Chaz Lucius

Another top forward from the USA Developmental program. He lead the U-17 team with 31 goals in 46 games. He has pro-style package with excellent on-ice presence and vision and an extremely hard, accurate shot and release, no matter whether he is in motion, or setting up a one timer. He might have the hardest shots of this draft class. Has a nice blend of hockey skills, size and skating ability. He is one of the good hands people, who is a threat whenever he is in scoring range to the net. Very agile, but his drawback is lack of acceleration and a top gear at this point, but is still deceptively fast with his long, easy stride, beating defenseman to the edge. Very strong on his skates and can separate from defenders, and is an excellent possession player whose strong on the puck in tight spaces and dirty areas. A long strider with impressive agility for a lanky kid unafraid of the heavy traffic. Has a nice snap shot displays high-end hand/eye co-ordination on tips and deflections. Where Matt Berniers played 44 games with the U-18 team, Lucius only played 6, as he was allowed to develop on the U-17 for an extra year. Injured early this season until February, and 13 goals in his first 12 games back. Still needs to polish his involvement away from the puck. I would like to see him drop a shoulder and head for the drive to the net, the times he lets up and works the puck back to the point, but the shot and ability to generate will never be in question. And like so many young scorers, he is probably not asked to commit defensively, just get his teams scoring opportunities. He probably projects as an off-handed right wing in the pros. Committed to the University of Minnesota.

--Bill Placzek--