USA Hockey Select 16 Camp: Top defensemen

BC High rising sophomore defenseman Declan Loughnane is in intriguing prospect for regional scouts. (Dave Arnold/New York Hockey Journal)

Many of the top American, 2003-born defensemen converged on Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y., earlier this month for a chance to showcase their talent at the 2019 USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp.

The crop of ’03 defensemen form a deep group, which was proven again at the festival. The camp was used as a selection tool by USA Hockey to determine who would make the team that will compete in the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament.

Penn State commit Dylan Gratton (Muskegon Lumberjacks), Providence commit Austen May (Honeybaked 16-U), Minnesota commit Luke Mittelstadt (Eden Prairie HS), Simon Motew (Kitchener Rangers), Wisconsin commit Joe Palodichuk (Hill-Murray HS), and St. Cloud State commit Jack Peart (Grand Rapids HS) were the seven defensemen chosen to represent USA Hockey at the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament.

Below is a look at the top defensemen from the 2019 USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp:

1. Jack Peart

No. 7 Columbia, Grand Rapids HS, 5/15/03, left shot, 5-10/177
NCAA commit: St. Cloud

Peart’s hockey sense and poise sticks out in all situations. He’s an elite puck-mover by making crisp, on-the-tape passes. He makes good reads and can force turnovers. On Friday, he did just that and quickly got the puck up ice to a forward on his team for a goal. He gets shots through to the net from the point. His mobility and skating are both very good. He’ll get into passing and shooting lanes to take away options from opposing forwards. His stick is good defending as well. He’s not as flashy as some others, but he’s a high-end defenseman. He doesn’t have elite size, but everything else in his repertoire is at the top of the class in this age group.

2. Simon Motew

No. 7 Grey, Kitchener Rangers, 3/31/03, right shot, 5-11/173

Motew was really good here and deserving of high praise. He moves well — straight line and side-to-side — and has a good stick. He pushes the pace, has a good shot, and skates with his head up. He plays with a little bit of jam and can contribute in both ends. He was a consistently solid defenseman in all areas of the ice during the camp.

3. Luke Mittelstadt

No. 2 Red, Eden Prairie HS, 1/22/03, left shot, 5-10.5/180
NCAA commit: Minnesota

Mittelstadt’s offensive exploits from the blue line are easy to see right away. He makes great passes and has good vision in terms of hitting forwards in stride on the breakout or finding them with good looks in the attacking zone. His skating and stick are both elite. He makes mistakes defensively, but he makes up for it with the amount of offense and puck possession time he generates.

4. Austen May

No. 5 Columbia, Honeybaked 16-U, 5/19/03, right shot, 5-10.25/149
NCAA commit: Providence

May has a good stick and plays with jam. He consistently breaks up plays whether it be on the rush or in-zone situations through poke checks. He moves pucks well with good passes and can skate it up ice. May is a competitor with a good all-around skill-set.

5. Henry Nelson

No. 2 Black, Maple Grove HS, 3/25/03, left shot, 6-0/164
NCAA commit: Notre Dame

Nelson is a very good skater with elite feet and agility, especially for his size. He makes good reads and can get pucks going north. He doesn’t show the offensive upside that some desire, but he projects as a really good defenseman in terms of breaking pucks out and playing steadily in his own end.

6. Joe Palodichuk

No. 3 Kelly, Hill-Murray HS, 2/26/03, left shot, 5-10.75/152
NCAA commit: Wisconsin

Palodichuk is a strong two-way defenseman with good feet. He keeps things simple and plays responsibly. He can walk the blue line and get shots through, but his bread and butter is using his reach and closing in quickly on opposing forwards. He’ll likely be a player the U.S. coaching staff relies on if the team is up a goal late in the game.

7. Dylan Gratton

No. 5 Navy, Muskegon Lumberjacks, 2/25/03, left shot, 5-11.5/166
NCAA commit: Penn State

Gratton had a very good week here, especially on the offensive side and with the puck on his stick. He makes plays and can shoot it. His decision making and defensive zone play are areas of his game that need work. However, he was really good in the All-Star Game, even defensively.

