Defenseman Willie Raskob and his Shattuck St. Mary’s Sabres used three overtime wins to capture the Bauer National Invitational Tournament this past weekend in New Hope, Minnesota.
Though backstopped by Marty Brodeur's son, Anthony Brodeur, this Shattuck squad lacks the top-end talent of past year's, although there are a few players that deserve attention and could warrant a late-round pick next June.
Hypothetically speaking, this draft class for Shattuck could have included the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Taylor Cammarata, and Connor Hurley had they stayed at the prep school.
Shattuck does have younger players loaded with skill, such as Nathan Noel and Ryan Norman, however they are not eligible until the 2015 NHL Draft.
Here’s a look at Shattuck’s noteworthy prospects that could be selected in 2013:
---------
Willie Raskob (D, 2013) - Raskob was the best player for Shattuck all weekend long as he logged a ton of ice time and was their special teams go-to player .. demonstrated a great ability to track opposing forwards and keep them to the outside .. the Hastings, Minnesota native displayed good offensive instincts, his talent accumulating from a mixture of hockey smarts and pure skill .. possesses tremendous foot speed when rushing the puck, weaving in and out of traffic with relative ease .. totalled a goal and four assists in three games during the tournament, highlighting his distribution skills by consistently making tape-to-tape passes .. also boasts a good shot even if it is a bit inconsistent .. seemingly had a tough time with accuracy when attempting to shoot harder or release with alternative looks .. uses quick maneuvers to get out of harm’s way and transitions the puck up ice efficiently by skating or passing .. at 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Raskob does not have the prototypical hockey body, however his overall talent could make him a viable selection in the 2013 NHL Draft.
Anthony Brodeur (G, 2013) - Naturally, expectations will be high when you’re the son of, arguably, the greatest goalie in NHL history .. although the younger Brodeur is blessed with the hockey bloodlines, the same cannot be said about his stature .. at 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, he doesn't have the luxury of making the cheap save simply due to size, and therefore must earn each and every save .. stopped 47 shots in the championship game, a 5-4 win over Minnesota Red, even though he saw few quality scoring chances and allowed a weak goal that fluttered through his five-hole .. did show mental toughness by being able to bounce back from the bad goal and stay focused .. possesses great lateral movement - goes post-to-post very quickly .. a butterfly-style goalie with extremely quick legs and fast recovery on low shots .. the book on Brodeur is to shoot high, as his small build and butterfly style can leave the upper corners open for the picking .. however, he does an adequate job coming out of his net and challenging the shooter, but could bargain to come out even further in order to better cut the angles .. demonstrated poor control at times and a tendency to over-commit on lateral movements .. did display solid rebound control, an area he has continued to develop .. his skills while playing the puck are good, albeit not extraordinary like his father .. should draw interest to play Division One hockey, however is likely a long shot to get drafted by the NHL at this point.
Max Becker (RW, 2013) - Played the pest role effectively all weekend as he frustrated opposing defenders with his persistence around the net and willingness to not back down from confrontation .. Becker tends to get his share of garbage goals thanks to his feisty play and good strength .. possesses good hands in traffic - able to corral the puck in the slot and release a shot quickly .. contributed a goal and three assists in the tournament demonstrating good puck control and nice patience, allowing extra time for teammates to find an opening .. deceptively fast - propelled by a short, compact stride that he uses to beat defenders to the outside .. boasts an unquestionable work ethic as he plays a complete 200-foot game, even showing extra aggressiveness on the defensive end .. despite having high-end skills, his size - 5-foot-9, 170 pounds - could become a deterrent come draft day.
Matt McArdle (D, 2013) - The Annapolis, Maryland native played reliable defense throughout the tournament, and was an instrumental part in Shattuck’s success .. did a good job seizing the attack of oncoming forwards by impeding their progress with an active stick while exploiting his 6-foot-1 frame to rub them out of the play .. helps his goaltender see outside shots by clearing opposing forwards from in front of the net .. all his movements are fluid and smooth, making his transitions seamless .. classified as a stay-at-home defenseman, as he rarely joins the rush up ice and keeps the game simple by gaining zones .. must continue to refine his puckhandling skills as he requires too much time to make a decision and execute while under pressure .. his suitors may be limited due to being a one-dimensional player competing at a lower level of play.
Tyler Vesel (C, 2013) - After not being selected last June, Vesel is an overager taking advantage of the added reasonability and extra ice time this season as he leads Shattuck in scoring with 25 points in 18 games .. performed very well in the National Invitational Tournament, and was a constant threat in the offensive zone .. displays very sharp hockey savvy as he is seemingly always in the right place at the right time .. packs a very accurate shot that he can bury from the top of the slot area .. puts himself in scoring opportunities and gains position on opposing defenders by exploiting great anticipation of the play .. his skating is only average even though he does possesses a good first step .. overall, his skating technique could use some refinement but is not a major weakness .. while passed over by all 30 teams last year, Vesel’s scoring ability is becoming hard to ignore and could warrant a late-round NHL pick.