Category Archives: 2015-16 NCAA season

2015-16 NCAA season, Boston Bruins prospects, Danton Heinen, Matt Benning, Sean Kuraly , , , , 3 Comments

Sean Kuraly and Danton Heinen update plus NCAA playoffs & the underrated Matt Benning

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As tweeted out over the weekend, several reliable sources told me that Denver University sophomore forward Danton Heinen will turn pro after he plays his last game for the Pioneers. What remains to be seen is how soon the Boston Bruins will sign their fourth-round selection from the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

With the team at 47 contracts and allowed a max of 50, the B’s have some decisions to make on timing of signings, as in addition to Heinen, there are three other NCAA seniors that will need NHL deals before August 1: Matt Grzelcyk, Rob O’Gara and Sean Kuraly, who was acquired from San Jose last June along with the Sharks’ first-round selection for goaltender Martin Jones. With respect to Heinen, he has NCAA eligibility remaining, and the other guys don’t, so that’s a total of four contracts assuming the B’s sign all of them.

Last weekend, the RedHawks and captain Kuraly saw their NCAA tournament hopes dashed by the University of Minnesota-Duluth, who knocked them out of the NCHC playoffs. That makes Kuraly eligible to sign now and go to Providence on an ATO to finish out the season in the AHL if the Bruins so choose. Whether they will do so is going to come down to an internal organizational decision, as the 23-year-old center is less of a scoring/top-six type of forward and more of a bottom-six/grind-it-out checking player who plays a heavy game but doesn’t bring much in the way of a high offensive ceiling for the NHL.

Kuraly is coming off of a disappointing statistical season- one that saw him crash from a career-best 19 goals as a junior to just six tallies in 36 games with head coach Enrico Blasi’s Redhawks. He’s a good skater for his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and has a hard, heavy shot. The Ohio native is not all that creative nor does he bring much of a high-end skillset with the puck. He’s a good faceoff man and penalty killer, so there’s promise here- not everyone can progress on to the NHL and once there, then slot into a prime scoring role. In Kuraly’s case, he’s always been one of those players whose game and versatility translated more as a checking forward at the highest level and there’s nothing wrong with that. One member of the Bruins organization told me hours after the trade bringing Kuraly to Boston went public that they were hoping he would one day be a third-liner for them, so even at the most optimistic period- coming off a career year in Oxford- the B’s didn’t have many illusions about what type of player he was going to project as for them.

That brings us back to Heinen. To say his upside is considerably bigger than that of Kuraly is an understatement. After a tough team start offensively (DU was just 7-7-4 and 3-4-1 in the NCHC back in late December- the Pios finished with a 17-5-2 conference record, going 14-1-1 after the halfway point) Heinen and the Pacific Rim line went into overdrive when the calendar turned over to 2016 and he’s been absolute dynamite since February. The versatile winger who played LW for Jim Montgomery as a freshman after being a center in junior hockey, has been over on the right side this season with Trevor Moore on the left and Dylan Gambrell in the middle. Denver just knocked University of Nebraska-Omaha out of the postseason, with Heinen playing a prominent role and his 18 goals in 36 games leads the club (he’s third overall in scoring behind his linemates with 40 points). Even if the Pioneers don’t win the NCHC (they face stiff competition in the Frozen Faceoff to include No. 1-ranked North Dakota), they’re a lock for the NCAA tournament, which means he could be playing into April and won’t be available until late March or into the middle of April.

We’ll leave it to the Bruins to figure it out- timing is an issue for Heinen signing, but it’s a done deal that he will not stay another year in the NCAA, as he has reportedly told the Pioneers of his desire to move on. So, when the Bruins officially announce the signing (whenever that happens), you’ll know the decision was in the works for some time.

Meanwhile, the B’s will have to see what happens out East as well, with a pair of senior defensemen in Grzelcyk and O’Gara who are wrapping up their collegiate careers. Grzelcyk’s BU Terriers were unceremoniously bounced by the upstart UMass-Lowell Riverhawks, who got some outstanding goaltending from Kevin Boyle (a UMass castoff, btw- I bet the Minutemen could have used him, eh?) but are expected to make the NCAA tournament card, so we’ll have to see how that plays out first.

Also knocked out of the Hockey East tourney in surprising fashion- the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (and B’s prospect Anders Bjork) by Northeastern University, featuring B’s 2012 draft choice Matt Benning on defense. The 21-year-old junior and nephew of Vancouver Canucks GM (and former Boston AGM) Jim Benning is a defense-first guy who plays bigger and with an impressive physical edge for possessing pretty average size at 6-foot, 200+ pounds. He’s posted a career-best five goals this season after not finding the back of the net at all last year (his 24 assists/points still rate as his highest NCAA single season total to date). Benning isn’t going to wow you- he’s a consistent presence if nothing else. He’s not flashy or dynamic but is smart and rugged. He fills lanes quickly, gaps up well, and will pop you good if there are any thoughts of trying to cut to the middle- keep the head on a swivel when Benning is out there for the Huskies. His father, Brian, played more than 500 NHL games as a defenseman and tallied nearly 300 career points, so while his career wasn’t all that long (he retired at age 29), he was an impact two-way threat/effective puck-mover who was at his best in the late 1980s with the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings. Matt Benning is a chip off the old block- he’s got nice vision, the ability to make an effective first pass and a willingness to join the rush, not to mention the little bit of nasty he brings to bear during the trench battles along the walls and in front of the net.

Come to think of it, young Benning might be one of the most underrated prospects in Boston’s system. He’s rarely discussed or talked about and because he’s a sixth-round pick, he doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to NHL draft pedigree. He’s been nothing but solid since the B’s drafted him- helping the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints win the 2013 Clark Cup championship and being one of head coach Jim Madigan’s go-to guys (he was an alternate captain this season). With his active stick and watching him effortlessly slide across the ice to put a shoulder into an encroaching opponent and often times get the better of physical matchups against bigger players, there is a lot to like about Benning and his pro future, even if he isn’t on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Here’s an excellent Hockey East All Access feature on him (including the tidbits about his grandfather Elmer, longtime NHL scout and his efforts to have his son and grandson get involved with figure skating as youngsters to improve their balance, edging and overall mobility):

Everyone is excited to see how NU will do against Boston College (and Ryan Fitzgerald) this coming weekend’s semifinal match in their bid for Hockey East supremacy.

As for O’Gara, he and his Yale second-seed mates were bounced out of the ECAC tourney over the weekend in two close, hard-fought games by the seventh-seed Dartmouth Big Green. Dartmouth’s goaltender stopped nearly 96% of the shots he faced in overtime and regulation wins Friday and Saturday. Yale played well enough to win those games, but the offense failed them at a critical juncture. O’Gara and Yale will find out their NCAA tournament fate (along with BU) on March 20 when the entire field of 16 teams (which includes the automatic-bid six conference champions) is announced.

If neither BU nor Yale get a chance to see their seasons extended, then Boston’s hand could be forced sooner rather than later.

Things are heating up…not just a sign of the coming spring but on the ice for the NCAA playoffs as well.

 

2015-16 AHL season, 2015-16 NCAA season, Anders Bjork, Boston Bruins prospects, Colton Hargrove, Ryan Donato, Ryan Fitzgerald , , , 1 Comment

B’s prospects deep dive 4: Fitzgerald, Donato, Bjork & Hargrove

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The Scouting Post is back to continue the ongoing deep-dive on Boston Bruins prospects coming up through the system as we enter the final days of the 2015-16 hockey season across the various professional and amateur leagues.

Today’s edition features a trio of collegians and one rookie pro. Enjoy. Will keep steadily cranking these out while balancing the NHL/Boston schedule and work requirements. I appreciate the support and feedback as always.

Ryan Fitzgerald, C/LW

The Boston College junior is a versatile, energetic and productive forward who has taken a step ahead in his third NCAA season after being a fourth-round selection of the B’s in 2013.

The son of New Jersey Devils assistant GM and former NHL forward and 1986 first-round pick (NY Islanders) Tom Fitzgerald (his uncle, Scott Fitzgerald, is the B’s assistant director of amateur scouting)is an extremely bright two-way player who has the hockey intellect and will to compete to make his impact felt as an effective 200-foot player. Along with younger brother (and freshman defender) Casey, Fitzgerald is leading the Eagles to greater heights this season after a step backwards in 2014-15. A Beanpot Trophy was only beginning, as BC looks to take the positive momentum forward in the quest for Hockey East supremacy and an extended run in the NCAA tournament that will culminate in Tampa at the 2016 Frozen Four next month.

Although undersized, Fitzgerald is strong  and feisty- he doesn’t shy away from traffic or taking the physical punishment often doled out along the walls. He will initiate contact and take a hit to make a play, but will also draw and take penalties with his edgy play. He doesn’t have the high-end straight line speed ideal for one of his 5-foot-10, 180+-pound frame, which is said to be one of the reasons his draft day stock dropped him down to pick 120. He is slippery and elusive, which allows him to shake defenders inside the blue line and slide through seams in the offensive zone. The good news is that even without the ideal size and speed, Fitzgerald has been able to make an impact all three seasons up on the Heights because he’s so smart and has silky hands with a lightning release and a nose for the net.

Fitzgerald plays with a lot of passion and energy; you notice him when he’s on the ice and he has a bit of an agitator streak in that he can get opponents off their game with his relentless energy and ability to forecheck and disrupt opposition attempts to generate a transition game with speed. With an active stick and ability to fill skating and passing lanes, Fitzgerald often creates his own chances through hustle and hard work.

Current assessment: In the midst of his best single season, Fitzgerald recently netted his 50th career goal at BC and is doing all the things the B’s want to see from him. As good as his numbers look right now (20 goals, 40 points in 33 games), the real questions about whether he can parlay his smarts and energy into a solid bottom-six NHL role one day won’t be answered until he turns pro. Whether the B’s look to sign him this year or let him return for his senior year is not known at present, but current projects are for him to go back for a fourth season and complete his senior season at BC. In the meantime, he’s gaining valuable experience and confidence by being able to contribute more consistently to the Eagles’ attack and he’s clearly growing under the tutelage of Coach Jerry York and the staff there.

Ryan Donato, C

Freshman pivot and 2014 second-rounder out of Dexter School in Brookline is having a rock solid first NCAA campaign at Harvard playing for his dad.

A brilliant prep player in four seasons from Scituate, Donato was often on a whole different level from his peers, lighting it up in his junior year (37 goals, 78 points in 30 games) en route to being a top-60 selection of his hometown NHL team. He produced nearly a two point-per-game pace over his entire time at Dexter, scoring 99 goals and 129 assists for 228 career points in 115 prep games playing for his uncle, Dan Donato. He finished the 2014-15 season with a flourish, skating with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers and scored five goals and 10 points in eight contests.

At 6-foot-1, Donato is taller than Ted, and he says he gets his height from the other side of his family, which produced an NFL linebacker uncle, West Point wrestling captain cousin and of course his mom, Jeannine- a standout soccer player as an undergraduate student at Villanova. The younger Donato doesn’t move on the ice with the pure speed his father had as a player, but he’s not a poor skater, either. He’s improved his first couple of steps and uses his tremendous hockey sense to read and anticipate, often getting the jump on defenders to loose pucks in the open ice. Donato has a powerful stride and can bull his way to the net when he needs to. As he gets stronger and grows into his frame, he’ll be that much tougher to contain.

When it comes to pure offensive skill, passion for hockey and natural leadership- they don’t come in much more of a complete package than Ryan Donato. He grew up around the NHL and the Bruins and what has always impressed me the most about him is how when he was at Dexter, opponents would go hard after him every night, knowing that the best path to success was through shutting that team’s star center down. The flaw in that plan was relatively simple- Donato was too good a player to be contained and often burned them anyway. He did it most nights drawing double coverage and taking a lot of slashes, hooks and obstruction fouls, but he rarely lost his temper and put his team at a disadvantage by retaliating.