8. Tyler Procious

No. 3 Navy, Buffalo Junior Sabres 16-U, 5/29/03, right shot, 5-9.25/163

Procious is an extremely smart, puck-moving defenseman. He displayed more of a physical presence this week than he has in the past. He delivered a few notable hip checks and had a good stick to disrupt the rush. His ability to move pucks north and quarterback a power play with his vision are top attributes. His skating isn’t bad, but it’s an area that could use some improvement, in order for top college programs to pull the trigger and offer a commit.

9. Tyler Dunbar

No. 4 Forest, undecided, 12/18/03, left shot, 6-0/181

Dunbar is more of a work in progress than some of the other defensemen similar to him here, but there’s a lot of upside. He has length and reach to defend and close quickly on opposing forwards. He made a couple of nice defensive plays to stop plays on the rush. He made some nice dishes to hit teammates to make plays and he can slow the game down. He has poise in all situations.

10. Carter Schade

No. 4 Kelly, Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 16-U, 3/7/03, left shot, 5-9.75/192
NCAA commit: Penn State

Schade is a defenseman with high expectations. He didn’t exactly meet them this week, but he’s still one of the top defenders in the age group. Not having him in the All-Star Game was a ridiculous decision by USA Hockey. He’s tough and strong. Very few players will compete as hard as he does in all three zones.

11. Ryan Mast

No. 7 Gold, Sarnia Sting, 1/14/03, right shot, 6-2/185

Mast was another surprising snub from the All-Star Game. He skates well and closes quickly on opposing forwards. He’s not known for his offense, but he stepped into a one-timer to blast home a goal on Friday. With his size, skating and defensive ability, he likely will be a name to keep on the radar for when the 2021 NHL Entry Draft approaches.

12. Tyler DesRochers

No. 3 Royal, Mount Saint Charles 16-U, 4/2/03, right shot, 5-11.25/158
NCAA commit: Providence

DesRochers has a really good first touch and makes some nice looks in transition as well as in the offensive zone while manning the point. He has good size and will get even better as he fills into his frame and improves on his lower-body strength.

13. Grayden Daul

No. 6 Columbia, Chicago Mission 16-U, 1/31/03, right shot, 5-10.75/167
NCAA commit: Wisconsin

Daul is one of the more underrated players in this age group. From last year’s Select 15 to this year’s Select 16, he took a major step. He plays with some jam and isn’t afraid to bring it physically. He’s good on breakouts and makes clean transition plays. His head is up and his mobility is good. He also exudes patience and poise with the puck on his stick. He made a couple of nice poke checks to break up rush opportunities for the opposition.

14. Drew Tsakounis

No. 6 Forest, Avon Old Farms, 7/15/03, left shot, 5-8.75/159
NCAA commit: Penn State

Tsakounis is a slick puck mover who can start the transition from defense to offense with ease. He has good touch on his first pass and has the feet to be able to jump up into the rush. His puck skills and feet are his top attributes, but his defensive play needs work as he prepares to play in the Big Ten in a few years.

15. Griffin Ludtke

No. 6 Black, Lakeville South HS, 2/1/03, left shot, 5-10/156
NCAA commit: Nebraska-Omaha

Ludtke is a mobile defender who makes a good first pass, jumps into the rush, and walks the blue line to get shots through from the point. He has a good stick and poise, especially with the puck on his stick.

16. Andrew Jeffers

No. 6 Grey, Oakland Junior Grizzlies 16-U, 5/2/03, right shot, 6-3.25/198

Jeffers is a big, raw defenseman with pro upside. He can skate and joined the rush for a tap-in goal on Friday. His puck skills and decision making are both a work in progress, but there is a lot of potential here.

17. Nicky Wallace

No. 5 Red, North Jersey Avalanche 16-U, 3/7/03, left shot, 5-7/158

Wallace is a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman. His feet and skill with the puck are undeniable. His hockey sense was a little better at times this week. If he can continue to improve in that regard, there will be more interest from college programs.

18. Brent Johnson

No. 3 Red, undecided, 3/20/03, left shot, 5-10.25/151

Johnson is a solid, reliable defensive defenseman who skates well. He played the past few seasons with the Dallas Stars Elite youth program.

19. Trevor Mitchell

No. 4 White, Honeybaked 16-U, 5/8/03, left shot, 6-2/167

Mitchell made the All-Star Game here, in part due to his size and skating ability. He has the length to break up plays with poke checks. He isn’t afraid to use his long stride to jump up into the rush either. He’s a player who is trending in the right direction.

