Cole GUTTMAN – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:30:46 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 13: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones (4) controls the puck during overtime during a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks on April 13, 2023 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Review: Going into the 2022-23 campaign, the big question surrounding the Blackhawks wasn’t if they’d make the playoffs, it was if they’d win the draft lottery, securing the rights to draft Connor Bedard. That might sound harsh, but it would be hard to make the argument that Chicago was making any effort to compete in 2022-23 after they even traded Alex DeBrincat, who was coming off a 41-goal campaign and still just 24 years old, for nothing more than draft picks. That’s the kind of trade you only make if your goal is to start almost completely from scratch. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Chicago ranked last offensively – they traded Max Domi and Patrick Kane before the deadline, preventing the team from finishing with even a 50-point player – and near the bottom of the pack defensively. The Blackhawks’ 29-49-7 record was just shy of the worst in the league, but they did end up winning the draft lottery.

What’s Changed? As expected, Chicago used the first overall pick to get Bedard, giving them a new headline player as the Blackhawks move past the Kane/Jonathan Toews era. To give Bedard a mentor and potential linemate, Chicago acquired Taylor Hall from Boston. Another veteran leader joining the Blackhawks is Corey Perry, who inked a one-year, $4 million contract.

What would success look like? A good season for Bedard by itself would be a win this year. He’s not the only Chicago prospect who could have a big season though. Lukas Reichel should serve in a top-six capacity and has a lot of potential. Philipp Kurashev doesn’t have the same level of upside as Reichel or Bedard, but Kurashev has 191 career NHL games under his belt now and might get a chance to play on the second line while surpassing his current career-high of 25 points. On defense, rookie Wyatt Kaiser could prove to be a solid top-four option down the road. Make no mistake though: This is a rebuilding season and Chicago is in no way expected to make the playoffs.

What could go wrong? So much depends on Bedard and if he’ll live up to the unreal levels of hype that have been thrust upon him. Early struggles aren’t the end of the world and even a poor rookie campaign from him wouldn’t necessarily be an indication that he’s a bust. After all, 2019 first overall pick Jack Hughes recorded just 21 points as a rookie but broke out in his fourth campaign with 43 goals and 99 points in 78 contests. However, so much of the Blackhawks hopes are resting on the idea that Bedard will be the next Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid, so it will be hard to navigate through Chicago’s anxiety if any warning signs crop up.

Top Breakout Candidate: Bedard is the obvious choice, but Reichel shouldn’t be slept on either. Reichel showed a lot of promise last season with 20 goals and 51 points in 55 AHL contests along with seven goals and 15 points in 23 games with Chicago. Reichel should be given every opportunity this year and might even play on the same line as Bedard on both even strength and the power play, further tying their fates together.

Forwards

Taylor Hall - RW

The Blackhawks needed a running mate for Connor Bedard and one fell into their laps with the Bruins trading them Taylor Hall for pennies on the dollar, the only expense for the Hawks being his $6 million AAV cap hit for the next two seasons. Hall is a great player to complement the young star because he can take a lot of pressure off him to “do everything” on his line. He loves carrying the puck and having the play go through him on the wing, which should open up some scoring opportunities for Bedard. Hall’s lines are usually a net positive when it comes to how many shots and goals they create and give up. Hall, himself, however, has been on a bit of the downswing in terms of how many goals he scores himself. His shooting has been on the decline, and he plays at a slower, methodical pace than he used to. This was perfect for the Bruins, as he injected some life into their middle-six and was one of their best forwards in the playoffs. Hall is probably a second liner now, so it will be interesting to see how he does going back to being “the guy” on another team, at least until Bedard emerges. He certainly has plenty of experience playing with first overall picks.

