Neutral Zone spent time at the Exeter, NH Showcase this past weekend. A wide range of ability with the teams involved. The East Coast Wizards showed up on the final day, but we could not find a roster to complete a write-up. They were, as always, very strong with many talented kids who play NE prep in the winter. The players below stood out to us when watching a smattering of games.
Skye Ziehwein, F, 2000, Colorado Selects: Small but fast and skilled forward. Excellent acceleration and east/west mobility. Top player on the CO Selects team, and even with size, should pan out as a Division I player. Fun to watch with quickness/skill package.
Stella Scott, F, 2001, Colorado Selects: Another talented kid with good size. Impressed NZ scouts at the USA Select Festival this summer and continued to do so hear. Not as dynamic as Ziehwein, but she also plays a bit of a harder game. A kid who would benefit from being in front of scouts often, as she possesses D-I potential.
Sommer Ross, F, 2000, Colorado Selects: Hard working forward. Bit of a wide skater, but after her first few steps, she really can get going. Most noticeable on the forecheck and backcheck. Plays 200 feet and helps in all zones. Good about getting pucks to the net and stopping on the crease. She has a nice level of discipline to her game.
Ashlie Killen, F, 2000, Cyclones: Good low center of gravity and a nice skill set up front. A top player on her team, and thus she always is in the offensive fray. Poised with the puck and tough to get off of it. Tweener DI/DIII kid. Effective player at the U16 level.
Shana Cote, F, 2000, Cyclones: Transplant from CO, Cole is a very complete player although her skating is not the prettiest. She is very heady and understands where to be on the ice. An offensive threat, she gets herself into the scoring areas and, as such, the puck seems to find her at times. Very good compete level as well. Hard on loose pucks. Captain of her team.
Kate McDermott, F, 2002, Boston Bandits: Tall, lanky center who gets around the ice well and showed above average hands. Her team works hard but is not deep with natural talent, and so McDermott and a few others share the brunt of the scoring load. Saw her in two games and most always was creating offensive. Could benefit from getting off of the perimeter, at times, and getting into the higher traffic areas.
Sydney Bard, F, 2001, Selects Academy @ Bishop Kearney HS: Excellent first step and plays hard. Continues to be a very good all-around player, and although she creates offense, she is not a natural finisher at this point. Can play all situations and gets top end minutes for her team. Colgate commit.
Caroline Goffredo, F, 2001, Selects Academy @ Bishop Kearney HS: Some of the top hands in the 2020 class right now. Skates well, although her first step can improve, but more importantly she can create offense and goals on her own. Very smooth and dangerous with time and space. Decent size. Sure fire D1 kid.
Maddy Coene, F, 2002, Selects Academy @ Bishop Kearney HS: Displayed excellent speed and offensive puck distribution ability at this showcase. Slight in size, she makes up for it with a great first step and very good top end speed. She compliments that with good vision and an ability to make passes that result in scoring opportunities. A prospect to keep an eye on.
Katie Davis, F, 2002, Selects Academy @ Bishop Kearney HS: Excellent motor and D1 puck pursuit and speed. Compliments the speed with a nice set of hands. Undersized right now, but undoubtedly her jump and energy will attract the attention of D1 scouts. Idaho native who played for the St. Louis Blues last year.
Hannah Lindey, F, 2000, Selects Academy @ Bishop Kearney HS: Only saw her play once against the East Coast Wizards, and Lindey was dynamite. Teams traded opportunities, but the Wizards definitely had the better of the grade A chances. Lindey showed quickness and athleticism, as well as an ability to compete for loose puck around the cage. Shutout the #3 team in the country coming into the game. Did not see her play against the Pens Elite (#4 in country) but heard she also shut them out. Division I prospect for 2018.
Cora Webber, 2003, Walpole Express: 2003 birth year playing in the U19 Division, Webber was not out of place at all. Solid size and good skater, Webber easily keeps up with the play both physically and mentally. A definite D1 kid down the road in the 2021 graduation class. A top kid in the MA for her birth year.
Madison Thome, D, 2001, NE Hockey Academy: Stocky and low to the ice, Thome has nice edges and skating ability. She is very comfortable and balanced, both with and without the puck, and because of that she could execute the fundamentals of making hard passes, catching passes, playing a 1 on 1, and the list goes on. A top, if the not the top, d-man on her U19 team. Another who will catch the eye of D1 scouts.
MK Gialames, D, 2000, Pens Elite: An excellent defenseman who plays with an unspoken confidence both with and without the puck. A recent D1 commit to Mercyhurst, MK is in complete control on the blue line in all ends. Hammer of a shot from the blue makes her threat both even strength and on the PP. Very good d-man on a very good team.
Kaitlyn O’Donohoe, F, 2001, Pens Elite: Elite hands and skill set. O’Donohoe likely was the most dangerous forward in the showcase (prior to Wizards arriving…no roster for the Wizards). A bit of a wide skater, she makes up for it with very good speed and solid east/west agility. Her agility makes her elusive, and more importantly, she is able to stay balanced and in a position to shoot. Scored an incredible goal against the Wizards. Colgate commit for 2019 (same as Bard).
Chayla Edwards, D, 2001, Pens Elite: Top defenseman on her team with the most upside out there. Tall, physically strong, good skater and a good skill set. Size, reach and skating making her very difficult to beat 1 on 1, while her skill set and skating make her a threat offensively to carry or jump into the play. Wisconsin commit for 2019. A clear top end kid who could blossom into a national team player someday.
