Paul Cotter (photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)

Michigan names impress at USHL/NHL Top Prospects on-ice testing

 

By @MichaelCaples –

On the eve of the 2018 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Nebraska, the 36 participating skaters were put through a series of on-ice tests, and, to nobody’s surprise around here, the Michigan names did pretty well.

Here’s a look at the top five finishes in each test, as well as the overall finishes (with two Michigan natives taking the top two posts):

Overall
1. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
2. Max Ellis (Youngstown Phantoms)
3. Martin Pospisil (Sioux City Musketeers)
4. Marc Del Gaizo (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
5. Ryan O’Reilly (Madison Capitols

30 M Forward
1. Jaxon Nelson (Sioux Falls Stampede)
2. Martin Pospisil (Sioux City Musketeers)
3. Sampo Ranta (Sioux City Musketeers)
4. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
5. Alexander Steeves (Dubuque Fighting Saints)

30 M Forward With Puck
1. Sampo Ranta (Sioux City Musketeers)
2. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
3. Jaxon Castor (Sioux Falls Stampede)
4. Martin Pospisil (Sioux City Musketeers)
5. Alexander Steeves (Dubuque Fighting Saints)

30 M Backward
1. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
2. Ben Copeland (Waterloo Black Hawks)
3. Michael Callahan (Central Illinois Flying Aces)
4. Marc Del Gaizo (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
5. Aidan Fulp (Dubuque Fighting Saints)

30 M Backward With Puck
1. Martin Pospisil (Sioux City Musketeers)
2. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
3. Xan Gurney (Chicago Steel)
4. Ryan O’Reilly (Madison Capitols)
5. Marc Del Gaizo (Muskegon Lumberjacks)

Reaction (Start/Stop)
1. Curtis Hall (Youngstown Phantoms)
2. Max Ellis (Youngstown Phantoms)
3. John St. Ivany (Sioux Falls Stampede)
4. Ryan O’Reilly (Madison Capitols)
5. Jace Foskey (Tri-City Storm)

Reaction (Start/Stop) With Puck
1. John St. Ivany (Sioux Falls Stampede)
2. Alexander Steeves (Dubuque Fighting Saints)
3. Blake McLaughlin (Chicago Steel)
4. Ryan O’Reilly (Madison Capitols)
5. Xan Gurney (Chicago Steel)

Weave Agility
1. Martin Pospisil (Sioux City Musketeers)
2. Sampo Ranta (Sioux City Musketeers)
3. Tyler Madden (Tri-City Storm)
4. Xan Gurney (Chicago Steel)
5. Jack Randl (Omaha Lancers)

Weave Agility With Puck
1. Tyler Madden (Tri-City Storm)
2. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
3. Max Ellis (Youngstown Phantoms)
4. Graham Lillibridge (Chicago Steel)
5. Ryan O’Reilly (Madison Capitols)

Transition Agility
1. Paul Cotter (Lincoln Stars)
2. Xan Gurney (Chicago Steel)
3. Max Ellis (Youngstown Phantoms)
4. Marc Del Gaizo (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
5. Sampo Ranta (Sioux City Musketeers)

Transition Agility With Puck
1. Matej Pekar (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
2. Max Ellis (Youngstown Phantoms)
3. Ryan O’Reilly (Madison Capitols)
4. Tyler Madden (Tri-City Storm)
5. Martin Pospisil (Sioux City Musketeers)