Tyler Johnson - C

The former “Tampa Triplet” had somewhat of a bounce-back season, scoring at his highest rate since the 2020 season, albeit with only 32 points in 56 games. Johnson’s career has been constantly interrupted by injuries over the past four years, so getting 50-something games out of him was nice to see. A good chunk of that production came on the power play, as Johnson can still be dangerous if someone sets him up. He just struggles to create on his own with only six of his goals coming at five-on-five and not having that same finish around the net he used to have. There comes a point where the rigors of the NHL do a number on even the most skilled players, and this appears to be the case for Johnson. His saving grace might be that he could thrive as a forechecker or in a defensive role, but the Hawks needed all the offense they could get and he played most of his minutes on scoring lines. With the roster in dire straits, Johnson will likely be in the Hawks top-six and power play units next season, although there is some help on the way with Bedard and Reichel.

Andreas Athanasiou - LW

Athanasiou’s speed is his one tool and it’s not a bad one to have. Still one of the fastest players in the league and coming off one of his best seasons in a while in terms of boxscore stats. Staying healthy and getting lots of opportunities for offense were the biggest factors, playing a full season after missing almost all of 2022 and potting 20 goals for the first time since he was a Detroit Red Wing. His speed is always going to make him a weapon because he can make space for himself and create quick-strike offense out of nothing plays, which is always going to play its part. Playing on a bad team helps you get more opportunities, but the Hawks need skill to work with their top picks and he formed some decent chemistry with their future star Lukas Reichel down the stretch last year. The downside is offense is pretty much all Athansiou has to offer. His value will be married to his point total and if he isn’t scoring, you’ll often ask yourself “what else is he doing?” This, along with his spotty injury history are the risks he brings.

Taylor Raddysh - RW

How many would guess that the Hawks co-leading goal-scorer was Taylor Raddysh? Granted, that’s only 20 goals but still impressive for a player who was unproven heading into the year. Raddysh was a guy the Hawks liked since they acquired him, giving him minutes with Toews and playing him on the top power play regularly. If you watch him, it’s easy to see why because he loves to shoot the puck and has a great release. Does a lot of the little things you need to do when you’re with great playmakers, always being in motion to get yourself open and recognizing where the play is going. Considering he almost never played on the Patrick Kane line, it’s impressive that he got 12 goals while primarily relying on teammates setting him up. He is an intriguing option to play with Bedard, as he has shown that he won’t get killed defensively in the top-six and the great shot is hard to ignore. Raddysh is also in that awkward spot of being in his mid-20’s on an expiring contract, so it will be interesting to see if he’s part of the Hawks plans going forward.

Nick Foligno - LW

It’s no secret that intangibles were a key factor in Chicago signing Nick Foligno, although his $4 million AAV cap hit to reach the floor also helps. Moving on from most of their leadership core in recent years, the Hawks invested in some older players to help bring some of their prospects along as they navigate their way through the rebuild. The ex-Blue Jacket captain is coming off a nice rebound campaign after a disastrous first year in Boston. He got back to double-digit goals and is always a reliable defensive player. Plays a straight-line game and plays more off the puck than he used to, as he doesn’t have that same burst he once did. Still very effective at getting to the net and capitalize on scoring chances and could see some power play time depending on how the Hawks roster looks come October. He could also play more minutes with the Hawks, as Boston had the luxury to play him in the 12-13 minute range on the deepest forward corps in the league.

Corey Perry - RW

Another veteran signed to a one-year deal, Corey Perry is coming off a couple strong years in Tampa and is still a master at getting under other players’ skin. His body can’t handle the full wear-and-tear of a normal top-sixer, but he’s made the most out of limited minutes in his last two years with the Lightning, going to the net to create chances and being a general menace to play against. This is a different situation than what he’s used to though, as he is usually brought in as a supplementary piece to a contending team. The Hawks aren’t contending this year, so Perry is there to be more of a leader and absorb some of the tougher parts of the game. Tampa rejuvenated his career a little, posting 40 points a couple years ago while giving them solid minutes on their fourth line dubbed “The School Bus Line.” Last year he was more of a power play specialist, scoring 12 of his 25 points with the man advantage and creating most of his five-on-five offense off rebounds.

