With a somewhat busy schedule, I was unable to see as many junior/midget as I would have liked this year. That being said, I was still fortunate enough to see a number of draft eligible prospects in the winter and spring. I will post brief reports on the players I saw over the next few days.
John Carlson – D (Indiana Ice, USHL) – Carlson, rated 17th for North American skaters by Central Scouting, is a big defender (6’2, 215) who possesses a heavy shot. Some scouts have knocked his skating ability, but he doesn’t appear to have any serious defects in that area. He gets where he needs to go and positions himself well. I see him as a more offensive type, as he put up good numbers (12-31-43) in Indiana and was able to effectively move the puck on the power play.
Nick Larson – LW – (Waterloo Blackhawks, USHL) – I only saw Larson play a couple times, but was impressed both times. Most recently, he was scoring the overtime winner in Game 1 of the Clark Cup finals versus Omaha. He put up respectable numbers during the regular season (19-19-36) and will likely continue to improve as he has good offensive skills. What I liked most about him was that he won’t quit. He works hard every shift and is tenacious on the puck. He is willing to fight for room on the ice and has a quick release shot that he can use from anywhere. Its my feeling that this will make him a dangerous scorer going forward.
