Tag Archives: Collin Olson

Down By The Ohio…

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Fargo Force director of player personnel Jesse Davis said today forward Dave Gust has committed to Ohio State.

Gust, 18, was a mid-season call up for the Force and turned out to be one of the reasons why they finished fourth in the Western Conference. Gust in 43 games, scored 30 points ranking fifth on the team in scoring.

He combined with forwards Gabe Guertler (Minnesota) and Alex Iafallo (Minnesota-Duluth) to become a potent line for the Force during the regular season combining for 20 percent or 90 of the team’s 455 points.

But it was in the playoffs where the group really made its mark accounting for 40 percent of the Force’s points.

The line, known as “The High School Musical”, led the Force in points during the entire postseason. They combined for 12 points with Gust getting three of them off two goals and an assist.

Gust had said during the team’s first-round playoff series he’d be committing to a school before the end of the summer. He apparently didn’t waste any time by choosing Ohio State.

Committing to Ohio State gives the school a class that has depth but has also enjoyed success in midget, prep and junior hockey. Ohio State now has 13 commits and seven, including Gust, are forwards, according to Chris Heisenberg.

Those forwards include Zach Stepan, who scored scored 65 points playing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s (MN-HS) among others. Stepan told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale on Wednesday he would play next season with the Waterloo Black Hawks. Stepan is the cousin of New York Rangers forward Derek Stepan.

Ohio State’s recruiting class also consists of Green Bay forwards Matthew Weis and Nick Schilkey plus NTDP goaltender Collin Olson. The Force said in a release, Gust would go to Ohio State in 2014.

What Ohio State will be getting in Gust is a 5-9, 170-pound forward who used a combination of speed, scoring and playmaking prowess to establish himself during a game.

It was those qualities which prompted the Force’s coaching staff to call up Gust on a permanent basis. Gust, who started the season on the team’s affiliates list, had been playing midget hockey back in his native Chicago.

Teaming up with Guertler and Iafallo gave the line more speed and three players who were able to work well with each other, on or away from the puck. Some of Gust’s performances drew comparison to Force forward Austin Farley (Minnesota-Duluth), who before a foot injury was on pace to shatter several franchise scoring records.

Having all three return for next season gives the Force, what will likely be the team’s No. 1 line. With all three having college commitments and a year of experience, there’s a strong possibility the line could buoy the Force which have up to 16 players returning for next season.

Of the 16 players returning, Gust becomes the fourth with a college commitment joining his linemates and defenseman Justin Wade (Notre Dame).

The Turn…

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NHL Central Scouting released its mid-term rankings on Wednesday morning and there are a few surprises on the list.

NTDP defenseman Jacob Trouba (Michigan) is the highest-rated blueliner in the USHL on the list while Dubuque forward Zemgus Girgensons (Vermont) is the highest-rated forward. None of this comes as a surprise.

Indiana’s Jon Gillies (Northeastern) is having the best season of any draft-eligible goaltender in the league and he’s rated as the fourth-best goalie among all North American skaters.

Below is a list of the Top 25 USHL players and where they were ranked:

Skaters:

-Jacob Trouba, NTDP (Michigan), defenseman: No. 9 overall

-Zemgus Girgensons, Dubuque (Vermont), forward: No. 12 overall

-Stefan Matteau, NTDP, forward: No. 13 overall

-Brady Skjei, NTDP (Minnesota), defenseman: No. 18 overall

-Nic Kerdiles, NTDP (Wisconsin), forward: No. 27 overall.

