Day 2: 2021 USA Hockey Select 16 Camp - This entire days’ report likely could’ve been filled with praise for the performance of Mikey Burchill, first-round draft pick of the Dubuque Fighting Saints. From the initial faceoff, Burchill was flying. His modest frame seems to provide the optimal formula for speed, power, and agility. Listed at 5’9”, 150 lb, Burchill boasts outstanding skill, but retains a consistent air of selflessness when there is more to gain by distributing the puck. When doing so, the former Compuware forward is supportive and accurate with his passes, doing his best to minimize passing distance and ensuring the puck is placed on his teammates tape. When individuality is the optimal route, Burchill utilizes a pragmatic blend of deceptive skill, footspeed and brute force to get around defenders and approach the net. His active stick on the forecheck proved to be very effective at creating turnovers for Forest Green. Ultimately, at the core of his success, in addition to the obvious skill, is a level of composure that prevents him from overreacting or overthinking plays so that he can just get the job done. As mentioned, the depth of Burchill's performance, and style of play as a whole offers so much more than can be covered in a quick game note such as this one. He’s undoubtedly a player to keep an eye on throughout his USHL career.

After being sent on 2-on-1 rush with Ryan Smith near the end of the 1st period, Mikey Burchill earned a perfect opportunity to demonstrate his speed and refined puck handling in close to the net. His high speed puck handling as he approached the netminder was sufficient for him to lock the netminder in place before he slipped the puck around his backside, putting his team up 2-1. While it’s so easy to just say that good players should make a difference no matter the circumstances, I think the adjustment that certain USHL players have had to make in this tournament has been one of the most interesting storylines. It’s been the case with several players who have played a significant amount of games at the Junior level. As is the case for many young players in Junior, their former creative ways can be restricted in order to satisfy a role required by the team. After becoming relatively accustomed to the systems of a more structured team and playing in a lower spot on the lineup, the adjustment back to being a top offensive contributor for players like Mikey Burchill has been gradual. In the 2nd period of this game I started to feel like Burchill was really starting to find his groove. While this might’ve meant re-adjusting to a less structured type of play I felt that Burchill’s creativity, speed and ability to setup his line-mates with premium opportunities was much more prominent late in this game than it had been prior. On a number of instances he was able to move the puck into key scoring areas, run misdirection for his line-mates after dropping a pass, or as was the case on his goal to go up 3-2, get himself planted in scoring position with no hesitation to pull the trigger.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints forward has been one of my favorite players to follow from this class since the 2020 USA Hockey Nationals. His speed is a vital element to his game, but in this contest it was his shot that registered early. Manning the left half-wall for Team Red’s second powerplay unit, Burchill unleashed a rocket of a one-timer from a tough angle to get his team up 1-0. Burchill’s reliable support of his defensemen in shortening passing lanes and generally coming deep into his own zone to distract forecheckers is another element of his game that was impactful on this outing. Early in the second period Burchill showed the value of his speed as he streaked up the left-wing baiting his opposing defenders with the puck before slipping a backhand pass to the slot for Carey Terrance to slap in.