Ryan Donato - RW

Skilled goal-scorers who don’t fit in the top-six sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Fortunately for Ryan Donato, he played on a Seattle team that played their skilled guys lower in the lineup and formed one of the more efficient scoring lines in the league alongside Daniel Sprong. The Harvard grad scored two points per 60 minutes at five-on-five with the Kraken, comparable with the likes of Trevor Zegras and Alex Iafallo. Possessing a fantastic set of hands, Donato can score some very creative goals out of nothing plays and made Seattle one of the deepest teams in the league last year. Whether it’s off the rush or around the net, he is great at settling down loose pucks and putting defenders in a tough spot if he gets the puck with some speed. The reason why he doesn’t play high in the lineup is that his game is pretty one-dimensional. He is not the best passer in the world and has tunnel-vision to the net most times. He is also a streaky scorer, finding the back of the net only one time in the final two months of the season (including no goals in the playoffs). Gives the Hawks another utility player to work with as they enter the year with a blank canvas.

Philipp Kurashev - LW

Out of all the Hawks forward prospects, nobody was given more of a chance to produce more than Kurashev. Playing almost 18 minutes a night in the Hawks top-six, Kurashev the Hawks wanted to see everything they had in the 23-year-old winger. He has good skills individually; great hands, uses his edges well, decent speed and plays with a high motor. In a game situation, he struggled to put it together, often throwing puck away on cycles and dumping the puck in on most of his entries unless it was off a turnover. There would be moments of greatness once every few games, but that’s just what they were, moments. That said, the Hawks liked him enough to retain him for two years, likely having him play lower in the lineup. He has the skills to be a good checking line player with some pop, as he usually takes smart routes to exit the zone and is effective at skating through traffic. Skills that make him a better fit for a counter-attack offense as opposed to a cycle game that you need from your top line. Last year was probably a good year for him and the Hawks as they know what they have in him and how they can use him better going forward.

Boris Katchouk - LW

The trade deadline opens the door for some players to step up and this was the case for Boris Katchouk. Toiling away as a healthy scratch for most of the year, Katchouk finally got some consistent playing time and linemates once some roster spots opened up. He had a nice month in March alongside Joey Anderson and Jujhar Khaira on what ended up as the Hawks first line on some nights. A high scorer both in junior and the AHL, he could translate that to the pros at times. Katchouk can use his size well to play a more skilled game, as he’s a good puck-handler and is very good at stealing pucks to setup plays from behind the net. He didn’t get much of a chance to do so while playing on the Hawks fourth line and struggled to score even when he got a bump in ice time. At 24, he’s still looking to find his role in the NHL but finds himself in a similar situation to last year where he might get lost in the shuffle.

Defense

Seth Jones - D

One year into his seven-year contract with Chicago, it took some time for Seth Jones to get acclimated to his new team. His point total took a hit, but things were a little calmer when he was on the ice. Having his skillset, it’s easy to think that you need to be the guy that does everything, especially on a bad team, and his workload was scaled back. He still logged more minutes than almost anyone else in the NHL but wasn’t pinching at every opportunity and stepped back more often when defending entries instead of meeting forwards at the red line. Ankle injuries have limited his ability to pivot and skate backwards, so Jones has to pay more attention to where the play is going rather than assuming he can shut it down on his own. It’s a new approach, but it should lead to better results once the players around Jones improve. He is showing that he can reinvent his game and still be a top-pair caliber defenseman, although not the game-breaker the Hawks were hoping for. The return of his shot being a threat was nice to see, mostly because he was likely the team’s best option more times than not. Still very good at getting pucks through traffic and was more opportunistic with creating chances than trying to score from long-distance.

