#5 Red, Florida Alliance 16U, 4/28/04, Right Shot, 5-9.75/160
Dubinsky is a smart, two-way defenseman. He’s steady and makes some difficult plays look simple. He uses the wall to chip pucks, which is a lost art. He retrieves pucks and gets them going up ice quickly. He’s solid and plays with some jam.
6. Hunter Brzustewicz
#2 Navy, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 15, 11/29/04, Right Shot, 5-9.75/169
NCAA Commit: Michigan
Brzustewicz was really good at both ends of the ice. He closed quickly and broke up plays. He has that jump in his step to force plays outside. He has a good shot and elite mobility to jump into the offense. He makes good passes on the breakout.
7. Landon Fleming
#4 Grey, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 15, 2/24/04, Left Shot, 5-10/190
Fleming is a solid, two-way defenseman. He’s a strong puck-mover and he holds his own defensively. He’s smart and has the agility to escape oncoming forecheckers. He also has a good shot.
8. Grant Babcock
#4 Kelly, Compuware 15, 5/17/04, Left Shot, 5-10/162
Babcock is a responsible, steady defender and the more you watch him, the more he shows the ability to jump into the rush. He’s mobile, skates well, and pinched for a goal. He made a couple of big hits in the neutral zone to prevent zone entry. He’s hard to knock off pucks and is generally tough to play against.
9. Patrick Czarnecki
#3 Forest, Honeybaked 15, 12/31/04, Left Shot, 5-8.5/156
NCAA Commit: UMass
Czarnecki has skill and plays with jam. He skates well and is assertive. He’s confident and will pinch to keep pucks in at the attacking blue line.
10. Thomas Budnick
#4 Royal, Honeybaked 15, 2/14/04, Left Shot, 5-11.25/184
Budnick is a defensive defenseman who struggled some in the three-on-three, but was good throughout the rest of the week. He’s solid defensively, closes quickly, and has good length. He’s big and physical and plays with jam. If his skating and puck skills catch up to the rest of his skill set, he could be an even better prospect.
11. Charlie Leddy
#7 Navy, Avon Old Farms, 1/11/04, Right Shot, 6-0.25/173
NCAA Commit: Boston College
Leddy had a good week here. He’s physically mature and athletic. He can jump into the rush and push the pace. He has a good, hard shot from the point and he plays with some jam. He delivered a couple of good hits.
12. Jeremiah Slavin
#3 Navy, Colorado Thunderbirds 16U, 8/12/04, Left Shot, 6-0.5/186
Slavin is a good-sized defender who is strong and steady. He’s rangy, has a good stick, and can break up plays. He has a good stick and makes simple, crisp passes right on the tape. Slavin isn’t flashy, but he makes steady plays.
Defensemen - Honorable Mention
Chris Able
#5 Black, Chicago Mission, 11/4/04, 5-11.75/180
NCAA Commit: Ohio State
Able makes some good plays moving pucks up ice, but his skating was a tad slow here. He sees the ice well and gets shots through from the point.
Matthew Biotti
#2 Royal, EC Wizards 16U, 8/27/04, Right Shot, 6-2.25/170
Biotti has size and potential, but is still very raw.
Vinny Borgesi
#3 Grey, 3/2/04, Valley Forge Minutemen, 3/2/04, Right Shot, 5-6/131
NCAA Commit: Northeastern
Borgesi is a puck-moving defenseman who is typically smart with decision-making. His skating is very good and he has a good gap and can break up plays on the rush. He’s undersized and he tried to do too much here. His lack of size was an issue on retrievals.
Lucas DiChiara
#2 Gold, Shattuck St. Mary’s, 2/18/04, Right Shot, 6-0/188
DiChiara has good size and makes some good plays defensively, especially one-on-one. He has range and length to defend. He makes some solid lead passes and has a hard shot. He’s not flashy, but he’s effective.
Jackson Dorrington
#4 Orange, Cushing Academy, 4/13/04, Left Shot, 6-0.75/171
Dorrington has good size and athleticism. He skates well, has skill and played with more of a physical presence than usual.
