Shattuck-St. Mary’s emerged on top from the Cushing Academy's gathering of the country's top full-season 18-U teams for a three-day round robin over the weekend.
The Cushing Academy Invitational also showcased Mount Saint Charles and Northwood.
The highlight of the weekend was seeing Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a prep school in Faribault, Minn., that has produced the likes of Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and Zach Parise en route to the NHL.
The 2019-20 Sabres are the top-ranked 18-U team in the country, per MyHockeyRankings. The team won all three games over the weekend at the Cushing Academy Invitational.
Kudos to Cushing head coach Steve Jacobs for putting on this event that allowed a number of local NHL scouts to see the draft-eligible talent on Shattuck. Many agents, college coaches, USA Hockey personnel and junior scouts attended.
Results
Friday, Nov. 22, 2019
Shattuck-St. Mary’s 9, Northwood 1
Mount Saint Charles 5, Cushing 3
Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019
Shattuck-St. Mary’s 8, Mount Saint Charles 4
Northwood 4, Cushing 3
Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019
Shattuck-St. Mary’s 5, Cushing 2
Mount Saint Charles 5, Northwood 0
Shattuck-St. Mary’s
J. Kunz - A. Shlaine - W. Wallace
W. Traeger - L. Coon - P. LaJoy
G. Kwapick - M. Fleming - L. Buss
J. Krivtsov - J. Silverman - N. Hong
S. Duerr - M. Quinn
J. Blake - S. Morrow
D. Foglia
C. Stokes
M. Ramirez
Artem Shlaine
3/7/02, C, left shot, 6-1/165
NCAA commit: Boston University
Shlaine had a huge weekend in front of a myriad of NHL scouts. He has extremely good hands and it showed in a major way as he found the score sheet early and often. His first step should get better as he gets more lower-body strength. He got back and was on the right side of the puck a lot, even in a lopsided game.
Scott Morrow
11/1/02, D, right shot, 6-2/196
Morrow was terrific in Friday’s big win over Northwood. He had two goals and two assists. He’s a big, strong, puck-moving defender. His hands and ability to move pucks are elite at this level. He has a hard shot and he’s nimble enough to juke opposing defenders. His straight-line speed has been a concern, but it didn’t affect him here. He’s a big-time player who stood out. As a late ’02, he’ll be on every NHL scout’s radar ahead of the 2021 draft.
Maddox Fleming
2/13/04, C, right shot, 5-11.5/166
Fleming is a double underager in terms of the NHL draft, but he was impressive. He’s a great skater and has the ability to make plays. He banged home a loose puck in front of the goalmouth for a goal on Friday night. He made a really pretty centering feed while rushing the puck down the right wing in the same game. He’s a special player who will almost certainly be on the NTDP come next season.
Samuel Duerr
3/22/02, D, left shot, 6-0/200
Duerr is a big, mobile defenseman who was able to rush the puck up ice and drive the net a few times. He gets off a lot of shots from the point, including one that found the back of the net Friday night.
Jackson Kunz
8/13/02, LW, left shot, 6-3/210
NCAA commit: North Dakota
Kunz is a good player and was able to use his size and strength to his advantage, especially below the dots and with Shlaine on his line. He’s heavy on pucks, has a hard shot and forces turnovers. I want to see him take that next step in his game as I’ve liked him since NTDP Evaluation Camp in 2018.
Will Traeger
4/10/02, LW, left shot, 5-6/153
Traeger has wheels and he used them to blow down the right wing, cut in and score on a breakaway. He can separate from opposing defenders and his quickness stood out throughout the proceedings.
Michael Quinn
3/25/03, D, right shot, 5-9.25/166
Quinn was strong on retrievals and has skill. He has good hands and made plays, but his decision making needs to be more consistent. He threw a few pucks away, but there’s upside in his game.
Dominic Foglia
4/29/02, D, left shot, 6-0.5/187
Foglia is a physical, defensive defenseman. His feet and puck skills are just average and he is best off when he keeps it simple.
Winter Wallace
1/21/02, C, right shot, 6-2.5/201
NCAA commit: Michigan State
Wallace found the score sheet this weekend while playing on a line with Shlaine and Kunz. He has the size and physical tools to be a power forward, but he needs to play harder and more within the circles.
Peter LaJoy
2/27/02, RW, left shot, 5-7/168
LaJoy made a couple of nice plays, including one where he chipped the puck up the right wing wall to spring Traeger on a breakaway.
David Ma
6/22/02, D, left shot, 5-10.5/169
NCAA commit: Princeton
Ma, rated a ‘C’ prospect by NHL Central Scouting, did not play due to a lower-body injury.
Northwood
C. DelliQuadri - W. Donato - J. Schlifke
R. Fust - E. Devereaux - C. Hall
M. Monaco - J. Cielo - F. Trudeau
W. Rosen - P. Doyle - Z. Sedlacek
N. Boak - J. Guevin
L. French - P. Bruna
D. Jolley - M. Leone
J. Tremblay-Kua
K. Flageolle
Will Donato
1/10/03, C, right shot, 6-1/188
Donato scored his team’s lone goal against Shattuck. He’s heavy and hard to knock off pucks. He’s rugged and physical, but his stride could be refined as he works toward a junior and Division I opportunity.
