Abruzzese and Knies make Team USA

NEWS: Reporting with @chrismpeters, sources tell @DailyFaceoff these 25 players are expected to be named to Team USA 🇺🇸 for #Beijing2022 Olympics later today.13 #NHL prospects. Three 1st rd picks. 1 returnee from 2018: O'Neill. 15 NCAA, 5 KHL, 2 SHL, 2 AHL, 1 DEL. pic.twitter.com/kbKY139kBx

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 13, 2022

I know Abruzzese, but I don’t know how he plays exactly.

I read about him awhile back, and from what I understood, he’s a similar player to Kerfoot.

Can anyone let me know how accurate that is, or if there are better comparables?
Maybe a short scouting report, if you don’t mind

This was from Kyle Cushman:
A year between games and major hip surgery behind him, Nick Abruzzese has not missed a beat in returning to game action with Harvard this year. The 22-year-old left-winger has 15 points in his first 11 games to lead the Crimson in scoring, a feat he also achieved in his freshman campaign in 2019/20.

Abruzzese started the season with John Farinacci (ARI) and Alex Laferriere (LAK), but in the final two games before winter break was paired with two electric young scorers in Sean Farrell (MTL) and Matthew Coronato (CGY). If that line continues into the new year, it has the potential to be among the most dangerous combinations in the country.

Since being drafted as a double overage prospect in 2019 by Toronto, Abruzzese has done nothing but score. Given his advanced age, he had to step into the NCAA and produce immediately, and that’s exactly what he’s done. A cerebral player, Abruzzese may not have the skating ability, but his use of deception and quick playmaking makes him a very interesting prospect for me. He likely won’t be a top-six NHL talent on his own, but his skill set could make him a strong complementary piece with the Leafs top stars in a couple of years.

It is important to note that despite only playing in his second NCAA season, Abruzzese is already 22 years old. I don’t know what the plan is for him to turn professional, but I would like to see him with the Marlies sooner rather than later. For a reference point, he’s a few months older than recent Leafs debutant Alex Steeves (who we will get to shortly). I’m not sure how much a junior or especially a senior season with Harvard would benefit his development.

I’ll be honest I am not crazy high on him but also haven’t really seen him play. He is usually in the top 5/6 of Leaf prospects rankings. This will be a great test and give most Leaf fans who haven’t seen him play, how he fairs against men.