-Michael Matheson, Dubuque (Boston College), defenseman: No. 29 overall

-Patrick Sieloff, NTDP (Miami (Ohio)), forward, No. 34 overall

-Jordan Schmaltz, Green Bay (North Dakota), defenseman: No. 35 overall

-Matt DeBlouw, Muskegon (Michigan State), forward: No. 37 overall

-Robbie Baillargeon, Indiana (Boston University), forward: No. 43 overall

-Brian Cooper, Fargo (Nebraska-Omaha), defenseman: No. 51 overall

-Thomas Di Pauli, NTDP (Notre Dame), forward: No. 72 overall

-Zach Aston-Reese, Lincoln (Northeastern), forward: No. 76 overall

-Dakota Mermis, Green Bay (Denver), defenseman: No. 77 overall

-Alex Kile, Green Bay (Michigan), forward: No. 82 overall

-AJ Michaelson, Waterloo (Minnesota), forward: No. 83 overall

-Austyn Young, Sioux Falls (Minnesota-Duluth), forward: No. 100 overall

-Gavin Stoick, NTDP (Cornell), defenseman: No. 101 overall

-Cameron Darcy, NTDP (Northeastern), forward: No. 103 overall

-Kevin Roy, Lincoln (Brown), forward: No. 106 overall

-Quentin Shore, NTDP (Denver), forward: No. 109 overall

-Frank Vatrano, NTDP (Boston College), forward: No. 118 overall

-Matthew Lane, NTDP (Boston University), forward: No. 133 overall

-Nikolas Olsson, NTDP (Northeastern), forward: No. 136 overall

-Vince Hinostroza, Waterloo (Notre Dame), forward: No. 137 overall

 

Goalies:

-Jon Gillies, Indiana (Northeastern): No. 4 overall

-Collin Olson, NTDP (Ohio State): No. 9 overall

-Alex Lyon, Omaha (Yale): No. No. 19 overall

-Stephon Williams, Sioux Falls (Minnesota State-Mankato): No. 23 overall

-Matt Morris, Dubuque (Maine): No. 28 overall

Yankee Doodle Dandy…

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Today’s preview is actually different than most and that’s because the focus is on USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

USA Hockey’s program or The NTDP, for short, basically houses, trains and cultivates what is said to be this nation’s top talent. It has two teams – a U-17 and a U-18 – that both play in the USHL and if the program makes the playoffs, it is the U-17 team that will compete in the postseason.

They also play in international competitions as well. Bear with me but here’s what makes this preview different. The players from last year’s U-18 team are either in college or playing juniors somewhere else because they have aged out. The players from last season’s U-17 team just moved up to the U-18 team while new players were brought into the program to comprise this year’s U-17 team.

Although different than the rest - Cedar Rapids, Chicago, Dubuque, Green Bay, Indiana and Muskegon – here is a preview for the NTDP for the upcoming season.

Team USA (2010-11: 30-25-5; lost in the first round of the playoffs)

Coach: Danton Cole (U-18) and Don Granato (U-17)

Who’s New (U-18): Seth Jones, defenseman; Jacob Trouba, defenseman; Miles Koules (North Dakota), forward; Brady Skjei (Minnesota), defenseman; Nick Kerdiles (Wisconsin), forward; Stefan Matteau (North Dakota), forward; Quentin Shore (Denver), forward; Riley Barber (played last season at Dubuque/committed to Miami (Ohio)); Collin Olson (Ohio State), goaltender; Jared Rutledge, goaltender.

Who’s New (U-17): Gage Ausmus (Denver), defenseman; Keaton Thompson (North Dakota), defenseman; J.T. Compher (Michigan), forward; Trevor Hamilton (Miami (Ohio)), defenseman; Mike McCarron (Michigan State), forward; Will Butcher (Denver), defenseman; Hudson Fasching, forward.

What’s Going On: The NTDP got a bit of a shake up over the summer when coach Ron Rolston left the program to become the head coach of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affliate of the Buffalo Sabres. That resulted in the program hiring Don Granato to replace him. Here’s how it all works, per Chris Peters over at the United States of Hockey blog.

Cole will coach players with even-numbered birth years (i.e. 1994, 1996) while Granato has the players with the odd-numbered birth years (i.e. 1995, 1997) so that way both stay with their group and coach at the U-17 and U-18 level.

Another significant change to the NTDP this season was goaltending coach Joe Exter leaving to take the same position at Ohio State. Exter was responsible for developing talent like former first-rounder Jack Campbell (Dallas Stars) and John Gibson, who was drafted last season by the Anaheim Ducks. The program went with former New Hampshire star Mike Ayers, who will look to foster the next crop of high-end American goaltenders.

As for the talent, well, they’re obviously pretty good. There are many names to watch out for in regards to the coming draft. Trouba and Kerdiles have been the two most talked about players on the U-18 team. Jones, who’s father, Popeye, played in the NBA, is a guy that many are high on for his poise and maturity. So basically expect another year of hearing Gary Bettman say (insert team name) selects (insert player) from the Team USA National Team Development Program.

On the U-17 level, there’s also a lot to be excited about. Fasching is a name that stands out for many as he was one of the most gifted forwards last season in Minnesota while playing for Apple Valley.  He scored 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 28 games last season. He also has a hulking and still growing frame as he’s 6-2 and a 190 pounds. Another player to watch is Thompson, who actually spent last season with the Fargo Force before accepting an invite to play with the NTDP. He’s the second North Dakotan-born player to ever play for the NTDP and earlier this summer he committed to the Sioux. He started for Devils Lake, his high school team, as an eighth grader and last season led the state’s defensemen in scoring before jumping to the Force. Thompson might be the only U-17 player with USHL experience but in truth, this will be his first full season with the team.