He took a major step forward in silencing any doubters this past winter, when he was named to the Team USA World Jr. (Under-20) Championship squad, beating out several other higher-profile (and earlier) draft choices because of the versatility he provided. Donato did not look a bit out of place and used the honor in representing his country in Helsinki (and earning a bronze medal in the process) to validate his place as a top NHL prospect, albeit one that is still pretty early in his growth.

Donato is not yet a dominant offensive player in the NCAA with the Crimson, but he’s certainly showed he belongs and is on track to raise his production considerably with an expanded role as key upperclassmen move on. His 11 goals and 17 points in 27 games include his first collegiate hat trick and are just scratching the surface of what he’ll likely do there going forward.

Current assessment: It is almost cringe-worthy in hindsight that Boston’s selection of Donato at the end of round two in Philadelphia drew any criticism whatsoever.  He’s justifying his draft position’s value and the B’s faith in him with his performance in Cambridge, but make no mistake- Donato is on a longer developmental path, as there is no need to rush his development or force him to turn pro sooner than necessary. He has a potential ceiling as a top-six forward who will likely play center but could convert over to the wing depending on how the B’s are stacked up the middle when his time comes to compete for a big league job. With Donato’s natural creativity and slick hands, it makes the most sense to keep him at center and develop him as a potential heir apparent when Boston’s star pivots are in the final years of their successful careers. As of now, however, the focus is on his work at Harvard and becoming a top-flight player in the NCAA.

Anders Bjork, RW

The Notre Dame sophomore is having a breakout year in South Bend with the Fighting Irish after being a fifth-round pick in 2014.

One season after posting a solid seven-goal, 22-point performance as a freshman (41 games in a bottom-six role), the Wisconsin native and former U.S. National Team standout has 11 goals and 32 points in as many games as one of his team’s more consistent wingers.

Bjork has average size at 5-foot-11/pushing 6-foot and 185 pounds, but is a speedy and instinctive player who thrives on the forecheck and forces opponents into making mistakes with his wheels and effective stick. He sees the ice well and reads/reacts quickly to the developing play. He’s tenacious and very good at being the disruptor who forces errant passes and finishes his checks.

He’s a curious specimen- not projected to be a high-end scorer at the pro level, but perhaps undersold in terms of his quick hands and ability to finish off plays. He scored a pair of goals (along with Donato) in USA’s bronze medal-clinching game against Sweden at the WJC and one of them was of the highlight reel variety. You be the judge…is he underrated as a scorer or what?

(video posted by Weekend at Bergy’s)

He’s done that a few times in the NCAA as well…he can be explosive and put a defense on their heels as he takes the puck right to the net, so to get his level of talent in the fifth round looks like pretty solid value for Keith Gretzky and his team of amateur scouts.

Bjork is plays a good all-around game. He’s smart and opportunistic…he takes his defensive responsibilities seriously and is a natural leader. Watch for him to emerge as one of Jeff Jackson’s go-to guys in 2016-17. Come to think of it- he’s there already.

Current assessment: Bjork is not a natural scorer, but his NCAA production is encouraging as he further develops his effective 200-foot game as an ideal checking line winger with some upside. Realistically, he’s not going to be a prolific 30-goal or more guy in the NHL, assuming he gets there, but a consistent 15-20 level of production is not out of the question. A prototypical Boston Bruins-type player, Bjork isn’t all that big, but he plays big. And has a big heart. And is very smart. Like Donato, there is no need to rush him, but at some point, the B’s will have to figure out how to work him in the mix as a guy you win with.

Colton Hargrove, LW

The 205th overall selection (seventh round) of the 2012 NHL draft is surprisingly scoring at a .5 points-per-game pace in his very first rookie pro season with the Providence Bruins after signing with the B’s last spring at the conclusion of a third year at Western Michigan University.

The Rockwall, TX native was always a rugged, aggressive power forward with soft hands around the net. but officials in the Bruins organization told me recently that his dedication to improving his conditioning has been notable in his success in the AHL this season. Hmmm…where have we heard that one before?

Coming into camp leaner last fall meant that he picked up a step from what is a bit of a plodding skating stride, and he’ll never burn defenders in the open ice. However, on the cycle and down around the front of the net, Hargrove uses his big 6-foot-2 frame to box out would-be checkers and establish a presence outside the paint. He’s been effective at getting his stick on loose pucks in front and has a terrifyingly heavy drive when he has the time and space to uncork it at full throttle.

And while he has a long fuse, once angered, he’s a nasty fighter who can do some real damage if he gets his left hand free. Southpaw. He’s a good hitter and effective along the walls and in front of the net.

He’s answered questions about his fitness and drive, now Hargrove just needs to keep learning the finer things to build trust with his coaches and the ability to adapt to the higher demands of a Claude Julien-coached team if he can earn his way up to a shot with the big club.

Current assessment: Hargrove still has much work to do on his all-around game, even if the offense is coming around well- 13 goals and 25 points in 50 AHL contests this season. However, when you look at what Tyler Randell has done in very limited minutes for Boston, Hargrove has impressed observers in his very first professional season and brings the kind of lower-line potential with what could be a higher ceiling.

The 23-year-old isn’t likely going to evolve into a high-end power forward, but he’s got the right kind of Triple S combination of  size-scoring-snarl to get a longer look in the Bruins organization.

 

 

2015-16 NCAA season, Boston Bruins prospects, Jeremy Lauzon, Linus Arnesson, Matt Grzelcyk, Rob O'Gara , , , , , , 2 Comments

B’s prospects deep dive 3: Grzelcyk, O’Gara, Lauzon & Arnesson

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We’re back with four more B’s prospects- a defense-focused edition that looks at a pair of NCAA players, a major junior D and one unheralded Providence performer who is all but the forgotten man in Boston’s system.

Speaking of unheralded- the next post will take a look at BC junior Ryan Fitzgerald’s progress, plus Ryan Donato, Anders Bjork and Seth Griffith. This blog will continue to be forward thinking…(get it?)

Matt Grzelcyk, D

The Boston University senior has overcome injuries this season to post another fine offensive season from the blue line. He’s already matched his single season-best 10 goals from a year ago, but in 17 fewer games.

Grzelcyk had off-season knee surgery in May, which caused him to miss the beginning of the 2015-16 NCAA season with the Terriers. Unfortunately, after just a few contests back and an immediate contribution on the offensive ledger, he injured his other knee and was lost for several more weeks. However, he came back with a flourish early in the new calendar year and promptly scored his first career NCAA hat trick in the process.

Although he stands about 5-foot-10, Grzelcyk has huge heart and a high-end hockey IQ. He’s an outstanding 4-way compass skater with instant burst, rapid acceleration/top straight-line speed and the ability to move laterally and change direction quickly with smooth pivots and transitions. The 22-year-old Townie pushes the pace by using that pure speed and quickness to lead the rush and has improved his shot significantly from where he was when the B’s drafted him in the third round four years ago.

The two-year captain is more of a skater/puck-mover/distributor in the offensive end than he is a pure trigger man and finisher, but he has the vision and creativity to set the table and finish off plays as one who isn’t afraid to go into the high danger areas and expose himself to a big hit to get pucks to the net. After scoring six total goals in his first two years (57 games- lower minutes/60 than he played as a junior and senior) in the NCAA, Grzelcyk has potted a nifty 20 and counting in the last two seasons (65 games) with a little more to go before he closes out his college career.

Like Torey Krug, Grzelcyk will be forced to prove that he can develop into an NHL defenseman but he’s so dynamic in terms of his skating and ability to get back on pucks quickly in retrieval and then advance the play back up the ice. I avoid player comparisons in general, so I don’t want people to get the idea that Grzelcyk = Krug…they’re two pretty different players once you get past the physical similarities. Grzelcyk will probably beat the Boston veteran (sounds weird typing that, but Krug’s three full NHL seasons and 225 career games affords him that distinction) in a foot race, but Krug’s got a bigger shot and (this year aside) is more of a scoring threat when he uncorks his drives from the blue line and out near the circles. He’s snakebit, but Krug didn’t score 26 goals in his first two NHL campaigns by accident. Both D are good at carrying the puck out of their own end and getting it up the ice with the quick first pass to beat the forechecking pressure or rushing it themselves through the neutral zone and negate any attempt to trap them into surrendering possession. Those are key attributes for the modern NHL rearguard.

Unfortunately, because of Grzelcyk’s size, coaches have to use him in favorable matchups and as Claude Julien has often mentioned when discussing Krug over the past several seasons, the smaller defender has to outwit and play a savvy positional game. Mitigating physical 1-on-1 matchups is the key to not getting overpowered when covering down in your own end, so the more Grzelcyk can help the B’s move the puck out of their own end and maintain possession in the offensive zone, the lest actual defending he’ll have to do.

Factor in the natural leadership and character and he’s the right kind of person and player to bring along and one day put into the NHL lineup. But first things first- he’s trying to get his Terriers back to the national championship after falling short in 2015.

Current assessment: The Bruins are no doubt looking forward to getting this player into their pro system when his college season ends in the next month or so. They took him much earlier than he was projected to go in 2012 and he’s steadily progressed in his development in the Hockey East. He has had two major surgeries, however- his 2013-14 campaign ended early due to shoulder surgery and then he had the aforementioned knee procedure about a year ago. That’s something for the B’s to keep an eye on, but it should not stand in the way of them signing Grzelcyk. Given his dream of playing for Boston and his connection to the team with his father’s position on the TD Garden bull gang, it is difficult to envision a scenario where he would attempt to not sign and become a free agent on August 1. He’ll likely need time in the AHL first but could gradually work into a role in Boston within the next season or two.

Rob O’Gara, D

Brandon Carlo has gotten a lot of attention as a top prospect in the Bruins organization for his size, skating and shutdown potential, but O’Gara is a few years older and plays a more refined game with a similar style and physical package.

O’Gara, who like Grzelcyk, is finishing up his NCAA hockey career after four strong years. The Yale Bulldog was named the ECAC’s best defensive defenseman last season after also putting up career offensive numbers as a junior. The production is down this year, but the Long Island native who turns 23 in July is not the kind of player who should be judged by statistics and offensive output. His three goals and 11 points in 27 games this season are well off his six goal & 21-point effort from a year ago (33 games), but more par for the course in terms of how he’s performed at Yale since arriving for the 2012-13 campaign.

Size and skating are the two main pillars for O’Gara: at 6-foot-4 and about 220 pounds, he’s big and strong, yet mobile enough to thrive in the modern professional hockey circuit. Ever since the B’s drafted him out of Milton Academy at the end of the 2011 draft’s fifth round, O’Gara has impressed with his fluid footwork and smooth, powerful skating stride. Even at his first Bruins development camp (he turned 18 the day he reported to Wilmington), he stood out with his poise and ability to move well and defend his own net. He was an extremely raw young player when drafted, but in the nearly five years since, has developed into one of the more poised and dependable shutdown defenders in the entire NCAA.

O’Gara leads his peers with a quiet tenacity manifested in the near-universal respect he garners from teammates, coaches and scouts. He’s not a rah-rah, in-your-face, fiery leader, but sets the right example and inspires others to follow him through consistency and his natural humility. In his first year of prep school with the Milton Mustangs, he often times had to cover for his higher-risk D partner Pat McNally, but did so with the skill and poise of a polished and seasoned player at that level. Since leading the Mustangs to a prep championship in 2011 (Milton lost the 2016 NEPSIHA/Elite 8 title yesterday to the Gunnery), O’Gara was a member of Yale’s first (and only) NCAA title-winning squad in 2013, his freshman season. He has a proven track record of being part of a winning formula, which is one of the things that attracted the Bruins to him in the first place.

Even as a shutdown prospect, O’Gara is an underrated passer and puck mover. He moves confidently up the ice with his head up, looking to hit forwards in stride to force defenses back on their heels. When the play is coming at him, he keeps the puck in front of him and uses his smarts to angle the carrier away from his net and out to more oblique angles to cut down on quality scoring chances. He’s not an overly physical defender but will make contact and use his natural strength to win board battles. He uses his long reach to make effective poke checks in the open ice. Like any young ‘D’ he has to guard sometimes against running around and trying to do too much, but when O’Gara keeps things safe and simple, he’s difficult to beat 1-on-1.