Connor Murphy - D

While his game is mostly in the defensive zone, Murphy (who is now the Hawks longest-tenured player) set a career high in goals last year. He will surprise fans with the times he does jump in because it’s rare to see him outside of the defensive zone. Murphy has the mobility to be more active offensively, but he is mostly about cleaning up messes in his own end. He had his minutes reduced last year but still had big responsibilities on the penalty kill. Also played with a rotating cast of partners, sometimes he would be paired with a rookie, other times he was with Jarred Tinordi, a strictly physical defenseman. Very good at blocking shots without sacrificing his body. Takes a lot of abuse with retrieving pucks and struggles to make the first pass out of the zone, although most of that is from being under constant forecheck pressure. Needs a more mobile partner to succeed and will likely have his hands full this coming year with the Hawks blue line lacking experienced puck movers.

Nikita Zaitsev - D

Zaitsev spent most of last season as a part-time player in Ottawa before being placed on waivers and ultimately getting traded to Chicago in a deal that sent the Blackhawks a draft pick for eating the final year of his contract. Used to playing in the 20–22-minute range in his prime, Zaitsev’s game struggles to translate to the quicker pace of the league now. He plays a thankless role as a shot-blocker and a physical defenseman, but there is a limitation on how effective you can be when your puck skills are as limited as his. He is also a little redundant in Chicago’s lineup with a similar player in Murphy in the top-four and another comparable player in Jarred Tinordi also on the roster. He did score his lone goal of the season after being traded to Chicago but was only used in a depth role with a rotating cast of partners. The influx of younger players could force him out of the Hawks lineup, but it’s tough to say with so many unproven options on Chicago’s blue line.

Jarred Tinordi - D

enseman and Maryland native was claimed off waivers from the Rangers at the start of the year and was a regular in the Hawks lineup. The team likes both his size and the physical brand of hockey he plays. He proved to be effective in certain situations, most notably defending zone entries and limiting chances off the rush. Sometimes you need guys who will just play the system and do the little things to get by and this is exactly what Tinordi did. He won’t complete a lot of passes out of the zone, but he can stop the puck along the wall to free it for his partner or be in position to receive a pass to skate it out. When you’re playing 15-17 minutes a night, that’s all you need to do, and the Hawks were happy with what they got out of him. Eventually they’ll need to upgrade, but Tinordi could be a regular next year if none of the prospects from Rockford impress in training camp. It helps that he set career highs in goals and points, as modest as those totals were.

Goaltending

Petr Mrazek - G

There are few teams as obviously hitting the reset button as the Chicago Blackhawks, and there are few goaltenders entering the 2023-24 season who are as obviously cast as parts of a rebuild as Petr Mrazek. With Chicago GM Kyle Davidson openly stating that the team won’t be chasing additional goaltending depth, it’s likely that Blackhawks fans will see more Mrazek than anything for the upcoming year – whether for better or for worse.

Mrazek came to Chicago as a once-highly-touted veteran who dazzled in his league debut, then never quite lived up to the hype. He has the ability to showcase quick hands and fast skating, sliding out of screens and recovering to make last-second desperation saves when things look dire in front of him. But despite his elite-tier athleticism, his consistency has always been a sticking point – and in Chicago, with a smattering of groin issues and a very clearly deconstructed roster skating out in front of him, the Czech netminder had one of the league’s worst performances last year. The fact that he’s the team’s returnee, and not the surprisingly resilient Alex Stalock, is a testament to just how willing the team is to move away from assets that could prevent them from creating a new empire from the ground up; he’ll tandem with Arvid Söderblom in hopes that Mrazek will remain healthy and Söderblom will be able to hold down the fort when needed. It’s not all doom and gloom in Chicago’s crease, since prospect Drew Commesso is under contract and hopefully going to be ready to take over as the team’s heir apparent in a few years time. But for now, Chicago just has to hope that Mrazek is able to come back fully healthy and able to put up his best performance in nearly three years – if they want to show an ability to take a step forward this upcoming year, he’ll have to be better than he was in 2022-23.

