Who will be looked upon in the dying minutes of a tie game? Who will be counted upon to provide leadership on the long road to gold? Who will make the key pass? Score the big goal? Make the huge save?
International Scouting Services has selected three players from each of the six teams competing in Vernon, B.C., that it believes are players to watch at the 2014 RBC Cup.
Who made the list?
CARLETON PLACE
STEPHEN BAYLIS
effective two-way forward … makes good decisions with the puck … quick hands … nice touch … dangerous on the penalty kill … reads the play well … high-level hockey sense … deceptive
ANDY STURTZ
dynamic player … highly competitive … doesn’t shy away from physical play … great hands … excellent hockey IQ … quick feet … tremendous acceleration … sees the ice incredibly well
KELLY SUMMERS
two-way defenceman … very good offensive instincts … plays with confidence … fluid skater … creates offence for teammates … plays in all situations … good anticipation … plays physical
DAUPHIN
DYLAN BUTLER
exceptional shooting ability … can score from anywhere … good speed … quick hands … very hard to contain … always keeps his feet moving … tough to read with the puck … fights for the puck
JUSTIN VALENTINO
creative player … always wants the puck … good puck skills … good puck distribution … makes good decisions … drives to the net to create offence … uses speed to get around defencemen
BRENT WOLD
makes things happen for teammates … hard to knock off the puck … good in the neutral zone … battles hard … defensively responsible … skates well … very agile … protects the puck well
TORONTO LAKESHORE
NATHAN FERIC
a 200-foot player … powerful skater … excellent on face-offs … very responsible defensively … a playmaker … character player … plays in all situations … great vision … fantastic passer … smart
MICHAEL PRAPAVESSIS
tremendous vision … excellent passer … makes the smart and simple play … excellent hockey sense … superb hockey IQ … thinks the game beyond his years … good skater … active and quick stick
KEVIN SHIER
dynamic offensive talent … elite stickhandling ability … strong on the puck … pure scorer … strong leadership skills … excellent vision … tremendous hockey sense … collects a lot of loose pucks
VERNON
DYLAN CHANTER
shutdown defenceman … smart … quick to react in his own end … strong skater … moves the puck well … keeps things simple in defensive zone … can separate puck carrier from the puck
MICHAEL MCNICHOLAS
highly skilled … loves to have the puck on his stick … always a threat to score … can control the puck in tight spaces … uses open space to his advantage … makes quick, hard passes … good hockey IQ
AUSTIN SMITH
athletic goaltender … plays with poise … confident … good vision …quick glove … moves well from side to side … uses his stick well … likes to challenge shooters … good second effort for rebounds
YORKTON
BRETT BOEHM
smart player … always finds open space … effective when playing down low … does the little things well … difficult to knock off the puck … soft but strong hands … reaches top speed quickly
CHASE NORRISH
an on-ice general … controls the pace of the game … makes a good first pass … moves the puck well on the PP … very mobile … competes physically … likes to take away space … good hockey sense
TAYLER THOMPSON
Mr. Consistency … can beat defenders with ease … works hard without the puck … always in good position … good offensive anticipation … quick release … good one-on-one skill set ... good speed