Current assessment: Like Grzelcyk, O’Gara has been carefully cultivated and developed in the Bruins organization, so the expectation here is that he will sign once he plays his last game for Yale. Whether that means he makes the jump to pro hockey right away or finishes out his semester in New Haven as Cornell’s Brian Ferlin did in the spring of 2014 after signing his entry-level contract with the B’s remains to be seen, however. He’s been patient in terms of his development and a long but steadily upwards developmental curve, and the team has exhibited the same kind of patience as well. It’s probably too much to expect him to jump right to Boston straight out of college, but stranger things have happened. If he goes to Providence to finish out the regular season, he’ll likely benefit from the chance to get his feet wet and experience the faster pace and higher skill level of the AHL before he begins his first full pro season in 2016-17. Regardless, O’Gara appears on track for bigger and better things, and consistently is underrated and overlooked when in fact the organization is solidly and firmly in his corner as a solution player going forward.

Jeremy Lauzon, D

The third of three defensemen drafted out of ten selections in 2015 might provide the best payoff of the trio in pro hockey when all is said and done.

Though not a truly exceptional player in any key area or specific hockey skill, Lauzon nevertheless is above average and more than capable at just about everything. He’s got good (Lauzon is about 6-1, 195 pounds) if not great (6-4, 220+ pounds or more is what is considered ideal in the modern NHL for D) size, and skates well though doesn’t provide dynamic speed and quickness. He’s a deft passer and effective goal scorer from the blue line, and has the ruggedness and smarts to neutralize opposition rushes and prevent players from getting to the front of his net.

Lauzon is putting up the best offensive numbers of his major junior career with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in his third season with them. He’s off his goals pace from a year ago (eight vs the 15 he netted in 2015) but with 44 points in 41 contests, Lauzon has already exceeded his 36 points set last season. He’s had to deal with some nagging lower body injuries that have limited his effectiveness in the new year after injuring himself after returning from Team Canada’s World Jr. Championship training camp in December. As one of the final cuts, Lauzon opened a lot of eyes around the CHL this year after being the 52nd overall selection by Boston last June.

Lauzon is a smart player who often does the little things in terms of maintaining his gaps, keeping the proper stick positioning and forcing opponents into committing early. He likes to go for hits in the open ice and will take every opportunity to finish his checks along the boards and remind guys in the other sweaters that he’s there. Though not a feared fighter, he’s willing to drop the gloves to defend teammates and plays a naturally rugged and aggressive defensive style that will translate well in Boston.

Current assessment: Lauzon has work to do in terms of refinements and tweaks to his overall body of work, and unfortunately, as a 1997-born player, won’t be able to jump to the AHL next season. The good news for Lauzon is that after his camp showing in December, he’s just about a sure bet to skate for Team Canada at the 2017 WJC (along with fellow B’s prospects Zach Senyshyn and Jesse Gabrielle I would add) assuming he stays healthy and continues to progress. He’s currently tracking as a potential top-3 NHL defender one day, but will need time to develop in junior. Depending on how Boston’s blue line situation looks in 2017, we’ll have a good read on how much AHL time he might require before he’s ready to stake a serious claim to regular NHL work.

Linus Arnesson, D

Like O’Gara anyone looking at the 2013 second-round selection’s offensive numbers is likely going to think that the smart and poised Swedish defensive defenseman is headed for Bustville.

That’s not the case, though some of us were admittedly thinking that he might develop into more of a two-way threat when Boston drafted him.

The 60th overall pick that year is a lean 6-foot-1 who moves around the ice efficiently with a long, mechanically-sound stride and is known for his consistent and effective two-zone ability. The product of the Djurgardens club isn’t going to wow you on any particular night, as he tends to play a pretty vanilla style. He keeps his stick in passing lanes, makes quick decisions and essentially keeps it simple without taking needless risks. No one is going to mistake him as the next Erik Karlsson, but he’s a more impactful than his four assists in 43 games might attest.

Because Arnesson is a smart and engaged player, he’s picked up fairly quickly on Providence (and Boston’s) zone-oriented scheme after playing more of a man-to-man defense in Europe. It hasn’t been a perfectly smooth transition to date, but when you go back and watch the film, there aren’t many glaring mistakes or issues jumping out at you either. Think about it- how many times do you hear or read about Arnesson and his play in Providence this season? I would submit to you- not very often. And if ever the old adage that says you don’t notice a good defenseman if he’s doing his job properly holds true with anyone, it’s the case with Arnesson.

Current assessment: Because he’s not exciting, dynamic or carries a first-round draft pedigree, it’s easy to overlook or forget about Arnesson. Whether he can carve out a niche for himself in Boston as a solid, steady middle-pairing D who may get you about 10-15 points per season tops but who can likely be paired with a smaller, but more offensively-inclined (read: risk-taking) partner or just never does enough to stick in the Boston organization is something we’ll all have to find out. When Dennis Seidenberg was helping the Bruins win a Stanley Cup and get to the final series of second championship, a lot of people could see his utility. Arnesson is obviously not the same player that Seidenberg is, but he brings the kind of safe, but limited ceiling that every good club needs.

 

 

2015-16 AHL season, 2015-16 CHL season, 2015-16 NCAA season, Boston Bruins prospects, Frank Vatrano, Goalies, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Jakub Zboril, Malcolm Subban , , , Leave a comment

B’s prospects deep dive 2: Vatrano, Zboril, JFK & Subban

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Due to the overwhelming response on the first end-of-regular season Boston Bruins prospects deep dive I did on Friday, I’m back with another iteration. I’m limiting these to five players maximum, not only because they can get pretty unwieldy in terms of reading with 2,000+ words a pop, but because they take some time to put together. If you don’t see the B’s prospect you’re most interested in, hang in there- I will get to every one of them between now and the next 1-2 weeks when the CHL and NCAA playoffs begin in earnest. Everything will build towards and culminate in an end-of-season ranking- similar to the one I did in the January issue of New England Hockey Journal.

So, without further ado- here’s the second deep dive. As always- appreciate the support and feedback.

Frank Vatrano, LW

The undrafted free agent from East Longmeadow, Mass. left the University of Massachusetts after his first full season nearly a year ago to sign with his childhood favorite Boston Bruins and became the Cinderella story of the 2015-16 hockey season.

In the span of a year, Vatrano reshaped his physique, tore apart the AHL with a four-goal game and multiple hat tricks en route to a goal-per-game performance (he’s cooled off a bit of late and “only” has 26 goals in 27 AHL games), and then earned his first NHL opportunity, debuting against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre and netting his first big league goal. He would eventually score his first NHL hat trick against Pittsburgh later on and although he was optioned back to Providence, he’s shown immense promise going forward.

Since his days in minor hockey and the Boston Jr. Bruins (as well as two years with the U.S. National Team in Ann Arbor), Vatrano has been a goal scorer. He’s long had an NHL release, which he showed off in dazzling fashion during the exhibition season last fall and then proved it was no fluke when he began terrorizing AHL goalies with Providence to begin the year. He has a natural nose for the net and sublime hands, which allow him to exploit gaps in defenses and find open spaces where he can get his heavy, accurate shot off with a minimal amount of time to work with. Vatrano is a born shooter- he generates a tremendous amount of torque and power on his shots and can pick the corners at will. He also has superior reflexes and hand/eye coordination to get his stick on shots for deflections and batted pucks into the net.

Not tall and with a naturally stocky build, Vatrano dedicated himself to improving his conditioning in the offseason after seeing a few games in Providence at the end of the 2015 campaign (5 games- 1 goal) and having a “come to Jesus” with the Bruins in his exit interviews. The results were staggering, as he not only saw the improved ability to take extended shifts and recover faster, but also picked up some speed and quickness in his first few steps. He’s got such a good hockey IQ that he can recognize developing plays well and explodes to the puck in just a few strides.

His defensive game is still a work in progress, but there is no denying that the will is there. He often hustles on the back check and has shown impressive open ice speed in winning foot races back to his own end for loose pucks. He’s one of those players who was previously asked to go out and score, so it’s not a question of whether he’s committed to playing more of a complete game, but just getting him the experience and situations that will allow him to be more effective when he inevitably returns to Boston for his next chance.

Current assessment: Vatrano is the top prospect in the pro ranks in the B’s organization. He’s proven that he can find the back of the net in the AHL and NHL and at this point is better off playing an extended role in Providence as a first liner and top power play ace. His 38 points in just 27 games in the AHL shows a dominance at that level that nobody, even his most ardent supporters, could have predicted at this time a year ago. Vatrano is a good kid (he turns 22 in a week) who is living the dream of being a Boston Bruin- he played at the Gillette Stadium in the 2016 Winter Classic- and is sure to build more experiences and memories. The good news for the B’s is that their offense has not been an Achilles heel this season, so Vatrano can spend more time getting the development in seasoning he needs rather than being more of a spare part and lower line option in Boston. This sets the conditions for him to go in and earn a top-9 NHL billet and gives the team some options to perhaps make some critical moves on defense by leveraging roster assets, knowing that players like Vatrano are in the system and could be ready to make the full-time jump next fall.

Jakub Zboril, D

Statistically speaking, it’s been a disappointing year for Boston’s top pick last June (13th overall- acquired with the draft choice that sent Milan Lucic to Southern California). A brutal start in September and October put the Czech native behind the 8-ball and while he’s shown improvement in his all-around play since he returned to the Saint John Sea Dogs from the World Jr. Championship in early January, there’s no getting around the fact that the production isn’t where it should be for one of his talents.

On the plus-side, Zboril has the physical attributes of the prototypical modern NHL defender: Good size, superb skater with a powerful stride/quick first few steps and an impressive glide, hard, heavy shot.  He has the natural vision and instincts to be a two-way threat and power play quarterback where he uses his agility to navigate the offensive blue line with ease and fires pucks to the net. Physically speaking, Zboril plays the game like a North American player- he’s known for throwing big hits and getting extra shots in (that often earn him extra time in the box). He’s obliterated surprised opponents in the past who made the mistaken assumption that Zboril was a soft Euro and dropped the gloves only to find they had a tiger by the tail.

All of these traits should endear him to the Bruins and their fans- it’s precisely what the team needs most in terms of upgrading the NHL roster’s blue line. However, many things in life are rarely so simple as that, and in Zboril’s case- there is more nuance here than meets the eye.

Even when he was rising on the team’s radar last year as the first of the second tier of defenders available in 2015 (it’s not really a secret that the Bruins coveted Noah Hanifin and Zach Werenski and tried unsuccessfully to maneuver themselves into the top-5 and 10 to get one of the two) that Zboril came with some warts. Even though the B’s jumped on him with the first of three consecutive picks, his natural effort levels and compete  were a question mark. What’s interesting to me is that in some circles, Zboril was given high marks for his work ethic and hustle, but when I broke him down in film study, I saw a player who went through stretches of passive, even disengaged/uninterested play. Often times- that’s a simple thing: ineffectual waving at a forward as he skates by in the lane instead of gapping up and forcing him wide or disrupting his speed/momentum with body contact.

Current assessment: This season, the shift-to-shift inconsistency and wavering intensity levels have been more of the same with Zboril, unfortunately. He will demonstrate immense promise on one shift, revving up with the puck in his end and blitzing through the neutral zone to fire a shot on net or dish to a teammate in prime scoring position. Or, maybe it’s closing quickly with an opposing puck carrier and knocking him on his keister with a solid body check or deft poke check with his stick. But then a few shifts later, he’s gliding around, not asserting himself or taking advantage of opportunities to push the pace or impose his will in the same way.

The good news is- he just turned 19 at the end of last month and there is time for him to mature and develop more of a consistent game with coaching and experience. The question is becomes, however- does Zboril have it in his intangibles to be the player he *could* be given his prodigious natural gifts? That’s the proverbial $64,000 question, and why drafting and player development is an inexact science. On pure ability alone, Zboril could have been playing in Boston this year, but he’s got more work to do at developing his positional play and of course- on the aforementioned intangibles.

It’s no accident that the B’s tried to move up last June to take someone else- they likely saw the same things. Zboril is one of those boom-or-bust players and the reward with him could be key in the next 1-3 seasons, but just as the team has the responsibility to work with the player to put him in a position to succeed within the organization, the player also needs to raise his compete and do what is asked of him.

There is no doubt that Zboril should have been a first-round pick last June and that the B’s not only upgraded their prospect pool at the defense position with him but brought in the kind of high potential player you want as opposed to a safer but limited upside option. It is a bit intriguing that the B’s could have drafted Zboril’s Sea Dogs teammate Thomas Chabot instead (he went a few picks later to Ottawa) and Chabot is having a far more impactful season as Saint John’s No. 1 D, but that’s water under the bridge. Woulda, coulda, shoulda- if if’s and but’s were candy and nuts it would be Christmas every day of the year.

What happens with Zboril going forward will be interesting to watch. Unfortunately, as a 1997-born player drafted out of the CHL, he either makes Boston’s roster next fall or has to go back to the QMJHL (or he could opt to play in Europe) but AHL and Providence is not available to him as a developmental path in 2016-17.

JFK

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson aka “JFK”

 

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C

Taken with the 45th overall selection last June, “JFK” is one of the two second-rounders the B’s got from Calgary in the Dougie Hamilton trade (Senyshyn and D Jeremy Lauzon round out the three-pick haul for Boston) has been one of Boston University’s top adds this season.

He’s coming off a two-game sweep of UMass, the second game of which he scored a pair of goals and added an assist, which brings him to 9 goals, 28 points in 36 games for the Terriers as a freshman. He’s fourth on the team in scoring- tied with senior Matt Lane in points but Lane has 14 goals.

JFK has come as advertised this season: he’s a smart, smart player who brings a polished, advanced game for one who only turned 19 in the fall. He’s a good skater- quick to accelerate and smooth in the open ice. He’s faster than he looks, but doesn’t bring an electric presence with his skating. Often times- he might appear to be kind of gliding and coasting, but then he’s used that rangy, loping stride to slip by the defender at the blue line and is making a pinpoint pass to set up a scoring opportunity.

The Stockholm native, who spent two seasons in Nebraska playing in the USHL at Omaha getting used to the smaller ice surface and more rugged, physical nature of the North American game, has what scouts call 360-degree vision.  That’s the rare ability to not only see the entire play in front of him, but also a penchant for understanding what is behind him and on the periphery, so he often makes flawless drop passes or dishes that many other players simply aren’t capable of executing. He is most often compared to (by others I would point out) Patrice Bergeron, but while that’s a valid style comparison, I don’t think he’s as heavy on the puck at this stage of his development as Bergeron was even at a young age. However, the smarts, attitude and general ability to excel in all three zones appears to be there and JFK quickly earned David Quinn and his staff’s trust this year.

JFK was knocked in junior hockey for not playing with a lot of pace and urgency, and I can see those observations at times with BU this year. He’s not a player who is buzzing around the zone the way other high-energy forwards do, but he’s an economy of motion type who has the hockey sense and skill set to do a little more with less. It’s not going to win him many style points, but it’s effective. He’s slick and creative- your mind starts to wander a bit in terms of what he’s bringing to the table and all of the sudden he’ll make a play and bring your focus right back to what all the talk has been about.

He’s legit.

Current assessment: As one who advocates patience and not rushing prospects into the fray so to speak, I would not be at all surprised if the Bruins try to coax JFK into turning pro right away. With Bergeron and David Krejci about to both be on the other side of 30 (Bergeron turns 31 in July, Krejci hits 30 late next month), the B’s need to get another quality center into the pipeline sooner rather than later, even with the success Ryan Spooner is enjoying this year.

That’s probably an alarming prospect to the BU team and its fans, and I won’t say that it’s a done deal by any stretch, but I have been hearing a lot of positive buzz on JFK this year and because he plays that position that the B’s could have a developmental opening for in Providence next season, it would makes sense from an organizational standpoint to see that push come when the NCAA season is done.

Bottom line- Forsbacka-Karlsson is mature and plays a refined enough game that he could make a seamless jump to pro hockey now, but if the team and player feel it is in his best interest to return to school, he’ll be the top center and a good bet to take it to another level in 2016-17. Either way, he’s a top prospect who may not have a huge NHL ceiling in terms of offense, but is the kind of forward who will play for a decade-plus and bring consistent production and the kind of 200-foot play that a winning foundation is built on.

Malcolm Subban, G

It was a tale of two seasons for Boston’s top choice in 2012, but Malcolm Subban was playing the best hockey of his professional career when a shot in warmups hit him up under the mask and fractured his larynx. That serious injury will end up costing him more than two months of the season, but the team and its fans should be encouraged by what he put together in December and January before suffering that personal misfortune.

Always a brilliant athlete whose physical prowess in the net was clearly on display, Subban’s development has been steady and methodical because he came to the position late after years on defense and needed significant coaching on technique. He’s come a long, long way since the draft and is on the cusp from establishing himself as an NHL regular in Boston with the backup spot up for grabs next season.

I’ve always admired how explosive his movements are in net- Subban’s pads are some of the quickest in pro hockey and can be tough to beat down low when he’s able to keep his legs horizontal and seal the posts from east-to-west. He’s always been one who plays deep in his net, and the good news is- he has the athletic ability to get by with that, even if he’s been consistently coached to play out at the top of the crease more and improve his positioning to reduce shooting angles. When you play along the goal line, your margin of error goes down, so this is something that Subban has continued to work on. His glove is has shown significant improvement since he turned pro for the 2013-14 season, and Subban has all the tools to not only make the NHL, but establish himself as a starter at the highest level eventually.

He battled through a LBI that cost him the month of October to start the AHL’s regular season and was rusty when he got into the Providence crease for November. Things went from bad to worse, as the focus seemed off and his statistics- especially the save percentage plummeted down near the bottom of all AHL goaltenders. There were whispers about the attention to detail and willingness to work at addressing the flaws in his game and things seemed to snowball. To Subban’s credit, however, he righted the ship in December and earned the trust of Bruce “Butch” Cassidy and Kevin Dean in Providence- getting the bulk of starts and rolling off some impressive victories in both December and January.

Just as he had truly seized the No. 1 job in Providence for the first time in three pro seasons there, he took the shot in the throat in Portland and has been on the shelf since, opening the door for Jeremy Smith to return to the PB’s. Both Smith and Zane McIntyre have done a good job of keeping the good times rolling.

Current assessment: Subban is maintaining a good attitude about the injury and the corresponding rehab, which required surgery and established an eight-week minimum timetable for return around the beginning of April. It’s unfortunate that he’s had to take a step backwards, but the Bruins can afford to be patient given that Providence is getting good goaltending from Smith and McIntyre right now.

Back when Boston signed Tuukka Rask to his big ticket extension, a lot of folks engaged me wanting to know when the B’s would trade Subban. I think this injury should serve as a reminder of the importance of goaltending depth in any organization. Just because you have an established No. 1 like Rask does not mean it is mutually exclusive for a player of Subban’s potential to succeed in Boston as well. While that won’t preclude the Bruins from entertaining offers for him if they come in, it would have to be about value and given the elite-level showing Subban brought before his injury, he looks to be ready to take that next important step next season as Rask’s backup.

For now, we’ll wish him great speed and success in his recovery- it will be interesting to see how the long layoff affects Subban and how slowly he’s integrated back into the lineup when he returns. But, after two mostly up-and-down years in the AHL, he’s finally really turning the corner and establishing himself as the player Boston thought enough of to pick in the first round for only the third time in the team’s history (Evgeni Ryabchikov was the first in 1994 and it wasn’t pretty; Hannu Toivonen in 2002 at least brought Carl Soderberg in trade, but the track record in net for 1sts= not great).

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back in a day or two with the next installment with some of the “ministers of defense” in the prospect ranks: Matt Grzelcyk, Rob O’Gara, Zane McIntyre and Jeremy Lauzon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2015-16 CHL season, 2015-16 NCAA season, Boston Bruins prospects, Brandon Carlo, Danton Heinen, Jesse Gabrielle, Providence Bruins, Zachary Senyshyn , , , 2 Comments

Bruins key prospect updates: Senyshyn, Heinen, Gabrielle, Carlo

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Zachary Senyshyn Photo credit: Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Zachary Senyshyn Photo credit: Aaron Bell/OHL Images

We’re getting down near the end of the CHL regular season schedule, and the NCAA playoffs are firing up around the nation.  This is as good a time as any to do a deeper dive into the progress of some of Boston’s key prospects and where they stand in their development thus far.

Zach Senyshyn, RW

Thursday night served as a reminder of how productive Zach Senyshyn has been in his second full season of OHL play.

He tallied two goals to push his season total to 38 (in 59 games) and added a helper. He’s equaled his assist total from last year (19) in seven fewer games, but he’s also playing more minutes/60 so that statistic needs more context. Bottom line with Senyshyn- he’s scoring more- as to be expected from moving from bottom-line duty and no special teams to first line and first unit power play.

Senyshyn is a powerful skater who has a nifty burst for someone who is 6-foot-2- he gets out of the blocks quickly and can separate in the open ice when he gets to top speed. He’s also pretty agile in that he’ll cut across the grain to shake defenders. His signature move remains the power rush down the right side- he just turns on the jets and will often beat the defender to the corner and then cut straight to the net. I don’t know that he’ll be able to get away with that in the AHL and NHL as consistently as he does in junior, but then again- I thought teams would be able to defend him better this year because they saw him burning them as a rookie, but it hasn’t happened.

He’s taken a big step forward in scoring this year, BUT (there’s always a but isn’t there?)- that does *not* mean Senyshyn is ready to come in and play for the Bruins next season. As most inherently understand- there’s a difference between how well a player scores and whether he is playing the game effectively. I credit hockey analyst and NESN analyst Billy Jaffe on that one, because he recently asked me the same question- he acknowledged Senyshyn was scoring, but wanted to know how well he was playing.

This is not a simple answer. Senyshyn’s offense is dynamic and impressive, but he’s got substantial work to do on the other side of the puck. The good news is- he understands that and his coaches in the Soo (former NHL defender Drew Bannister is in his first year there as the head coach) are working on his shift-to-shift consistency and making sure he moves his feet and commits to his responsibilities in all zones. I’ve been told he has a penchant to disappear over stretches of play by multiple sources and Hamilton Bulldogs play-by-play man/hockey analyst Reed Duthie also said as much in his “Duthie Dish” column posted here back in January. Senyshyn has to do less hanging back and waiting for the next offensive chance and do more in puck support and bringing the same effort levels to each situation that he does when he’s exploding down the ice or forcing turnovers and burying shots into the net as he did last night.

Current assessment: Senyshyn is clearly playing like the top-15 pick he (surprisingly) was last June, but that doesn’t mean fans should expect him to be taking a regular shift in Boston next season. Another year in the OHL will help him to be the better player he’s developing into. Because he was born in 1997 and drafted out of major junior, Senyshyn is not eligible for the AHL next season, so if he doesn’t make the Bruins roster out of camp, he must go back to the OHL. Those are the rules, and unfortunately, a player like Senyshyn might be in that middle ground between being a dominant OHL forward at age 19-20 next season but not being ready for regular duty with Boston, yet unable to be optioned to Providence. This means the B’s coaches and management will have to see how Senyshyn looks at camp next fall and make the decision then. He might get the nine-game look, or he might not, but that’s not something we can predict in March, 2016.

Danton Heinen, RW/LW/C

Playing the right side of Denver University’s top scoring unit- the Pacific Rim line- comprised of three forwards from Washington, California and Heinen’s native British Columbia, he’s exploded for 21 points in his last 10 contests after the Pioneers offense struggled as a whole for much of the season.

This versatile forward can play every position. He was a center in the BCHL but then shifted to the left wing as a freshman under Jim Montgomery. In his second NCAA season, he’s been the right wing with center Dylan Gambrell and Trevor Moore. Every team loves a forward who is adaptive and can play in multiple situations, but it sure looks like the B’s are projecting him to be a wing at the pro level, and one who can slide in to take faceoffs and will understand his responsibilities at the position if needed.

