Friday, December 15, 2006

Best Uncommitted

It's been a pretty slow week as far as breaking news goes, and I apologize for the lack of entries this week.

I'm going to take a look at the best players who have yet to commit to a school.

Forwards
Keegan Meuer - Waterloo Black Hawks - Keegan has started off slowly, but that's expected from a 17 year old rookie. He had a breakout game at home vs Indiana, where he notched 2 goals including the game winner.

Justin Cseter - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Justin is closer to home this season, after spending a pair of seasons with Sioux City. He is having his most productive USHL season with Green Bay by lighting the lamp 3 times so far. He had only scored 3 times combined in the last two seasons. Justin is a seasoned vet, as this is his third year and he still has 2 years of eligibility left.

Brian Arrigoni - Indiana Ice - I noticed Brian a lot at the Buc Bowl this pre-season. He is very quick and was fun to watch. Brian only has 4 points, but I'm certain that stat will increase significantly as the year goes on.

Greg Squires - Indiana Ice - Greg played previously with the NTDP and had a decent time with them. He scored 29 points in 58 career games (NAHL games). He is a very quick skater, but I feel he could use some work on his scoring touch. He will have another year to mature and develop into a decent college prospect.

Sean McCauley - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Sean is an excellent player, but just stuck on a miserable team. I feel that if he was on a better team, he could have almost double the points he has now. He seems to have good hockey sense and is in the right place more times than not. McCauley will be a solid college prospect.

Eric Rex - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Eric is a solid player, and I have been impressed with his play the times I was able to see him play. Rex has an outstanding backhand shot that should impress many.

Anthony Maiani - Sioux City Musketeers - Anthony is off to a great start for the Musketeers, notching 17 points in 20 games. He had 24 points last season. Anthony is small, but quick. He is a pass first type of player, but he has an above average shot when given the chance to shoot. Anthony could stand to put on a little more weight, but he should be good in college.

Ben Van Lare - Des Moines Buccaneers - Ben can't commit to a college, but he's still worthy of a mention on this list. The Richardson, Texas native is on pace to score 21 goals for the Bucs. Had Ben not chosen the WHL, he would have been an impact player on the college level.

Kyle Follmer - Lincoln Stars - Kyle is a versatile player, being able to play both forward and defense. He had a solid rookie season with Sioux City, grabbing 32 points. This season with Lincoln, he has 18 points in 20 games, including a hat trick vs Indiana.

Michael Pilot - Tri-City Storm - Pilot has registered 10 points on the early season, tying his total from the past 2 seasons combined. Pilot will probably spend another year in the USHL, but he has matured a lot and should be a decent college player.

Drew Fisher - Sioux Falls Stampede - Drew has posted 16 points this season, equalling his total for all of last year. Drew is a big kid that has a lot of potential, but it hasn't come into play until this season. Fisher will probably commit to a school before the end of the season.

Jarmo Jokila - Omaha Lancers - Jarmo has done a fine job adjusting to the pace of the USHL and has become a goal scorer. He loves to shoot and will take the shot whenever he is given the chance. Jokila is currently back in Finland to attend to family matters.

Ben Arnt - Omaha Lancers - Ben is a solid player for the Lancers, but has yet to contribute significantly on the scoresheet. I'd look for that to improve within the next few weeks. Arnt will be a good college player, and I'd guess he will choose a Minnesota school.


Defensemen
Sergei Kolosov - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - Sergei is a draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, and is a solid talent. He most likely won't commit to a school, but is still worthy of the list. He's tall, but lacks the weight to throw around, but he can lay some huge checks.

Tim Buttery - Chicago Steel - Tim has been having a solid season for a not so good Steel team. He has 8 assists on the season, but is a -14. Buttery is someone who should have a scholarship before the season is over.

John Ryder - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Ryder hasn't done much on the scoresheet, but he is quick and mobile. John will jump into the play and is able to read when he should jump. He will need atleast another year to adjust and mature.

