Stand Outs of Chatham @ Elgin-Middlesex, Major Bantam AAA, Playoffs, 2/17/17
Yes I’m doing something different. I will still do the full break down of goalies in the game they play but that will be kept off the main page and will be moved elsewhere. Instead I’ll be doing these “Stand Out” profiles which looks at which players stood out in each game I’ve seen live and why. This way I’ll be able to do more than just the goalies and give you a quick snap shot of which players are making their mark in the world of hockey.
#16, Chatham Cyclones, ’02-Birth Year, Forward, Aidan Stubberfield:
Aidan Stubberfield is a real heart and soul player. By this I mean he gives it his all shift after shift. Not once during this game did he take a shift off by gliding or letting others do the work. He was always first in on the forecheck and he was always willing to take a hit to get possession of the puck after a dump-in. He showed himself to be strong on his skates despite his size. I liked his offensive vision this game as well. Made some nice passes to open players who were in scoring position. He makes an impact physically as well both with hits and by showing he’s not afraid to get into pushing matches. Last but not least, Stubberfield scored the OT GWG.
#11, Chatham Cyclones, ’02-Birth Year, Defenseman, Craig Spence:
Was the best defender for Chatham at both ends of the ice but plays his best when the puck is on his stick. One of the first thing’s you’ll notice about him is his mobility. He’s a good skater with deceptive speed that when combined with his hands he’s capable of making end-to-end rushes. Has an accurate shot too that manages to find its way through traffic for tips/redirections. On the defensive side of the game he does a good job using his stick and with his positioning. The cherry on top was Spence getting the assist on the OT GWG.
#83, Chatham Cyclones, ’02-Birth Year, Goalie, Brett Broshu:
Probably the best game I’ve seen Brett Broshu play in a while. First and foremost he was engaged. By that I mean his movement around the crease was crisp and quick. He was getting into position and getting set before the Elgin players could get the shot off. Another part of his game that made a difference was how well he was tracking pucks into his glove. He was making important clean catches. What was also important from Broshu was his impact in the High Danger Area. Broshu gained possession of the puck on 41.7% of HDA shots compared to his peers who did it at a 19.13% rate on average.
#93, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs, ’02-Birth Year, Forward, Toby Rizzo:
Toby Rizzo is a real high pace player. In the offensive zone he is always keeping his feet moving making it difficult to for defenders to keep track of him. He knows where the open spots on the ice are to get into position. He’s dangerous with the puck as he has above average hands and is able to do moves at while moving his feet quickly.
#77, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs, ’02-Birth Year, Defenseman, Tyler Alexander:
Tyler Alexander is going to be a defenseman you’ll want to keep an eye in his Minor Midget season. He’s got a good blend of Hockey IQ, strength, skating, offensive ability along with the drive to win. Like most young players he does his best work in the offensive zone. He’s good at not only making reads to jump up into the play he also has the speed to quickly get back on defense. He’s got a hard shot that gives goalies fits. He’s physically overwhelming as well. Board battles, battles in front of the net, etc. are nearly always a losing cause against Alexander.
#39, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs, ’02-Birth Year, Forward, Rylan Bowers:
Apart from Tyler Alexander, Rylan Bowers makes one the biggest impacts on the ice. He loves to play a physical game. He hits, gets in players faces and isn’t afraid to fight for the puck against the boards. Bowers is a complete team player as well. He took multiple hits this game in order to make a play and get the breakout going. He’s also a threat offensively with a very hard shot and good vision.
As always you can contact me via Twitter @CreaseGiants or the Contact Page if you have any questions, comments or concerns.