The NTDP made the playoffs last year and there’s a good chance that the same thing could happen this year. There’s obviously enough talent that lends itself to grabbing one of the Top 6 spots in the East. How far they go in the playoffs, however, that remains to be seen.

 

Friday’s Preview: Youngstown Phantoms

Save Me…

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We’ve talked about the five forwards that could do damage in the USHL this season. Yesterday, we hit up the five defensemen who could impress some folks from the defensive and offensive end.

Now it’s time to worry about the guys who can either be the hero or the goat: Yep, the goalies. This year’s list will look at the five goaltenders who can help their teams win games and unlike the previous lists, there may be some major surprise.

So sit back and enjoy the third and final installment of the Final Five to look for.

5. Matthew O’Connor, Youngstown: Thought we were joking about the whole surprise thing? Nope. Most of you might go who is ‘Matthew O’Connor?’ Well, for starters, he’s the guy that could realistically help the Youngstown Phantoms reach the playoffs. No, seriously, he could help the Phantoms reach the promised land. He didn’t exactly have the best numbers last year going 10-16-2 with a 3.43 GAA. But there is upside for the 6-5, 200-pound Boston University commit. O’Connor is one of 11 returning players the Phantoms have. In all, the Phantoms have 12 players on the 25-man roster with USHL experience, according to the list on USAHockey.com. O’Connor was a first-year goaltender trying to find his bearings, but this year could be different now that he has a more experienced group in front of him.

4. Jay Williams, Waterloo: Yeah, here’s another name you probably didn’t see coming on this list. Everyone has talked about Waterloo and the offensive firepower it has coming in this year. Offense alone doesn’t win championships. Waterloo strengthened the blue line by getting defensemen like Eddie Wittchow, a Florida Panthers draft pick. But Williams, who is a returner from last season, is going to be relied upon. The Miami (Ohio) commit only won seven of the 20 games he played in last season. So his wins, GAA, save percentage, really every number possible must improve. He could split time with Penn State commit Eamon McAdam this season. But either way, one of those two has to be more than solid in net this year.

3. Collin Olson, NTDP: Olson of all the draft-eligible goalies in the USHL this year will likely go the highest. Some have projected him to go in the second round, which isn’t bad by any means. He’s been discussed at length on this blog so there really isn’t much else to say about him from that end. He’s got size and he’s got skill. He’ll just be playing against a lot more international competition than USHL competition. Still, he’s a guy to watch out for and could be a major player for the NTDP and for draft-eligible players in the league this season.

2. Matt Morris, Dubuque: The Maine commit was a bit of an unknown this time a year ago until he surprised the league by winning the starting netminder’s job. If not for Cedar Rapids’ Brady Hjelle, Morris arguably had the best season of any USHL goaltender last year. He went 23-8-4 with a 2.17 GAA and a .921 save percentage helping Dubuque to a Clark Cup title. This year, he’ll have talent around him but it remains to be seen how good the talent will be. He’s going to be a constant in the lineup on a nightly basis for the Fighting Saints and if they have any chance at repeating, they need Morris to be lights out. Or at least be pretty damn good.

1. Jon Gillies, Indiana: Yep. This probably isn’t going to be the most popular pick at No. 1 but it is a pick worth defending. Here’s why. All summer, Gillies was caught up in the “Will He? Won’t He?” game that involved USHL players going to the end-all, say-all, be-all Major Junior. His Ice teammate Adam Erne jumped ship along with guys like Cedar Rapids’ Anthony DeAngelo to name another young guy. Gilies and all of his 6-5, 215-pound frame was set to head to Quebec where he’d play in the beloved QMJHL and hang out at Voodoo Grill after games. But he decided to come back to Indiana making a lot of people happy considering the city has already lost one hero in Peyton Manning. He made another fan base happy to when he decided to not join the Mass exodus (get it?) of players leaving Northeastern. Gillies went 15-6-2 last season and had a respectable .906 save percentage to boot. Indiana will have another strong offensive contingent of players waiting to score goals, but that team’s weakness last year was its play at the back. With a second season under his belt, maybe Gillies can add another dimension to the Ice. Plus, this is his draft year too and guys usually tend to go that extra mile when that happens. Gillies went against the grain this year by not going to Major Junior and by actually sticking to a commitment. For those reasons plus the fact that, well, he’s talented, is why he’s the No. 1 goaltender on this list.

