Category Archives: 2016 World Junior Championship

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

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 1/4/2016

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Welcome to 2016!

Since the last stats update, two of Boston’s three 2015 first-round picks- Jake DeBrusk and Zach Senyshyn had impactful weeks with their respectful clubs.

DeBrusk, originally credited with a four goal outburst in Red Deer’s 10-0 drubbing of the Brandon Wheat Kings Saturday night, had to “settle” for three goals and five points in that one, raising his totals to 5 goals and 10 points in 4 games since being traded from Swift Current the last week of December. Brent Sutter has since added two more veteran forwards and the 2016 Memorial Cup host team is probably not finished- that bodes well for DeBrusk’s continued offensive output, as he finds himself suddenly in a significantly better situation on the Rebels than he was with the Broncos.

Senyshyn has scored goals in his last several games and has been noticeable and effective offensively with each viewing. He continues to beat defenders wide with his impressive speed and powerful skating stride. As long as that continues, he’s on pace to crack the 40-goal mark in the OHL this season.

2015 fourth-rounder Jesse Gabrielle had a tremendous week as well, netting a hat trick and rising to second place in goals scored for the entire WHL. He’s not only producing but providing his patented gritty, agitating game,

Alex Khokhlachev continues to demonstrate the dichotomy between his AHL season (highly impressive) and his limited NHL stint (can’t get out of first gear). He tallied two goals and four points Sunday after being returned to Providence from Boston after the disaster of a Winter Classic. I posted on Twitter that it’s hard to square the Koko we’re seeing in the AHL with the passive, unengaged chap who has been brought up (and sent back down) three times by Boston. Yes, he hasn’t gotten much ice time in his limited opportunities (multiple not singular) but at some point- you have to do something with the ice you receive in order to get more. It certainly looks like his days in the Boston organization are numbered, but then again- I felt the same way about Ryan Spooner at this point last year.

Now, here’s the update:

AHL

Seth Griffith, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 25 Goals- 10 Assists- 20 Points- 30 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -2

Griffith played two games in Boston (1 assist) but was sent back down to Providence after the Winter Classic. He posted three assists in Sunday’s win to hold Koko at bay for the team scoring lead.

Alex Khokhlachev, C Providence Bruins

GP- 23 Goals- 11 Assists- 18 Points- 29 Penalty Min- 2 +/-  -2

Three AHL games since the last update- three goals and six points.

Austin Czarnik, C Providence Bruins

GP- 27  Goals- 9 Assists- 17 Points- 26 Penalty Min- 10 +/-  3

Czarnik’s passing has picked up- he added seven helpers in three games since the last update.

Colton Hargrove, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 26 Goals- 8 Assists- 6 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 30 +/- -7

Hargrove continues to be a pleasant surprise as a rookie pro- the former WMU product and seventh-round pick in 2012 was expected to be a bit player this season as he acclimated to the AHL, but instead, has opened eyes as an effective power play presence and consistent middle-of-the-roster option.

Chris Casto, D Providence Bruins

GP- 30 Goals- 2 Assists- 10 Points- 12 Penalty Min- 18 +/- -9

Tommy Cross, D Providence Bruins

GP- 26 Goals- 1 Assists- 10 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 45 +/- -11

Zack Phillips, C Providence Bruins

GP- 30 Goals- 3 Assists- 8 Points-11 Penalty Min- 4 +/- -11

The former 1st-round pick in 2011 is playing more effectively after recovering from a lower body injury that caused him to miss training camp and hampered him in the first couple of months.

 

 

Colby Cave, C Providence Bruins

GP- 34 Goals- 7 Assists- 4 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -11

Noel Acciari, C Providence Bruins

GP- 22 Goals- 3 Assists-3 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 9 +/- -1

Acciari returned to the lineup Sunday after being cleared to play post-surgery for a broken jaw.

Anton Blidh, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 32  Goals- 6 Assists- 0 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 14 +/- -5

Anthony Camara, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 17  Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 31 +/- -4

Linus Arnesson, D Providence Bruins

GP- 21 Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 2 +/- -2

Injured- has not played since last update.

Justin Hickman, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 28 Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 27 +/- -7

The former Seattle Thunderbirds captain and undrafted free agent finally registered his first pro point last week. There is a lot to like about Hickman, but this season is a learning process for him as he will have to scrap for bottom line minutes.

Malcolm Subban, G Providence Bruins

GP- 19 MIN- 1141 GA- 51 GAA- 2.68 Spct- .904 W- 8 L-8 OTL 3 SO- 1

Two starts, two wins for Subban- he’s strung together a solid month of play after a brutal start to the season.

Zane McIntyre, G Providence Bruins

GP- 15 MIN- 842 GA- 42 GAA- 2.99 Spct- .885 W- 5 L- 6 OTL- 3

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

OHL

Zach Senyshyn, RW Saulte Ste Marie Greyhounds

GP- 36 Goals- 24 Assists- 11 Points- 35 Penalty Min- 10 +/- -5

Three goals in four games since the last update- finished December with 11 goals, 17 points in 9 games.

QMJHL

Jeremy Lauzon, D Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

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

Missed the last couple of games due to injury.

Jakub Zboril, D Saint John Sea Dogs

GP- 21 Goals- 3 Assists- 6 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 26 +/- 2

After Zboril’s Czech squad was eliminated in the quarterfinal match against USA (7-0) he’ll be back in the Sea Dogs’ lineup this week. Zboril earned player of the game honors against USA in a contest that did not give the Czechs a whole lot to be positive about.

WHL

Jesse Gabrielle, LW Prince George Cougars

GP- 39 Goals- 25 Assists- 18 Points- 43 Penalty Min- 57 +/-  10

Gabrielle has really picked it up, scoring a hat trick this past week in a dominant performance against Vancouver and drawing raves from at least one other NHL team’s Western Canada scouts. He’s currently second in the WHL in goals and is outperforming more than a few players drafted well before he was. The 105th overall pick is feeling it- and grabbing a lot of notice in the process.

Jake DeBrusk, LW Red Deer Rebels

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

RDR: GP- 4 Goals- 5 Assists- 5 Points- 10 Penalty Min- 0 +/- 2

DeBrusk has looked every bit the 14th overall pick this past week playing on the top line with (undrafted) Ivan Nikolishin (son of former NHLer Andrei) and Sharks 2015 draft pick/overager Adam Helewka. There’s a lot more offense coming from this trio if Sutter keeps them together- they combined for 5 goals and 13 points in the Brandon game.

Brandon Carlo, D Tri-City Americans

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

Carlo’s Team USA squad faces Russia today in the WJC semifinal match- he’s been his club’s top defensive player and continues to demonstrate high-end shutdown potential at the next level.

NCAA

Ryan Fitzgerald, F Boston College Eagles (HEA)

GP- 17 Goals- 11 Assists- 10 Points- 21 Penalty Min- 33 +/- 18

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

GP- 18 Goals- 4 Assists- 10 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 10 +/- -2

JFK’s Sweden team takes on the impressive Finnish offensive juggernaut featuring offensive whiz kids (with size and skill) Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrik Laine. JFK has been very good in the tournament thus far and should return to BU with elevated confidence regardless of the WJC’s final outcome.

Anders Bjork, LW University of Notre Dame (HEA)

GP- 17 Goals- 5 Assists- 11 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 4 +/- 17

With Team USA at WJC.

Danton Heinen, LW Denver University Pioneers (NCHC)

GP- 18 Goals- 5 Assists- 6 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 0 +/- -3

No points in two games against Notre Dame, but it’s not for a lack of trying. Heinen is playing well and creating numerous scoring chances on a line with Trevor Moore and Dylan Gambrell, but the Pioneers ran into a hot goaltender (Cal Petersen) on Saturday night.