On the plus side, Heinen’s vision and offensive creativity is elite- he currently has 15 goals and 35 points in 32 games, which is significant because at one point he was hovering around a .5 points/game pace. He’s really turned it on, and the lack of production was not for effort- he has been creating scoring chances throughout the season, but pucks weren’t going in for him and his line.

Heinen isn’t a blazing-fast skater, but he’s fast enough and has good quickness and directional change. He gets his share of breakaways not because he outskates a lot of the opposition but because he reads the developing play so well and anticipates, getting an extra step and then being quick enough to maintain that separation. He did that beautifully in what was the best NCAA game I saw all season last month against the University of North Dakota.

Soft hands and an underrated shot round out Heinen’s skills package and make him a forward that could project in a top-6 NHL role one day. If nothing else, he looks like a higher-end third-liner, which is not a bad thing. He’s put on weight and looks bigger out on the ice- he’s only about 6-foot in height, but the extra weight has helped him win puck battles along the boards and establish a net-front presence.

Additionally, he’s a more polished and refined three-zone player than Senyshyn is at this stage (and at two years older, he probably should be). He’s not a shutdown type of defensive forward, but he back checks diligently and uses his hockey sense and instincts to break up plays and transition back to offense.

Current assessment: I ranked Heinen Boston’s No. 2 amateur prospect in the January issue of New England Hockey Journal and he looks even better now than he did because the numbers have come up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bruins look to sign him and put him into the system, but that will largely depend on what the organization’s priorities are and whether they see him pushing for an NHL job in the next three years. At this point, you can go either way and returning to Denver for a third year wouldn’t be a bad thing for his development, though based on what I see, he’s ready to turn pro.

Jesse Gabrielle, LW

Wow! Where did this season come from?!

Actually, for those who charted Gabrielle’s progress in previous years and right up until the second half of 2014-15, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise because when it came to his talent and hockey ability, the Saskatchewan native (who played some Minnesota HS hockey in there too) was projected as an early second-round pick in some circles (Red Line Report had him there as late as March 2015, for example), and that was in a strong draft class.

Gabrielle’s stumble down to the mid-fourth round allegedly had to do with commitment and effort questions, but it’s hard to question what he’s done for the Prince George Cougars this season, as he began the year like he was shot out of a cannon and has been a top performer in the WHL all season long.

His 39 goals and 72 points in 65 game tie Gabrielle with overager Chase Witala for the team lead, but he’s shattered his previous season best of 23 goals and 44 points set last season. He’s producing a high rate of P/60 and he’s playing his patented rugged, agitating style. Gabrielle is commonly compared to Brad Marchand, who also happens to be his favorite player, but he’s a taller, thicker player than Marchand and while not quite as dynamic or fast, brings the same kind of goal scoring upside as No. 63 has.

Not afraid to drop the gloves either, Gabrielle can pick fights and then will answer for his chippy play unlike other agitators. He’s not a feared heavyweight, but he’s can be a nasty opponent who plays on the edge but has the toughness to fight his own battles. He finishes his checks and hits to hurt, a widely disliked opponent but respected for how dangerous and productive he’s been. In other words- teams hate playing against him, but would embrace him on their club for his sheer effectiveness. Much like Marchand.

Now, the question I most often get on Gabrielle is- how did he end up being a fourth-round pick last June?

Well, without being in the various war rooms, I can only go by what I’ve been told in snippets here and there, but there was some obvious concern with Gabrielle, or else he would not have slipped down past 100 as he did. However, the Bruins can be glad that happened. The draft sometimes works out that way- we hear about players who rise and fall, but sometimes, the fallers aren’t indicative of the larger picture.

Based on the way Gabrielle is playing, he’s motivated to prove the teams who passed on him wrong, and at the end of the day- he’s a Bruins fan, so he was probably relieved and elated that the B’s of all clubs called his name, even if it came later than he thought.

Current assessment: Like Senyshyn, Gabrielle is in all likelihood not ready to make the NHL right away, even though he’s scoring plenty and playing a heavy, effective game on the whole. As a June 1997-born player he’s in the same boat in terms of the requirement for him to return to major junior next season if he doesn’t make Boston’s opening night roster. He’s a better fit for lower line duty at the NHL level, but the B’s have a lot of guys knocking on the door- fans should resist the “shiny new toy” urge to get Gabrielle plugged in right away. Either way, we won’t have a good handle on his situation at this point- we’ll have to reevaluate how he looks at the July development and then main training camp next fall.

Brandon Carlo, D

Boston’s best shutdown defense prospect is heading towards a possible AHL debut in Providence shortly, as his Tri-City Americans are in danger of missing the WHL playoffs, which would make him eligible to sign an amateur tryout option (ATO) and join the Baby B’s for the final games of the regular season.

Unlike Senyshyn and Gabrielle (and Jake DeBrusk is in the same boat as Carlo) he was a late 1996-born player which means he *can* spend the 2016-17 season in the AHL as opposed to going back to the WHL if he doesn’t make the Boston roster. The team could still send Carlo back to the Dub as an overager, but I would be surprised to see that. He looks to be on track to see his first AHL action here in the spring and then benefit from spending time in Providence next year in a full-time role (assuming he doesn’t crush it in camp to the point that the big club doesn’t put him in their top-six).

The biggest things (no pun intended) with Carlo are his size/reach and fluid skating for a guy so large. His 6-5 height is one thing, but he has long arms, which give him the reach of someone closer to 6-7. We see this effect often when players try to carry the puck by him on the rush- Carlo is deft with the poke check, and his active stick creates a significant advantage for him defensively. Because he’s so mobile, he’s able to square up with the puck and put himself in position to block the shot or disrupt the puck carrier’s speed and path to the net.

Carlo is not a vicious or intimidating open-ice hitter, but he does effectively use his size/strength to pin opponents to the boards and move forwards out from the front of the net and his goaltender’s sight lines. He’s not looking to crush people but he will initiate contact and will fight to defend teammates, even if he’s not someone to be feared. He’s a rugged defender but doesn’t play with that natural kind of mean streak that other more physical, tough players have made their bones doing over the years.

Offensively, he can chip in, but is not the kind of instinctive, push the pace kind of two-way threat who projects to thrive in a top 1 or 2 NHL defender role. He handles the puck well enough to make the first pass and gets a good amount of points by getting shots on net for tips or rebound scoring plays. Carlo is not a classic puck-mover who joins and even leads the rush and is capable of making nice offensive contributions but is not a player with the natural offensive hockey IQ or vision to be a regular point producer at the pro level.

Current analysis: The Colorado native gets a lot of buzz for his impressive physical package and smart, lockdown defensive acumen. There is certainly a place for him on Boston’s blue line and that time might not be too long in coming. However, fans should temper their expectations- and not view him as someone who will come in right away and stabilize the Boston defense corps. Once upon a time Zdeno Chara was not seen as a future Norris Trophy winner either- otherwise no team would have allowed him to get to the third round. So, it’s not a complete stretch to say that Carlo could develop into something more than I currently see, but it shouldn’t be expected.

That about does it for this post, I will make this a series and go down the line on other Boston prospects if you like what you’ve read.

 

2015-16 NCAA season, Boston Bruins prospects, Ryan Donato , , , Leave a comment

The son also rises: Ryan Donato

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If he’s gotten lost in the shuffle a bit from David Pastrnak’s rapid path to the NHL and a ten-selection draft one year after the Bruins took him in the second round, Harvard freshman Ryan Donato is doing his part to shine.

The son of his Crimson coach and former Catholic Memorial and Harvard hockey star-turned-Boston Bruin (796 NHL games played with the B’s, Islanders, Ducks, Kings, Stars, Blues and Rangers before going back to Boston to finish his career in 2004)  the 56th overall selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft is having a terrific 2016, and we’re only in mid February.

To whit:

  • Donato not only made the Team USA 2016 World Jr. squad, but helped the Americans salvage a disappointing semifinal loss to Russia with a resounding bronze medal game victory with a two-goal thumping over the Czech Republic.
  • He played in his first Beanpot hockey tournament after years as a spectator and scored his first goal of that storied tournament, checking two big boxes off of his personal hockey bucket list. Next stop: Win the darn thing and complete the usurpation of Boston College or Boston University for the first time since 1993, three full years before Donato was born. His dad won a Beanpot as a player- in 1989- the same year Donato and his Harvard Crimson mates went on to win the NCAA championship- but doing so as a head coach has thus far eluded him.
  • Donato scored his first career NCAA hat trick over the weekend, his 8th, 9th and 10th goals of the season to get to double digits. For any freshman, that’s a solid achievement but better things are surely in store for the Scituate, Mass. native.

The oldest of Ted and Jeannine Donato’s four talented (and highly competitive) kids comes from impressive athletic stock. Everyone knows about his dad’s NHL pedigree, but his mother played college soccer at Villanova, and her brother, Matt McLees, is a former NFL linebacker with the Cleveland Browns. His son and Ryan’s cousin, Tyler McLees, is a senior at West Point and the captain of the USMA Black Knights varsity wrestling squad.

At this stage of his development, it’s pretty fair to say that Donato is living up to the immense promise that saw his hometown team call his name in Philadelphia with the second of just five total draft picks after a standout career of prep hockey at Dexter School in Brookline, where he skated under his uncle, Dan Donato (who played hockey at Boston University and was a pro baseball player after college).

Ryan Donato has been an impact player in his first year of ECAC competition, in many respects validating the faith his hometown team has in him to one day be a part of the solution in Boston.

“One thing I notice is just paying attention in practice,” he told the Scouting Post blog. “I think one of the biggest things is being a student of the game. There are a lot of things you learn from playing at this level, and a lot of things that the upperclassmen, the older guys- the seniors and juniors can teach you and a lot of the experiences and knowledge that the coaches have. That’s the biggest thing at this level- making sure you’re doing the little things right and I think everything pays off if you pay attention to the things that matter.”

Donato is looking forward to being a part of another potential Harvard run to the ECAC championship, a berth in the NCAA tournament and competing for a chance to be the first Crimson (on only) team to win a national title since 1989. That year, his dad was the NCAA tournament MVP and finished fifth in team scoring with 14 goals and 51 points in 34 games.

“I think there are a lot of guys who really want it, we really want it” Donato said of a veteran group that has the firepower to do some damage if Harvard can come together at the right time. “The difference with our team is that we have a lot of great depth and guys who are sitting out, but every single day they bring it to practice and make sure they’re ready to go for the playoffs. Guys like Jimmy Vesey, Kyle Criscuolo…learning from those guys. Honestly, it’s one of the best things I have to say- it’s an unbelievable opportunity.”

His stats line is a respectable one- 10 goals and 16 points in 23 games with Harvard, good for fourth place behind seniors Vesey and Criscuolo and junior center Alexander Kerfoot. This follows on the heels of being Dexter’s top scorer in that hockey program’s history. If his experience at this month’s Beanpot is any indication, Harvard could be in pretty good hands come 2017 when Donato and company will get another shot at bringing the trophy to Cambridge.

“Honestly, before (the games) I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous because I knew that all of my friends and family were going to be there,” said Donato. “It was something special from the beginning, and I think I’ve been going to the (Beanpot) games for 14 years or a long, long time. I think just getting on the ice for the first time, I had a pit in my stomach going around in warmups. Hopefully, this (the TD Garden) can be my home and after scoring the first goal, I enjoyed the feeling of getting one there and I hope I’ll have other opportunities.

“The Beanpot was such a great tournament but there weren’t many great results for us, but hopefully over the next couple of years, we’ll have a Beanpot title. It’s kind of a whirlwind at the beginning for your first Beanpot because you don’t really know what to expect. Being a Boston boy there are a lot more nerves that go into it beforehand as opposed to maybe a Minnesota guy who doesn’t know what the Beanpot is about.”

However, even with production of more than 200 career points at prep level, there were whispers about him dominating the competition level and how long it might take him to make an impact in the NCAA without being challenged over a full season of junior hockey.

