been over 3 months since the last post....for the big US hockey gurus on here, has there been much change in projections since jan? looks like watson and forbort have really jumped in hype since january.
it was very hard not to add Watson or Forbort to my roster a few months back...both kids belonged then as they do now. In all honesty, not too much has changed in this small amount of time, but I will throw a few names out there that should challenge for some spots.
Connor Brickley is a kid out of the USHL that seems to be getting in very good with USA Hockey. They brought him along for the U18 tourney as well as some other games The kid is a fire ball on the ice, and has some excellent hands and vision. Likely to be a top 50 pick in June, I would say he has really put his name on the USA map with his current USHL year and U18 performance.
Billy Arnold is another kid that doesn't get a lot of hype, but plays the game similar to Brickley. Big, strong, and not afraid to throw his body around, Arnold is a Dustin Brown type power forward (not overly big, but not afraid of anything). Billy has seen his stock rise since last year, and at this point should be another second round pick for the US. He spent this season with the USNDP, and from what I have seen and heard, has really been a coaches favorite...that goes a long way when it comes to selecting players you know will do whatever is asked of them.
Nick Bjugstad seems to be a kid scouts are either very high on...or still unsure of. But his season was a monster success with winning the prestigous Minnesota Mr. Hockey award this year. Kid has excellent size and skill, and if he can make a strong impression at Minny next year, he could be a kid to keep an eye on big time.
Rocco Grimaldi is the next Theo Fleury (hopefully without all the drama). This kid has really shown a lot to me over the past 6 months, as I can firmly see him making team USA in December right now. His U18 performance has cemented that, and I cant wait to see what he can do next year...please grow some buddy!!
Jared Knight has probably done as much for his status as any other player with his OHL playoff performance. The kid was on a near goal a game pace for London, while hovering close to a 2 point per game pace. He does everything you would like in a player..and looks to finally have his health issues under control. If there is any kid that is going to fight his way onto this team, it will be Jared.
Adam Clendening has been a name that some of us have been talking about for a few years now. He never has been under the radar, but with guys like Merrill, Forbort, Tinordi, and Johns getting much of the press, it is easy to lose sight of Adam. Like Justin Faulk, I think he will have an even bigger coming out party next year, and continue to open up those eyes with his excellent vision, shot and hands. Could be a very high end pick in 2011, could also fight out Leddy and Faulk for a spot on this blueline.
we will know more towards the end of the summer with the eval camp, but at this point there is a lot to like about what the US will be able to bring to the table in Buffalo. It may not have a ton of superstars, but the way it is looking this early on, I cannot recall a deeper pool for USA Hockey to choose from in my life..and that is no dream.