Ryan Donato, C Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 10 Goals- 4 Assists- 5 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 10 +/- 6

With Team USA at WJC.

Cameron Hughes, C University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)

GP- 14 Goals- 1 Assists- 8 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 6 +/- -6

No games since last update.

Sean Kuraly, C Miami University (NCHC)

GP- 18 Goals- 2 Assists- 5 Points- 7 Penalty Min- 19 +/- -4

Matt Benning, D Northeastern University (HEA)

GP- 19 Goals- 2 Assists- 5 Points- 7 Penalty Min- 17 +/- -13

Matt Grzelcyk, D Boston University (HEA)

GP-6 Goals 2 Assists- 3 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 12 +/- 2

Grzelcyk is still out with a lower body (knee injury).

Wiley Sherman, D Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 12 Goals- 2 Assists- 2 Points- 4 Penalty Min- 6 +/- 5

No games since last update.

Rob O’Gara, D Yale University (ECAC)

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

No games since last update.

Europe

Peter Cehlarik, LW Lulea (Sweden)

GP- 24 Goals- 7 Assists- 6 Points- 13 Penalty Min- 0 +/- 3

Emil Johansson, D HV71 (Sweden)

GP- 28 Goals- 0 Assists- 2 Points- 2 Penalty Min- 12 +/- 0

Maxim Chudinov, D St Petersburg SKA (Russia)

GP- 40 Goals- 6 Assists- 8 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 77 +/- -7

USHL

Daniel Vladar, G Chicago (USHL)

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

Vladar will be back in the USHL this week.

Jack Becker, C Sioux Falls (USHL)

GP- 29 Goals- 4 Assists- 6 Points- 10 Penalty Min- 6 +/- 0

 

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Bruins Prospects Update 12/28/15

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It’s the last Bruins prospects update of the calendar year!

When next I post, it will be 2016 and we’ll be just about at the official halfway mark of the NHL season.

There’s a lot going on in the prospects world- six Boston futures (plus one current Bruin- David Pastrnak) are competing in the World Junior (Under-20) Championship in Helsinki, Finland, so their junior/NCAA stats lines will remain static until they return.

The Red Deer Rebels, host team of the 2017 Memorial Cup, made a big move Saturday to acquire Jake DeBrusk from Swift Current. That’s a typical junior trade when a team that has a legitimate shot at winning it all (the last time the Rebels won the MC was in 2001 when then-Bruins prospect Kyle Wanvig was the MVP…ah, the happier days for Boston and Wanvig before the fax machine fiasco in Toronto negated his signing deadline deal to the Leafs for Jonas Hoglund. If you’re too young to remember any of that consider yourself fortunate.)

Seth Griffith has been smoking hot for the past month in Providence, and the team is up and down in the standings.

Now, here’s your update:

 

AHL

Seth Griffith, RW Providence Bruins

GP- 24 Goals- 10 Assists- 17 Points- 27 Penalty Min- 20 +/- -1

Griffith vaulted over Koko for the team lead in scoring, posting 2 goals and nine points in five games since the previous update. He’s making a strong case to see some time in Boston, especially with Pastrnak now at the WJC and Brett Connolly struggling.

Alex Khokhlachev, C Providence Bruins

GP- 21 Goals- 8 Assists- 15 Points- 23 Penalty Min- 2 +/- 0

Four games since the last update- 2 goals and three assists, with a stint in Boston (2 scoreless games) sandwiched in between.

 

Austin Czarnik, C Providence Bruins

GP- 24  Goals- 9 Assists- 10 Points- 19 Penalty Min- 10 +/-  3

Four goals in five games including his first pro hat trick- sounds like someone who is deserving of seeing his first NHL action if David Krejci misses any games to the upper body injury he suffered against Ottawa Sunday evening.

Tommy Cross, D Providence Bruins

GP- 23 Goals- 1 Assists- 10 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 39 +/- -10

Returned from injury and added an assist to go with 10 penalty minutes in five games and a -5 rating.

Chris Casto, D Providence Bruins

GP- 27 Goals- 1 Assists- 10 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 16 +/- -7

 

Colby Cave, C Providence Bruins

GP- 31 Goals- 7 Assists- 4 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -10

Zack Phillips, C Providence Bruins

GP- 27 Goals- 3 Assists- 6 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 4 +/- -12

Colton Hargrove, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 23 Goals- 4 Assists- 4 Points- 8 Penalty Min- 28 +/- -7

He scored a big power play goal over the weekend in a win over Hartford.

Noel Acciari, C Providence Bruins

GP- 21 Goals- 3 Assists-3 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 7 +/- -1

Injured- did not play.

Anton Blidh, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 29 Goals- 6 Assists- 0 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 14 +/- -5

Gritty grinder is an agitator and energy guy, but not much offensive potential at the next level.

Anthony Camara, LW Providence Bruins

GP- 14 Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 31 +/- -4

Pretty disappointing pro track record for a third-round pick. If you believe the story that the Bruins were interested in Johnny Gaudreau (I’m not so sure about the published reports, to be honest), then take comfort in the fact that they passed on him to take this guy. Just saying.

 

Linus Arnesson, D Providence Bruins

GP- 21 Goals- 0 Assists- 1 Points- 1 Penalty Min- 2 +/- -2

Arnesson will play for the Bruins one day, but his one assist in 21 games (no points since week 1 of the season) is indicative of the kind of player he is. Safe, steady mobile defense-first guy (I stop short of calling him a shutdown D- he’s not that either, IMO) who brings smarts and quickness if not offensive production to the mix.

Malcolm Subban, G Providence Bruins

GP- 17 MIN- 1027 GA- 46 GAA- 2.69 Spct- .901 W- 6 L-8 OTL 3 SO- 1

Six games since the last update- raised the save percentage up over .900- small victories, and a much better performance since being injured to start the year and then stumbling out of the gate.

Zane McIntyre, G Providence Bruins

GP- 12 MIN- 777 GA- 38 GAA- 2.94 Spct- .886 W- 5 L- 5 OTL- 3

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

OHL

Zach Senyshyn, RW Saulte Ste Marie Greyhounds

GP- 32 Goals- 21 Assists- 11 Points- 32 Penalty Min- 8 +/- -6

Another hat trick before the holiday break (he tallied his three-goal game against Kitchener on the same night Frank Vatrano got his 1st NHL 3-goal game, and Czarnik also potted his first AHL hatty for the trifecta) helped get ZS to the point-per-game mark. He’s just five goals and 13 points away from equaling his scoring total from a year ago in half the games.

QMJHL

Jeremy Lauzon, D Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

GP- 26 Goals- 5 Assists- 28 Points- 34 Penalty Min- 50 +/- 26

The final Team Canada cut at the WJC- Lauzon did not play any games since the last update, but is back in action with Rouyn-Noranda this week. He’s a likely lock for next season’s WJC team given how far he got this time.

Jakub Zboril, D Saint John Sea Dogs

GP- 21 Goals- 3 Assists- 6 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 26 +/- 2

Zboril is with Team Czech Republic in Finland- he was ejected and received 25 minutes in penalties for a boarding call in the first period of his team’s 2-1 shootout loss to Russia on Saturday.

WHL

Jesse Gabrielle, LW Prince George Cougars

GP- 35 Goals- 20 Assists- 17 Points- 37 Penalty Min- 55 +/-  5

Three goals and five points in four games with PG since the last update. We’re going to predict that Gabrielle will be on the 2017 Team Canada WJC squad as well. He’s turning heads this season, but will have to prove his commitment to the Hockey Canada scouts. The production will certainly go a long way, though. He’s just three goals away from equaling his career high in a season.

