Langway
In den Wolken
- Jul 7, 2006
- 32,365
- 9,077
Tommy Cross--a guy somewhat out of left field that's ranked the 10th best North American skater for '07 by CSS. He's headed to BC in '08.
Here's a short recent bio:
McKeen's had this to say about him at the U-18s:
Here's a short recent bio:
Tommy Cross, Defense, Westminster High School (Connecticut)
Born: September 12, 1989, Hartford, Connecticut
6'3", 195 lbs.
Ranked 10th among North American skaters at mid-season... is in his first year with Westminster High School of the CIAC... had 15 goals, 35 assists for 50 points in 22 games played in 2005-06 with Simsbury High... was named Connecticut's Hockey Player of the Year in 2005-06... was a member of the 2006 U.S. Under-18 Junior World Cup Team... also plays baseball and was an All-Conference Baseball Selection in 2006... describes himself as "a play-making defenseman, who takes care of his own end first and then looks to be involved in the offense"... his favorite player is Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom and picks him as the person that his offensive game is patterned after.
McKeen's had this to say about him at the U-18s:
What are your takes on this guy? Could he potentially go in the first round?Tournament wrap-up: second-most productive USA defenseman (2 points) .. tied with Jonathon Blum for the best passer among USA defensemen (2 assists) .. the USA captain .. turned heads with his good two-way showing in the exhibition game against Slovakia .. patient with the puck and dangerous on powerplays .. played a gritty game in his own end .. kept the opponents in front of him .. never repeated this showing but still ranked among the best USA defensemen also in the tournament games .. revealed a lack of offensive imagination on powerplay units when asked to create quickly under pressure .. pulled off solid showings in the games against Finland and Czech Republic but was overshadowed by Jonathon Blum .. left a bigger gap between himself and the Canadian opponents in the gold-medal game to avoid getting out skated, which hurt his offensive support but helped him to not to fall behind the plays on turnovers .. established himself as a solid prospect after an above-average tournament showing.
Scouting: an okay skater .. still could use further polishing of his stride .. shows a solid balance .. okay lateral movement but is not fully coordinated when making quick turns .. decent top-end speed could be improved .. okay backwards speed .. leaves a bigger gap between himself and the opposing players to compensate for his not top-notch skating does not join the rush on every shift but shows a regular offensive flair .. an okay stickhandler .. possesses solid defensive stickhandling .. okay puck-distributor who prefers the smart safe plays but does not really stand out with his creativity .. solid patience and a low panic point with the puck .. takes a chance on long outlet passes when the obvious passing lane is present .. possesses the hand-eye coordination to maneuver himself out of tight spaces without losing the puck .. reads the developing plays quickly and reacts properly to the situation without glaring mistakes .. only an adequate powerplay quarterback .. works hard down low and shows okay reliability .. shows solid effectiveness when he keeps things simple .. plays an above-average play positionally .. takes his man out of the play .. plays a safe game in one-on-one situations .. solid intensity and determination .. an above-average physical presence .. mucks in the corners .. a solid crease-clearer .. can avoid big hits with his smarts .. unleashes a hard slap shot but could improve on accuracy .. quick accurate snap shot is his most dangerous one .. can be used as a powerplay pointman well .. solid leadership skills and competitiveness .. a right-shooting defenseman.