Dominick Elliott
#2 Columbia, Fox Motors 15, 1/26/04, Right Shot, 5-9.25/148
Elliott has good mobility, plays with jam, and breaks up plays on the rush with his stick. He got a shot through from the point for a rebound goal.
Jason Gallucci
#6 Columbia, North Jersey Avalanche 16U, 4/22/04, Right Shot, 5-7.5/129
Gallucci showed signs of being an offensive defenseman with mobility and puck skills.
Patrick Geary
#7 Red, Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 2/18/04, Left Shot, 5-10.5/150
Geary has good size and moves pucks up ice. He made a couple of big hits to break up plays in the neutral zone. He can make good breakout passes. Tries to do too much at times. Wish he’d be more engaged and assertive on a more consistent basis.
Kendel Geier
#2 Red, Chicago Young Americans 16U, 2/23/04, Left Shot, 5-7.5/144
Geier is a very good skater who gets pucks going north. On the smaller side, he can jump into the rush and has the ability to walk the blue line. His feet and deception allow him to get shots on net. He also used his feet to stop the rush defensively a couple of times.
Brian Grant
#3 Gold, Deerfield Academy, 3/18/04, Right Shot, 5-11/156
Grant has good mobility and makes some good passes. He has size and can defend as well. There’s upside here.
Will Jones
#3 Red, Shattuck St. Mary’s, 3/9/04, Right Shot, 5-6/149
Jones was quick, had good offensive instincts, and got pucks on net. He made good decisions on when to pinch or join in on the attack. He plays with some jam and broke up some plays.
Anthony Khaimov
#3 Kelly, Long Island Gulls 16U, 6/19/04, Left Shot, 5-11/152
Khaimov has a good stick to break up plays. His length allowed him to defend. He didn’t get involved in the offense too much at camp.
Reed Kluender
#7 Orange, South St. Paul HS, 1/17/04, Left Shot, 5-7.25/179
NCAA Commit: Wisconsin
Kluender plays with jam and made several big hits. He was solid defensively and made a couple of good breakups, including on a few top forwards on opposing teams.
Nathan McBrayer
#3 Columbia, Ohio AAA Bluejackets 16U, 5/11/04, Left Shot, 5-8.5/153
NCAA Commit: Ohio State
McBrayer is an offensive defenseman with a good shot and vision. He’s on the smaller side and doesn’t have elite skating or defensive positioning, but there’s potential as a power play specialist.
Caden Pendo
#6 Purple, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 15, 2/2/04, Right Shot, 5-7/126
Pendo’s compete is very high. He plays with jam and broke up quite a few plays with his stick. He has the ability to jump into the rush, but his skating and puck skills aren’t what will be his bread and butter going forward.
Joseph Peters
#5 White, St. Louis AAA Blues 16U, 3/19/04, Left Shot, 6-1.25/207
Peters is a big defender who is capable of playing with a mean streak and making some plays with the puck on his stick. His skating and ability to make decisions at a high pace are issues that he will need to work on.
Chase Pietila
#7 Purple, Honeybaked 15, 3/3/04, Right Shot, 6-0.25/163
Pietila is a good sized defender with a good stick and an ability to jump into the rush. His skating will need to continue to get better, but there is upside.
Eric Pohlkamp
#6 Royal, Brainerd HS, 3/23/04, Right Shot, 5-8.5/194
Pohlkamp was a strong, physical defender with a mean streak. He made several big hits over the course of the week, but his skating and hockey sense need some work.
Patrick Reilly
#5 Navy, North Jersey Avalanche 16U, 9/27/04, Right Shot, 5-9.5/154
Reilly exceeded expectations here. He was very good joining the rush, but he also was steady in his own zone. He can step into the offense and made some great passes to start the breakout. He has a good shot.
Tristan Sarsland
#6 Black, Benilde-St. Margaret, 2/25/04, Right Shot, 5-10.5/174
NCAA Commit: Colorado College
Sarsland is a big physical defenseman who can play with a mean streak. He has a hard shot. His skating is an area that could use work.
