AJHL – McKeen's Hockey

AJHL: Carter Savoie, LW, Sherwood Park (2020)

Vince Gibbons — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 13:04:52 +0000

Carter Savoie is the first of two brothers who will be high end draft picks over the next few years. He is playing the wing on the most dominant line in the AJHL where he really drives a lot of the offensive production. He is most effective with the puck on his stick where he is a threat to shoot or pass and can carve open defenses with precision plays. He is constantly moving, providing good outlets for teammates, and forcing defenders to chase him constantly.

You could make a case for him going anywhere from 20-40 as his skating and the level of competition make him harder to project than most, but so many of his tools have a pro element to them that he likely hears his name on the first day of the draft this upcoming June.

Carter Savoie	2020 Draft Eligible
Position: LW, Shoots L	H/W: 5-9", 192 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Sherwood Park Crusaders, AJHL (28-30-22-52-40)

Carter Savoie. Photo by Target Photography.

Skating: His top speed is fairly average which is not a great review but his agility and acceleration are where he stands out a little more. There is an elusiveness to his game that suggests he is moving faster than he truly is. He can shift speeds and directions with minimal movement which helps keep his speed as he moves around the ice. Coming out from the corner he keeps his body low and maintains his speed as he heads into traffic, which can catch the opposition off guard. Grade: 50

Shot: Savoie has a truly impressive shot. He shoots to the far side more than most players I have seen, which is risky, but he can make it work because he is accurate. When one timing the puck he is able to reach less than perfect passes and get them on net. From distance he can release a hard wrist shot that will beat a goalie clean without a screen. Where his shot is most effective is in traffic. He will take a hit to release a shot, get the puck off with defenders draped all over him, and keep his stick free while battling for space in front of the net, making him a constant threat to shoot even when well defended. Grade: 60

Skills: Savoie is a gifted puck handler which creates tension among defenders. He is able to draw the defense towards him then stickhandle the puck to create a passing lane. When he passes, they are accurate and hard. He can create a lane for cross-ice passes, a quick give and go down low, and can move pucks along the wall despite being undersized. He is always ready to receive the puck either to shoot, carry or make another pass. He dictates the play from the wing and constantly is stretching defenses as he moves into the neutral zone. He is confident enough to consistently carry the puck into the offensive zone, on the powerplay or at five on five. He has a good stick check and strip move that is very effective when he is back checking. He is dangerous in the offensive zone or an off the rush chance and is a lethal finisher. Grade: 60

Smarts: Is an intelligent player and you can see that in how he moves his feet immediately after moving the puck. There is no hesitation about where to go, whether moving to open ice, or driving to the net immediately after making a play as he understands spacing, and finds shooting locations to get off his shot. He has a great ability to anticipate a turnover and start moving for a breakout pass. While he occasionally gets caught cheating for offensive but in general he creates so many free zone exits for his team that the risk is worth it. He understands how to angle the puck carrier and limit his options, he is in lanes and processes the game quick enough that he can jump on errant passes or small deflections. He sometimes can lose interest in games as his team can be thoroughly dominant for long stretches of games. He thrives in the open ice of a powerplay where he exploits slow defensive rotations with his shot or quick passes. Grade: 60

Physicality: For a player listed at 5-9” his impresses me with his physical play. In games where he is challenged physically (other top AJHL teams really focus on roughing him up) he responds with a blend of hard hitting forechecks, after the whistle scrums, and a general chippiness that teams and teammates both value. He stands up for himself and his teammates respond in kind. He rarely gets outmatched in puck battles when he is in the game, especially in the offensive zone. Grade: 55

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 57

AJHL: Michael Benning, D, Sherwood Park (2020)

Vince Gibbons — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 20:21:56 +0000

Michael Benning is a very intriguing prospect because he is such an offensively minded defender and has an excellent family pedigree, with brother Matt, father Brian, and uncle Jim all NHL veterans. He is a very good playmaker from the blue line in and he pushes the pace of play with how quickly he processes the game and moves the puck appropriately.

He can be overmatched by more physical opponents but is certainly willing to engage, despite his small stature. Judging the AJHL is challenging as his team, with fellow 2020 NHL Draft prospect Carter Savoie, has been carving up the league (24 W and 2 L) but he has shown he can elevate the play when Savoie is not on the ice as well.

Michael Benning	2020 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots R	H/W: 5-9", 170 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Sherwood Park Crusaders, AJHL (26-6-31-37-30)

Michael Benning of the Sherwood Park Crusaders. Photo by Target Photography.

Characteristics

Skating: Benning has a nice quick stride that helps him get to top speed quickly. His top speed isn’t high end but he won’t be hindered by his speed. His skating looks a lot better in terms of edge work where he uses his edges very effectively especially moving around in the offensive zone. He can shift quickly without losing speed and get back into stride very smoothly. He edges are on display as he can spin off defenders and has a nice array of shifts in body position that enable him to keep his movements very efficient. Grade: 55

Shot: His shooting is a positive for a couple of reasons, first he is a volume shooter. He is constantly funnelling pucks towards the net from anywhere. Secondly, he gets his shot past the first defender pretty consistently, especially when using a quick release wrist shot or half slap. He can get a bit erratic with one-timers and slap shots where he needs to take something off it to improve his accuracy. When he is down below the dots he has a good back hand release and wrist shot. Grade: 50

Skills: His pucks skills are pretty impressive as he can carry the puck through all three zones. Once in the offensive end he is focused on generating offense which is where his skills shine. He has good vision and passing ability that enable him to make higher end plays than most. He is comfortable holding the puck under pressure to make a play because he can stickhandle, pivot and move so effectively that he does not succumb to the pressure. He makes cross ice one-timer passes consistently into the sweet spot for shooters. He pushes the pace of play forward and does not take his foot off the gas. He pinches effectively and if a lane is open to drive the net he does so with purpose. He is confident enough to go below the dots carrying the puck which opens up a lot of ice for teammates as the defense collapses on him. Grade: 60

Smarts: Benning moves the puck quickly because he seems to know what he wants to do before he gets the puck. He really pushes to get into the play once he has completed the break out of his own zone. He is smart in how he finds space by moving in off the line making the defense constantly adjust to his varying locations. Through movement he creates lanes for passing. He judges his pinches well and follows the rotation of the puck, moving into a good position as the play develops. Playing with his head up he will take whatever the opposition gives him and he doesn’t just dump the puck in at the redline unless he has no other option. If he has space he will attack. Defensively, he processes the game at a high speed, and gets to pucks ahead of his opponents in 50/50 battles. His active stick helps him break up plays or move loose pucks quickly. He is a work in progress in his own zone as he can make a few really nice aggressive plays to create turnovers, but on other occasions starts to leave his own zone early, leaving his team short down low. He is very good defending the pass on 2 on 1’s. Grade: 60

Physicality: Benning is not scared of the physical side of the game however he can be overmatched when he gets into the battle a bit. Defensively he can defend a skill player well but a bull rush drive to the net can leaving him hanging off the back of the forward leaning in or taking a penalty. The positive is that he will engage physically and doesn’t shy away from contact. Grade: 45

Overall Future Projection (OFP) - 55