Shhh…

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With the season not so far away (Sept. 30) it is time to start rolling out the USHL previews for the upcoming season.

There will be team-by-team previews that will come out along with some other items too such as Top 10 forward, defensemen and goaltenders to watch. This is the first list looking at the Top 25 Minnesotans to watch in the league this year.

Hockey-rich Minnesota always has talent but this year has a pretty talented bunch in the league. Some could argue that number would be enhanced even more if it wasn’t for the seven Minnesotans (Mario Lucia, Steven Fogarty) that will spend this season playing for former St. Cloud State assistant Fred Harbinson in Penticton in the BCHL.

Even still, there’s a lot to look at with Minnesota players this year. Here’s the list starting with No. 25.

 

No. 25: Dan Molenaar, defenseman, Green Bay: Molenaar was a major, and at times overlooked, member of the Eden Prairie team that won the Class 2A state championship. The 5-11, 170 pounder scored 29 points (6 goals, 23 assists) in 29 games last season and had three points (all assists) in the state tournament. Altogether, he had six points in six playoff games. He’ll be thrown into the Gamblers mix which will return four defenseman and have five with league experience with former NTDPer Andy Ryan coming to the team.

No. 24: J.D. Cotroneo, defenseman, Waterloo: Let’s get this part out of the way. Cotroneo is one of many Waterloo players that will be on this list. He played last season at Hill-Murray helping the Pioneers just trounce everyone in the regular season. Hill-Murray missed out on the state tournament after a surprising 5-4 loss to White Bear Lake. Cotroneo will surely have a chance at the postseason with Waterloo potentially having one of the best teams in the league.

No. 23: Ben Ostlie, defenseman, Omaha: At 6-1, 190 pounds, he is a nicely built defenseman that can deliver a hit. Ostlie played last season at Edina helping the Hornets to another solid showing in the state tournament. He’ll certainly get playing time in Omaha with the Lancers having four incoming defenseman. One of those players is on this list. You’ll find out who it is later, of course.

No. 22: Tyler Heinonen, forward, Muskegon: Heinonen was the state’s regular season scoring champ last season. At Delano, the Michigan Tech commit scored 83 points (44 goals, 39 assists) in 25 regular season games. Including the playoffs, he ended the year with 88 points. Muskegon is going to rely on his scoring touch with the team having seven incoming forwards this season. Muskegon, which is heading into its second year, held its own offensively last year.

No. 21: Vince Pedrie, defenseman, Omaha: OK. So it wasn’t much of a wait to find out that Pedrie will be with Ostlie in Omaha this season. Pedrie played last season at Apple Valley and was part of the exodus of players to leave for the USHL. Pedrie, who would have been a senior, was the third-leading scorer at Apple Valley last season with 34 points (8 goals, 26 assists) in 25 regular season games last year.

No. 20: A.J. Reid, forward, Fargo: Reid was a big part of why St. Thomas Academy walked away with the Class A state title last season. He scored seven points in the four tournament games. In the regular season, he was part of a monster attack that had 48 points in 25 regular season games. He’ll be in Fargo this season with former Cadet teammate Taylor Fleming, who scored the game-winning goal in the title game against Hermantown.

No. 19: Austyn Young, forward, Sioux Falls: The Minnesota-Duluth commit and St. Paul native spent last season with the Stampede on what felt like the all-Minnesota team. He had a decent first season in the league with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 54 games. Young will be counted on heavily this season. He’s only one of five returning players the Stampede have listed on their 25-man protected roster. Altogether the Stampede have seven players with USHL experience. Oh and for the record. They have five first-year players on the team from Minnesota.

No. 18: Tanner Lane, forward, Fargo: Lane heads into his second season with the Force hoping to have a better year this time. At Detroit Lakes, he was a state scoring champ and it led to him getting drafted by the Atlanta, now Winnipeg, organization along with committing to Nebraska-Omaha. Last year, Lane struggled only scoring 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 57 games last year. He’s one of those second-year guys the Force need a big year out of if they want to do well.

No. 17: Dan Carlson, forward, Waterloo: The 6-2, 185-pound winger will bring his size and speed to Waterloo after spending the last few seasons with the NTDP. Carlson, who is from Corcoran, Minn., scored 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 33 games last season. The Minnesota State commit could put up more numbers this year in Waterloo considering the kind of talent he’ll be playing with.

