2015 Draft Spotlight: Jeremy Bracco

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One of the most prolific point producers in the Class of 2015 was featured in our Draft Spotlight last night on The Pipeline Show. I'm referring to Jeremy Bracco from the U18 squad of the US National Team Development Program (US-NTDP). 

Through 19 games this season Bracco has racked up 37 points and leads the U18 team in scoring. Bracco joined us a couple of days after he and team USA returned home from Sweden victorious from the Four Nations tournament. We spoke with him about the event. 

We also asked the forward which competition he prefers playing against: the international teams, USHL squads or the older NCAA programs. His answer was interesting. 

We covered a lot of bases when it comes to the 2015 NHL Draft and also asked the question a lot of Boston College fans were hoping we would. 

Bracco de-committed from his plans to go to Harvard and is now steering in the direction of Boston College. However, the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League currently hold his CHL rights and that is a team that has had a lot of success in the past with bringing American players across the border.

Considering the eerily similar traits to Sonny Milano last summer, another player who stepped back from one college commitment to pledge allegiance to Boston College only to leave for the OHL late in August, we wanted to know exactly how Bracco was leaning about his future. He made it crystal clear what his intentions are. 

If you missed the interview live, no worries, we have it for you after the jump. 

One To Watch: Los Angeles Kings

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The recent Stanley Cup champions have built their team around size and skill and added to both of those categories at the 2013 NHL Draft. New additions like 40-goal man Valentin Zykov and 6'7 winger Justin Auger fit the bill not to mention CHL Goaltender of the Year Patrik Bartosak.

L.A.'s NHL depth allows the team the luxury of bringing along their prospects slowly and that's paid off for guys like Slava Voynov, Jake Muzzin, Trevor Lewis, Dwight King and Jordan Nolan. That's good news for guys that are still biding their time on the farm.     

2012 Choice: Martin Jones - The former Calgary Hitmen goalie wasn't drafted but signed after an impressive camp invite. Heading into last year it was feasible that with so many Jonathan Bernier trade rumors going around, a NHL appearance might be in Jones' near future. That didn't happen but he did manage to have arguably his best professional season. He played 56 regular season games and held a 2.53 GAA and 9.19 SV%. 

My Los Angeles prospect pick for One To Watch in 2013-14 comes after the jump. 

One To Watch: Anaheim Ducks

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The Ducks are in a weird spot right now. They have superstars on their roster but fired their coach last year and still ended up missing the playoffs. They took a kick in the junk when prize prospect Justin Schultz left school, refused to sign and eventually went the UFA route. 

The team is in some sort of transition but I don't know which direction they'll be headed this year, up or down.

Prospect wise they still have some valuable commodities in place. Certainly Emerson Etem will be expected to challenge for a roster spot after a stellar 61-goal campaign in Medicine Hat last season. 

My "One to Watch" could have been Kevin Roy as he begins a new challenge at Northeastern but I've already done that story a few times lately on Twitter and on the radio. 

Personally I think that one of the best prospects in the Ducks' system is also one of the newest. The fact that he's got storylines around him heading into the new year is what has him on my watch list. 

One To Watch: Florida Panthers

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If I'm the owner of a NHL franchise in need of a rebuild and a GM to do the job, Dale Tallon is at the top of my list. The man has done a masterful job with the Florida Panthers, in my opinion, since taking over the job a handful of years ago. 

Florida currently boasts a stable of prospects that is ridiculously deep with high-end talent. Assuming there is a NHL season in 2012-13, Jonathan Huberdeau will be playing in it. Jacob Markstrom is considered by many to be the top goalie prospect out there. Quinton Howden is the kind of player who might be a better pro than he was a junior because of the support cast he'll benefit from. Nick Bjugstad is headed back to Minnesota and potential Hobey Baker territory as a guy poised to dominate at the collegiate level.

Michael Matheson, Alex Petrovic, Sam Brittain, Michael Houser... the list goes on and on.

With a plethora of great prospects and storylines to pick from I went with a guy who hasn't played a meaningful game in over 10 months.

2012 Draft Watch: Jacob Trouba

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It's already been described as the Year of the Defenceman so it shouldn't surprise anyone that the first five members of the Draft Class of 2012 that we have interviewed on TPS this year have all been blueliners. Already in Season 7 we have talked to Everett's Ryan Murray, Dubuque's Michael Matheson, Dillon Fournier from Rouyn-Noranda, Portland's Derrick Pouliot and yesterday on TPS we spoke with Jacob Trouba from the U.S. Development Program.

Saturday Morning Special - July 30th

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We officially wrapped up Season 6 this morning without a lot of fanfare or celebration, we just had a kick ass show instead. I was flying solo today with Deano off to Calgary for a friend's wedding so I had to call in some heavy hitters to carry the load for me. We covered the U18 and U20 Canada camps with a scout and a participant, we touched on the CHL/NCAA border war and then welcomed a pair of players into the studio for the second half of the show.

Key Oil Kings Prospect Headed to Sweden

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The Oil Kings have circled 2012-13 as the year that they believe they can not only be WHL contenders but seriously challenge for the Memorial Cup. With what the team already has on the active roster, recently drafted or on its protected list, Edmonton is definitely pointed in the right direction. Griffin Reinhart (if he's back in the WHL after being drafted), Curtis Lazar, a 20-year-old Dylan Wruck, 19-year-old versions of Travis Ewanyk, Keegan Lowe, Laurent Brossoit and Michael St. Croix plus possible additions between now and then could make for a very strong team.

However, that plan may take a hit with news that an impact prospect they were crossing their fingers for might not be in the mix for them in 2013 after all.

USA Ready For U18s

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USA Hockey recently released the names on its roster that will attempt to defend the gold medal they won in Grand Forks when the 2010 World U18 Championship gets going in Belarus later this month.

The official release can be found here with the full roster here.

Jacob Fallon update

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Yesterday I wrote about 3 suspensions and one player quitting the US Under 18 team. The player who left the program is Jacob Fallon. His WHL rights are held by the Seattle Thunderbirds.

In an exchange of emails with Seattle G.M. Russ Farwell I have confirmed that the T-Birds have reached out to Jacob to discuss his level of interest and are waiting to hear back from him.


Fallon can play for Seattle this year as long as he hasn't played a game after January 10th, providing the Thunderbirds have room on their 25 man roster for him.

Currently Seattle trails Kelowna by 5 points for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

3 Players Removed From US-NTDP

Rumors from earlier this week that 3 players have been kicked out of the US National Team Development Program have now officially been confirmed to The Pipeline Show from a source within USA Hockey. Goaltender Will Yanakeff, forward Stuart Higgins and projected 2009 1st round NHL pick Kyle Palmieri have all been booted off their respective teams for "breaking team rules".

Palmieri appeared on The Pipeline Show just last week. His CHL rights are held by the Guelph Storm and he has a verbal committment with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish should he choose the pursue the NCAA route. NHL sources have indicated to me that their belief is that the Zach Parise-like forward will head north to the OHL for next season.

Yanakeff and Higgins both played for the U17 team and are not eligible for the NHL draft this year. Yanakeff is slated to join Michigan State two seasons from now, His CHL rights are currently held by the Barrie Colts so the 6'2 goalie has options to consider.

Higgins is a small forward who has indicated that he will play for the Maine Black Bears beginning in 2010-11. He was a 12th round selection by the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.

(thanks to Brock Otten of OHL Prospects for supplying the OHL rights and draft info)