PLYMOUTH, Mich. — There was only one game on Friday at the U.S. National Team Development Program's Evaluation Camp. Players competed in three 20-minute periods on Team McAvoy (Blue) and Team Larkin (Red).
In Thursday's story, I completed reports on how each New Englander and prospect who plays in the region fared on the first day of games.
We're going to do things a bit differently in this story.
With two days of games done, I want to give some insight into the entire field. Who performed well on Friday and who is making the strongest cases to be picked when this camp finishes?
It was only one game, but let's dive into some standouts and observations from Friday.
Carter Meyer
Rivers, 4/10/2009, F, left shot, 6-1/170
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.Â
Meyer had another great day. He showed tremendous patience on a 2-on-1 in the first period, waiting out the defenseman until the last second and hitting Shattuck-St. Mary's forward Colin Grubb with a pass for a goal. Late in the second, Meyer and Florida Alliance forward Trevor Daley Jr. struck up quite the connection. Meyer picked off a Team McAvoy breakout pass and immediately fed Daley in front for a goal. On the same shift, Daley had the puck in the slot and passed it to Meyer, who was on his left. Instead of shooting it, Meyer sifted a pass back to Daley for another goal. Meyer also played with a lot more of an edge on Friday.
Trevor Daley Jr.
Florida Alliance, 7/11/2009, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Dallas, TexasÂ
Daley's work with Meyer was impressive, but he also shined on his own. He protected pucks so well, using his body positioning and edgework to fend off defenders and maintain possession. He was crafty around the net and able to get to interior ice. Daley also made smart, small-area passes to linemates. On the forecheck, he took smart routes and showcased a high motor to challenge opposing defensemen. He's the son of former NHL defenseman Trevor Daley.
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Nolan Fitzhenry
Shattuck-St. Mary's, 2/10/2009, F, left shot, 5-9/156
Hometown: Andover, Minn.Â
Fitzhenry has a set of mitts on him. Late in the first period, he dangled a defender, got a breakaway and almost deked out Dallas Stars Elite goalie Mark Djomo, but the netminder got his pad on it before the puck crossed the goal line. He consistently used his skill to get to better ice. A great example of that came early in the third period when he entered the offensive zone along the wall against Shattuck-St. Mary's defenseman Drew Roscoe. Fitzhenry slipped the puck between his legs and used his body to protect the puck from Roscoe, who is 6-foot-5, so he could get a shot off.
Kane Barch
Huron-Perth Lakers, 3/13/2009, F, left shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Plano, TexasÂ
Friday was the first time Barch played, and boy, did he make his presence felt. He was a menace — but in the best way possible. On his first shift, Barch drove the net and tied up a defenseman so that Mount St. Charles forward Braiden Scuderi could get more space for a shot and it worked, as Scuderi scored. That set a tone for the kind of game Barch played. He always had an edge, finishing hits and jostling with defenders in front of the opposing net to get to better ice. At one point, he motioned to Chicago Mission forward Gavin Burcar to drop his gloves mid-play. Barch also showcased great hands and edgework, as well as assertiveness with the puck in the offensive zone and an ability to create. Barch is the son of former NHL forward Krys Barch.
Gunnar Conboy
Lakeville North HS, 4/2/2009, F, left shot, 6-2/174
Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.Â
There is plenty of speed and skill at camp. But Conboy brought a power-forward element that is lacking amongst many players his age. He showcased powerful skating in all three zones. He had a high compete, backchecking hard and using his good stick to break up plays. Below the dots in the offensive zone, he protected pucks well and played gritty enough to where it was difficult for opposing defenders to knock the puck loose. Conboy is the son of former NHL defenseman Tim Conboy.
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Alexander Milojevic
Chicago Mission, 9/5/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.Â
Milojevic set the tone early when he used his speed to beat a defender for a loose puck on a penalty kill. It resulted in him getting a shorthanded breakaway and scoring on a nice, five-hole finish. Milojevic reloaded in the neutral zone well and was able to defend his own blue line against opposing forwards. He also showed a good IQ as the third forward in the offensive zone. He scored in the third period on another breakaway, going five-hole for the goal again.
Easton Johnson
Sioux Falls Power, 7/30/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Luverne, Minn.Â
Johnson had one of the prettiest goals on the day. He used his great skating to shift across the blue line and avoid the one defender on him. He got to the high slot and fired a shot that went straight in. His elusiveness and smooth skating helped him in other instances at the blue line, too. I liked his rush defense as well. A big Saturday will go a long way in helping him separate himself from the other defensemen.
Christian Semetsis
Mount St. Charles, 10/14/2009, D, left shot, 5-9/147
Hometown: Smithtown, N.Y.Â
Semetsis got better as the game went on. He showcased good speed when he zipped back to break up a breakaway. He also used good technique to get the puck without committing a penalty. Just like on Thursday, his puck movements were smart and subtle. He showed a lot of patience when looking for passing lanes. He may not be as flashy as some of the other defensemen at camp, but he's consistently shown himself to be a reliable player who can make an impact at both ends.
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Lucas Johnson
Chicago Reapers, 4/16/2009, G, catches left, 6-0/161
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.Â
Johnson had a strong day in net. He robbed Daley early in the game by going post to post and denying him of a chance. His positioning was strong and his athleticism stood out as he was always able to get himself in position for any shot. Through two days, I'd put him right behind Mount St. Charles goalie Nathaniel Chizik in my goalie rankings.
Takeaways...
- From talking to multiple college assistant coaches and using my own eyes, Meyer is the best player at camp — at least through two days. I don't see that changing.
- Outside of Johnson, none of the puck-moving defensemen have separated themselves through two days in my opinion. That's going to be a big storyline to watch in both of Saturday's games.
- Alright, fine. Do you guys want my rankings through two days? Twist my arm. This isn't a full roster, just what I've liked so far.
- Forwards: Meyer, Daley Jr., Finn Sears, Fitzhenry, Barch, Conboy, Cannon Thibodeau, Braden Horton, Milojevic, Rocco Pelosi, Sam Pandolfo, Brayden WillisÂ
- Defensemen:Â Easton Johnson, Jake Boguniecki, Semetsis, Drew Roscoe
- Goalies:Â Chizik, Lucas Johnson
- As you can see, there's still a lot to be decided in Saturday and Sunday's games.
