I did not have to look far to find the player who spearheaded the offense, Ezekiel Kaebel was without a doubt one of the most dynamic players at this event and it came as no surprise that he led his team in scoring with eight points in five games. His ability to command the Dallas offense was impressive, his puck carrying skills were a big part of it as he was able to generate speed quickly through his quick crossovers and once he hit his stride his agility made it incredibly difficult to lay a finger on him. He flew through the neutral zone with ease and continued to find and drive towards open space with the puck glued to his stick. His strength on the puck to fend off opposition is another piece that made him so efficient at lugging the puck up the ice, he remained ever vigilant of his surroundings and recognized the open players he had, as well as the defenders who were looking to close him down. The control he had over his body and the puck were mesmerizing, he was able to manipulate the puck and opposing players with ease and create chances whenever he pleased. He processed the game extremely quickly and was able to make his decisions swiftly as to not allow the defense any chance to get the jump on him, and before they knew it the breakout had started and he was flying up in support of his teammates on the rush. His work off the puck impressed as well, he was constantly scanning the ice and weighing up his options, looking for weak points in the defense and attempting to predict where the play would wind up and positioning himself there a second or two before it did. He was able to finish from a variety of angles and areas on the ice, doing so in tight or with a wicked wrister from further out. A high defensive work rate was the cherry on top for his performance, he was tenacious getting back on defense and strong on his stick when sticklifting the opposition or claiming loose pucks in and around the crease. He put forth a complete effort in each of his games during the Florida Exposure Cup and I came away even more impressed with his game than I had already been.

Kaebel was once again looking the part of an elite offensive talent who could raise his game and elevate the others around him. While not without flaw and some immature warts to his game, the strong point of his talent is his creativity and ability to capitalize on lanes he creates. He’s able to change attack angles with his skating ability and his hands enable him to navigate tight areas and get pucks off his quickly if there’s a window to do so. This game he was very active as a shooter getting a high volume of shots to the net and showing soft hands on the OT winner to go from backhand to his forehand as he tucked the puck home at the netfront.

Ezekiel played a heavy game, using his size to play physically, finishing checks, and powering himself around the ice. He has a powerful stride with good leg extension, allowing him to burst in his first three steps, while building momentum through crossovers as he accelerated through gaps around the ice. On the penalty kill he was very aggressive, pressuring attackers and where he forced them to play the puck tight along the blueline, often closing shooting lanes. Though it did not happen much in this tournament, this type of pressure can force a powerplay to retreat and forfeit offensive zone control or risk a shorthanded rush. Ezekiel acted as the primary goal scorer for his team as he was the one being set up for one-timers otherwise would be generating breakouts and converting them into high-danger rushes.

Kaebel is a high end playmaker who sees the ice effectively and makes those around him better. Patient and creative to open up passing routes and hit his man. Has a quick stride and gains speed efficiently. Does tend to glide with the puck a bit in an A frame stance and leave himself vulnerable which may want to reassess as he progresses. A maestro at this level with the puck on his stick. Has some grit to his game and was tenacious in puck pursuit, getting his body involved and leveraging a low center of gravity.

From start to finish, Kaebel established himself as the most impactful forward on this USA 3 roster with his versatility as a goal-scorer, executing plays all over the offensive zone and leading the charge for his team’s offence on multiple occasions. He could beat defences with his strong skating and smooth stick work from below the hashmarks with the assertiveness to drive his way towards the net where I thought he did such an effective job at creating from around the blue paint. However, what really separated him from his peers was the fact that he possessed a blistering shot, using it to beat goaltenders off the rush while in motion or even at one point, blasting a standstill shot from the point that made its way cleanly into the back of the net. The power and speed he was able to generate in his strides also made him a strong forechecker, using his strength and speed to pressure opposing defensemen and win back pucks for his team during scrums along the boards to create quick counter-attacking plays as well. His play style was imposing and aggressive and it always kept defences on high alert when he had the puck on his stick.

Kaebel was someone who was a cheat code in the offensive zone. He would blow by a defender getting into the offensive zone, then find a forward trailing late creating a good scoring chance. Kaebel was exceptional at shielding the puck from defenders; they struggled to push him off it, thanks to his strong and effective positioning. Kaebel would use his body and drive his way to the net creating opportunities in front of the net. Kaebel also was never scared to attack the defender in the offensive zone one on one, his skills allowed him to get around the defenseman with ease and get a shot on goal.

Another strong performance for Kaebel at the CCM 68 Combine where he was responsible for kickstarting the American offence after two key goals near the end of the first. His first goal was a great example of his offensive toolkit as he came out with the puck in the corner, found his defenseman dropping down the slot who then shot the puck wide, but Kaebel quickly scooped it up behind the net and wrapped it past the right post. His combination of playmaking and finishing make him a very hard forward to defend and add in his ability to control play along the perimeter, which I saw once again in this game, and he becomes a constant threat in the offensive zone. His second goal of the game came from a laser of a slap shot from the point that beat the goaltender clean by the blocker side and from that point on, his game started to really elevate with extended offensive zone possessions to give his team some momentum.

The combination of power and finesse that Kaebel put on display in this game made him virtually unstoppable as a puck carrier in the offensive zone. There were multiple shifts where he continuously controlled play below the hashmarks, showing off his smooth set of hands and powerful strides to weave his way through opponents or quickly power his way to the net when he saw an opening. His determination to attack the high danger areas allowed him to pick up a hat-trick in this game picking up all 3 of his goals coming from in front of the net or the slot in various ways including a tip, a snipe from slot off the rush and quick pull around move after corralling a rebound in front of the net which was a great demonstration of his versatility as a scorer.

The skill and the power in small moments really came through today as he was one of the only ones looking to engage with the physical pressure by lowering a shoulder and fighting through it as a countering strategy. He was working very hard early to shake pressure which led to cuts to the backhand and keeping his feet moving under physical opposition. Even when plays didn’t work out, his confidence and spark was notable. As the game moved along, he won puck battles to the corners, was abel to score a gorgeous goal by dragging the puck behind his hip and elevating it still while under pressure from behind, and attacking defenders later through the defensive triangle like a stickhandling drill. Really good showing.