Prospect Pulse: The Little Caesars North American Showcase

Note: I will now be doing the Prospect Pulse posts after I see players skate live, rather than garnering information from web sources and other first hand accounts.

Today’s post will feature some brief notes on notable players from the Little Caesars’ AAA Showcase.

1990’s

1. Alex Krushelnyski – Little Caesars Illinois- decent skater who didn’t seem to display much offensive skill. Always involved in the play and was sound defensively. Threw some nice hits. Fierce competitor.
2. Armond deSwardt – Dallas Stars AAA – big kid who uses size effectively. Up and down the wing type of player who plays position well and always goes hard to the net. I liked that he didn’t show any signs of quitting after Shattuck staked out a 3-0 lead in about 4 minutes.
3. Kevin Moderer – Dallas Stars AAA – lanky kid who is just a smart player. Does a lot of little things well.
4. Alexander Fallstrom – Shattuck St. Mary’s – my favorite forward on the Shattuck team. Hard nosed kid who displayed some deft playmaking ability. Smart in his own zone and appears to be able to play an agitator type game if he wants to.
5. Jordy Murray– Shattuck St. Mary’s – good offensive instincts. Saw him on the PP quite a bit (2^nd unit) and he is a slippery type of player that seems to find open spots. Good quick shot.
6. Matt Bruneteau– Shattuck St. Mary’s – Plays with David Carle, but holds his own defensively and doesn’t hurt the team offensively. Distributes the puck well when he gets the chance. A little small but doesn’t shy away from physical play.
7. Scott Winkler– Russell Stover – The best forward I saw play. Makes something happen every time he is on the ice. Punishing checker and can make something out of nothing offensively. Very good individual skills and can get a quick shot off from anywhere.
8. Broderick Browne– Texas Attack – Big left winger that played on the top line. Good offensive skill. Plays well along the boards and in front of the net.
9. Johnnie Searfoss – Texas Attack – I only saw him in one game as I believe he was injured. Not an overly physical player but excellent offensive skills. Another guy who makes something happen when he touches the puck.
10. Jussi Olikinuora– Chadders- I am no goalie expert, but he is a tall kid who covers a lot of net. Always seems to be in position for the shot and rarely gives up rebounds.

Other players of Note:

1. Jon Merrill – Little Caesars – good in his own zone and makes a nice breakout pass. Played on the PP but I didn’t see a lot of offensive spark. Always seems to make the simple play.
2. David Carle– Shattuck – No surprises here. Very good defenseman who controls the play when he is on the ice. I didn’t see any glaring flaws in his game.
3. Travis Belohrad – Colorado Outlaws – one of the few offensive players on the team. Seemed to be able to generate results with some weaker linemates.
4. Edgars Lipsberg– Texas Attack – Lazy player who can turn on all kinds of skill when he touches the puck. Just purely offensive minded.
5. Garrett Clarke– After David Carle, the best defenseman I saw in the tournament. Sublime puck skills and an excellent skater. Rushes the puck at will and quarterbacks the PP with flourish.
6. Jeff Weselake– Winnipeg Thrashers- Smallish defenseman who may skate faster backwards than forwards. Good with the puck and a good open ice hitter despite his size. Heavy shot.