Projected starts: 60-65

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #1

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:17:29 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 10: Chicago Blackhawks left wing Lukas Reichel (27) looks on during a game between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks on April 10, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Top 2o Chicago Blackhawks Prospects

1. Connor Bedard - C

What more can even be said about Bedard at this point that hasn't been said already? In much the same way that Connor McDavid could skate at a level that no prospect before him ever had, Bedard's shot is unlike anything ever seen before. Not just its unparalleled accuracy and velocity, but also his proficiency with all shot styles, his ability to shoot off either foot, how well he disguises his release, his perfect toe drags to move the puck into better shooting lanes, and his unnatural knack for knowing where, when, and how to shoot. He's also unfairly lethal as a playmaker for many of the same reasons, and the harder opponents try to take away his shot, the easier it is for him to pass the puck over to a wide-open teammate. He's still on the smaller side, and always will be. That said, he is elusive with his skating, which reduces the number of times he has to physically engage, and he reads the play at such an advanced level that he can reliably get a step ahead of opponents mentally when otherwise it might be a close race in terms of footspeed alone. The next NHL superstar has arrived.

2. Lukas Reichel - LW

Everything that Reichel does out on the ice just seems so natural to him. Even as a yet-to-be-drafted teenager playing against men in Germany's top professional league, he looked confident, comfortable, and mature well beyond his years, already like a seasoned veteran. That same aura followed him to the AHL and now NHL, and the Blackhawks have to be hoping that he will be a leader as they slowly and methodically attempt to build their next Cup-contending team. He always seems to be thinking the play ahead of everyone else, always knows what his next move should be, and almost always executes his intentions successfully. He might not have the skating, shot, or playmaking to become one of the very top point producers in the league, but you can expect him to be in the 50-70 point range pretty consistently, and for those seasons to start happening soon.

3. Kevin Korchinski - D

One of the best offensive defensemen in all of junior hockey, Korchinski racked up a ridiculous point total last season, with 73. However, what's important to remember about him is that there is still an enormous amount of growth potential within his game. He's still skinny and slight within his tall frame and could really increase his strength and power if he commits hard to his gym habits. There also remains a lot of work to be done with his reads, decision-making, and overall puck management, as a lot of possessions for the Thunderbirds ended when coming off his stick. On one hand, those existing issues are concerning. On the other hand, if you look at how effective and successful he already is despite these flaws it suggests a salivating potential for just how high his ceiling might reach. The sky's the limit.

4. Frank Nazar

Nazar finally returned to action late in the season last year after a long injury layoff, and there was an undeniable amount of rust for him to shake off before he could really showcase why he was picked by the Blackhawks at 13th overall. Luckily for him, his Michigan team made it all the way to the Frozen Four semifinals, so he was granted a few extra opportunities to get back into the swing of things. He is an electrifying prospect because his feet are always moving, he can manipulate the puck with the best of them, and he can see the ice very well at high speeds, which includes lanes for him to attack the net himself, as well as opportunities to set up a teammate for a better look. He is a little on the smaller side, but he should be able to overcome that with his drive and tenacity.

5. Oliver Moore

Without a doubt, Moore was one of the most, if not the most, dynamic skaters in the 2023 draft class. It is his quickness and his ability to lead the counterattack with pace that makes him such a dangerous offensive player. The anchor of the USNTDP’s second line this season, Moore saw a ton of different linemates on his flanks in order to try to give the U18 team better secondary scoring. While his production may not have been consistent, his two-way effort and engagement always were. There may be some limitations to his ability to blend his quickness and skill and that could prevent him from being a premier playmaker at the next level. It seems extremely likely that Moore will become a very useful NHL player in some capacity, but after a few years at the University of Minnesota, will he end up as a Dylan Larkin type or more of an Andrew Cogliano type?