Dylan Shane
#7 Royal, Valley Forge Minutemen 16U, 4/19/04, Right Shot, 5-9.75/172
Shane has a good first touch and makes good passes on the breakouts. He gets pucks north and has the agility to sidestep oncoming forecheckers. His straight line speed needs work, but there’s potential as a puck-moving D.
Tucker Shedd
#3 Purple, Compuware 15, 9/8/04, Left Shot, 5-10.75/170
Shedd is a steady, solid defensive defenseman. He’s not prone to jump into the rush, but he made some good, simple plays to move pucks up ice.
Kazimier Sobieski
#7 Black, Shattuck St. Mary’s, 4/12/04, Right Shot, 5-10.25/167
Sobieski has a good stick and skates well. He defends well and has upside with his size and athleticism.
Spencer Sova
#4 Red, Honeybaked 15, 1/10/04, Left Shot, 5-11/163
Sova is a big, strong defender with a hard shot. He has a good stick to close the gap on opposing forwards. His recovery speed was good. His puck skills and hockey sense were only average.
Asher Wites
#4 Black, Shattuck St. Mary’s, 6/1/04, Right Shot, 5-9.5/136
Wites is a mobile defender who skates well. He has a good stick in the defensive zone and stopped the rush a few times. His hockey sense and being heavier on pucks are two areas that need improvement.
Alex Zakrzewski
#5 Purple, Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 3/12/04, Left Shot, 5-5.75/136
Zakrzewski is a mobile, offensive defenseman who can skate well. While undersized, his feet and puck-moving abilities are both assets. His passes were all on the tape of his intended target and he hung in there on one pass to set up a chance, despite knowing a big hit was coming.
Top Goaltenders
1. Ben Behrens
#1 Navy, St. Louis Blues AAA 16U, 5/23/04, Catches Left, 5-11.5/153
Behrens has good size, fundamentals and skates well.
2. Liam Sebek
#30 Gray, Edina AA, 6/27/04, Catches Left, 5-11/174
Sebek has good size and put up good numbers. He did a good job of challenging shooters and appeared to have good fundamentals.
3. Lucas Szyszka
#1 Kelly, Chicago Mission, 4/23/04, Catches Left, 6-0/178
Szyszka is one of the better goaltenders in this age group. He moves well laterally to make some big post-to-post saves. He has a good blocker and also had a huge glove save in one game. He has good size.
4. Brendan Holohan
#1 Gold, Brunswick, 6/15/04, Catches Left, 6-1.5/184
Holohan has good size, skating, composure and fundamentals. He should be in the mix for a 40-man camp invite.
5. Arthur Smith
#1 Purple, Selects Academy 15, 4/30/04, Catches Left, 6-2.5/188
Smith has good size and athleticism. He takes up a lot of the net and does a good job challenging shooters to cut down on angles.
Goaltenders - Honorable Mention
Trent Boryszczuk
#1 White, Little Caesars, 1/8/04, Catches Left, 5-8/144
Boryszczuk was really good in Friday’s game, holding his team in it against Purple. He didn’t get much help from his team, but he’s a goaltender to keep an eye on based on athleticism and quickness.
Jackson Irving
#1 Grey, Cushing, 2/3/04, Catches Left, 5-9/151
Irving is on the smaller side, but he was one of the best goaltenders here. He’s athletic and has good fundamentals. His play in the first half on Thursday stood out.
Jeffrey Kreidler
#30 Forest, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, 2/29/04, Catches Left, 5-9/155
Kreidler made some good saves and looked composed in net, despite not being the biggest goaltender.
Christian Manz
#1 Columbia, Shattuck St. Mary’s, 1/13/04, Catches Left, 5-9.75/180
Manz made a nice save on a two-on-one rush. He’s a little on the smaller side, but he’s athletic and has been a top goaltender in this age group for at least a year.
Tyler Muszelik
#1 Red, New Jersey Rockets, 7/1/04, Catches Left, 6-0/175
Muszelik has good size and was quiet and composed in net. He put up good numbers over the course of the week.
Dylan Silverstein
#30 Gold, Dexter, 2/7/04, Catches Left, 5-11/160
