USHL Prospect Alert-TJ Tynan

TJ Tynan (DM) came into the USHL as rookie this year and tore it up. The forward from Orland Park, Illinois has 60 points, 17 are goals and 43 assists through 2/16. His plus/minus isn't great, but it's a tough category to judge and almost solely depends on the quality of team you are on. Out of the 60 points, 26 came on the powerplay which shows his natural ability when his team has the one man advantage. He has the skills necessary to make it in the NHL. He has some of the best instincts in the USHL, behind only Jaden Schwartz (TRI). He is a pass first kind of guy, but when he has a chance to score, he'll take it. He sees the ice well and can dart in and out of clumps of players with his speed and small frame. But while his size is a strength in a sense, it is a huge weakness for him. Tynan is only 5'9"/170 which brings his draft value down significantly. NHL scouts value size sometimes a little bit too much, so his draft position may not reflect his skills, but his size. But, even with his size in question, he still is one of the most dynamic players in the USHL. I expect Tynan to be drafted in the 2010 NHL Draft around the second round, maybe a little later.

Note: Congratulations to former USHL players David Backes (LIN) and Ryan Malone (OMA) for scoring a goal in the Olympic game versus Switzerland today.