USHL Phase II Draft: USPHL Tier III Junior and Midget Hockey Prospects

The following rankings are for USPHL players eligible for the 2017 USHL Phase II Draft which takes place Tuesday, May 2. Eligible players are 1997-2000 born and not currently on a protected or affiliate list of a USHL organization.

1. Sam Rhodes, Skipjacks 18U, LW, Shoots Left, 2/19/00, 5-7/150 (Providence) – His overall offensive skill set was the best of any player in any of the USPHL divisions this winter. He has speed and quickness to separate from defenders. He has elite hands, both with stickhandling and finishing. A sixth round OHL pick of Barrie, he can create offense from anywhere.

2. Matt Thomson, Islanders HC Premier, LW, Shoots Left, 11/7/98, 6-1/195 (Northeastern) – He’s committed to the Huskies for 2018-19 and would be a heck of a pickup for a team looking for a finisher in 2017-18. He gets shots off quickly and accurately. He has a good stick and hand-eye-coordination. He doesn’t have blazing speed, but it’s not enough of a detriment to his game.

3. Dylan Pena-Triana, Selects Academy 16U, C, Shoots Left, 5/1/00, 5-10/170 - He is a great pure skater who can finish as well as make plays from the wall. His first step is incredible and he gets to pucks. His hands are good. He made a real nice pass to a linemate for a power play goal after receiving a difficult feed from the point. The Swiss native has played on their national team for several international events already.

4. Michal Stinil, Springfield Jr. Pics Premier, LW, Shoots Left, 3/21/99, 5-10/182 – He’s rated 127^th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. This was his first season on this side of the pond, but he assimilated himself well in the USPHL Premier Division. He sees the ice well and has a very good first step. His acceleration and ability to get to pucks quickly stood out in all viewings.

5. Clark Kerner, Skipjacks 16U, RW, Shoots Right, 6/16/00, 5-9/165 (UMass Lowell) – The Kansas native is a really good skater who has above average speed. His stickhandling and low center of gravity allows him to protect pucks well. He has good vision and distributes the puck well. He’s around the puck a lot. He can maintain the cycle down low. He has an extra gear to get around defenders.

6. Jackson Sterrett, Skipjacks 18U, C, Shoots Left, 6/24/99, 5-10/160 (UMass Lowell) – He’s another player who really fits the mold of a prototypical UML recruit. He’s fast and he gets to pucks. His speed gets him breakaways. He can find seams in opposing defenses. His hockey IQ is an asset.

7. Jack O’Leary, PAL Islanders 16U, C/RW, Shoots Right, 3/28/00, 5-9/150 (Cornell) – In most viewings this season he played on a line with ’01 Danny Weight. O’Leary’s speed and agility opened up space for his linemates. He can get to pucks quickly and he can blow past defenders in transition. He can stop and start quickly. He doesn’t always finish, but he gets chances.

8. Jonathan Young, Islanders 16U, C, Shoots Left, 6/3/00, 6-1/180 (Merrimack) – He had a really good start to the season which earned him interest from several Hockey East schools before committing to Mark Dennehy’s program. He had a growth spurt and really took his game to the next level. He’s big and has an explosive stride and a heavy shot. When he’s at his best, he’s playing a north-south game and heavy on pucks.

9. Cade Groton, Skipjacks 18U, C/LW, Shoots Left, 3/31/98, 5-10/165 – He’s fast and has that second gear. He makes plays down low for not having the best size. The only concern is he was a ’98 in 18U.

10. Lucas Bahn, Skipjacks 18U, D, Shoots Right, 9/11/99, 5-10/155 (UNH) – He’s an undersized, but mobile blue liner with good vision. He skates well and can jump into the offense. Waterloo drafted him previously, but didn’t protect him.

11. Max Kouznetsov, Virtua 16U, F, Shoots Left, 12/6/00, 5-10/170 - He’s gritty, skates hard and competes. He back checks and wins puck battles. He has good vision and can also finish.

12. Brayden Patricia, Jersey Hitmen 16U, F, Shoots Right, 6/5/00, 6-0/187 – He has good size plays a heavy game. He reads plays well and is strong on puck pursuit. He plays physically, but his hands and feet are just slightly above average. He’s a player that could take off and should be intriguing with his size. He’s a Kitchener pick in the OHL.

13. Mickey Burns, Jersey Hitmen 16U, C, Shoots Left, 4/3/00, 5-9/160 (UVM) - He’s quick and makes plays while contributing in all 200 feet. Despite being undersized, he’s not afraid to work down low and along the walls to win battles and come into the slot for offensive chances for himself or his teammates.

14. Patrick Cotton, Junior Bruins 18U, C, Shoots Left, 5/25/99, 6-2/210 - He plays a heavy game, applies forecheck pressure and plays a complete game. He lacks offensive upside going forward, but he’s a 200-foot player who can chip in some.

15. Joseph Baez, Skipjacks 16U, RW, Shoots Right, 1/12/00, 5-8/160 (Alabama-Huntsville) – He’s small, but he’s gritty and gets on pucks. He lacks offensive upside, but he could be a decent penalty killing specialist and a fourth line guy to bring energy.

16. Ryan Lovett, Junior Bruins 18U, RW, Shoots Right, 7/6/99, 6-3/190 – He has good size and moves up and down the right wing with authority. He can create offense and set up scoring chances.

17. Stefan Miklakos, CT Rangers 16U, F, Shoots Left, 1/20/00, 5-9/153 – He’s a slightly above average skater who uses his edges well and has agility in tight spaces. He can control the puck and has it on his stick a lot. He doesn’t always finish as well as he could to be ranked higher.

18. Kyle Haskins, Selects Academy 16U, C, Shoots Left, 2/16/00, 5-11/180 - He’s a possession type forward who centered the top line for some of the season. His hands aren’t the best, but he makes up for it with a solid north-south game. His vision is his best asset. He’s a 2016 14th round pick of Sherbrooke in the QMJHL.

19. Zach Lindenwirth, NJ Rockets 16U, F, Shoots Right, 1/3/00, 5-8/150 – He has just above average speed, but he has nice hands. He makes nifty passes and can tuck shots in corners from in tight.

20. Tyler Coffey, Jersey Hitmen 16U, LW, Shoots Left, 5/19/00, 5-7/155 - He has good hands, a quick stick and a good shot. He’s slippery and isn’t afraid to go into the corners and down low to win battles for pucks. He has a quick release. He still isn’t dynamic enough to be ranked higher in terms of USHL impact.

21. Michael Sacco, PAL Islanders 18U, F, Shoots Left, 11/16/99, 5-9/160 - He has good speed and uses it to get to loose pucks. He has good agility and draws penalties by cutting and forcing defenders to make a play.