No. 16: Jonathan Brodzinski, forward, Fargo: Brodzinski helped Blaine to another state tournament appearance last season. But after the Bengals were eliminated, he and his family jumped in a car and drove through nasty conditions so he could play in Fargo and play the 10 games needed so he could stay protected by the Force. He scored five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 10 games last season. But like Lane, the St. Cloud State commit is going to be one of those guys that’s going to be counted on heavily this season.

No. 15: Nick Seeler, defenseman, Muskegon: Seeler is some ways was Mr. Minnesota last season. State champ with Eden Prairie. He was drafted by his hometown Wild over the summer. The Nebraska-Omaha commit will be expected to bring a offensive yet calming presence to Muskegon this season. The Lumberjacks gave up 235 goals last season, the second-most in the league. Having Seeler on the blue line could help reduce that number.

No. 14: Luke Voltin, forward, NTDP: The North Dakota commit burst onto the scene last year as a sophomore at Hill-Murray scoring 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 28 games. At 6-feet, 175 pounds it appears he has room to grow and he’ll certainly get the training he needs in Ann Arbor this year. Don’t be surprised if Voltin is among the U-17′s leading scorers.

No. 13: Adam Wilcox, goaltender, Green Bay: Talk about a guy primed to have a great season. Wilcox is coming off what was a great year for him. The Minnesota commit was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning and he returns to a Green Bay team that could easily make another deep postseason run. He went 16-6-1 last season with a 2.20 GAA with a .922 save percentage while splitting time with Lake Superior State commit Ryan McKay last season.

No. 12: Brady Skjei, defenseman, NTDP: Skjei’s another example of the kind of talent that’s coming out of Lakeville, a place that in recent years has had some good kids. The 6-1, 183-pound Skjei comes back to the USHL for a second season after playing last season with the NTDP. The Minnesota commit scored six points in 36 games for the U-17 team last year. With this also being Skjei’s draft year, this could also be another reason for people to look out for him.

No. 11: Gage Ausmus, defenseman, NTDP: Ausmus, who played last season at East Grand Forks, will spend this season with the NTDP’s U-17 team. He had 12 points in 17 games last season at EGF. After he accepted an invite to play for the NTDP, he then committed to Denver on the same day that Devils Lake wunderkind Keaton Thompson committed to North Dakota.

No. 10: Collin Olson, goaltender, NTDP: The former Apple Valley Eagle spent last season with the NTDP U-17 team where he split time. He went 10-8-1 with a 2.84 GAA. This season, of course, he will be getting a chance to see more international competition along with USHL competition playing with the U-18. At 6-3, 190 pounds, the Ohio State commit is a hulking mass that can consume a net.

No. 9: Charlie Lindgren, goaltender, Sioux Falls: Lindgren was a player quite a few people kept tabs on this summer. Lindgren in many minds was thought to be the best high school goalie in Minnesota heading into this season and could have won the Frank Brimsek for best senior goaltender this season. Instead, he decided to opt for Sioux Falls, a place that’s been a USHL haven for many Minnesota kids. Lindgren last season damn near did for Lakeville North what guys like Kyle Rau did for Eden Prairie. He won games. North outlasted rival Lakeville South in a section final, 2-1, because Lindgren made 51 saves. After North lost the tourney opener against Eden Prairie, they went on to win the consolation title.

No. 8: Alex Lyon, goaltender, Omaha: Lyon was hands down the best goaltender in the state of Minnesota last year. The Yale commit had NHL 11 numbers making 743 saves and managed to have a 1.60 GAA and a .945 save percentage through the regular season and playoffs. Lyon only had one game where faced single-digit shots on goal and wowed many in the state in a 5-1 loss to Roseau because he made 66 saves.

No. 7: Eddie Wittchow, defenseman, Waterloo: Wittchow in many minds was the best defenseman in Minnesota last season. He navigated Burnsville to a solid season despite playing one of the hardest schedules in the state. The Florida Panthers draft pick scored 26 points in 28 games last season. But here’s another thing to like about him. Wittchow is 6-3, 185 pounds and he’ll add size and another offensive presence to Waterloo. He hasn’t committed to a college but something says he will before the end of the season.

No. 6: Zane Gothberg, goaltender, Fargo: If there is one guy that the Force is counting on it is indeed Gothberg. The Boston Bruins draft pick/North Dakota commit/Thief River Falls folk hero will be THE man in Fargo. He split last season with Nebraska-Omaha’s Ryan Massa and is now expected to lead the Force to the playoffs. Fargo’s success will depend on Gothberg.

