Maverik Showtime: Top 2028 Specialists and LSMs

In this installment of the Maverik Showtime series, I'm taking a look at the specialists who stood out at the showcase. These goalies, LSMs, and faceoff specialists all made strong impressions. Two goalies who deserve shout-outs but will not receive full evaluations here are [player_tooltip player_id='142780' first='Noah' last='Benney'] and [player_tooltip player_id='165876' first='Weston' last='Guerra']. Benney looked very much like the player I evaluated in the fall, showing explosive range, especially on off-stick shots, along with strong communication in the clearing game. I also mentioned [player_tooltip player_id='165876' first='Weston' last='Guerra']'s Showtime performance in an evaluation last week, and he still looks like one of the best goalies in the class. Here are eight specialists and LSMs who shined:    I ran out of space next to Choi's name while tracking saves at Showtime. I had him down for 17 saves in the two halves I watched, plus a couple more in the All-Star Game. He was phenomenal from start to finish. His hand speed is elite, and one of the best examples came on an off-stick high save against a quick-release shot up the hash during team play. He also stood out with how well he reacted to ball movement. Whether it was pipe-to-pipe action or swings from X, he was efficient with his footwork and tracked the ball extremely well.   What pushed him over the top was his X-factor. He is not afraid to pick off passes, scoop ground balls, and come out of the cage to end possessions. At minimum, Choi looks like a top-five goalie in the class. His ceiling is high enough that he has a legitimate case to be the best in the group.     Hayden Myslinski's stock has been steadily rising throughout the spring and summer, and his performance at Showtime was a major reason why. He was one of the four goalies selected for the All-Star Game alongside some elite talent. He is on the smaller side compared to some of the top goalies in the class, but he continues to produce at a high level. He plays from a more upright, comfortable stance until shooters get into range, then loads up and really locks in. Over the last couple of events I have seen, his consistency catching the ball with soft hands has really stood out. His clearing game has also been excellent, both in how quickly he gets the ball out and in how well he drops outlet passes into the bucket.     Max Butler showed at Showtime that he is an LSM worth knowing in the 2028 class. He plays with aggression across the board, and he impacts the game in a lot of ways. In one-on-one defense, he proved he can hang with top competition by staying on his matchup's hands without giving up his footwork, and he came up with a couple of checks that ended possessions. He also stood out as a help defender, sliding at the right times and getting his stick into passing lanes to take away skip looks. In transition, he pushes the pace and has a hard shot that defenses have to honor.     Maraglino belongs in the elite category among 2028 face-off specialists, and he showed that by making the All-Star game at Showtime. His hand speed is excellent, and he has plenty of technical skill to rely on when he is not winning strictly on the clamp. He also does a really good job involving his wings, whether it is directing them before the whistle or boxing out his matchup and goosing the ball into space after it. Just as importantly, he has the toughness you need in a fogo to hold up over a full game. Even when he takes a beating from heavy pressure, he still finds a way to get to an outlet and secure the possession.     Jackson Thau recently announced that he will transfer to Lawrenceville and reclassify. Even though he did not make the All-Star Game at Showtime, he still stood out to me. He fits the LSM mold well because he can create turnovers with flashy checks and by doubling ballcarriers when they get to vulnerable spots. He also showed real skill with the ball in his stick. One of his best plays was a behind-the-back pass through contact that eventually led to a goal. He also picked up a hockey assist in transition and scored on day three by pulling the ball low in tight.     I thought Karl Robison was snubbed from the Showtime All-Star Game. He always seems to put up strong numbers, and a lot of that starts with his dominance on the clamp. He wins a lot to himself when he wins the clamp, can outmuscle opponents when it gets tied up, and he is hard to move in ground-ball scrums on 50/50s. Robinson also brings value on both sides of the ball. He has the footwork, strength, and confidence to hold up in one-on-one defense, he handles the ball well, and he even added a goal off the catch at Showtime.     By my count, Gus Cherenek had the best faceoff percentage in the Showtime All-Star Game and also led the fogos in goals across both the All-Star Game and team play. He took on a heavy workload with his fogo teammate out, but still put up excellent numbers. His favorite move looks like the plunger to himself. With the ball, he does a great job finding outlets quickly, and he can hurt defenses, too. I saw him score twice off the catch in team play, and he added a goal in the All-Star Game.     Nate Cooper was my favorite fogo at Showtime who did not make the All-Star Game. He is undersized, but he has the kind of gamer-hustler mentality that makes you root for him. He never backs down, flies after ground balls, and bothers ballcarriers with disruptive checks when he does not win the draw cleanly. The numbers at the dot backed it up, too. He posted strong results in team play thanks to his hand speed and quick exits.

In this installment of the Maverik Showtime series, I'm taking a look at the specialists who stood out at the showcase. These goalies, LSMs, and faceoff specialists all made strong impressions. Two goalies who deserve shout-outs but will not receive full evaluations here are Noah Benney Noah Benney 6'2" | 230 lbs | G | Right Hand St. Paul’s | 2028 MD and Weston Guerra Weston Guerra 6'2" | 170 lbs | G | Right Hand McDonogh | 2028 MD . Benney looked very much like the player I evaluated in the fall, showing explosive range, especially on off-stick shots, along with strong communication in the clearing game. I also mentioned Weston Guerra Weston Guerra 6'2" | 170 lbs | G | Right Hand McDonogh | 2028 MD 's Showtime performance in an evaluation last week, and he still looks like one of the best goalies in the class. Here are eight specialists and LSMs who shined: