Steve Quailer

In a draft year where there were a dozen or so top prospects who went off the board in the first half of the first round, the club focussed on longer term projects with the majority of their picks. Quailer certainly fits that description, just one year removed from the obscurity of Colorado high school hockey, and having been passed over in his first year of eligibility for the draft. But he has an intriguing set of raw tools, and is still just 18 years of age. At 6-4 already, he needs to add some muscle to his 180 pound frame, but skates very well for such a tall player, and has surprisingly soft hands. His first season in the USHL was excellant, he co led Sioux City in scoring during the regular season, and was named team MVP. Steve also was selected to participate in the mid season All Star game, and named to the All Rookie team. His season mirrored that of Max Pacioretty with the same club a year earlier in many ways, although last season't edition of the Musketeers wasn't nearly as strong a club, and Quailer's scoring total fell short of Pacioretty. At this point the lanky right winger isn't nearly as strong as Pacioretty was a year earlier, but he has the height to eventually fill out to at least the same size. Recruited by Northeastern University, Quailer was also drafted by the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, and will choose between the two alternatives this summer. He would have two years of eligibility in the WHL, and four in the NCAA.