USHL Prospect Report-Connor Brickley

Connor Brickley (DM), is one of my highest rated prospects coming out of the USHL this year. The forward from Everett, Massachusetts has 35 points through 38 games. He is currently rated the 3rd best player coming out of the USHL on the NHL's scouting list. I actually like Brickley's teammate T.J. Tynan a little more than Brickley, but they are both great players. Brickley is a great player with great size. He really knows how to move the puck and he's got a good shot. His size mixed with his scoring ability makes him very attractive to NHL scouts.

The one thing that brings his value down, how ever little, is that as a center, he's expected to be in front of the net screening and looking for a deflection, and sometimes he has trouble with this. He doesn't exactly use his size as a strength in front of the net and that will take a little, not much, away from his draft value.

Brickley will join the University of Vermont hockey team next season. I expect Brickley to be a second round pick in this summer's NHL draft.