Jake DeBrusk, LW Red Deer Rebels

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

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

Brandon Carlo, D Tri-City Americans

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

Carlo is with Team USA in Helsinki- had a high-level defensive performance in his team’s tourney-opening win against Canada.

 

NCAA

Ryan Fitzgerald, F Boston College Eagles (HEA)

GP- 15 Goals- 11 Assists- 10 Points- 21 Penalty Min- 33 +/- 17

No games since last update.

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

GP- 18 Goals- 4 Assists- 10 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 10 +/- -2

With Team Sweden at WJC.

Anders Bjork, LW University of Notre Dame (HEA)

GP- 17 Goals- 5 Assists- 11 Points- 16 Penalty Min- 4 +/- 17

With Team USA at WJC.

Danton Heinen, LW Denver University Pioneers (NCHC)

GP- 16 Goals- 5 Assists- 6 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 0 +/- -3

No games since last update.

Ryan Donato, C Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 10 Goals- 4 Assists- 5 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 10 +/- 6

With Team USA at WJC.

Cameron Hughes, C University of Wisconsin (Big Ten)

GP- 14 Goals- 1 Assists- 8 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 6 +/- -6

No games since last update.

Sean Kuraly, C Miami University (NCHC)

GP- 16 Goals- 2 Assists- 4 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 17 +/- -5

No games since last update.

Matt Benning, D Northeastern University (HEA)

GP- 17 Goals- 2 Assists- 4 Points- 6 Penalty Min- 17 +/- -12

No games since last update.

Matt Grzelcyk, D Boston University (HEA)

GP-6 Goals 2 Assists- 3 Points- 5 Penalty Min- 12 +/- 2

Grzelcyk is still out with a lower body (knee injury).

Wiley Sherman, D Harvard University (ECAC)

GP- 10 Goals- 2 Assists- 2 Points- 4 Penalty Min- 6 +/- 5

No games since last update.

Rob O’Gara, D Yale University (ECAC)

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

No games since last update.

Europe

Peter Cehlarik, LW Lulea (Sweden)

GP- 22 Goals- 6 Assists- 5 Points- 11 Penalty Min- 0 +/- 1

Emil Johansson, D HV71 (Sweden)

GP- 26 Goals- 0 Assists- 2 Points- 2 Penalty Min- 12 +/- -1

Maxim Chudinov, D St Petersburg SKA (Russia)

GP- 40 Goals- 6 Assists- 8 Points- 14 Penalty Min- 77 +/- -7

USHL

Daniel Vladar, G Chicago (USHL)

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

With Czech Republic at WJC; did not dress (3rd goalie) in 2-1 loss to Russia.

Jack Becker, C Sioux Falls (USHL)

GP- 26 Goals- 4 Assists- 5 Points- 9 Penalty Min- 6 +/- 0

 

2016 NHL Entry Draft, 2016 World Junior Championship, Auston Matthews, Chad Krys, Charles McAvoy, Matthew Tkachuk , , , , Leave a comment

Observations on several 2016 NHL draft hopefuls

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Watched Canada-USA on 26 December in its entirety and then went back to do iso work on several of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft candidates in action to see how they looked.

A couple of points/caveats up front:

  1. I am not in Finland, so all of my analysis is based on film study.
  2. While helpful, video analysis is not as effective as a live viewing given the limitations you have in terms of not being able to see much of the play away from the puck.
  3. I will not weigh in on players with specifics about their game if I don’t see them at least on film/video. As USA-Canada was the only game I watched, I cannot provide insights on Finland-Belarus, Sweden-Switzerland or Russia-Czech Republic.

USA

Auston Matthews, C (Zurich)- The horse. The expected No. 1 overall pick in Buffalo next June has been playing pro hockey in Switzerland this season. He did not have a dominating game, but you could see his impressive natural gifts on display: his natural strength and ability to protect the puck and establish an effective cycle. He goal was vintage Matthews- he was lurking around the goal crease, and when Zach Werenski’s shot squeaked through Mason McDonald’s pads and sat near the goal line behind him, Matthews finished it off. Matthews is a powerful skater who generates good speed and demonstrates command of his edges as he works through traffic in the neutral zone and drives the net in the offensive zone. He has superior vision and he made several good passes during game action that didn’t bear fruit but showed off his deft touch with the puck and offensive IQ. He assisted on Werenski’s power play goal to make it 2-1 in the third period.

Matthew Tkachuk, LW (London- OHL)- He registered a secondary assist on the Werenski and Matthews goals (2 helpers for the game) and didn’t look out of place on the top USA line. He’s an impressive specimen, but a different player than his dad was, showing a little more creativity and shake n’ bake than the straight-ahead force of nature Keith was in his prime. The younger Tkachuk protects the puck well and spends the majority of his time in the dirty areas, banging bodies and creating space. I thought Canada did a pretty good job of preventing him from creating the kind of net-front presence and havoc-wreaking he’s been known for with the Knights this season, but you could certainly see why he’s projected as a top-3/5 pick come June. It will be interesting to see if he can impose his will on Sweden tomorrow- it will be a tough test.

Matt Tkachuk

Charlie McAvoy, RD (BU- NCAA)- Quiet game from the BU freshman who isn’t all that tall, but thickly built and strong for someone who just celebrated his 18th birthday on the 21st of this month. You can see how he skates with his head up and advances the puck effectively and with confidence. He made a couple of nifty outlets and lead passes through the neutral zone, but wasn’t all that noticeable throughout the game. Sometimes, when it comes to defensemen, that’s not such a bad thing. He’s a good forwards/backwards skater in a straight line, but his footwork could stand to get more fluid, as he can get caught flat-footed when play rapidly reverses direction and he’s not as smooth in his transitions/pivots. I like this kid- he’s got swagger and brings the kind of mobility, vision, intelligence and puck skills that are so important to the modern NHL defenseman.

Chad Krys, LD (USA U18- USHL)- Tough showing for the Connecticut product and son of former Bruins prospect Mark Krys. I’ve long admired his offensive ability- skating, puck skills, vision and instincts are first-rate, but defense is holding him back and it showed yesterday. He got caught too deep in the offensive end on the Mathew Barzal jailbreak goal and spent a good amount of time (when he was out there) puck watching. He’s an April 1998-born player, so he’s young and has plenty of time to figure things out. Yesterday won’t go into the rolls of his best games, but he’s a superb four-way skater with smooth acceleration, quick, crisp transitions and a separation/recovery gear when he’s in the open ice. He’ll make the wrong read or bad pinch- that goes with the territory and I suspect Ron Wilson will shelter him given his youth, but there’s some impressive raw material for the BU recruit for an NHL team willing to be patient.

Canada

Julien Gauthier, RW (Val-d’Or- QMJHL)- Massive man child (6-4, 221) oozes potential with his impressive skating and shot for one so big. The Foreurs winger strikes me as more of a complementary player who needs skilled playmakers on his line to make it work, but someone will jump on him early. You could see his skating- a long, powerful stride- on display yesterday as he was generating speed off the rush. He started the Barzal goal play by blocking a Louis Belpedio shot and then charging up the ice with USA backpedaling. He got the secondary assist- getting the puck to Rourke Chartier– and showed an adeptness at recognizing the situation when Belpedio had the puck and closing quickly– putting his body in front of the shot and then taking off up the ice. Those are the kinds of plays that will have NHL clubs knocking on his door real soon.

2016 World Junior Championship, Boston Bruins prospects, Brandon Carlo, David Pastrnak , , , , , , 2 Comments

World Junior Championship tourney underway- notes on B’s prospects in Helsinki

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David Pastrnak, Emil Johansson and Zane McIntyre take a break during 2014 Bruins development camp (photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)

David Pastrnak, Emil Johansson and Zane McIntyre take a break during 2014 Bruins development camp (photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)

The 2016 World Junior (Under-20) Championship showcase is underway from Finland, as the tradition kicks off annually on the day after Christmas, better known in Canada and other parts of the world as Boxing Day.

