The following is a roundup of recent NCAA commitments. To view the player’s Neutral Zone profile, which includes star-rating and links to all scouting reports on the player, click the link in the headline.
’04 MICK THOMPSON COMMITS TO HARVARD FOR 2022
- No. 82 in NZ’s 2020 OHL Draft Rankings (April 2020)
Thompson is a skilled player from Toronto who moved down to New Jersey last season to play for the North Jersey Avalanche. Prior to the move, he was a standout for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and played for the Oshawa Generals Selects U15 at the World Selects Invite.
NZ Scouts: “Workhorse for his teammates that gets every ounce of energy out of his body. As his core strength improves his skating stride will improve and will even have a bigger impact on the game. You still can’t teach attitude and effort and he rates A+ in those areas. Most of our positive notes came when he was working the power play. He had a nice goal and showed remarkable poise with the man advantage. He truly was all over the ice and is reliable on the forecheck, backcheck, and defensive zone. Hard not come away from a North Jersey game without noticing a very efficient 2004 that will keep getting better.”
’01 F JACK WORKS COMMITS TO DENVER FOR SECOND SEMESTER
- No. 63 in NZ’s Top-500 2001’s Report (June 2020)
The Okotoks Oilers announced that Works will be leaving the program and will join Denver immediately. Works, who was already committed to the Pioneers, is from Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories and had a breakout season for the Oilers last year, scoring 92 points (43g-49a) in 58 games.
In the 2018-19 season, his rookie year in the AJHL, Works scored 18 goals and added 11 assists in 56 games. Prior to joining the Oilers he played four seasons for the Edge School in the CSSHL, competing in the U15, U16 and U18 levels. His final season with Edge in 2017-18 he scored 23 goals in just 25 games for the U18 team.
NZ Scouts: “Great net front presence throughout the game, he has a strong frame and is able to create space for himself. Had a nice tip on the powerplay just below his shoulders. Jack picked of a D-to-D pass on the penalty kill and created a breakaway opportunity for himself. Scored a shorthanded goal where he won the battle at his blue line to get the puck out then accelerated up is creating a 2 v 2 opportunity. He showed great patience and waited long enough that the defender went down into a slide, he slowed up and pull the puck around him which allowed him to be all alone net front where he scored a nice goal.”
’00 F BRANDON COPE COMMITS TO NICHOLS FOR 2021
- No. 215 NAHL Player in NZ’s Top 500 NCAA Eligible 2000-Born Prospects (April 2020)
Cope is a Tampa, Fla. native who is in his second season with the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks in the NA3HL. This season he has 10 points (4g-6a) in seven games and last season he produced 68 points (31g-37a) in 45 games.
Cope played at the Quebec peewee tournament for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes in 2013. In 2016-17 he played one season with the Skipjacks 16U team before spending two seasons in the USPHL with the Boston Jr. Bruins.
On top of his time in the NA3HL, Cope also had a call-up with the WB-Scranton Knights in the NAHL last season.
NZ Scouts: “He was strong on pucks and protected, extended possession and made plays. He has a quick, wide stickhandle and can change his release point to pass or shoot rapidly. Brandon was around the net a lot and settles to solid scoring spots. He never really had great service, but we noticed that he was ready to bury. He stayed moving, played hard and was consistent. His first touches were soft. He is a bit intriguing as he can put on more weight and play a couple ways.”
’00 G ZACK CLOUTIER COMMITS TO UW-STOUT FOR 2021
- No. 2 MJHL 2000’s Goalie Rankings (March 2020)
- No. 11 MJHL Player in NZ’s Top 500 NCAA Eligible 2000-Born Prospects
Cloutier is a Quebec native who has spent the last two seasons in the MJHL with the OCN Blizzard. Prior to that he played two seasons in the QCHL with the College Champlain Cougars.
Last season Cloutier posted a 4.10 GAA and .895 save percentage in 32 games for the Blizzard. In 2018-19 with the Cougars he appeared in 29 games and posted a 2.00 GAA and .921 save percentage.
NZ Scouts: “Cloutier is a goalie who has good poise and control in his game as he is very smooth but patient in his crease. Cloutier uses a very intense, tight and narrow stance where he will push or C cut around his goal but gets loads of power in any of his movements. Technically sound to say the least but very confident in his feet as he plays out on top of his paint and loves to leave the cage. Doesn’t mind making outlets to his defensemen while always setting pucks for the D as well. Where Cloutier gets himself into trouble is making himself small and he’s already 5’8 so his stance backfires on him at times. The Quebec native out of Val-d’Or competes every night and makes clear that he is extremely agile in the net.”