No. 5: Tony Cameranesi, forward, Waterloo: Oh here’s another weapon for P.K. O’Handley to play with this year in Waterloo. The speedy Cameranesi dominated last year at Wayzata scoring 63 points in 28 games. He did most of his damage by creating chances with 46 assists. The Minnesota-Duluth commit and Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick spent last season partnered with Lucia. He’ll spend another year partnered with more top talent that’s on this list.

No. 4: Max Gardiner, forward, Dubuque: Yep. Like Dre you forgot about him. Gardiner left Minnesota and it became clear he was heading back to the USHL when the Fighting Saints drafted him in the Entry Draft. He’ll get a chance to play with potential first-round pick Zemgus Girgensons along with the rest of the talented pool they’ve got sitting in Dubuque this season. It’ll be interesting to see what the St. Louis Blues prospect will do this season in the USHL.

No. 3: Taylor Cammarata, forward, Waterloo: Kid has a lot of pressure and expectations coming into the season. Aside from being the No. 1 overall pick in the USHL Futures Draft, there are quite a few wondering what he can do on this level. He spent last season at Shattuck-St. Mary’s where he scored 64 goals and 62 assists for the U-16 team. In his bantam year, he scored 92 goals and 78 assists. The talent is there, it is just a matter of how he’ll adjust to the USHL this season.

No. 2: Hudson Fasching, forward, NTDP: The former Apple Valley star will spend this season with the NTDP’s U-17 where he’ll develop into what many expect to be an even better player. He’s already 6-2 and a 190 pounds and with the facilities he’ll be around at Ann Arbor, he’s only going to get stronger. When he was at Apple Valley last year he displayed the kind of skills that made him a hot commodity scoring 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 28 games last season. He has yet to commit to a school though there many coaches after him. He has a year until his draft year, but this could be a huge year for Fasching.

No. 1: A.J. Michaelson, forward, Waterloo: It was a hard choice between Michaelson and Fasching for the top spot. Michaelson wins the No. 1 spot because he will be counted on more heavily this season than Fasching. He comes to Waterloo along with other talent that’s expected to do big things like make the playoffs and be a legit threat for a title this season. The Minnesota commit also heads into his draft year too. The Minnesota commit led Apple Valley in scoring with 62 points (31 goals, 31 assists) last year before spending six games with Waterloo. He was scoreless in those games and was held off the point sheet in one playoff game too. With guys like Wittchow, Cameranesi, Cammarata and Vince Hinostroza, there is a lot expected of Waterloo. And the same can be said for Michaelson.

Light Up…

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The NHL for a consecutive season is hosting a Research, Development and Orientation Camp, which takes a look at the players considered to be the best draft prospect for the upcoming draft.

Thirty-six players will be at the mid-August camp in Etobicoke, Ont. and of that last seven of those players will be playing in the USHL this season. The biggest names on that list are Sioux Falls defenseman and North Dakota commit Jordan Schmaltz and Vermont commit and Dubuque forward Zemgus Girgensons.

Below is a list of the players that were invited along with their stats from last season and some additional information:

-Cameron Darcy, forward,  National Team Development Program: The 6-foot, 181-pound Darcy spent last season with the U-17 team in the NTDP fold. He scored nine goals and four assists in 37 games last season. He’s committed to Northeastern and is expected to attend the school in 2012 as he’ll spend this season with the U-18 season where he’ll get a chance to experience something different from last season. Most U-17 players play in the USHL while the U-18 members splits times between league play, college exhibitions and international tournaments.

-Zemgus Girgensons, forward, Dubuque Fighting Saints: Girgensons was a major part of Dubuque’s Clark Cup title run in the team’s first season. At times he was partnered with Northeastern duo Vinny Saponari and John Gaudreau and the trio surely did damage for the Fighting Saints. Listed at 6-1, 182 pounds, Girgensons spent most of his time at center last season creating chances for Saponari and Gaudreau. He scored 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists) in just 51 games. NHL Central Scouting’s Jack Barzee said in April that Girgensons was one of three USHL-based players to look out for in this year’s draft. He’ll be one of those guys the Fighting Saints will look to in their title defense this season.

-Nick Kerdiles, forward, NTDP: There’s a lot of people that like Kerdiles and the evidence really speaks for itself. He had 20 points (12 goals, 8 assists) in 32 games for the U-17 team last season and those numbers will more than likely be expected to improve. At 6-1, 183 pounds he has a good frame and is another one of these California products that’s starting to make waves. Kerdiles is also a Wisconsin commit and one of the top recruits they have coming into Madison.