In a rare twist, USA took on Canada, normally a match in the 2-week tourney’s round robin round reserved for New Year’s Eve, scoring a solid 4-2 victory thanks in large part to the stellar goaltending of Carolina Hurricanes prospect Alex Nedeljkovic (2nd round- 37th overall in 2014) and some opportunistic scoring by USA after falling behind 1-0 in the second period. The Americans overcame an Alex DeBrincat spearing match penalty late in the opening frame that could have put them behind the 8-ball, killing the 5-minute period between the first and second periods. After Islanders 1st-rounder Mathew Barzal scored on a jailbreak play to give Canada the first lead, Senators prospect Colin White (Hanover, Massachusetts) answered for USA. Questionable power play chances yielded goals by both sides (Zach Werenski– Blue Jackets and Dylan Strome– Coyotes). With time winding down in a 2-2 game, a Louis Belpedio (Wild- third round in 2014) shot from the point was inadvertently deflected into the Canada net by Red Wings prospect (and undrafted free agent) D Joey Hicketts past his own netminder, Mason McDonald (Calgary- 2nd round 34th overall in 2014). 2016 NHL draft top candidate Auston Matthews got an insurance goal after a puck squeaked through McDonald and lay near the goal line for the easy tap-in to close out the scoring.

In other games, Finland hammered Belarus (6-0), Russia beat the Czech Republic in a 2-1 shootout in a game where defense and the goaltending shined, while Sweden took vengeance against the Swiss by an 8-3 score but lost key players William Nylander (Leafs- 1st round, 8th overall in 2014) and Adrian Kempe (Kings- 1st round, 29th overall) to injuries. Swiss forward Chris Egli was suspended three games for his vicious blindside check to Nylander, knocking him out of the game with what is believed to be a concussion. The latest report has Sweden keeping him off skates for a ‘few days’ but hopeful the high-end forward can be back by the quarter final round.

The Boston Bruins have seven players at the tournament, with GM Don Sweeney announcing Saturday between the first intermission of the team’s 6-3 loss to Buffalo at home that David Pastrnak is being released to play for the Czech Republic and will be available when the 28 December NHL holiday roster freeze is lifted.

The Bruins have the following players at the WJC, which ties Arizona for the most players league-wide:

USA

Anders Bjork, F (5th round, 146th overall- 2014) ’96- last year of eligibility

Brandon Carlo, D (2nd round, 37th overall- 2015) late ’96 – last year of eligibility

Ryan Donato, F (2nd round, 56th overall- 2014) ’96- last year of eligibility

Czech Republic

David Pastrnak, F (1st round, 25th overall- 2014) ’96- last year of eligibility

Daniel Vladar, G (3rd round, 75th overall- 2015) 2017 WJC eligible

Jakub Zboril, D (1st round, 13th overall- 2015) 2017 WJC eligible

Sweden

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, F (2nd round, 45th overall- 2015) late ’96- last year of eligibility

Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon was one of two final cuts for Team Canada. Watch for him, Zach Senyshyn, Jesse Gabrielle all to be staple players on Canada in 2017, when both are still eligible for the tournament.

David Pastrnak is the player the Boston Bruins have been waiting for. (Photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)

David Pastrnak is the player the Boston Bruins have been waiting for. (Photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)

On Pastrnak being released to the WJC

You may have seen me commenting on this on Twitter, so I want to clarify my position on a forum that allows me more than 140 characters:

While good news for the Czech Republic and Pastrnak, this is a risky move for the Bruins in that they stand the most to lose should something happen to him over there to affect his availability for his NHL going forward.

Too often, I think the WJC has gained an almost mythical status in the minds of hockey fans in this day and age- it’s a symbol of status that often drives opinions and perceptions of players both positively and negatively. Like some kind of video game, it seems that the more players a team has at the WJC, the bigger the bragging rights fans can claim, even though merely being a part of the carnival atmosphere is no guarantor of future NHL success. I get it- because of the prestige factor associated with the U20 WJC as the premier global showcase for the best hockey talent, many of whom have either already tasted the NHL or will be there soon, there is an expectation that if a player isn’t there, then that means something is wrong with them. Conversely, if a player is named to his country’s WJC roster, their status tends to get elevated, rightly or wrongly, and in turn, a player’s performance is often scrutinized and magnified in a way that either over-hypes them or leads to negative perceptions of their future NHL chances.

What bothers me about Pastrnak going to the WJC is that he is coming off an injury that caused him to miss 24 NHL games after he took a hard shot off the skate and received a fractured foot (or “bone bruise” as reported). On the one hand- the B’s want to rehab him and the WJC provides a way to do that. It also exposes him to risk of either aggravation of the foot or possibly another injury. To those who have tweeted at me about the “safer” aspects of the larger ice surface and more skill/finesse at the WJC, go look at film on the Egli hit on Nylander yesterday in the Sweden-Swiss match and take note. Boston accepts all the risk here- Pastrnak is now playing games that won’t help the Bruins in the standings (nor would Providence, but the similar system would be beneficial to working him back into mental shape for the big club) but he’s also playing for coaches with different priorities/agendas than Claude Julien and Bruce Cassidy over in North America.

Another argument I’ve heard is about how important the “experience” at the WJC will be for Pastrnak. Okay. Assuming that is the case, how is playing in his third WJC going to give him any more experience than he got when he appeared at the same tourney at age 17 and then again a year ago when Boston released him at 18? He played only about half a season in the AHL a year ago before going up to the NHL, so the argument that the talent and overall experience he’d get in the WJC vs. being in Providence at this stage of his career is certainly debatable. You can make good cases for each scenario, but the whole “He *needs* to be at the WJC to develop properly” is hogwash. Nor is it a matter of this being his only chance to skate for his country there- he’s already done it. Twice. And you can bet he’ll do it again, perhaps as soon as the Men’s World Championship, or at the next World Cup of Hockey.

In the end- what I think doesn’t matter, because the Bruins made the decision to send him. I suspect they are acceding to his own wishes, and I get Pastrnak’s desire to play in the WJC versus going to the AHL with the chance to play for his country providing him with a compelling alternative. They might see the WJC as a better opportunity for him to get himself back on track after missing considerable time than riding the buses in Providence will. Perhaps the B’s feel that by doing this- they are acting in good faith and will only solidify their relationship with the player who by most accounts, is probably being groomed to one day replace Patrice Bergeron as the face of the franchise. It’s completely understandable. However, what do the Bruins get if something happens to Pastrnak in his 10-day stint overseas? The answer is- absolutely nothing…aside from blistering questions and second-guesses that will swiftly follow if the team suffers a setback with their prized asset in a game he didn’t really need to be playing, some 3,000 miles away from Boston.

It’s all about risk management here, and the Bruins obviously feel it’s the right thing to do. So, we’ll cross our fingers and hope they are proven right.

B’s WJC prospect notes and updates

Anders Bjork, USA- One of the last cuts a year ago, Bjork is a top two-way forward at Notre Dame, known for his speed, hockey IQ and playmaking skills from the wing position. He played a typically solid game yesterday, showing off his effectiveness on the forecheck to deny Canada puck carriers time and space. He uses his speed to close quickly and has a quick stick to force turnovers or clog passing lanes with. He’s a highly confident, effective penalty killer- he leveraged his vision and instincts to be in the right place and prevent Canada from collapsing USA’s formations and exploiting the extended power play time on the DeBrincat major. You won’t see a great deal of offense from Bjork in the pros, but he’s the kind of player NHL clubs win with.

