I took quite a liking to Ethan Machado’s game over the course of the CCM 68 Combine, he was effective at both ends of the ice and it’s always good to see a great defensive work ethic out of a talented forward. He had an explosive first step that created separation between him and his man and he was able to carry the puck up the ice effectively, holding the puck extremely well, remaining patient in possession as he used his agility to dance around the offensive zone. He was an adept passer who displayed a really strong feel for his feeds, measuring them perfectly and hitting the tape in stride. His defensive work was excellent and he did very well cutting out passes in the neutral zone and rapidly moving the puck up ice to launch the counter. He had a great defensive presence as he was able to close players down swiftly and get his body in the way as he racked up several blocked shots. He took possession from the opposition a number of times and was able to make life much easier for his defense group, while also being a contributor on the offensive side of things.

Ethan Machado did a nice job throughout the Kings of Spring event at slipping into scoring areas, and really flexing his ability to pick corners and zip shots past goaltenders from both range and in close proximity. The power to his step let him get the best of flatfooted defenders as he attacked off the wing, opening the ice needed to quickly fire a shot on goal in stride. Coming off the half-wall the footspeed combined with his powerful strides let him walk high into the slot, and fire strong wristers on net. He was another member of this Connecticut team who I felt really led the charge in regards to being a scoring threat, not just as a result of finding open ice to receive a pass, but to take the puck to dangerous areas, endure some bumps and shoves in the process, while keeping his balance and speed. In the defensive end I was impressed with his tenacity and lateral movements to stay square to opponents high in the zone, surrendering little ice, playing tight to his man, and continually interrupting play resulting in forced turnovers in which he was able to evade pressure and exit the zone with control.

Machado was the most effective player in this game thanks in large part to his high-end playmaking and strong puck pursuit. He was doing a great job at getting in on the forecheck and forcing defenders to turnover pucks below the goal line by taking shrewd angles and timing his stick checks accordingly. Machado displayed shades of deception in his playmaking throughout this game, using a series of look offs to get defenders to move and open up passing lanes inorganically before sliding pucks through seams towards the middle of the ice. He scored a couple of goals in this one, with the first seeing him catch a pass on his backhand in motion off the rush and make a quick pull to is forehand to bury it in tight. His second tally came off him taking advantage of a bad line change, attacking downhill off the rush and firing a perfect shot low blocker.

Another forward who made an impact in this contest was Ethan Machado, his strength at both ends of the ice helped the flow of the game for his side and he was able to find himself continually in the middle of everything. He made a number of takeaways in the neutral and defensive zones and was very explosive coming away with that possession and getting up into the offensive zone to turn them into chances on a consistent basis. He defended so well in one on one situations with the discipline and positioning that he showed, he kept his stick active and was quick to pounce on any mistakes from the puck carriers. He was great in possession, displaying patience and using his agility to evade defenders while he processed the game in front of him. His hands were decent and they allowed him to be able to shoot through gaps in the offensive end, but his passing ability was the most impressive part of his offensive game. He had a great touch to his passes with a full range of difficulty and distance on them, he seemed to be able to perfectly get them to the tape every time and allow his teammates to gather the puck in stride.