Matt Crandell - Sioux City Musketeers - Matt is a rookie from St. Cloud, Minnesota. He has posted 10 points so far this season, and should get to atleast the 20 point mark before all is said and done. Crandell is a good prospect and it's been rumored that Don Lucia is interested in Matt.

Joe Sova - Sioux City Musketeers - Originally, I wouldn't have mentioned Joe on this list, but he has really started to pick it up lately. Sova is on a 4 game point scoring streak, and has been racking up the assists. He has size, and he is just now using it to his advantage. He should be a leader on the Muskies next season.

Tom Mannino - Tri-City Storm - Mannino won't be getting a scholarship anytime soon, but his track record shows he's a very good player. The only thing keeping him down is his attitude, which seems to be a problem with him.

Adam Comrie - Omaha Lancers - Recently acquired Comrie is one of the better 1990 born defensemen in the country. Comrie is pretty big for his age, and just needs some time to adjust to the USHL and he should be a top player in a year or two. Colleges are probably drooling over this kid.


Goaltenders
Kent Patterson - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - Patterson is a very solid goalie, posting a respectable 90.7 save %. He also has a 2.95 GAA, with a record of 8-2-0. He will spend atleast one more year in the USHL before moving onto college. Excellent college prospect.

Bryce Christianson - Lincoln Stars - Bryce is another solid goalie, but could use another year in the league. He has a lot of potential, but needs to see some more action.

Max Strang - Sioux Falls Stampede - Max had a successful season for Green Bay last year, but didn't make the cut this past summer. Sioux Falls added him a few games into the season, and he has posted a 5-0-0 record.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Expect to see a college commitment from Schultz before the end of the season...

Anonymous said...

surprised madore is not on that list for goalies, easily one of the best in the league.

Anonymous said...

Well, no one's perfect. If you know enough to say that Mannino has an attitude problem, then I think you would have known enough to know that, after having been in the OHL for 4 seasons, that Mannino is not eligible for a U.S. college scholorship. The blog you've started is a good thing, but you guessed at something I suspect you don't know a lot about, were wrong and got caught. Try and actually research something before you throw around such characterizations, will ya?

Ryan said...

you think I don't know he can't get a scholarship? I have Ben Van Lare in my list too, he can't get a scholarship either.

What did I guess at and wrong about and caught?

Anonymous said...

Well, when you list him on your blog as part of the uncommitted to college group, that leaves the impression that you think he's eligible for one. Oh well. To tell you the truth, that's the first thing I've seen on the blog that I found disagrreable. Thanks for the effort, sorry I was so harsh. Your work IS appreciated!

Anonymous said...

What I was saying that you guessed at, was putting Mannino in that uncommitted group, after saying he had an attitude problem. Made me believe you were guessing at one thing, while being wrong about another. To tell you the truth, he sure appears to be well liked by his teammates and a solid addition on the back line. Hey....He's probably still eligible for a Canadian college scholorship!

Ryan said...

I grouped anyone into the list, even those who can't get a scholarship, so they are still, in a sense, uncommitted ;)

I've read about Mannino and how he can be a cancer in the locker room, so that's why I posted what I did about his attitude.

Thanks for reading.

Anonymous said...

You READ about it? Where? Since you read about it and didn't gain it as far hand knowledge, it's heresay and it was irresponsbile of you to have posted it at all.

Ryan said...

uh yeah, read. When you repeatedly read about him and how he can be a cancer in the locker room and how his dad is a big part of the problem, I'd say it carries some merit.

Anonymous said...

Maybe so. But, who used the word "cancer" and where was it used? Perhaps a link to an article would be nice.

Ryan said...

http://www.rinkratmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20309&highlight=tom+mannino

don't think it will all show, but there was another topic on him as well that is now gone.

Anonymous said...

Oh well. I guess what we should just be willing to do, is give him the benefit of the doubt in his new surroundings. His cousin played there, so the Storm may well have done some checking up before bringing him in. We'll just see how it goes.

Anonymous said...

You based your comments on what was said about him by anonymous posters on some other message board?

Oh boy. Not a lot of credibility there. Reflects poorly on what you are doing with your blog, which so far has been pretty good.