Brandon Carlo (Kirk Luedeke photo)

Brandon Carlo (Kirk Luedeke photo)

Brandon Carlo, USA- He was beast yesterday defensively, using his 6-5 frame and long reach to repeatedly deny lanes to the American net all game long. Guys as big and mobile as the WHL veteran from Colorado is don’t grow on trees, and he played an effective game; making good decisions, maintaining his gaps effectively and electing the right times to play the body and puck. What I like about Carlo is that he doesn’t think he’s something he isn’t- he plays a refined, disciplined game positionally- not taking himself out of the play to score a big hit, nor pinching up in the offensive zone if a play isn’t there. He’s smooth and effective- he has all the tools to evolve into a very good shutdown defender at the NHL level in the not-too-distant future. Now for the bad news… While I recognize and respect his defensive acumen, I don’t see much in the way of consistent offense from Carlo that would lead me to believe he’s going to be a legitimate two-way threat at the NHL level. He’ll chip in with points on occasion, but his repeated missed shots from the point yesterday illustrate the kind of work he has yet to do on his game. I don’t see the vision or creativity once he’s in the offensive zone to be a real No. 1 defender at the highest level, but he’s only 19, so maybe that comes out in time. As far as the game against Canada goes- he played about as well defensively as you can ask, and that’s what matters most, as it translated into a key aspect of USA’s tone-setting win.

I would only caution folks to slow the roll on the hype train and understand that he has the look of an NHL player for sure- but how much of an impact (I’m studiously avoiding the use of the term ‘upside’ in case you hadn’t noticed) he’ll have is still very much a question mark at this point. I’m not down on Carlo at all- he’s a great kid with a bright future. But for those who don’t see him but hear all these glowing reports about him- just trying to keep things in perspective. In Carlo’s case- I would be thrilled to have him wrong on this score, but when my 2016 Boston Bruins prospect ranking comes out in the New England Hockey Journal next week, you’ll understand why Carlo is not in my top-6.

Ryan Donato, F- I’ll be brief. It was not a good look for the Dexter School prep star and Harvard freshman. He seemed to struggle with the pace and might have been a victim of nerves in his first-ever WJC game against an opponent like Canada. His ice time reflected that, as he didn’t get the regular shifts to work himself into a groove and when he was out there, he made some noticeable mistakes.

Donato is an excellent prospect who often times pays a price for the perception of prep hockey and where it ranks in the developmental pecking order. A sensational season in 2013-14, and one in which I would have been fine with taking him at the end of the first round, saw him slip down to the end of the second. Even with that, I saw grumblings about him being drafted there, which I completely did not agree with. Conversely, getting Donato at 56 overall was a fine value pick for Boston if not one that will take time to develop and see the payoff for.

Ted’s eldest son is a hockey savant- his offensive hockey sense and scoring instincts are second to none. He’s not a burner like his dad was, but he’s bigger and more physically gifted to skate in the modern NHL. He’s off to a fine start in Cambridge, a year after a down season at Dexter was then punctuated by a superb finish in the USHL with the Omaha Lancers.

In other words- just as a lot of folks were eager to jump on Twitter yesterday to sing Carlo’s praises, there is absolutely no reason to pile on Donato for his subpar showing. It’s one game in one tournament. The thing to watch going forward with Donato is to see how coach Ron Wilson and the USA coaches use him and if he can settle in and find a way to do what he does best- bring offense. Given the role he had yesterday, however, that’s a tall order for any player.

Czech Republic

Daniel Vladar, G- Was a non-dress yesterday as Capitals prospect Vitek Vanecek (2nd round, 39th in 2014) got the start with Ales Stezka backing up. Vanecek played very well in a 2-1 shootout loss to Russia, so Vladar will likely have to wait for his chance to play if he even sees a sniff of action. His role will likely be to carry the mail in 2017 if he continues to progress in his development this season.

Jakub Zboril, D- Boston’s top pick in June last just 10:17 into the contest when he was assessed a match penalty and ejected for boarding on a questionable hit that looked worse in real time than it was. He was given 25 minutes in penalties on the play, but no suspension is forthcoming.

Sweden

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, F- The second-rounder scored Sweden’s sixth goal in an 8-3 rout at 12:50 of the second period. No scouting report notes as I did not see the game, but it’s a good sign for the BU center, who tends to be more of a passer/playmaker than a finisher.

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson aka "JFK"

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson aka “JFK”

I will follow this blog post up later with some observations on some of the 2016 NHL draft hopefuls I saw in action yesterday.

 

 

 

 

2016 World Junior Championship, Boston Bruins prospects, Jake DeBrusk, Jakub Zboril, NHL Entry Draft , Leave a comment

The Two Jakes part Deux– with guest columnist Mark Staudinger

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Like Dominic Tiano, Mark Staudinger is not just a friend but a knowledgeable hockey evaluator and it is my honor to bring you his insights to the Scouting Post, with his recap of Boston’s top two selections at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and how they fared at this month’s Team Canada World Jr. summer camp in Calgary.

Mark is one of two scouts who covers Western Canada for the Red Line Report and is one of the hardest working people I know.

People seemed to enjoy the recent point/counterpoint feature I did with Dom on Zachary Senyshyn, so perhaps if Mark can find some time, we can engage in a similar debate with Jake DeBrusk, who in similar fashion, seems to have his share of critics because the B’s opted for him over Mathew Barzal. DeBrusk and Jakub Zboril haven’t even had an opportunity to show whether Boston’s faith in them was justified or misplaced. Barzal may in fact end up being a huge organizational mistake the way not drafting Logan Couture was for Boston in 2007. But for anyone to dress that kind of an argument and pure opinion/conjecture up as a fact in August of 2015 is, well, an exercise in futility.

Why not read the opinions/insights of someone who was actually on hand to see them more recently? And again- the Canada camp and scrimmages that took place there are an extremely small sample size, so take this with a grain of salt. I’m sure those who are not fans of DeBrusk certainly will, as it paints him in a better light than some out there see it. 42 goals…at any level that’s an impressive number. You have to think the Bruins can use that kind of production if DeBrusk keeps bringing it.

Enjoy and my thanks to Mark for providing these capsules:

KL

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Jakub Zbořil: Offensive catalyst responsible for running the Czech Republic power play was played often early in both games, then amount of ice time tapered off as coaches were clearly evaluating other defenders. Obvious from puck drop that he will be the team’s top defender this Christmas, also no coincidence that the Czechs’ fortunes changed when he wasn’t seeing the ice as regularly later in games. Calm demeanor with an effortless stride, uses feet to get the puck into open ice. Easily the most surprising aspect of game was how aggressive physically he was all camp, showcasing great four-way mobility on the larger ice where most struggle to make open ice hits. Heavy snap shot nearly created a couple of great chances off rebounds, where teammates should have finished. Embraces role of triggerman, goalies have a hard time handling quick release shot which are even effective from up high along blueline. Used pinpoint passing to bail self out of trouble in own zone making extended feed hitting outlet in stride. Only major blemish was he let assignment sneak behind him backdoor in own zone for an uncontested goal, but doubt he lets that happen in many real game situations… something to monitor nonetheless.
Jake DeBrusk: First time playing internationally at any age group he clearly was using this summer camp as a chance to adjust to the larger ice surface, appearing more comfortable as things progressed. DeBrusk is someone who relies heavily on understanding his angles to come off the sideboards quickly into traffic, a true winger he seemed to be slightly off at times where normally he stands out on the offensive zone cycle. One major positive aspect to take away is his skating really seemed to hold up on the larger ice getting through the bigger neutral zone with ease, using it to create multiple breakaways showing he can gain separation with quick acceleration alongside Canada’s best. Extreme late bloomer was supposedly 5’5” in Bantam, so most scouts out west believe he could receive a later than expected bump in play the next couple of years. Watching for that during camp, must say he seemed more balanced on his edges than last season staying centered over the puck with less wasted strides. Using this summer camp as a learning experience should more than satisfy the Hockey Canada brass, as long as he goes back to Swift Current and plays like he is capable of he has a decent chance of playing this Christmas in Helsinki.

2016 World Junior Championship, Anders Bjork, Auston Matthews, Boston Bruins prospects, Brandon Carlo, Chad Krys, Matthew Tkachuk, NHL Entry Draft , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Final thoughts on USA World Jr. evaluation camp

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The hopefuls for Team USA’s 2016 World Jr. (under 20) squad closed up shop at Lake Placid over the weekend, closing out the event with a 32-player roster (whittled down from the original 39 invites) powering USA to a 6-1 win over Finland.

Here is the final USA roster:

http://worldjuniors.usahockey.com/page/show/1909970-2015-final-u-s-national-junior-evaluation-camp-roster

Here are some random thoughts on players I feel are worth mentioning. Because of my work with Red Line Report, I can’t go into too much detail, but here’s hoping we can give you enough of a tease to get an idea of what some of these players bring to the table for the 2016 NHL draft, and for those players already drafted- more insights into what your favorite (or not so favorite) NHL club might be getting in a few years if not sooner.

2016 NHL draft candidates

Scott Eansor, C- Small, speedy undrafted buzzsaw center out of Seattle of the WHL showed some versatility and tenacity here. Watch for him to boost his production this season and get a look in next June’s draft in his final window of eligibility. He’s got some moxie to go with his opportunistic approach and did not look at all out of place in this setting.

Auston Matthews, C- He made it official last week- the Arizona wunderkind will be skating in Switzerland for the Zurich Lions of that nation’s top pro league. Matthews then gave Zurich fans a glimpse of what is in store against Finland with a highlight reel goal just 53 seconds into the final exhibition contest, skating through three defenders at the offensive blueline and then finishing off the play with a filthy backhand shot that snuck in past the short side post. The 2015-16 hasn’t even started yet, but Matthews is doing everything to justify the pre-season prediction that he’ll be the top overall pick in next June’s NHL draft.

Chad Krys, D- The youngest player on the final roster played well for Team USA, showing some impressive poise with the puck. The BU recruit (his dad also played there) ranges anywhere from being projected as a first- or second-round pick on various public lists, but if he plays the entire season like he did in Lake Placid, he looks bound for a top-30 selection.

Charlie McAvoy, D- New York native is my pick as the top Empire Stater for the NHL draft. He’s got good size, vision and keeps things pretty simple. NHL clubs are looking for two-way players on defense- it’s no longer enough to simply defend or score- the most sought-after guys are the ones who can do both. McAvoy fits that bill and will likely get better as he continues to mature and fill out.

Matthew Tkachuk, LW- This winger needs no introduction to American hockey fans who remember how big of an impact his dad, Keith, had as a premier power forward in the 1990s. He led USA with 8 points in the games and he was a shark around the net, pouncing on loose pucks and demonstrating that killer instinct that goal scorers all possess. He’s not one of those coast-to-coast types, but when the play breaks down in front of the net and the puck is pinballing around, he has that natural ease for getting his stick on it and putting it into the cage.

Drafted players

Paul Bittner, F (Blue Jackets)- Big, skilled Portland Winterhawks winger slipped to the second round and Columbus pounced. With his physical tools, he has the potential to flourish as a top-six power winger in the NHL one day- he just needs to be more consistent and use his natural size and strength to his advantage more. But, after camp, you could see why some were projecting him as a first-round pick.

Anders Bjork, F (Bruins)- The 2014 fifth-rounder closed out the event in style, bagging a pair of back-to-back goals in the second period. He’s not a high-end scorer, but there is some natural hockey sense and opportunism in his approach. He takes straight lines to the net, puts himself in areas where rebounds occur and manages to outwork opponents to loose pucks. Bjork has the makings of a solid third-line NHL winger.

Brock Boeser, F (Canucks)- Vancouver’s top selection made his bones offensively in the USHL with Waterloo, and his hot stick carried over. Whenever the offense was flowing, Boeser seemed to be involved, setting up plays or finishing them off. He’s not a dynamic, flashy player who jumps off the screen at you, but you noticed him because he’s smart and made sure he was in the middle of the play.

Jeremy Bracco, F (Maple Leafs)- The final pick of the 2015 draft’s second round is such a skilled offensive player. His vision and creativity is off the charts and he brings such a dangerous element to any line he’s skating on. I don’t even care anymore that he doesn’t have a game-breaking explosion- he looks plenty fast to me when he’s taking pucks to the net or dishing through a maze of sticks to a wide open teammate. Bracco is going to make more than a few teams sorry they passed on him.

Brandon Carlo, D (Bruins)- It was a solid camp overall for Boston’s first of three second-round picks in June. Don’t make him into something more than he is right now, which is a superb defensive player with the size and skating to perhaps develop into more of a threat offensively. I thought he looked very strong in the games he played in, and the B’s desperately need an infusion of size and fluid skating on their blue line. He was a very good value pick at 37, but let’s not put him in the Hall of Fame just yet.

Erik Foley, F (Jets)- If anyone was wondering going in who this kid is, they have a much better idea now. He showed on more than one occasion that his skill level allows him to keep up with some of the bigger names in the draft. Foley’s heart and hustle are what make him such a good prospect- he’s not afraid to do the dirty grunt work along the walls or pay the price in front of the net. But, he’ll also take the puck down the ice and beat the goalie with a wicked shot, too. Winner.

Dylan Larkin, F (Red Wings)- Man, this guy is smooth. If he isn’t tearing it up at the WJC next December/January it will be for one reason only: he’s skating for the big club in Detroit and has bigger fish to fry in the NHL. Larkin’s speed, skill and sense will make him a force to be reckoned with, and I can’t imagine the Wings will keep him in the minors for very long if at all.

Jack Roslovic, F (Jets)- This American sniper knows how to finish around the net and showed off his instincts and intelligence throughout. Another example of a player who isn’t going to make the eye-catching play but just finds ways to put the puck in the net, it’s hard to imagine that the Jets came away with Roslovic, Kyle Connor AND Foley. With that trio, they’re living that Dawes song- it’s a little bit of everything.

Jake Walman, D (Blues)- Providence College standout with dual citizenship really brought his two-way game to the mix. It’s a case of the rich getting richer with Walman, who looks about to emerge as a NCAA force after being a solid value selection in the third round in 2014.

Colin White, F (Senators)- White is looking more and more like a real nice roll of the dice at 21 for Ottawa. There’s a lot to like about him- he can skate, play a 200-foot game, is great on draws…but the offense that went missing earlier in the season is making its way back. Watch for him to be a regular story at BC with the Eagles.

2016 World Junior Championship, Boston Bruins prospects, Jake DeBrusk, Jakub Zboril , , , Leave a comment

A brief word on the two Jakes

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Jakub Zboril and Jake DeBrusk, the 13th and 14th overall selections in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, faced off against one another last night as Team Canada took on the Czech Republic at the World Jr. Summer Development Camp in Calgary. The home team shelled the Czechs to the tune of a 7-1 score after the visitors tallied first- Brayden Point (surprise- another quality Tampa prospect) had a big night with a pair of goals and five points. Neither DeBrusk nor Zboril figured in any of the scoring.

It’s not a bad time to go back and revisit the two players that the Bruins have a lot riding on.

Zboril was not a surprise or issue at 13 because he was pretty solidly in the second tier of defensemen available after you got past Noah Hanifin, Ivan Provorov and Zach Werenski. Depending on the rankings you were looking at going into the draft, his size, skating ability and puck skills put him in the running to go that early, even if most of the public lists had him hovering around 20-28. The B’s wanted at least one defenseman in the opening round, and he was their guy. I have no problem with where he went or why, but there is some risk associated with the pick

There are a couple of things that kept Zboril perhaps from not grading higher than a 20-something ranking. No. 1- he missed significant time last season to a knee injury, including missing the annual CHL Top Prospects Game. That in itself isn’t a huge concern, but the fact that his father lost a promising pro basketball career to wonky knees is certainly something to watch for.

The other thing that is a little more troubling for me at least, and I saw this with him on film plus have been given similar reports from a couple of NHL scouting sources whose teams interviewed him…attitude. Let me be clear- no one is saying Zboril is a bad kid, but let’s just say that he doesn’t exactly set the ice on fire with his drive and hustle either. He rubbed at least one team official the wrong way at the scouting combine in Buffalo with his demeanor and answers in interviews. Maybe chalk that up to a bad fit between player and team, but Zboril has a lot to prove and high expectations to live up to.

The Bruins cannot afford a talented player who shows up to Boston on cruise control, so how hard he works and applies himself will be a key observation point for me.

DeBrusk, who went one pick behind Zboril, was another selection that raised eyebrows because he was consistently ranked on public lists in the 20’s. The Bruins need offense, and he produced it last season to the tune of 42 goals at Swift Current. He’s one of those guys who just always seems to be around the puck. I’ll let Red Line Report scout Mark Staudinger explain more:

“He has all the tools to play out wide and should utilize the opportunity. My only issue is whether he is a top 6 or middle 6 forward at the next level.”

Staudinger, who is in attendance at the Team Canada camp in Calgary this week, also provided me with this scouting report on DeBrusk back in May for the New England Hockey Journal draft preview issue:

Scoring winger constantly patrols the sideboards with purpose, driving sharply into edges making strong cuts to elude contact or head straight into contested areas. Great in transition, using good acceleration with a strong first step to take off in the neutral zone frequently driving past opposing defenses to get in alone on the goalie. Staggers perfectly, trailing a play to become an outlet for teammates, positioning himself to be in place for rebounds or second chance efforts. Strong on his stick in scoring areas, forces the puck towards the goal keeping feet churning through traffic. Zero hesitation; shot gets the puck off his blade promptly with pinpoint accuracy and strong torque  coming off the stick. Offensive zone cycle game must continue to improve by learning how to work more set plays down low- it will create further sustained puck possession.

So, can DeBrusk eventually make the NHL as a first- or second-line scoring winger? That’s the million dollar question, as DeBrusk was able to find a way to finish off plays in every conceivable fashion last season- in tight, from the outside, stick on the ice and flashing a quick release, or using his quick stick in close to deke goalies out of position. He scored a memorable goal on Zane McIntyre at Bruins development camp last month.

But, there are lingering questions about the skating and the overall game with him. He’s on the average side when it comes to size and he lacks an explosive, dynamic element to his game. It seems that if DeBrusk isn’t scoring, he’s not doing much else to help and that’s going to be a major area for him to address in his development going forward. In short, he also has a lot to prove in the WHL this season- to show the Bruins that last season was no fluke and that they were right to pass on the more highly-touted (and ranked) Mathew Barzal and Kyle Connor to take him. Again- when it comes to rankings, Barzal and Connor were higher than DeBrusk on the public lists, but teams do things differently, and the B’s obviously didn’t see it the same way.

“I’m amped up- it seems like I’ve had seven Red Bulls or something right now,” DeBrusk said right after his selection. “It’s an experience- once in a lifetime- and I’m super happy about it.”

DeBrusk made a comment at the draft that is important to keep in context, especially given the remarks about Zboril and his interview with a different NHL club. DeBrusk said that he got a “good vibe” from the Bruins and had an idea they were interested in him because his interview went so well with them; he said he had the Bruins in his top-three wish list after the interview. The same might hold true for Zboril- he might have felt so good about interactions with other teams that he just wasn’t feeling it with this other club whose scout I spoke to. We don’t know how many interviews he had done up to that point, or if he was just having a bad day in general. Food for thought.

Anyway- in closing, DeBrusk and Zboril addressed clear needs for the Bruins- in terms of their offensive upside and potential to generate scoring chances. DeBrusk doesn’t quite have the ideal speed dynamic, but he makes up for it with a shifty elusiveness around the net and the hockey IQ/creativity to put the puck in the net. They are both quality prospects and for good reason- they, along with Zach Senyshyn, are going to be highly important to Boston’s fortunes if the Bruins are expected to get back on track in the next few years.

No pressure or anything, guys.

2016 World Junior Championship, Boston Bruins prospects, NHL Entry Draft, NHL Prospects , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Observations from USA World Jr. Evaluation Camp

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I’ll keep this short and pithy, but watched streams of the two exhibition games at Lake Placid yesterday between USA White-Finland and USA Blue-Sweden.

Brandon Carlo, D USA White (Bruins)- Has the look of a modern prototype shutdown defenseman: big, fluid skater, positionally sound, tough to play against. He’s not a baggage-smasher type, but he uses his 6-5 frame and natural strength to knock opponents off the puck. I was also impressed with his confidence when handling the puck. He made quick outlets or grabbed it in the neutral zone and advanced it smartly up the ice. He’s not all that instinctive in the offensive end and doesn’t walk the blue line like top two-way defenders tend to, but he did have an assist on Sonny Milano’s second goal of the day. Keeper.

Anders Bjork, RW USA White (Bruins)- He was rotating in with Ryan Hitchcock (Yale- undrafted) so he didn’t take a regular shift. I noticed him more on the PK, where he used his speed and quick stick to pressure the Finnish puck carrier and break it out the other way. He’s an effective forechecker and energy player.

Scott Eansor, C USA White (Seattle Thunderbirds- eligible 2016)- Small ’96 from Colorado can really skate and hustle- he was buzzing all game and creating scoring chances, finding the back of the net once. Reminds me a little of Tyler Johnson back in 2010- undrafted little plucky kid from the WHL who got things done. It was one game, and he’s not an offensive dynamo in the WHL (14 goals, 37 points in 72 games) but I want to see more.

Erik Foley, LW USA Blue (Jets)- No surprise here, but this is a player I have been high on for some time and he showed it on one particular play with fellow Bay Stater Colin White, when Sweden got sloppy on the PP and White forced a turnover, streaking up the left side. When the lone Swedish defender leaked over to his side, he then hit Foley in stride in the middle of the ice- Foley walked in alone and buried it for the shorthanded marker. Throughout the game, Foley did what he is known for- grind it out along the walls and help USA’s cause in puck possession. He’s a hard worker and his goal showed he has the hands/skills to match. Jets stole one.

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C Sweden (Bruins)- It was a tale of two games for JFK, and not sure what happened. In the first two periods (especially the second) he was effective and energetic, making solid plays on both sides of the puck. He assisted on a second period tally by breaking up a USA chance in his own end and then transitioning the play from defense to offense with some shifty skating in the neutral zone followed by an on-target pass. In the third period, he saw his shifts reduced and didn’t accomplish much for the limited time out there. Don’t know if it was an injury or what, but it was curious.

Conor Garland, RW USA White (Coyotes)- Typical game from the undersized but skilled agitator from Scituate. It didn’t make it into the final copy of the 2015 Red Line Report draft guide, but here is what I submitted for him as an award nomination for pest/toughest player to play against- He’s like the mutant baddies in the new Mad Max movie- relentless, just keeps coming at you with the quick stick and the yapping until the puck’s in your net or you blow up, whichever comes first.