Raymond Fust
10/23/02, LW, left shot, 6-3/183
Fust is a big winger with length and a hard shot. He’s able to protect pucks and maintain possession in the attacking zone. His skating is an area of concern, but he could develop into a more efficient power forward.
Elijah Devereaux
6/24/01, C, left shot, 6-1/175
Devereaux has the speed to make him stand out right away. His skating gets him chances, but he needs to play more between the dots and improve his hockey sense in order to make the most of his ability.
Nate Boak
7/12/02, D, left shot, 5-7/159
Boak has the feet and skill set to keep moving up the ladder, but his vision and hockey sense need improvement.
Jacob Guevin
1/17/03, D, right shot, 5-9.25/169
NCAA commit: Nebraska-Omaha
Guevin is a puck-moving, offensive-minded defender. He didn’t stand out here like he has in some prior viewings, but it’s important to keep in mind that he’s playing up a level.
Luke French
3/20/01, D, right shot, 5-9/170
French didn’t stand out much in the first few viewings of Northwood this fall. However, he caught my eye here for his ability to jump into the rush and he also delivered a nice hipcheck along the wall to cut off a streaking winger.
Mount Saint Charles
R. Hyde - V. Czerneckianair - M. Citara
A. Eberling - R. Gordon - J. Rule
M. Franzoni - J. Barbour - J. Ford
A. Pratt - K. Ste-Marie - N. Patrick
N. Benoit - A. Cook
C. Crusberg-Roseen - J. McCarthy
J. Lemay
E. Pearson
B. Jung
Victor Czerneckianair
2/17/02, C, left shot, 5-10.25/170
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac
Czerneckianair had a pair of goals against Cushing. He scored one on a rebound tally. He uses his quickness, skill and puck pursuit to produce.
Michael Citara
4/22/02, RW, right shot, 5-9.75/163
NCAA commit: Providence
Citara wasn’t a consistent presence, but his skill allows him to find his way onto the score sheet like he did Friday night. He had two goals, including a power-play tally against Cushing. His goal on the man advantage was a thing of beauty as he bolted into the attacking zone on a rush before ripping a wrist shot under the crossbar.
Nate Benoit
11/26/02, D, left shot, 5-11.75/164
Benoit is a solid, two-way defenseman at this level. He can make plays and push the pace in transition while bringing a physical element to the backend.
Ryan Gordon
5/5/02, C, right shot, 5-11.25/156
Gordon keeps growing on me. He forced turnovers, used his speed and played in all situations. He was good on the penalty kill and tough to knock off pucks. He made a couple of nice looks, one low to high and one to the backdoor. He had two assists. In addition, he took a physical beating, but kept getting up and competing.
Cushing Academy
J. Banks - M. Bogdanovich - C. Lund
M. Dorrington - B. Norcross - C. Wood
N. Rheaume - C. Zezima - C. Bogdanovich
S. Cummings - (no fourth-line center) - J. Faller
L. Gustafsson - N. Hayes
J. Dorrington - C. Sealey
C. McFadden - T. Kippenberger
S. McElhaney - R. Seery
R. Kauffman
J. Irving
C. Ronan
P. Aalto
Jacob Banks
3/27/01, C, left shot, 5-10/185
Banks had a hat trick in Friday night’s loss to Mount Saint Charles, but as usual, it wasn’t just what he did to find his way onto the score sheet that drew notice. He hunts and is heavy on pucks. He scored by competing hard and going to the greasy areas. His offensive instincts and skill need work, but he’ll be a heck of a bottom-six forward at the Atlantic Hockey level or in Division III.
Cameron Lund
6/7/04, RW, right shot, 6-1/165
Lund is an ’04 playing on the first line. He has the speed and vision to make plays. He had two assists in Friday night’s game. He’ll try to play physically at times, but to get the most out of his offensive abilities, Lund will need to be more assertive and play more between the dots. Regardless, he looks to be a Division I prospect in four or five years.
Lukas Gustafsson
12/16/02, D, left shot, 5-10.25/167
NCAA commit: Boston College
Gustafsson has really good feet and skill with the puck on his stick. He made a backhand pass down from his position on the point for an assist on Cushing’s second goal Friday. His hockey sense, especially without the puck, could use some work.
Jackson Dorrington
4/13/04, D, left shot, 6-0.75/171
Expectations are high for Dorrington as he’s in his second year of playing prep hockey and is one of the better ’04 defensemen in the region. I didn’t think this was his best viewing, but his poise, skating and stick are all valued assets.
Nolan Hayes
8/14/02, D, right shot, 5-11.5/166
Hayes has good feet to get around opposing players when rushing the puck up ice. His speed allowed him to get back to break up a three-on-zero. Although areas of his game need work, his skating and footwork are good enough to play Division I.
Billy Norcross
3/16/03, C, right shot, 5-11.25/167
NCAA commit: Boston College
Norcross projects as a physical, bottom-six center. He will likely be the second-line center for the Penguins this winter.
Jake Hewitt
5/31/02, RW, right shot, 5-9/170
NCAA commit: Army
Hewitt did not play due to an unspecified injury that is not projected to be long-term.
Owen Paskowski
2/4/04, D, left shot, 6-4/180
NCAA commit: Colorado College
Paskowski did not play due to an illness.