6. Sam Rinzel

The Blackhawks never expected anything truly elite out of Rinzel right away, so they won't be concerned at all that his 2022-23 season was solid, without being spectacular. And they certainly won't regret taking him as high as 25th overall. The focus has always been on his tantalizing tools, and being patient as he learns to master those tools while moving from high school hockey to the more competitive USHL, and then on to a very good University of Minnesota program next year. Rangy, mobile, right-shooting defensemen hold immense value in the NHL, and teams have to pay a premium to add them or accept playing the long game in their development. However, the signs of growth are showing, such as how Rinzel helped USA win gold at the World Junior A Challenge. If Rinzel pops it won't be right away, but the wait will have been worth it.

7. Drew Commesso

Goaltending prospects don't come much more steady and consistent than Commesso does, as evidenced by his save percentage numbers of the past four seasons. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, as his numbers are consistently pretty good. He's a well-rounded, technically sound netminder who neither has any standout traits, nor any real notable weaknesses. Everything about his game is solid, albeit not spectacular: his play-tracking, his technique, his reflexes, his positioning, and so on. Even his size and natural net coverage is pretty average. That said, sometimes that's all you need out of a goalie to win a championship. He helped his Boston University team reach the Frozen Four, only to be undone in the semifinals against Minnesota, the top-ranked team in the nation. He projects as becoming at least an NHL backup, with a starter's job not out of the question.

8. Nick Lardis

A midseason trade to Hamilton lit a fire under Lardis, transforming him into one of the more dynamic offensive players in the OHL. The key for him will be maintaining that high level of play into this season with the Bulldogs, proving that the conclusion to last season wasn’t an anomaly. Lardis’ combination of quickness and goal scoring ability will make him a very intriguing option for the Blackhawks in the future. With a consistent motor, skill, speed, and scoring ability, he projects as a top six complementary player along the lines of a Jake Guentzel at the next level. However, other areas of his game still require further growth; he is a bit of a long-term project in that regard and that is why he fell to the third round compared to where we had him ranked (32nd) going into the draft. There is a need to expand his game with the puck beyond simply being a North/South attacker, varying his approach. Additionally, he will need to be better in puck protection scenarios and improve his strength away from the puck in the other zones. Even with some inconsistencies, his offensive ceiling is quite high.

9. Ethan Del Mastro

Del Mastro has won gold medals playing internationally for Canada in three straight years, first at the IIHF U18s in 2021 and then the World Juniors in both 2022 and 2023. He played 20 total games across those three tournaments, and over that span he scored exactly zero goals. That's not his whole story as a prospect, but it is a good reflection of it. Del Mastro is a big, responsible defender who is well-suited to a modern shutdown role, with competent skating and puck-handling abilities. He can still go old school and dish out some punishment too. And don't look now, but his offensive game is also coming along, scoring at a point-per-game pace with both of his teams last year in Mississauga and later Sarnia. There might not be a prospect in Chicago's pipeline who has a safer NHL floor than Del Mastro, and a top-four ceiling is a realistic possibility.

10. Ilya Safonov

Safonov is a fantastic example of the value that teams can find by scouting and drafting re-entry prospects. Passed over in both 2019 and 2020, the Blackhawks took a flyer on the hulking Russian centre in the sixth round, 172nd overall, in 2021 and right now that pick is looking incredibly shrewd. He has since grown into a capable, difference-making two-way power forward in the KHL. Perhaps most impressively, he was named the captain of his team at just 21 years of age, the youngest in franchise history. He's so strong, athletic, gritty, and competitive that he is a lot to handle physically, even at the hands of veteran Russian pros and former NHLers. He can chip in points as a net-front presence, though his real value comes from how well he defends and matches up against opposing lines. Chicago will do their damnedest to get him to North America as soon as possible.

11. Colton Dach

Injuries really plagued Dach last year, including a high-profile shoulder injury at the WJC’s. But he was able to return for the WHL playoffs and helped Seattle capture a title. The power forward will try to stay healthy as he turns pro this season and could move quickly through the system if he adjusts to the pace well.

