WJC: USA Player Roundup

Team U.S.A. sits at 2-0-0 after taking down Slovakia 7-3 on opening night, followed by a 3-0 win over the Swiss yesterday. Here's what I've seen from the individuals who have donned the red, white, and blue.

Derek Stepan (University of Wisconsin) - The 2008 second round pick of the New York Rangers has been the U.S.'s best forward over their first two games, while also serving as Team Captain. He sits first in points with one goal and three helpers, is a plus four, and is second on the team in shots on goal. Stepan possesses a high hockey IQ, knows how to play off of his line mates, and has shown an ability to play in all situations. His line with Danny Kristo and Jerry D'Amigo has been the U.S.'s best here in the early going.

Danny Kristo (University of North Dakota) - Kristo, a 2008 second round pick of the Canadiens, has been flying up and down the ice every time he hops over the boards. Unlike many young players with excellent speed, Kristo has already learned how to consistently utilize his significantly above average wheels. Kristo is a tenacious forechecker and an excellent penalty killer.

John Carlson (Hershey Bears) - In the U.S.'s first game Carlson looked like a man amongst boys. While his second game wasn't quite as strong, his skill level was still highly evident. Carlson jumps into the play, throws his body, and knows how to run a power play. His firm, crisp, tape-to-tape passes are proof that this guy already knows how to play at the pro level. Expect Carlson to sit at around a point per game at the end of the tournament.

Jordan Schroeder (University of Minnesota) - Schroeder has been mightily dissapointing through two games in Saskatoon. I still think Schroeder can produce at the NHL level, but it is fairly evident that his play has really leveled off. I see little improvement between the Schroeder of this tournament and the Schroeder that has played in this tournament the previous two years. He is at his best when his legs are constantly churning and he's forechecking like crazy. Schroeder looks too complacent, and he might be thinking too much.

Kyle Palmieri (University of Notre Dame) - Before this year's draft, Palmieri was compared to Chris Drury because of his intangibles and high defensive acumen. These traits have been on display in the early going of the World Juniors, and are proof of why the Ducks took Palmieri in last year's first round. He has played a sound two-way game, competing hard in his own end, as well as on the forecheck.

Cam Fowler (Windsor Spitfires) - Through two games Fowler has been steady but unspectacular. I haven't seen anything that could hurt his draft status, but I also haven't seen any of the flashes of brilliance I came into the tournament expecting from the highly regarded defenseman. Either way, playing a steady game in this tournament as a draft-eligible player is still fairly impressive.

Chris Kreider (Boston College) - Another Rangers' draft pick, Kreider has played very well through the first two games of the tournament, being named the U.S.'s player of the game in yesterday's contest versus the Swiss. Kreider possesses otherworldly speed, and competes hard at both ends of the ice. This may not endear Kreider to Rangers fans, but he reminds me stylistically of Christopher Higgins.

Jeremy Morin (Kitchener Rangers) - Morin, a second round pick in last year's draft courtesy of the Atlanta Thrashers, has looked "okay" thus far. His hands were on display when he notched a "goal scorer's goal" during the first game versus Slovakia, but he has been relatively unnoticeable other than that, and at times, a little lethargic. The knock on Morin is he is one dimensional, but hey, that one dimension - goal scoring - is pretty important.

Jack Campbell (U.S. NTDP) - Campbell, Team U.S.A.'s youngest player, played a very sound game in goal to earn a shutout versus the Swiss yesterday. Campbell looked technically sound from start to finish, and didn't lose focus at any point of the contest. It will be interesting to see how much the youngster plays as the tournament progresses.