Chad Krys, D USA White (Eligible 2016)- Impressive game from the Nutmeg Stater and BU recruit- he skates very well and was poised, confident with the puck. He was effective on the point, getting shots through on net and it was his point drive that Eansor capitalized on in the 2nd period. Like many young players, he needs to guard against trying to do too much at times- he allowed a couple of turnovers because he didn’t make the smart, simple play, but he looked like a top-30 pick in this game and is someone to watch at the NTDP this year.

Auston Matthews, C USA White (Eligible 2016)- The pure skill and talent jumps out at you. It wasn’t a dominant performance by Matthews and he reminded me a little of Jack Eichel last year on a few shifts in that he seemed to be revved up and trying to do it all himself. He’s got that long, fluid stride and anticipates the play so well, often getting the jump on a defender because he has that elite vision and sense for where the puck is going.

Sonny Milano, RW USA White (Blue Jackets)- He put a stamp on the game with his first goal to tie it up- streaking in alone and putting a series of moves on the Finnish netminder before closing out the play. He then tallied again in the final frame on another jailbreak play, beating the Finns with his speed and flashing his lightning release.

Jesse Puljujärvi, RW Finland (Eligible 2016)- Currently projected as a top-5 candidate next June, this wasn’t a great showing for the big Finn. He did assist on Patrik Laine’s goal to open the scoring, but was largely ineffective in terms of sustaining offensive pressure or making the kinds of plays you would expect of someone with his talent. He showed it in flashes- on one shift late in the game, he took the puck off the faceoff and bulled his way through 2 USA defenders only to have the puck knocked off his stick before he could shoot. It was only one game- the ability is there. Looks like one of those big horses who can take control of the flow on one shift, but it didn’t happen yesterday.

Alex Tuch, RW USA Blue (Wild)- Snarly, effective game from the skilled New York and BC power winger. Milano and Tuch were their state’s first two players off the board in 2014 and they showed why yesterday with pretty disparate styles. Tuch’s team was on the receiving end of a loss, but he created space for himself and his linemates and stood out, especially in the second period.

2015 Ivan Hlinka Tourney, 2016 World Junior Championship, Anders Bjork, Auston Matthews, Boston Bruins, Boston Bruins prospects, Brandon Carlo, Chad Krys, Cody Franson , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Dog Days of Summer- Franson, WJC National Eval Camp & Ivan Hlinka

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We’re at that point in the offseason where there simply isn’t a whole lot going on hockey-wise. The top free agents are signed and off the market, many of the 30 NHL teams’ personnel are taking what little time off they can before annual August events pull them back into rinks and onto the job for the 2015-16 season.

Here are a few notes to keep us all centered, especially as NFL training camps open up and the pending football season grabs a lot of the headlines (not touching Tom Brady or Deflategate, though folks- and many of you are probably glad for that).

Cody Franson to the Bruins would certainly bring a player with name recognition to the team, but I’m not sure it’s the right kind of move for the long term.

Now, we have both Franson and Don Sweeney admitting that the two sides are in talks (among others) and I know that back in 2005, he was high on Boston’s draft list- they contemplated taking him in the 2nd round (they went with flash in the pan Petr Kalus instead). Some of you may remember that coming out of the lockout, the ’05 lottery was a snake draft, meaning that the B’s had the 22nd selection of the first round, then the order reversed in the second, giving them 9th pick and then back to the original order in the 3rd and so on- like the fantasy drafts for those who are into that sort of thing. So, the B’s contemplated taking Franson as early as 39, and then were hoping he would fall to them with the 22nd pick of the 3rd round. They got close, but it didn’t happen and they ended up with Finnish bust Mikko Lehtonen (later traded to Minnesota as part of a package for Anton Khudobin) instead.

Getting back to Franson- he was in prime position to cash in as an unrestricted free agent at mid-season, having the best year offensively of his career, but when the wheels fell off in Toronto and he was moved to Nashville for a premium return, he was unable to get going on a playoff team. That’s a red flag, and he’s a cautionary tale for the cap era, giving teams pause in locking him up for term and value because depending on which version of Franson you get, it’s the kind of signing that can make or break a team trying to contend.

On the upside, he’s an effective power play performer and physical defender who uses his 6-5 frame and long reach well enough. On the downside, he’s not all that mobile (the B’s have enough issues with team speed, thanks) and is not the most instinctive of players. To me- he’s more of a complementary piece who looks good on paper but isn’t talented enough to be a real difference maker. Some would argue that his performance in Toronto means that he plays better on a poorer club than on a good one, but I need to take a deeper look at some analytics on this one.

Should the Bruins end up signing Franson, I’ll do just that, but for now- I think the team is better off preserving the some $4 million it has in cap space and maintaining some flexibility to make an in-stride course correction without being up against the cap ceiling, which is what signing Franson will entail.

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The annual Team USA National Junior Evaluation Camp will get underway next week, and it’s a pretty good group of players attending this year’s event in Lake Placid August 1-8.  A complete roster of the invites can be found here. 

The Bruins have two prospects attending: 2015 second-rounder Brandon Carlo and 2014 pick Anders Bjork. Carlo played for Team USA at the 2015 World Jr. tourney and acquitted himself well as a late ’96 who had just turned 18 when he played. Bjork made it to the national evaluation camp but was cut from the squad. My guess is that the savvy two-way forward who finished his first season at Notre Dame makes it this time around because of his speed and versatility, but he’ll have his work cut out for him.

Carlo is a lock after having made the last WJC entry and with his 6-5 and condor’s wingspan, USA will need him. He’s an intriguing prospect because of his pure size and mobility (contrast that to Franson for example). It’s going to be interesting to follow the Colorado native in 2016.

Also attending are New England favorites Noah Hanifin (Hurricanes) and Johnathan MacLeod (Lightning) on defense; Colin White (Senators), Erik Foley (Jets) and Conor Garland (Coyotes).  Connecticut native Chad Krys is a 2016 draft eligible and will also be in attendance. He is my top area native for the draft class going into the season as an effective two-way defender.

Several other high-profile Americans for 2016 are at the camp as well- Auston Matthews (who made the cut a year ago at 17) will attract a ton of attention, of course. Matthew Tkachuk is on the roster as well, and is taking his game north to the OHL and Dale Hunter’s London Knights this season.

The 2016 WJC takes place from December 26, 2015-January 5, 2016 in Helsinki, Finland.

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The Ivan Hlinka select tournament is the annual NHL draft’s 1st/2nd round primer and is happening from 10-18 August in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia.

Here’s the USA roster for the Hlinka. Many will note that the National Team Development Program kids are not in this group, so this is a good place to explain why that is. The NTDP typically competes in the bulk of the Under-18 tournaments throughout the course of a season, but the Hlinka tourney is one time that USA Hockey takes a roster from all over the country with players that are not in the NTDP.

Bruins fans may not know that Zane McIntyre was USA’s goalie at the Hlinka tourney in August 2009. For him, it was his first real taste of international competition, and he used it as a springboard to greater success at the World Jr. A Challenge in the next couple of years after Boston took him in the 6th round in 2010. And of course- Johnny Gaudreau– anything but a household name in August of 2010, tore it up for USA and led them to a silver medal (along with the stellar goaltending of Harvard star Steve Michalek).

Canada owns the Hlinka because they can send their best under-18 players from the CHL without missing out on those who are often in the playoffs during the annual under-18 championship tournament each April. If you look at Canada’s roster for the Hlinka, it is literally a “who’s who” of top-60 picks for the next draft (and in some cases, the following year).

Once the Hlinka happens, the CHL is right around the corner and before you know it, summer is over and the 2015-16 hockey season is underway.

So, enjoy the dog days– boating, backyard barbeques and whatever you enjoy in the summer months, because winter is coming.