-Michael Matheson, defenseman, Dubuque: Considered by many to be one of the top prospects from Quebec, if not the No. 1 in some minds, Matheson being on this list really isn’t a surprise. He spent last season playing Triple A Midget in Quebec where he had a monster season scoring 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 35 games for the Lac Saint-Louis Lions. The season before he was named the league’s rookie of the year with 11 points in 30 games. Matheson tore it up even more at the Telus Cup with 8 points in seven games had another stellar effort for the Canadian U-17 team scoring 8 points in six games. Matheson’s profile made him the subject of discussion among many to see if he’d spent next season in The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League or the USHL. The Boston College commit plans to spend one year in Dubuque before heading to college. With Girgensons up front and Maine commit Matt Morris in net, Dubuque was already looking to be solid. Adding Matheson make them that more dangerous.

-Collin Olson, goaltender, NTDP: The Apple Valley, Minn. native comes in that physical mold of recent NTDP goaltender John Gibson in the fact that he has size. He’s already 6-3 and 190 pounds giving him nice size in net. He spent last season with the U-17 team where he went 10-8-1 with a 2.84 GAA and a .903 save percentage. Olson had three shutouts and he was part of the U-17′s two-goalie tandem it used last season to make the USHL playoffs. Olson is an Ohio State commit and once he arrives on campus he’ll be working with former coach Joe Exter who left the NTDP recently to take a job with the Buckeye hockey program.

-Jordan Schmaltz, defenseman, Sioux City Musketeers: There were very few players let alone defenseman that could control a game like the offensive-minded Schmaltz, who is 6-2 and a 175 pounds. He scored 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) in 59 games last season. He was the Musketeers’ third-leading scorer but he did more than that. He had a stretch where he recorded points in 12 of his last 13 games and had a 10-game point streak to end the season helping the Musketeers get into the USHL playoffs last season. Like Girgensons he was described by Barzee as one of the three USHL-based players to look out for this season. The other being Fargo Force defenseman and Nebraska-Omaha commit Brian Cooper. Schmaltz this summer was caught in a bit of a tug of war between Major Junior and the USHL/college before deciding to return to Sioux City and he’ll then move onto North Dakota.

-Jacob Trouba, defenseman, NTDP: He stands at 6-1 and a 183 pounds and spent last season with the NTDP’s U-17 team where he scored 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 31 games last season. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy did a feature on Trouba stating that he’s being considered as one of the top defenseman in the upcoming draft. So far he has not committed to a college, according to Chris Heisenberg’s recruiting list but something says that could change as the season goes along.

Kids In America…

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Wednesday marks the start of the United States Hockey League’s opening playoff round and we’ll have you covered throughout the playoffs.

For those not familiar or for those just needing a refresher, the USHL playoff format is different this year. Instead of the top four teams from each conference, the top six made it. All it means is that the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds from each conference have first-round byes.

Here’s a look at the upcoming series including players to watch and predictions.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 3 Indiana Ice (37-19-4) vs. Waterloo Black Hawks  (24-29-7)

Top scorers: IND, Blake Coleman (Miami): 34 G, 58 A for 92 points. WAT, Tyler Zepeda: 15 G, 16 A for 31 points.

The skinny: This is one of those match-ups that should favor the higher seed but perhaps Waterloo could be sneaky and grab a game. Indiana was the most offensively potent team in the regular season having three of the league’s top four scorers on the same team. But, there have been games where defense has been an issue giving up 18 goals in the last four games including eight to Youngstown, which missed the playoffs by two points. Indiana won the season series 3-1 and every game was decided by less than two goals including three one-goal games.

Who to watch: IND, Coleman: He’s been the leading scorer for a reason as he possess good speed and strong puck handling skills. What also helps is playing on a line with Daniil Tarasov and Brian Ferlin (Cornell) which also joined Coleman on the scoring leader’s list. Coleman has 6 points against Waterloo this season, but five came in one game through assists. Waterloo has actually kept him scoreless for two games this season. How Coleman does could dictate how the Ice goes.

WAT, Jacob MacDonald (Cornell): MacDonald will certainly have his hands full trying to defend the league’s most dangerous line but he’s going to need to do more than just that. He was also the team’s second leading scorer this year with 30 points and the Ice are a team that can be beat in an arms race if it comes down to that.