20. Max Burkholder

No. 3 White, Chaska HS, 8/8/03, right shot, 5-6.25/163
NCAA commit: Colorado College

Burkholder covers a lot of ground defensively, especially for a smaller blueliner. He does a great job using his feet and stick in the defensive zone and on the rush.

Honorable Mention

Charles Andriole

No. 6 Navy, Loomis Chaffee, 4/19/03, left shot, 5-8/153

Andriole is a good skater and should be a good first-year prep player at Loomis this upcoming winter.

Aidan Ballotin

No. 2 Kelly, Buffalo Junior Sabres 16-U, 3/21/03, left shot, 5-8.5/171

Ballotin had a good week here. He had a nice assist where he hit a forward with a pass at the back door. He gets shots through from the point and has above-average mobility. He uses his stick well defensively. He needs to limit turnovers and be a little better with positioning in the defensive zone.

Michael Bevilacqua

No. 4 Gold, Buffalo Junior Sabres 16-U, 1/26/03, left shot, 6-0.5/218
NCAA commit: Northeastern

Bevilacqua is a big defenseman with some upside. His skating needs to improve, but he makes some plays with the puck on his stick and can shoot it.

Joseph Blackley

No. 7 Black, Nichols School 18-U, 9/8/03, left shot, 5-8.5/160

Blackley was able to jump up into the rush and contribute offensively this week.

William Brenner

No. 7 Forest, Dallas Stars Elite 16-U, 6/10/03, right shot, 5-11.75/173

Brenner is a physical defender who was willing to throw his weight around on several occasions. He earned a spot in the All-Star Game as a result.

Shai Buium

No. 5 Gold, undecided, 3/26/03, left shot, 6-2.25/223

Buium’s feet and skating ability have improved dramatically over the past couple of years. He has good size and he makes the occasional nice play. He’s a player to keep an eye on moving forward.

Conner Chalmers

No. 2 Columbia, Kimball Union, 8/30/03, right shot, 5-9.25/164

Chalmers has good feet, but it wasn’t his best week. He didn’t display the usual confidence he has with the puck. Having not gotten much ice time at KUA, it might have been a little bit of a shock to see the pace at the camp. There’s plenty of time for him to develop and it’s far too early to write him off. With his skating ability, there’s still upside.

Bryce Cooper

No. 3 Grey, undecided, 3/21/03, left shot, 6-4.5/180

Cooper has the size and physical presence that earned him a spot in the All-Star Game. He was one of the more talked-about players during the week. He was rangy and made some plays with the puck. He took a step back in the All-Star Game once the pace picked up, but he’s still a player to keep an eye on over the coming years.

Jonah Copre

No. 6 Red, Chicago Mission 16-U, 1/9/03, right shot, 5-2.5/144
NCAA commit: Quinnipiac

Copre is an undersized defenseman who skates well and makes some nice passes to create offense on the rush for his teammates.

Caleb Craven

No. 6 Kelly, Team Maryland 16-U, 1/28/03, right shot, 5-9/157

Craven was a little bit of an unknown heading into the week, but he was good on Friday. He had a goal and jumped up into the rush on another sequence which drew a penalty. His poise and decision-making processes are areas of his game that need improvement.

Colin Doherty

No. 2 Gold, Team Illinois 16-U, 7/7/03, left shot, 5-11.25/190

Doherty is a solid two-way defenseman who projects as more of a shutdown threat as he develops. He scored a goal here, but he’s best when getting in shooting and passing lanes and playing steady defense.

Anthony Dowd

No. 4 Columbia, New Jersey Titans 16-U, 4/25/03, right shot, 5-5.25/127

Dowd made a couple of really nice passes and got shots on net, including one that was tipped home for a goal. He’s on the smaller side, but he skates well.

Brendan Fitzgerald

No. 4 Black, Governor’s Academy, 3/6/03, left shot, 5-10.5/147

Fitzgerald plays with jam and is a solid defenseman. His feet are getting better following a couple of injuries. He closes quickly, has a mean streak, and has a good stick. His decision making and skating are two areas of his game that could use improvement.