“If there were any doubts about (Donato) after his senior year at Dexter I think they’re pretty minimal now,” said one New England-based NHL scout from an Eastern Conference team. “He put in the (offseason) work and made sure he was ready to go right out of the gate. I think making the World Jr. team was a big statement for him- he beat out some bigger name guys to make the squad and it did wonders for his confidence. We’re seeing it more and more, and he looks like a player who is going to be a key part of his team at Harvard going forward.”

The WJC experience of competing against the top under-20 talent in the world and coming home with a bronze medal certainly framed 2016 in a positive manner for Donato.

“It was a blast, obviously,” he said of his time with Team USA in Helsinki. “The guys I met and played with and against were unbelievable players on the ice and unbelievable people off the ice. I think the coaching staff was great as well- Coach Chelios definitely helped me along the way. He was our ‘D’ coach but was a special guy and influence on all of us just by the way he carried himself around the rink. I’m hoping that just by the way he acts around the rink and with the players is something I can emulate.”

He admitted to having an open mind for the WJC training camp and selection process, not taking anything for granted, especially since he was not a graduate of the U.S. National Team Development Program (Donato did play a few games with the NTDP as an augmentation to the roster and competed in the Under-18 Four Nations tourney in Turku, Finland in November of 2013).

“Going into the tryouts I was kind of nervous because I wasn’t sure what kind of style it would be,” he said. “But I think the NCAA and especially the ECAC is a pretty hard-nosed style with a lot of hitting- some nights, it’s like a wrestling match below the dots. So, when I went there, it felt like there was a lot more space. I wouldn’t say it was a softer game (in the IIHF) but more of a finesse game, which I wasn’t as used to but it wasn’t that hard to adjust, but it’s a style of play I’m more comfortable with.”

Donato completed his second development camp with the Bruins last July, taking the experiences he had in 2014 and applying them to get a little more out of his second summer in Wilmington.

“I’ve just been trying to play a solid game, a reliable game,” he said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things that the Bruins staff is looking for now, and that is a strong, solid game. Being a strong player physically off the ice and on the ice is something I’ve learned that they’re looking for, and getting stronger off the ice is something I’ve focused on, and making sure I know the systems and play the game the right way.”

Bigger than his dad at around 6-foot-1 in height, he doesn’t quite have the senior Donato’s wheels, but uses his high-end hockey sense to get the jump on opponents and has outstanding puck skills to rack up the offensive production at even strength and on the man advantage. One of the knocks on Donato is that he’s lacking in foot speed enough to maximize his impressive hands and head. However, that is not a consensus view in the scouting community.

“I think some people make an issue of his skating where there isn’t much of one in my opinion,” the scout said. “He may not have his dad’s speed, but he’s bigger and is heavier on the puck than Teddy was. I sometimes get the feeling that if it wasn’t for the fact that his father’s calling card was that pure speed, you wouldn’t hear about it being an issue as much with Ryan. Having said that, there’s room for improvement- he can pick up a couple of steps and it’s something he continues to work on.”

When the Bruins drafted Donato in 2014, everyone knew he was a long-term project who would need ample time to grow and mature as a player before he was ready to try and follow in his NHL father’s footsteps. A little less than two years later, that steady growth and development is evident with the 19-year-old, as he has already made an impact and added to his family’s legacy at Harvard.

“Being drafted by Boston was a symbol of all the work that I would have to put in over the coming years,” said Donato. “Things that the team wanted me to work on since then is my body and getting stronger and learning how to play the game right. I think that’s one of the biggest things for the transition that coaches have said for players is making sure they play the game of hockey the right way.”

And how, exactly, does Donato describe that in his own words?

“I think it’s all about doing the little things that will make the difference both on the ice and off the ice,” he said.  “I’ve seen that it pays off in college and will hopefully pay off in the NHL one day.”

Here’s the New England Hockey Journal show episode on Ryan Donato after he was drafted by Boston– it’s worth sitting down and watching in its entirety if you haven’t seen it.

 

 

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Bruins prospects update 2/15/16

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Frank Vatrano continued his goal scoring blitzkrieg in the AHL since being returned to Providence late last month. He’s only a few markers off the AHL lead, but in far fewer games. The kid is a keeper.

Unfortunately for Providence, Malcolm Subban suffered a fractured larynx during warmups in Portland eight days ago. He had successful surgery but faces a minimum eight-week layoff before he’ll even be able to be an option to return to the nets. That prompted a recall of Jeremy Smith from the Iowa Wild and both Smith and Zane McIntyre have done well to keep the P-Bruins rolling.

Jesse Gabrielle leads all Bruins prospects with 35 goals and 67 points for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. Zach Senyshyn is second in goal scoring with 33 tallies for the Soo Greyhounds.

Ryan Donato notched his first career NCAA hat trick over the weekend, while Ryan Fitzgerald continues to produce for BC- he now has 16 goals and 35 points- a new career best in points and just one off to Colin White for the team lead. Notre Dame RW Anders Bjork scored a highlight reel goal over the weekend as well- he continues to add to his breakout sophomore season.

On the defensive side of things, Jakub Zboril’s play is steadily improving and he’s now getting some production to go with his physical, edgy play. Jeremy Lauzon is back in action after dealing with a nagging groin injury that has limited his participation since January. Harvard sophomore Wiley Sherman did not find the back of the net at all during his freshman season, but already has four goals and has tripled his points totals. He’s raw but with his 6-foot-6 size and good mobility, he’s an intriguing project player to watch for the long term.

And now for the update:

AHL

Seth Griffith, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 40 Goals- 16 Assists- 35 Points- 51 Penalty Min- 22 +/-   5

Alex Khokhlachev, C Providence Bruins

GP- 38 Goals- 15 Assists- 26 Points- 41 Penalty Min- 8 +/-  -6

Austin Czarnik, C Providence Bruins

GP- 41 Goals- 13 Assists- 23 Points- 36 Penalty Min- 14 +/-  3

Frank Vatrano, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 19 Goals- 20 Assists- 10 Points- 30 Penalty Min- 8 +/-   7

Four goals and four assists in his last five AHL games for Vatrano to keep his stick red hot.

Colton Hargrove, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 41 Goals-12 Assists- 9 Points- 21 Penalty Min- 49 +/-   7

Colby Cave, C Providence Bruins

GP- 49 Goals- 10 Assists- 10 Points- 20 Penalty Min- 10 +/- -6

Chris Casto, D Providence Bruins

GP- 45 Goals- 5 Assists- 12 Points- 17 Penalty Min- 35 +/- -5

Tommy Cross, D Providence Bruins

GP- 38 Goals- 2 Assists- 13 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 61 +/- -4

Zack Phillips, C Providence Bruins

GP- 39 Goals- 5 Assists- 9 Points-14 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -14

Noel Acciari, C Providence Bruins

GP- 36 Goals- 6 Assists-7 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 15 +/-  5

Anton Blidh, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 47 Goals- 9 Assists- 3 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 27 +/- -3

Anthony Camara, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 29 Goals- 0 Assists- 5 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 37 +/- -1

Justin Hickman, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 39 Goals- 3 Assists- 2 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 36 +/- -4

Linus Arnesson, D Providence Bruins

GP- 35 Goals- 0 Assists- 3 Points- 3 Penalty Min- 4 +/- -3

Brian Ferlin, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 4 Goals- 1 Assists- 0 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 2 +/-  2

Ferlin is back from a concussion after missing all but one of the previous games on Providence’s schedule- he tallied his first goal of the season last week.

Malcolm Subban, G Providence Bruins

GP- 27 MIN- 1635 GA- 67 GAA- 2.46 Spct- .911 W- 14 L-8 OTL 5 SO- 1

Zane McIntyre, G Providence Bruins

GP- 20 MIN- 1146 GA- 55 GAA- 2.88 Spct- .892 W- 8 L- 6 OTL- 5

Jeremy Smith, G Providence Bruins

Iowa: GP- 23 MIN- 1326 GA- 65 GAA- 2.94 Spct- .911 W- 5 L- 14 OTL- 3

Providence: GP- 2 MIN- 120 GA- 4 GAA- 2.00 Spct- .925 W- 2 L- 0 OTL- 0

 

OHL

Zach Senyshyn, RW Saulte Ste Marie Greyhounds

GP- 52 Goals- 33 Assists- 16 Points- 49 Penalty Min- 20 +/- 3

 

QMJHL

Jeremy Lauzon, D Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

GP- 33 Goals- 5 Assists- 32 Points- 37 Penalty Min- 56 +/- 28

He’s back in action and has played 4 games (2 assists) since the last update as he works through constraints of a nagging groin injury.

Jakub Zboril, D Saint John Sea Dogs

GP- 35 Goals- 4 Assists- 12 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 36 +/- 9

With four assists in his last five games, Zboril is getting more done on the score sheet after a brutal statistical start.

 

WHL

Jesse Gabrielle, LW Prince George Cougars

GP- 57 Goals- 35 Assists- 32 Points- 67 Penalty Min- 86 +/- 8

With 11 points in his last six games, Gabrielle has elevated his overall game at the right time.

Jake DeBrusk, LW Red Deer Rebels

SCB: GP- 24 Goals- 9 Assists- 17 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 15 +/- -5

RDR: GP- 21 Goals- 8 Assists- 16 Points- 24 Penalty Min- 13 +/-  13

With eight points (seven assists) in his last six games, DeBrusk is often a forgotten player in major junior this year, but his more balanced offensive game is a good sign for the future, even if his goal numbers are way down from a year ago.

Brandon Carlo, D Tri-City Americans

GP- 35 Goals- 2 Assists- 17 Points- 19 Penalty Min- 69 +/- 0

 

NCAA

Ryan Fitzgerald, F Boston College Eagles (HEA)

GP- 29 Goals- 16 Assists- 19 Points- 35 Penalty Min- 39 +/-  21

Anders Bjork, LW University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish (HEA)

GP- 28 Goals- 11 Assists- 18 Points- 29 Penalty Min- 4 +/-  24

Danton Heinen, RW Denver University Pioneers (NCHC)

GP- 28 Goals- 12 Assists- 15 Points- 27 Penalty Min- 4 +/-   8

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C Boston University Terriers (HEA)

GP- 30 Goals- 7 Assists- 16 Points- 23 Penalty Min- 16 +/-   1

The scoring has cooled a bit for the BU freshman, but he’s still a high riser and strong bet for eventual NHL success as a top two-way center.

Sean Kuraly, C Miami University Redhawks (NCHC)

GP- 28 Goals- 6 Assists- 13 Points- 19 Penalty Min- 31 +/-   4

Matt Grzelcyk, D Boston University (HEA)

GP- 18 Goals- 8 Assists- 8 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 28 +/-  11

Ryan Donato, C Harvard University Crimson (ECAC)

GP- 23 Goals- 10 Assists- 6 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 18 +/-   5

Four goals in five games including a hat trick for Donato since last update.

Cameron Hughes, C University of Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten)

GP- 23 Goals- 3 Assists- 13 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -10

Matt Benning, D Northeastern University Huskies (HEA)

GP- 30 Goals- 4 Assists- 9 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 25 +/- -6

Wiley Sherman, D Harvard University Crimson (ECAC)

GP- 25 Goals- 4 Assists- 5 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 8 +/-   8

Rob O’Gara, D Yale University Bulldogs (ECAC)

GP- 23 Goals- 1 Assists- 7 Points- 8 Penalty Min- 39  +/-  2

 

 

Europe

Peter Cehlarik, LW Lulea (Sweden)

GP- 36 Goals- 9 Assists- 8 Points- 17 Penalty Min- 2 +/-   4

Cehlarik established a new personal season high for  goals  in the Swedish Hockey League (formerly the elite league) to date, eclipsing his 6 goals in 46 games last year.

Emil Johansson, D HV71 (Sweden)

GP- 40 Goals- 0 Assists- 5 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 12 +/-  2

Maxim Chudinov, D St Petersburg SKA (Russia)

GP- 54 Goals- 8 Assists- 9 Points- 17 Penalty Min- 87 +/- -9

 

USHL

Daniel Vladar, G Chicago Steel (USHL)

GP- 19 MIN- 1106 GA- 39 GAA- 2.11 Spct .922 SO- 3; 6-7-4

Played one game since last update- a shutout.

