NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX — Thanks to their position in the standings, the Brahmas are sending the maximum number of players to play for the South Division Top Prospects team. Austin Kamer, Carson Kelley, Hunter Stanley, Troy York, and John Zimmerman will be playing for Team South.
In addition to those five, though, the Brahmas are also sending two players to the NAHL Selects team. The Selects roster is made up of players who are on the NHL’s Central Scouting list or otherwise drawing attention from NHL teams.
Justin Addamo will be one of the two Brahmas skating for the NAHL Selects.
“I think [the tournament] is a great opportunity for me to show my stuff to NHL teams,” Addamo said. “It is a good chance to see new players and new systems.”
Addamo’s name was on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary list at the beginning of this season, and it’s easy to see why. Addamo is hard to miss, standing at 6-foot-6 off of skates. When he is on skates and gets moving, he’s very hard to stop. What really makes Addamo stand out though, is the skill he possesses on top of that size and strength.
“You just don’t get those hands with that size,” Head Coach Dan Wildfong said. “He’s very big, he can skate, he can make plays. A lot of NHL teams are looking at him because at the end of the day that kid could be really good when he gets older. It’s taking him time and I’m sure he wants the transition to be quicker, but he’s really making some nice strides to be a really good hockey player.”
The big forward is perhaps one of the Brahmas’ most improved players over the course of the season. The talent was always there, but Addamo was used to playing a different style of hockey in Rouen, France before coming to the NAHL.
“He was used to the bigger international ice and less physical play, but he’s really embraced [the NAHL], and let me tell you, it’s a big difference in our line-up when he is in and out of the line-up,” Wildfong said.
In 39 games played this season, Addamo has 10 goals and 10 assists. He also played a stint with France’s U20 squad during the World Junior Championship Division I Group A tournament. As a 1998 birthyear, Addamo will still have two years of junior eligibility when this season is done, and Wildfong is looking forward to seeing what Addamo can bring to the table.
Following his junior career, Addamo will play Division I hockey at Robert Morris University. For now, though, Addamo is focused on the task at hand. “I am going to do my best to impress NHL teams,” he said.
Catch Addamo playing with the NAHL Selects team on February 27 and 28. All Top Prospects Tournament games will be streamed live on Hockey TV.