There were two recruit notes out of the USHL Fall Classic this weekend. According to line charts at the prospect event, Chicago Steel goaltender Gibson Homer is no longer committed to Miami and Sioux Falls defenseman Cal Thomas is no longer committed to Vermont.
Thomas is an Arizona Coyotes draft pick (6th round, 2021) who had two points in nine games last season after playing 23 games for Maple Grove High in Minnesota where he scored 26 points (5 goals, 21 assists) in 23 games. Thomas had committed to UVM this past December.
“Cal is a smooth-skating, poised, good-sized defender,” said NZ scouts. “He has great puck poise and patience with possession and makes crisp, accurate, tape-to-tape passes. He has a heavy shot that he gets through to the net and proved to be a dual-threat from the point as a passer and a shooter. Can move across the blue line and either make a seam pass or open a shooting lane for himself. He plays the body, he can grind down opposing forwards below the dots, keeps a clean net-front lifting stick and pushing bodies and was solid 1v1 against the rush keeping his gaps within reach and getting his stick in lanes to take away time and space from opponents. Versatile, three-zone defenseman with a high ceiling as he continues to develop.”
Homer played for the U.S. NTDP before suiting up for the Steel this season. Last year, he appeared in 35 games for the NTDP’s U18 team and posted a 2.97 GAA and an .873 save percentage. Homer had committed to Miami in November 2018.
“Homer is a big frame and appears to be very composed,” said NZ scouts. “There were some instances in the game where he was scrambling a bit, but he moves well and is quick to integrate into his posts and seal the ice. When seeing pucks, he had great rebound control, eating up everything that came towards him, and with traffic, he does a good job using his height to find shooting lanes and his width to maximize coverage.”
Providence recruit Tyler Young is also back on the market. Young is in his first season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL. Last season he appeared in 16 games for Des Moines where he posted four points and then he appeared in 15 games for the Islanders in the NCDC where he posted 14 points in 15 games. Young had committed to Providence in March 2018.
“Through the neutral zone Young attacked with speed and made skilled plays to his linemates to create opportunities off the rush,” scouts noted. “In the offensive zone, Young worked hard, forechecking aggressively and winning battles to sustain pressure for the Buccaneers. On one occasion, Young got in hard on the forecheck, reloaded back on top of the puck, and was able to create a turnover on the wing, pick the puck off the wall, draw two defenders in, and make a really nice behind the back feed to his linemate for a grade A chance. He also showed his ability to be gritty, looking to work the puck to the goal mouth and fight for rebound chances when the opportunity presented itself.”