Jack Becker, C Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)

GP- 40 Goals- 5 Assists- 8 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -11

2015-16 AHL season, 2015-16 CHL season, 2015-16 NCAA season, Boston Bruins prospects , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Bruins prospects update 2/2/16

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Just in time for the AHL All-Star festivities- Seth Griffith leads the league in scoring, while Frank Vatrano posted his 2nd AHL hat trick of the season (3rd this year) in an 8-1 drubbing of Springfield. Griffith and Koko were the Providence representatives at the All-Star affair.

With Jonas Gustavsson on IR, Malcolm Subban was brought up to Boston this week, but the team has been pretty mum on the veteran backup’s status and what that means for Subban in terms of whether he will see any NHL action.

Jesse Gabrielle and Zach Senyshyn have both broken the 30-goal plateau in their respective junior leagues as we enter the stretch run for the CHL regular season. A good chunk of B’s NCAA prospects are competing in the annual Beanpot Tournament, with Ryan Donato scoring a nice goal against BC in Harvard’s 3-2 loss yesterday. Sean Kuraly is quietly creeping up the NCAA scoring list after a brutal offensive start.

 

And now for the update:

AHL

Seth Griffith, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 35 Goals- 14 Assists- 32 Points- 46 Penalty Min- 20 +/- 3

Alex Khokhlachev, C Providence Bruins

GP- 33 Goals- 12 Assists- 24 Points- 36 Penalty Min- 4 +/- -7

Austin Czarnik, C Providence Bruins

GP- 37 Goals- 12 Assists- 21 Points- 33 Penalty Min- 12 +/- 1

Frank Vatrano, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 14 Goals- 16 Assists- 6 Points- 22 Penalty Min- 6 +/- 3

With six points in two games, Vatrano continues his torrid scoring pace at the AHL level.

Colton Hargrove, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 36 Goals-12 Assists- 8 Points- 20 Penalty Min- 42 +/- 6

2012 7th-rounder continues to contribute during impressive rookie pro season.

 

Colby Cave, C Providence Bruins

GP- 44 Goals- 9 Assists- 10 Points- 19 Penalty Min- 10 +/- -5

Two goals, three points this past week for the undrafted free agent.

Chris Casto, D Providence Bruins

GP- 40 Goals- 4 Assists- 11 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 26 +/- -7

Zack Phillips, C Providence Bruins

GP- 38 Goals- 5 Assists- 9 Points-14 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -14

Tommy Cross, D Providence Bruins

GP- 35 Goals- 1 Assists- 11 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 53 +/- -6

Anton Blidh, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 42 Goals- 9 Assists- 3 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 27 +/- -2

Noel Acciari, C Providence Bruins

GP- 32 Goals- 6 Assists-5 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 13 +/-  2

Anthony Camara, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 27 Goals- 0 Assists- 5 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 37 +/- -1

Justin Hickman, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 35 Goals- 2 Assists- 1 Points- 3 Penalty Min- 34 +/- -5

Linus Arnesson, D Providence Bruins

GP- 30 Goals- 0 Assists- 2 Points- 2 Penalty Min- 4 +/- -4

Malcolm Subban, G Providence Bruins

GP- 26 MIN- 1570 GA- 64 GAA- 2.45 Spct- .913 W- 14 L-8 OTL 4 SO- 1

Zane McIntyre, G Providence Bruins

GP- 18 MIN- 1026 GA- 52 GAA- 3.04 Spct- .884 W- 6 L- 6 OTL- 5

Injured- Brian Ferlin (upper body)- 1 game played.

 

OHL

Zach Senyshyn, RW Saulte Ste Marie Greyhounds

GP- 46 Goals- 30 Assists- 14 Points- 44 Penalty Min- 16 +/- -3

 

QMJHL

Jeremy Lauzon, D Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

GP- 29 Goals- 5 Assists- 30 Points- 35 Penalty Min- 52 +/- 26

Injured- (lower body) no games since last update.

Jakub Zboril, D Saint John Sea Dogs

GP- 30 Goals- 4 Assists- 8 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 32 +/- 8

 

WHL

Jesse Gabrielle, LW Prince George Cougars

GP- 51 Goals- 31 Assists- 25 Points- 56 Penalty Min- 71 +/- 6

Jake DeBrusk, LW Red Deer Rebels

SCB: GP- 24 Goals- 9 Assists- 17 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 15 +/- -5

RDR: GP- 16 Goals- 7 Assists- 9 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 13 +/-  6

Brandon Carlo, D Tri-City Americans

GP- 29 Goals- 2 Assists- 13 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 61 +/- -5

 

NCAA

Ryan Fitzgerald, F Boston College Eagles (HEA)

GP- 25 Goals- 14 Assists- 17 Points- 31 Penalty Min- 35 +/- 23

Anders Bjork, LW University of Notre Dame (HEA)

GP- 24 Goals- 10 Assists- 16 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 4 +/- 22

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C Boston University Terriers (HEA)

GP- 26 Goals- 7 Assists- 15 Points- 22 Penalty Min- 14 +/- 2

Danton Heinen, LW Denver University Pioneers (NCHC)

GP- 26 Goals- 10 Assists- 10 Points- 20 Penalty Min- 2 +/- 1

Sean Kuraly, C Miami University (NCHC)

GP- 25 Goals- 4 Assists- 11 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 27 +/- 1

Matt Grzelcyk, D Boston University (HEA)

GP- 14 Goals- 8 Assists- 6 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 22 +/- 8

Cameron Hughes, C University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)

GP- 21 Goals- 3 Assists- 11 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -8

The 2015 sixth-rounder has a goal and three points on the offense-challenged Badgers since the last update

 

Ryan Donato, C Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 18 Goals- 6 Assists- 6 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 14 +/-  4

 

Matt Benning, D Northeastern University (HEA)

GP- 26 Goals- 4 Assists- 7 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 23 +/- -6

 

Rob O’Gara, D Yale University (ECAC)

GP- 21 Goals- 1 Assists- 7 Points- 8 Penalty Min- 20 +/- 0

O’Gara netted his first goal of the season for Yale; it’s been a statistical disappointment for the senior given expectations, but he still figures prominently into Boston’s future plans.

Wiley Sherman, D Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 20 Goals- 3 Assists- 4 Points- 7 Penalty Min- 8 +/- 6

 

Europe

Peter Cehlarik, LW Lulea (Sweden)

GP- 33 Goals- 8 Assists- 6 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 0 +/- 2

Emil Johansson, D HV71 (Sweden)

GP- 37 Goals- 0 Assists- 4 Points- 4 Penalty Min- 12 +/- 1

Maxim Chudinov, D St Petersburg SKA (Russia)

GP- 52 Goals- 8 Assists- 9 Points- 17 Penalty Min- 85 +/- -11

 

USHL

Daniel Vladar, G Chicago (USHL)

GP- 18 MIN- 1046 GA- 39 GAA- 2.24 Spct .917 SO- 2; 5-7-4

Jack Becker, C Sioux Falls (USHL)

GP- 36 Goals- 4 Assists- 7 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 10 +/- -10

2015-16 AHL season, 2015-16 CHL season, 2015-16 NCAA season, 2015-16 NHL season, Boston Bruins prospects , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Bruins prospects update: 1/24/16

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Frank Vatrano was returned to the AHL from Boston last week, and he wasted little time re-establishing himself as a scorer at that level.

Seth Griffith continues to lead Providence in scoring, and Koko and Austin Czarnik have done well to keep pace.

Malcolm Subban continues to play well as the team’s undisputed No. 1 this season, and while Zane McIntyre has had his ups and downs, there is plenty of positive raw potential with him going forward.

In the amateur ranks, Zach Senyshyn and Jesse Gabrielle have 29 goals apiece- good for the best goal totals of all Boston prospects at any level. Jake DeBrusk’s offensive play has tailed off after a hot start in Red Deer, but is not a major cause for concern, as he’s still creating chances- they just aren’t going in.

Ryan Fitzgerald remains atop the NCAA scoring list for Boston prospects with 30 points for BC- second on the team in scoring to Sens 2015 first-rounder Colin White. Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson continues his impressive, mature two-way play, while Danton Heinen had a big weekend production-wise, as did Sean Kuraly, who lit it up against University of Nebraska-Omaha. Otherwise- it’s been a pretty forgettable year for him production-wise.

Now, here’s the update:

AHL

Seth Griffith, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 33 Goals- 13 Assists- 28 Points- 41 Penalty Min- 20 +/- 0

Griffith had a great month in December and has continued his scoring into the new year.

Alex Khokhlachev, C Providence Bruins

GP- 31 Goals- 12 Assists- 22 Points- 34 Penalty Min- 4 +/- -6

 

Austin Czarnik, C Providence Bruins

GP- 35 Goals- 11 Assists- 20 Points- 31 Penalty Min- 10 +/- 1

 

Colton Hargrove, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 34 Goals-11 Assists- 8 Points- 19 Penalty Min- 40 +/- 3

Three goals and four points in five games since the last update- Hargrove continues to be a pleasant surprise as a rookie pro who is producing well above where most projected him.

Frank Vatrano, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 12 Goals- 12 Assists- 4 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 4 +/- 0

Colby Cave, C Providence Bruins

GP- 42 Goals- 7 Assists- 9 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -8

Chris Casto, D Providence Bruins

GP- 38 Goals- 4 Assists- 11 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 24 +/- -9

Zack Phillips, C Providence Bruins

GP- 37 Goals- 5 Assists- 9 Points-14 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -14

 

 

Tommy Cross, D Providence Bruins

GP- 34 Goals- 1 Assists- 11 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 49 +/- -10

Anton Blidh, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 40 Goals- 9 Assists- 2 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -5

Blidh finally added some totals to the assists column in his scoring line, but it took him more than 35 games to do it. He is a grinding, agitating bottom-line type- fans should not expect much more than that if he reaches the NHL.

Noel Acciari, C Providence Bruins

GP- 30 Goals- 5 Assists-5 Points- 10 Penalty Min- 13 +/-  0

 

Anthony Camara, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 25 Goals- 0 Assists- 3 Points- 3 Penalty Min- 37 +/- -3

Justin Hickman, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 34 Goals- 1 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 32 +/- -7

Linus Arnesson, D Providence Bruins

GP- 28 Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 2 +/- -4

Malcolm Subban, G Providence Bruins

GP- 24 MIN- 1450 GA- 61 GAA- 2.52 Spct- .911 W- 12 L-8 OTL 4 SO- 1

Zane McIntyre, G Providence Bruins

GP- 18 MIN- 1026 GA- 52 GAA- 3.04 Spct- .884 W- 6 L- 6 OTL- 5

Injured- Brian Ferlin (upper body)- 1 game played.

 

OHL

Zach Senyshyn, RW Saulte Ste Marie Greyhounds

GP- 43 Goals- 29 Assists- 12 Points- 41 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -3

 

QMJHL

Jeremy Lauzon, D Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

GP- 29 Goals- 5 Assists- 30 Points- 35 Penalty Min- 52 +/- 26

Injured- no games since last update.

Jakub Zboril, D Saint John Sea Dogs

GP- 28 Goals- 4 Assists- 6 Points- 10 Penalty Min- 30 +/- 6

Zboril’s play has picked up since his return from the WJC, but he is well off his offensive pace from a year ago. He has, however, embraced a more physical edge with better attention to the defensive side of his game, but is still prone to stretches without urgency.

 

WHL

Jesse Gabrielle, LW Prince George Cougars

GP- 48 Goals- 29 Assists- 21 Points- 50 Penalty Min- 71 +/- 3

Jake DeBrusk, LW Red Deer Rebels

SCB: GP- 24 Goals- 9 Assists- 17 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 15 +/- -5

RDR: GP- 14 Goals- 5 Assists- 9 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 13 +/-  5

After erupting for five goals in his first four games with the Rebels after being traded, DeBrusk’s offense dried up considerably with just three assists in his last six games. He’s far too talented a player to be held without a goal for long, but he’s nowhere close to the 42-goal season he had a year ago.

