USHL Prospects All Star Game

The USHL held their first ever top prospects all-star game last night. A few notes:

• With no NTDP it was really boring. Their final exams were scheduled for this week, so that is the source of the conflict this year. Whether they will be a part of it in the future remains to be seen. It would probably be good for the game as a whole as it would draw more scouts, but maybe not as good for the players whose stock could take a tumble
• It was also boring because Dubuque’s Mike Matheson and Zemgus Girgensons weren’t there either. Girgensons has been flying up draft boards, so it would have been fun to see him in this type of environment.
• That said, Fargo’s Brian Cooper, who is a Nebraska Omaha commit, was by all accounts the most impressive player in the game. He’s a pretty small kid but he’s always been the prototypical leader type: he captained team USA at the Junior A Challenge this year, and I love his skating ability.
• Indiana’s Robert Baillargeon had 2 goals, and is scoring a point per game for the Ice this year. The future BU Terrier really gets to the net well and has great hands.