12. Alex Vlasic

Defence is the name of the game for Vlasic, who is a unique player because of his combination of size (6’6”) and mobility. Coming off a solid rookie year in the AHL after turning pro, Vlasic has put himself in contention for a roster spot this year.

13. Adam Gajan

The first goalie taken in the 2023 Draft, Gajan is quite the story. He’s gone from having to make his own recruitment videos to being a top NHL prospect thanks to a tremendous World Juniors for Slovakia. The hyper athletic netminder will be attending the University of Minnesota-Duluth this year.

14. Nolan Allen

A WHL champion this year with Seattle (along with fellow Blackhawks prospects Colton Dach and Kevin Korchinski), Allen is a steady, stay at home defender. His upside at the NHL level is likely capped, but he could move quickly through the system thanks to a refined game.

15. Roman Kantserov

The 2023 second round pick offers intriguing offensive upside because of his ability to impact the transition game and play with pace. He will be given time to develop slowly in Russia with the hopes that he can improve his play off the puck.

16. Gavin Hayes

An underrated player in both the OHL and in the Blackhawks’ system, Hayes is coming off of a great year with Flint that saw him hit the 40-goal plateau. A tenacious power winger, he will have his sights set on cracking 50 this year.

17. Ryan Greene

Greene is an athletic pivot who had a very good freshman season with Boston University last year. His quickness and tenaciousness make him a potential middle six, two-way center for the Blackhawks in the future.

18. Cole Guttman

The surprise of the 2022-23 season as Guttman was an immediate impact player at both the AHL and NHL levels after turning pro out of Denver. Intelligent and quick, is he a sneaky Calder candidate for the upcoming year?

19. Wyatt Kaiser

Kaiser jumped immediately to the NHL level after signing out of UMD late last year, playing out the stretch run with the Hawks. The highly mobile defender has a shot at a roster spot this year too, but Chicago may opt to give him time at Rockford first to allow him more significant ice time.

20. Paul Ludwinski

Another Hawks prospect who had injury problems last season, Ludwinski did not have the kind of season with Kingston of the OHL that many people expected. This coming season will serve as a restart for him as he looks to emerge as an offensive leader for a young and improving Frontenacs team.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #3 Chicago Blackhawks

Josh Bell — Thu, 25 May 2023 18:04:38 +0000

If tanking doesn’t exist in the NHL, nobody told Chicago. Kyle Davidson took over as GM in October 2021 after Stan Bowman was suspended. He has been actively emptying the roster since, moving veterans and even younger players such as Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat for draft picks. Patrick Kane finally moved on for yet more picks. It worked. The depleted roster gave it their best, but still lost a lot of games and won the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Once the next draft is complete, they will have a robust and deep pipeline of talent to build around. They currently have eight picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 draft. They have six first round picks, and a whopping 21 picks in the first three rounds, over the next three drafts through 2025.

In his first draft, Davidson eight picks in the first three rounds, including three firsts which he used to add Kevin Korchinksi (ranked #23 by McKeen’s), Frank Nazar (#29), and Sam Rinzel (#85). They represent the 2^nd through fourth ranked Chicago prospects on our list. The #14 ranked prospect, Lukas Reichel, produced 15 points in 23 games in his NHL call up and looks to have earned a roster spot for next season. The most likely scenario is to continue to accumulate young talent. In addition to the first overall pick, they also have the #19, #35, #44, #51 and #55 picks in the first two rounds alone. They have the opportunity to package some picks to move in the order and add another premium prospect. The addition of Bedard immediately changes the trajectory of the timeline and Davidson may want to use those pieces to add younger roster players.

Lukas Reichel

Everything that Reichel does out on the ice just seems so natural to him. Even as a yet-to-be-drafted teenager playing against men in Germany's top professional league he looked confident, comfortable, and mature well beyond his years, like he was already a seasoned veteran. That same aura followed him to the AHL and now NHL, and Chicago has to be hoping that he will be a leader as they slowly and methodically attempt to build their next Cup-contending team. He always seems to be thinking the play ahead of everyone else, always knows what his next move should be, and almost always executes his intentions successfully. He might not have the skating, shot or playmaking to become one of the very top point producers in the league, but you can expect him to be in the 50-70 point range pretty consistently, and for those seasons to start happening soon.

