Cates, Noah
LW � Stillwater Ponies (HS-MN) 6�00.5� 165
RANKING: 68
Noah Cates spent his fall playing in the Minnesota Elite League for Team Northwest, winter for Stillwater High School (MN-HS) before finishing up the season with 11 games with Omaha (USHL). He was equally impressive playing in all leagues. Cates showed great progression in MN high School where he drove much of the offense for his Stillwater Squad. He acclimated himself well in his final 11 games with Omaha, where he registered 2 goals and 5 assists and provided a bit of a boost to a depleted and struggling Omaha team.
Cates is a speedy winger with great explosiveness, who can cut through defenders and will take pucks to the net. If a defender gets a little bit flat footed or out of position, Cates will take advantage. He has fantastic puck skills and hands, most famously displayed last season in scoring the game winning goal in overtime over Hill Murray to send his team to the Minnesota State Tournament. Cates shows good vision on the rush with the puck but could stand to develop a little poise and patience in the offensive zone. While his shot is not at an elite level right now in terms of velocity, it comes off his tape quickly and is accurate. As impressive as his hands and skating ability are, it might be his compete level and work ethic that set him apart from some of the other High School prospects in this draft. Cates was never the biggest player growing up but he learned to compete all over the ice and wins a lot of puck battles with 2nd and 3rd effort because of it. Cates has since grown close to 5 inches in the last two years and once he fills out his frame and learns to use his body and positioning, his combination of size and craftiness will make him even more of a handful for defenders. Cates is a smart player who understands the strengths in his game as well as area�s where he needs to improve. He can be a little too offensively minded at times and has lapses where he doesn�t skate back into the play as hard as he could in hopes for an outlet finding him in the neutral zone.
As skilled as Cates is, he is still raw and projects as a longer-term prospect for any team that drafts him. Cates will be back with Omaha (USHL) full time next season and then off to Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) in 18/19.
Quotable: �Exciting player to watch when he�s entering the offensive zone with the puck,
I get the sense that he has a plan and knows what he�s doing� - HP Scout, Dusten
Braaksma
Quotable: �He impressed me enough in my first viewing that I wanted to see more. I saw
signs of a smart player in my first viewing but wasn�t sure. After a few more games, I
was comfortable with his decision making. There are shifts where he shows how raw he
is and others where I see big upside without a ton of risk.� � HP Scout, Mark Edwards
Quotable: �Who?� - NHL Scout (January 2017 when Mark Edwards asked if he had seen
him)
Quotable: �Who?� - NHL Scout (January 2017 different NHL Scout, same reply)
Quotable: �Very competitive...skill is good. I think he plays the game the right way., a solid
mid-rounder.� - NHL Scout (May 2017)