Ryan said...

you want to bash my credibility because I said it SEEMS like his attitude is a problem?

Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

Happy Holidays

Anonymous said...

Ryan,
I don't see where you said "seems" anywhere. It's just wrong take the unsubstantiated gobledee-gook you read on other message boards and try to pass it off on your blog as gospel.

Anyone, you, me, anyone, can post anything they want on a messgae board. But, keep this in mind: First amendment rights do not protect you against slander. I'm not saying that's what you did in this case. But your post where YOU used the word cancer, is based on nothing more than heresay on another faceless message board. That carried no merit in my book.

It's just wrong. It not only floats my boat, it makes me angry.

Ryan said...

"The only thing keeping him down is his attitude, which seems to be a problem with him."

I see it right there.

Who says I'm trying to pass my blog off as "gospel"? I started this blog to inform USHL fans of goings on around the league that they may be interested in. I believe everything I post is factual, but if I was wrong about Mannino, then I apologize, but you search anywhere you can to try and gather up some information. That message board is one of the places I went to gather information on the OHL kids that have dropped to the USHL.

Are you his dad? I don't see a reason to be so upset over it. If it makes you THAT upset, go complain to the people on the message board who have called him a cancer (by the way, I never called him a cancer, thanks)

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Oops, I missed that. Sorry about that.

No, I'm not his Dad. If I were, I'd be having this discussion with you privately. I never said you were trying to pass off your blog as gospel. Probalem is though, so many people take what they read on the net and believe it to be true. Maybe Mannino is a problem. But to brand him because of what others said about him on another message board, which, by the way, from what I read, was nothing more than o-p-i-n-i-o-n, isn't fair to home and is a disservice to your readers.

And as far as who did or didn't call him a cancer, read this, that you posted here earlier:

Ryan said...
uh yeah, read. When you repeatedly read about him and how he can be a cancer in the locker room and how his dad is a big part of the problem, I'd say it carries some merit.

December 18, 2006 4:43:00 PM CST

YOU first used that word here. You didn't quote anyone, you didn't give any indication anyone else ever used the word. So, yes. YOU called him a cancer here first. You're no better than those hacks on that other board, who have to take what they view as "getting the goods" on someone and risk hurting themselves in the rush to get it on the net. Just because they said it, doesn't make it true. Even you should know that.

Anonymous said...

Here's from the September 9th College Hockey Blog:

5. Tom Mannino-Pete's brother. Went to the OHL, and ended up not getting drafted. Rumors that he had a lot of talent, but attitude problems held him back.

First of all, Tom is Peter's cousin, not brother. So now it's apparent you not only quote tonguewaggers, you quote people who post incorrect information. In fact, a part of "your"(that's a laugh) assessment of Tom Mannino, was nothing more than a re-write of someone else's assessment.

You take stuff from a worthless message board and try to pass it off on your blog as truthful and accurate. You're no better than the supermarket tabloids when you do that.

There's a new thing out called RESEARCH. You oughta try it sometime.

Anonymous said...

anonymous--why don't you quit reading this blog? Might help you keep your blood pressure down.

Anonymous said...

Tom's father is the cancer.

Anonymous said...

anonymous--why don't you quit reading this blog? Might help you keep your blood pressure down.

NO KIDDING! If you don't like it, DON'T read it! Get a life. No need to get your panties into a bunch, buddy.

It's Christmas time, not the time to be arguing over what Ryan said. He knows his hockey. There are more important things in this world to worry about than arguing with him over a blog...

Anonymous said...

I don't think this poster fully understands the concept of a blog.. it is the writers thoughts and opinions based on article and other information they have read about the subject. This blog is not intended to be viewed as a thesis or a bible to recruiting or any players. If it upsets you so much, follow the advice of others and quit reading.

Anonymous said...

Really this isn't an official anything. Ryan has set this up to be informative, he's doing all us USHL fans a place to find all the current news. Its a blog, nothing more nothing less. Its never claimed to be anything otherwise. Its not like he's getting paid for this.

Thanks Ryan for setting up the blog and aggregating all the info from the various sources you use.