Mitch Major only needed one word to describe Keith Buehler: intense.

Still, that didn't stop the Skaneateles hockey coach from gushing about his sophomore stud.

“Every day, every practice, he's always trying to get better,” Major said. “Throughout this season, I could see the improvement.”

Good news for Major. Bad news for the rest of the league.

Buehler poured in a team-high 60 points with 28 goals and 32 assists. Plus, the first-team all-league selection was only one vote shy of being named player of the year in Division II West.

But it's not just the numbers that make a big impact for the Lakers.

“The amazing part is he's more than just our leading scorer,” Major said. “He plays the physical game, and defensively he's just as good as anybody on our team. He's not just a one-dimensional player. He can get our team going just as much with a big hit as with a big goal.”

He does a lot of both. Because of that, Major is able to play Buehler during key points in the game.

One of his best attributes is his ability to find open ice. And once he finds it, he has the speed to utilize that space - either that or he finds an open teammate. In a Jan. 24 game this season against Solvay, Buehler pulled away on four breakaways. Even though he only cashed in on one of them, it was a tally that sparked a three-goal rally in a 5-2 win. Not to mention he added two assists, too.

“He's the guy I don't want to come off the ice,” Major said. “He's one of those guys that you know won't take a penalty, will keep his cool, and will do what needs to be done.”

Sounds like the description of a cagey veteran. But the real kicker is he's still a rookie.

“I like to compare him to a great young quarterback in the NFL,” Major said.

“He can do everything, has all the skills, he's a hard worker, and he's still going to make mistakes just because he's young. That's the scary thing about Keith. He's that young leading goal scorer who still has so much to learn, and you know he's going to learn it because he's so intense and so dedicated. I'm really looking forward to next year.”