The first overall pick in the 2023 USHL futures draft, Kappell is no hidden gem, yet he remains uncommitted at this moment. His services are sure to be in high demand and his first-class performance at this camp will reinforce that belief. He led the entire camp in goalscoring, collecting eight goals in seven games. With a head of steam, he is borderline impossible to stop as he protects the puck with his solid frame and drives through contact. He doesn’t quite have a consistent separation gear at this point, but he doesn’t need a lot of time or space to rifle the puck. He’s also so effective at using his posterior to hold defenders at bay that he can be methodical at pulling the puck off the wall and attacking the net as he adjusts, spins, and positions his body so that defenders get trapped behind him. As the tournament wore on, he became no stranger to double teams as defences tried to adjust for the unique challenge he presents.

A dominant display on the ice with a commanding presence in the offensive zone, Sam Kappell was one of two Central players to bestow a hat trick. I really liked the fine touch on the first goal, where Kappell is in the slot but angled near the goal line with his body facing away from the net. It’s an awkward position for a shooter, but Kappell times his pivot towards the net really well and softly backhands the puck in on a fine angle. These smart senses in and around the slot led to a number of good one-touch plays, such as the backdoor chance that Kappell capitalized on for his second goal. It’s also worth shouting out his one-timer goal that cemented his hat-trick.

Kappell was a player I enjoyed watching in this contest as he just seemed to make smart choices on and off the puck that led to play developing for his team. He showed some nice stick handling in tight and he did well to skate across the defenders bodies and make it difficult for them to reach in and take the puck. He has a nice blend of size and skating ability that he utilized really well and he put in some hard shifts that would result in chances due to his work ethic. He made some very solid defensive plays and skated hard to get back on the back check to prevent any scoring chances for the opposition. His movement off the puck was solid and he did well to get open and earn himself a few opportunities.