Overall assessment of those who improved their prospect status, those who flatlined and those that lowered much believe in them. Not who I think are the best prospects - which a player like Lekkerimaki surely is - but just who were better than ancipated and those who did not fully live up to expectations
Improved Status or Exceded Expectations
Pettersson - as tournament went on got steadier and steadier . Took care of business in his end and most efficient in getting puck out of his end. At times many of the others struggled with that. Not flashy and kept things simple. Pretty much proved the things we anticpated were there.
Patterson - got better as tournament went on. Still a ways away from being a prime prospect but showed enough skill and smarts to think there may be something there.
Alcos - guy just turned 18 (one of the youngest players in the tournament) and, in the time he got, showed the mobility to get up ice and support the play and to use size to screen out around his net and take people off the puck.
Alriksson - raw but had enough good moments to show he has something to build off. Stamina may be an issue but he was much better than predicted.
Sassons - clearly the best player for the team. Showed leadership and ability to settle the team when they got running around. More obviously a player that could see time at the NHL level
Walker - I expected little but he made his checking line effective. Out on key face-offs and in key defenisve situations. Passed the puck much better than expected and actually created chances. Not saying he'll ever play in the NHL (that's very doubtful) but he exceeded what was expected.
Young - had a nice game and while he needs a better glove hand, I think you can have a little more hope than in the past.
Romani - looked dangerous around the goal and showed a nose for the net. Plays too much standing still and needs to hold his feet better but he showed flashes and was not too much a liability in the run of the play.. Must get a lot stronger but I believe he largely passed this test well enough.
Felton - showed good mobility and was strong at rushing the puck. Also, even though he appeared slight, he used his body well to screen people out of the play or pin people along the boards. At many points, the team's best 2 way defense man.
Glover - showed the kind of hard skating style that could make him more of an AHL player than an ECHL one. Might now solidly be on Abby.
Flatlined (didn't show any or very little improvement over their past play)
Tolopilo - today's game dropped him back into questionable area. Needed to come out and then back in with the Calgary players on the break-aways. Instead was pretty much a statue. Did not look NHL calibre in this game and was lucky on some of the scammbles around his net.
Bains - had by far his best game today but still too many hitches in his play. Looks like the same player who had real problems when he came up to the NHL last season.
Raty - at this phase in his career, he should have dominated and, while having some good periods of play, he wasn't able to complete plays or score on his chances. Flubbed way too many passes.
Kudryvastsev - played a lot of hockey this weekend and appear to get worn down. Was mainly good at suporting the puck and hitting players with his passes but got backed in too much on defense and had problems with players going to the outside. Quite a few times, players were able to cut around him. Don't think expectations were fully met in terms of the completeness of his game and not sure he looked any different than last year,
Lekkermaki - after the first game you felt like you could pencil him on the Vancouver team and have Calder aspirations. But, in spite of chances, he didn't score and he disappeared at times. Needed to be stronger on the puck. He wasn't bad in this tournament and at times he was elite. Still there is more work to do here and though his skill and speed were evident and he remains a top prospect, I don't believe, in this tournament, overall, he fully realized expectations
Mynio - expected more and he needs to get a lot stronger.
Maybe Never say Never but Pretty much wrote themselves off as propect
Bloom - might have been the weakest forward
Hirose - played better against Calgary but doesn't have the wheels, given his size, to cope with too many situations. Certainly little impovement shown and at his age that would appear fatal.
Mueller - not bad little player but impossible to see much upside
Klimovich - brain dead play at the end of the Calgary game and amount of turnovers throughout make you lose any belief in this player. I don't see this player's development at all.
Others
Sansonnes had some tough moments during the tournament but he very young and really has no base line to use as a comparison.