Will Elias

No. 5 Kelly, St. Sebastian’s, 1/28/03, right shot, 5-10.75/164

Elias looks to have gained a step and does a good job getting in the way of opponents’ chances and playing steady defense. It wasn’t his best week, but he’s still one of the top defensemen in this age group across New England.

Mario Gasparini

No. 3 Forest, Lakeville North HS, 2/28/03, left shot, 5-10/163

Gasparini has a good stick while defending the rush and has above-average puck skills. His hockey sense is also fairly good for this level. He’s a player whose development is trending in the right direction.

Logan Heroux

No. 3 Black, Oakland Junior Grizzlies 16-U, 5/30/03, right shot, 6-0.5/192

Heroux has size and length to defend but struggled at times with the pace of national camp. He’s making the move from AA hockey in New Jersey to the Oakland Junior Grizzlies for this upcoming season.

Nolan Joyce

No. 5 Royal, St. Sebastian’s, 9/25/03, right shot, 5-10.75/153

Joyce is an above-average skater and has a decent stick, which is part of the reason he was in the All-Star Game. If he can improve on his turnovers and decision-making, he’ll become an even better defenseman.

Brendan Kimball

No. 2 White, Islanders HC 16-U, 8/24/03, left shot, 5-8.75/135

Kimball has made the move up from Florida to play for Nate Bostic’s program. He’s a good skater, but needs to improve on playing tough and being harder on pucks.

Declan Loughnane

No. 7 Navy, BC High, 11/22/03, right shot, 5-11.25/194

Loughnane has the offensive abilities to intrigue regional scouts. He has a good shot and his offensive instincts are usually solid. He made a couple of really nice passes to spring forwards for chances. His decision making in his own zone is a work in progress.

Aidan Lyons

No. 5 Forest, Nobles, 2/26/03, left shot, 5-9/163

Lyons has the skating ability and puck skills to intrigue scouts. He scored a goal playing up as a forward due to some injuries up front. His defensive coverage and decision making are two areas of his game that need work as he continues his development.

Jan Olenginski

No. 7 White, Loomis Chaffee, 3/23/03, right shot, 5-5.5/163

Olenginski is a mobile defender who did a good job keeping things simple and efficient. He got pucks going north. He’s making the jump to the prep school level for this upcoming season.

Michael Quinn

No. 4 Navy, Shattuck St. Mary’s 16-U, 3/25/03, right shot, 5-9.25/166

Quinn previously played forward for St. Louis AAA Blues but has transitioned to defense, it would appear. For a newcomer to the position, he made a couple of nice reads and didn’t look out of place.

Chase Ramsay

No. 2 Royal, Avon Old Farms, 6/10/03, right shot, 5-10.5/171

Ramsay has a strong stick and will be back for a second season at Avon Old Farms in the fall.

Riley Rosenthal

No. 5 White, South Florida Hockey Academy 16-U, 12/10/03, right shot, 6-1/236

Rosenthal is a big defenseman who made the NTDP Evaluation Camp. He has the size that intrigues observers. He has athleticism and reach and a hard shot when he gets it off. His feet and vision are areas of his game which need improvement in order to make the next step to college hockey.

Tyler Rubin

No. 2 Grey, Belmont Hill, 1/10/03, left shot, 5-8/134

Rubin is a very good skater whose game is really coming on strong. He can jump into the rush and get shots through to the net. He defends with his feet and stick. He tried to do too much at times, but his feet are worthy of this lofty ranking.

Joseph Sciabarra

No. 7 Royal, Long Island Gulls 16-U, 10/11/03, left shot, 5-5/146

Sciabarra has the skating ability and puck skills to be an offensive defenseman, but he needs to think the game a little better and learn to pick his spots.

Max Smolinski

No. 6 Royal, Little Caesars 16-U, 4/2/03, right shot, 5-10/146

Smolinski’s feet are getting better, but he’s still a work in progress. He turned the puck over a few times, but he showed more skating ability than he has in the past.

Easton Zueger

No. 3 Gold, Phoenix Junior Coyotes 16-U, 6/7/03, right shot, 5-7.5/183

Zueger was a player who began to attract some attention as the week moved along. He has the skating ability to jump into the rush and he made a couple of nice plays defensively. He likes to push the pace and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. If he can learn to pick his spots more wisely, he’ll be better off as he continues progressing.