Prediction: Ice win 2-1

No. 4 Team USA (30-25-5) vs. No. 5 Muskegon Lumberjacks (24-28-8)

Top scorers: USA, Ryan Hartman (Miami) 12 G, 8 A for 20 points. MUS, Ryan Misiak (Mercyhurst) 15 g, 43 A for 58 points.

The skinny: With the U-18s playing overseas in the IIHF U-18 Championships in Germany, it means that the U-17s will be representing the NTDP in the playoffs. It has been a banner year for Old Glory making the playoffs for the first time since leaving the North American Hockey League. Muskegon was part of the lower class of the Eastern Conference that could never catch up with the top four but had to worry about just making it in the playoffs. The NTDP won the season series 4-3, however, the U-17′s were 3-2 against Muskegon.

Who to watch: USA, Collin Olson/Jared Rutledge: Team USA has used an alternating goalie system that has seen Olson and Rutledge both get games in down the stretch. It is not clear who the U-17s will go with but keep this in mind. Rutledge has gone 3-1 in his last for while Olson has gone 3-2 in his last five. Olson gave up 10 goals during that stretch while Rutledge surrendered 8 goals.

MUS, John Parker: Look at the numbers and in terms of scoring, there hasn’t really been any Lumberjack that’s been extremely consistent. Parker comes close having three points in his last three games. Parker also has a plus-3 rating, which might not sound too impressive, but it makes him one of the leaders on a team that has given up goals quite easily this season. Only Chicago allowed more goals in the USHL this season than Muskegon.

Prediction: USA wins 2-1.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 3 Sioux Falls Stampede (34-20-6) vs. Sioux City Musketeers (31-23-6)

Top scorers: SF, Christian Isackson (Minnesota) 17 G, 27 A for 44 points. SC, Caleb Herbert (Minnesota Duluth) 23 G, 27 A for 50 points.

The skinny: Simply, this might be the best first-round series. Both teams are extremely physical and are more than willing to throw weight around. They both work hard in the dirty areas and they know how to score. Sioux Falls has been consistent in the second half of the season and made a strong run at the No. 2 seed only to come up short to Omaha. As for Sioux City, it entered last weekend on an 8-game winning streak until it lost to Sioux Falls only to beat Fargo in the last regular season game. Sioux City won the season series 5-3 but opened the series winning four straight.

Who to watch for: SF, Kyle Rau (Minnesota): Mr. Hockey started the season with the Stampede and returned following his state championship season with Eden Prairie. He returned to the fold scoring 8 points in his last seven games. He’s been held scoreless the last two games, but anyone who’s seen Rau knows what he can do in the playoffs.

SC, Jordan Schmaltz (North Dakota): Schmaltz has the ability to change a game at any time, which for a defenseman is saying a lot. He can cycle the puck around while surveying a defense’s weakness and has a cannon for a shot. Schmaltz has also been the hottest player in the league scoring 7 points in his last five games and altogether has a 10-game point streak that’s amounted to 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) during that stretch. In short, he’s not the guy you want to be going against during this point in the year.

Prediction: Sioux City wins 2-1

No. 4 Fargo (33-22-5) vs. Lincoln (33-22-5)

Top scorers: F, Jimmy Mullin (Miami) 23 G, 37 A for 60 points. L, Ryan Dzingel (Ohio State) 23 G, 44 A for 67 points.

The skinny: Tied for record and points, Fargo got the seed because it won the season series 5-3 over Lincoln. Lincoln is also coached by former Force assistant Chad Johnson, who for sure has some insider info on what to expect. What could help Lincoln is the fact the Force finished under .500 at home this season, which is the worst home record of any western team in the playoffs. But Fargo actually has a 3-1 record against Lincoln at home.

Who to watch for: F, Ryan Massa (Nebraska-Omaha): Massa has been the constant for the Force all season and the Nebraska-Omaha commit will need to continue his good play. But he will need help as there have been a few times this season where rebounds have killed him. Omaha beat the Force on Friday off scoring chances that were created by beating Massa out of position. Massa will be there and if his defense is there too, then it should be a solid series for the Force.

L, Dzingel: He’s been the catalyst for this team all season and in a sense provides a role similar to Fargo’s Mullin in that he can be that player, who once he gets some open space can make a team pay. He has 7 points against the Force this season and could hurt them in a few ways. Fargo’s penalty kill hasn’t looked strong over the last month and Dzingel has 7 power play goals and 9 power play assists. He also only has 8 PIMs too. Intelligence and creativity can go a long way in this series for Dzingel.

Prediction: Fargo wins 2-1