Brandon Carlo, D Tri-City Americans

GP- 26 Goals- 2 Assists- 13 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 59 +/- -5

 

NCAA

Ryan Fitzgerald, F Boston College Eagles (HEA)

GP- 23 Goals- 14 Assists- 16 Points- 30 Penalty Min- 35 +/- 22

Anders Bjork, LW University of Notre Dame (HEA)

GP- 23 Goals- 10 Assists- 16 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 4 +/- 22

The 2014 5th-rounder has been on a tear since returning from the WJC, notching three goals and eight points in his last five games. He’s blown by his freshman season scoring totals (23 points) in half the games.

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C Boston University Terriers (HEA)

GP- 24 Goals- 7 Assists- 15 Points- 22 Penalty Min- 10 +/- 2

Danton Heinen, LW Denver University Pioneers (NCHC)

GP- 24 Goals- 9 Assists- 9 Points- 18 Penalty Min- 0 +/- -4

Had four points over the weekend in a two-game series.

Matt Grzelcyk, D Boston University (HEA)

GP- 12 Goals- 8 Assists- 5 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 20 +/- 7

Senior D and 85th overall pick in 2012 continues to find the back of the net- he is just three markers shy of passing his season best set a year ago (in 41 games).

Ryan Donato, C Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 16 Goals- 5 Assists- 6 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 14 +/- 2

Cameron Hughes, C University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)

GP- 19 Goals- 2 Assists- 9 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -9

Matt Benning, D Northeastern University (HEA)

GP- 25 Goals- 4 Assists- 6 Points- 10 Penalty Min- 21 +/- -5

Curious statistical inversion- a year ago, Benning did not score in 36 games, yet posted 24 assists. This season,  he has four goals but just six helpers. He’s still seeing considerable minutes and power play time, but without several key scorers in the lineup, NU’s scoring is down.

Sean Kuraly, C Miami University (NCHC)

GP- 23 Goals- 3 Assists- 10 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 21 +/- -6

The former San Jose prospect went on a tear with 1g and 6 points in his last three games. He’s not a high-end scoring player at the next level, but it’s a good sign for him after a rough senior season statistically speaking.

Rob O’Gara, D Yale University (ECAC)

GP- 19 Goals- 0 Assists- 7 Points- 7 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -1

Wiley Sherman, D Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 18 Goals- 3 Assists- 3 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 8 +/-  6

 

Europe

Peter Cehlarik, LW Lulea (Sweden)

GP- 30 Goals- 8 Assists- 6 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 0 +/-  2

Emil Johansson, D HV71 (Sweden)

GP- 34 Goals- 0 Assists- 3 Points- 3 Penalty Min- 12 +/-  1

Maxim Chudinov, D St Petersburg SKA (Russia)

GP- 48 Goals- 8 Assists- 9 Points- 17 Penalty Min- 77 +/- -11

His goal total is the highest it has been since joining St. Petersburg and just one away from his career high of 9 in a season set in 2011-12 with Cherepovets.

USHL

Daniel Vladar, G Chicago (USHL)

GP- 16 MIN- 928 GA- 34 GAA- 2.20 Spct .920 SO- 2; 4-6-4

Jack Becker, C Sioux Falls (USHL)

GP- 35 Goals- 4 Assists- 7 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -9

2015-16 AHL season, 2015-16 CHL season, 2015-16 NCAA season, 2016 World Junior Championship, Boston Bruins prospects , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Bruins Prospects Update 1/11/16

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Jesse Gabrielle continues to be a revelation with Prince George out west.

Boston’s fourth-round pick in 2015 is currently tied for the WHL lead in goals with 27 (in 42 games) with Jon Martin and Dryden Hunt, with seven of those goals coming in his last six games, and one goal in four of his last five. In addition to the scoring, Gabrielle makes his presence known by playing an aggressive, high-energy style. He’s not ready to be thought of as an NHL option in the next year or so, but it looks like the Bruins may have struck gold again out West one year after drafting BC native Danton Heinen in the same round in 2014.

Speaking of Heinen, after posting about his down production earlier this week, he posted 1 goal and an assist in a Denver win over the University of Nebraska-Omaha. It was good to see him get off the schneid, because he’s such a smart and gifted player. Going on the record right now in saying that three years from now, Heinen will be contributing in Boston and he’s got 50-point NHL potential in my view.

Boston’s NCAA prospects went off this weekend: Ryan Fitzgerald had a four-point night Friday (1g, 3a) then added a helper the next night, but Saturday night was all right for scoring as Matt Grzelcyk potted a natural hat trick in BU’s trouncing of Mass. NU defenseman Matt Benning also got into the act, scoring a pair of goals to establish a new career-high for goals (and for the record- he went the entire 2014-15 season without finding the back of the net once). Also scoring goals Saturday night were: Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Ryan Donato and Anders Bjork. In fact, when you factor in David Pastrnak’s second period goal against Ottawa, all of Boston’s 2014 draft picks save defenseman Emil Johansson (seventh round) tallied on the same night.

Providence rolled this week, scoring 6 out of 6 points and getting superb play up front and in net from Malcolm Subban.

Now, here’s the update:

AHL

Alex Khokhlachev, C Providence Bruins

GP- 26 Goals- 11 Assists- 20 Points- 31 Penalty Min- 2 +/- -6

He didn’t get credit on the stats line, but Koko was the only player to register a shootout goal Sunday against the Falcons, earning Providence its 9th consecutive home win.

Seth Griffith, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 28 Goals- 10 Assists- 21 Points- 31 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -3

 

Austin Czarnik, C Providence Bruins

GP- 30 Goals- 10 Assists- 17 Points- 27 Penalty Min- 10 +/-  0

Colton Hargrove, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 29 Goals- 8 Assists- 7 Points- 15 Penalty Min- 34 +/- -2

Zack Phillips, C Providence Bruins

GP- 33 Goals- 5 Assists- 8 Points-11 Penalty Min- 6 +/- -11

Chris Casto, D Providence Bruins

GP- 33 Goals- 3 Assists- 10 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -7

Good NHL tools here for the undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. If the B’s blue line depth takes a hit, he’s earned a recall at some point. Unfortunately for Casto, he’s the same type of defender that Boston has no shortage of, which works against him for obvious reason. He should win an award for best Twitter handle, though- “@FidelCrusto”scores major creativity points.

Colby Cave, C Providence Bruins

GP- 37 Goals- 7 Assists- 6 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -8

Tommy Cross, D Providence Bruins

GP- 29 Goals- 1 Assists- 11 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 45 +/- -11

 

 

Noel Acciari, C Providence Bruins

GP- 25 Goals- 4 Assists-4 Points- 8 Penalty Min- 11 +/-

Anton Blidh, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 35 Goals- 8 Assists- 0 Points- 8 Penalty Min- 18 +/- -5

The 2013 seventh-rounder posted his first two-goal game over the weekend but is still looking for a North American helper.

Anthony Camara, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 20 Goals- 0 Assists- 2 Points- 2 Penalty Min- 33 +/- -3

Justin Hickman, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 31 Goals- 1 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 27 +/- -7

Former Seattle Thunderbirds captain scored his first pro goal this past week.

Linus Arnesson, D Providence Bruins

GP- 24 Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 2 +/- -4

Malcolm Subban, G Providence Bruins

GP- 21 MIN- 1266 GA- 56 GAA- 2.65 Spct- .907 W- 10 L-8 OTL 3 SO- 1

Subban had a tremendous outing Sunday against Springfield, stopping 41 pucks and surrendering just one goal in a 2-1 shootout win (he stopped all three Springfield shooters for good measure).

Zane McIntyre, G Providence Bruins

GP- 16 MIN- 902 GA- 44 GAA- 2.93 Spct- .887 W- 6 L- 6 OTL- 3

Injured- Brian Ferlin (upper body)- 1 game played.

 

OHL

Zach Senyshyn, RW Saulte Ste Marie Greyhounds

GP- 39 Goals- 26 Assists- 11 Points- 37  Penalty Min- 12 +/- -5

Two goals this week and he’s already reached his entire 2014-15 goals output with 26 (in 27 fewer games). Spending a top-15 selection on this natural scorer and character kid now looks like a pretty forward-thinking (no pun intended) move for the Bruins.

QMJHL

Jeremy Lauzon, D Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

GP- 28 Goals- 5 Assists- 29 Points- 34 Penalty Min- 52 +/- 24

Injured- no games since last update.

Jakub Zboril, D Saint John Sea Dogs

GP- 23 Goals- 3 Assists- 6 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 26 +/- 1

 

WHL

Jesse Gabrielle, LW Prince George Cougars

GP- 42 Goals- 27 Assists- 18 Points- 45 Penalty Min- 61 +/- 9

Jake DeBrusk, LW Red Deer Rebels

SCB: GP- 24 Goals- 9 Assists- 17 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 15 +/- -5

RDR: GP- 8 Goals- 5 Assists- 6 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 0 +/- 6

Brandon Carlo, D Tri-City Americans

GP- 22 Goals- 2 Assists- 12 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 57 +/- -5

Has yet to get back into the Tri-City lineup since his standout performance for Team USA at the WJC, winning a bronze medal.

 

NCAA

Ryan Fitzgerald, F Boston College Eagles (HEA)

GP- 19 Goals- 12 Assists- 14 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 35 +/- 20

Anders Bjork, LW University of Notre Dame (HEA)

GP- 19 Goals- 7 Assists- 11 Points- 18 Penalty Min- 4 +/- 19

After scoring a highlight reel goal against Sweden in the bronze medal game at the WJC, Bjork scored in both games/wins against WMU over the weekend.

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C Boston University Terriers (HEA)

GP- 20 Goals- 5 Assists- 13 Points- 18 Penalty Min- 10 +/- 0

1 goal and 4 points in 2 games since JFK returned from the WJC.

Danton Heinen, LW Denver University Pioneers (NCHC)

GP- 20 Goals- 6 Assists- 8 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 0 +/- -3

Matt Grzelcyk, D Boston University (HEA)

GP- 8  Goals- 6  Assists- 4  Points- 10  Penalty Min- 16 +/-  5

One word to describe Grzelcyk’s weekend for BU after missing three weeks with a LBI: Wow! The 2012 third-rounder posted the first hat trick for a BU defenseman since 2003.

Ryan Donato, C Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 12 Goals- 5 Assists- 5 Points- 10 Penalty Min- 12 +/-  5

Scored two goals in the bronze medal game against Sweden, and followed up with a goal in his second game back with Harvard.Steady as she goes is the mantra for the 2014 2nd-round pick.

Cameron Hughes, C University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)

GP- 15 Goals- 1 Assists- 8 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 6 +/- -6

Matt Benning, D Northeastern University (HEA)

GP- 21 Goals- 4 Assists- 5 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 19 +/- -11

Sean Kuraly, C Miami University (NCHC)

GP- 20 Goals- 2 Assists- 5 Points- 7 Penalty Min- 21 +/- -6

Rob O’Gara, D Yale University (ECAC)

GP- 15 Goals- 0 Assists- 5 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -5

 

 

Wiley Sherman, D Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 14 Goals- 2 Assists- 2 Points- 4 Penalty Min- 6 +/- 4

 

 

Europe

Peter Cehlarik, LW Lulea (Sweden)

GP- 26 Goals- 8 Assists- 6 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 0 +/- 0

Emil Johansson, D HV71 (Sweden)

GP- 30 Goals- 0 Assists- 2 Points- 2 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -1

Maxim Chudinov, D St Petersburg SKA (Russia)

GP- 42 Goals- 6 Assists- 8 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 77 +/- -10

 

USHL

Daniel Vladar, G Chicago (USHL)

GP- 13 MIN- 737 GA- 26 GAA- 2.12 Spct .925 SO- 2; 3-5-3

No games since last update.

Jack Becker, C Sioux Falls (USHL)

GP- 31 Goals- 4 Assists- 7 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 6 +/- -2