2. Kevin Korchinski

One of the best offensive defensemen in all junior hockey, Korchinski racked up a ridiculous amount of points this season, and isn't slowing down. However, what's important to remember about him is that there is still an enormous amount of growth potential within his game. He's still skinny and slight within his tall frame and could really increase his strength and power if he commits hard to his gym habits. There also remains a lot of work to be done with his reads, decision-making and overall puck management, as a lot of possessions for Seattle end when coming off of his stick. On one hand, those existing issues are concerning. On the other hand, though, if you look at how effective and successful he already is despite these flaws it suggests a salivating potential for just how high his ceiling might reach. The sky is the limit.

3. Frank Nazar

Nazar finally returned to action late in the season after a long injury layoff, and there was an undeniable amount of rust for him to shake off before he could really showcase why he was picked by the Blackhawks at 13th overall. Luckily for him, his Michigan team made it all the way to the Frozen Four semifinals, so he was granted a few extra opportunities to get back into the swing of things. He is an electrifying prospect because his feet are always moving, he can manipulate the puck with the best of them, and he can see the ice very well at high speeds, which includes lanes for him to attack the net himself, or opportunities to set up a teammate for a better look. He is a little on the smaller side, but he should be able to overcome that with his drive and tenacity.

4. Sam Rinzel

The Blackhawks never expected anything truly elite out of Rinzel right away, so they won't be concerned at all that his 2022-23 season was solid, though not spectacular. And they certainly won't regret taking him as high as 25^th overall. The focus has always been on his tantalizing tools, and being patient as he learns to master those tools while moving from high school hockey to the more competitive USHL, and then to a very good University of Minnesota program next year. Rangy, mobile, right-shooting defensemen hold immense value in the NHL, and teams have to pay a premium to add them or accept playing the long game in developing them. However, the signs of growth are showing, such as helping the USA win gold at the World Junior A Challenge. If Rinzel pops it won't be right away, but the wait will have been worth it.

5. Drew Commesso

Goaltending prospects don't come much steadier and more consistent than Commesso does, as evidenced by his save percentage numbers of the past four seasons. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, as his numbers are consistently pretty good. He's a well-rounded, technically sound netminder who has neither any standout traits, nor any real notable weaknesses. Everything about his game is solid, albeit not spectacular: his play-tracking, his technique, his reflexes, his positioning, and so on. Even his size and natural net coverage is pretty average That said, sometimes that's all you need out of a goalie to win a championship. He helped his Boston University team reach the Frozen Four, only to be undone in the semifinals against Minnesota, the top-ranked team in the nation. He projects as becoming at least an NHL backup, with a starter's job not out of the question.

6. Ethan Del Mastro

Del Mastro has won gold medals playing internationally for Canada in three straight years, first at the IIHF U18s in 2021, and then the World Juniors in both 2022 and 2023. He played 20 total games across those three tournaments, and over than span he scored exactly zero goals. That's not his whole story as a prospect, but it is a good reflection of it. He's a big, responsible defender who is well-suited to a modern shutdown role, with competent skating and puck-handling abilities. He can still go old school and dish out some punishment too, though. And don't look now, but his offensive game is also coming along, scoring at a point-per-game pace with both of his teams this year, Mississauga, and Sarnia. There might not be a prospect in Chicago's pipeline who has a safer NHL floor than Del Mastro, and a top four ceiling is a realistic possibility.

7. Ilya Safonov

Safonov is a fantastic example of the value that teams can find by scouting and drafting re-entry prospects. Passed over in both 2019 and 2020, the Blackhawks took a flyer on the hulking Russian center in the 6^th round, 172^nd overall, in 2021, and right now that pick is looking incredibly shrewd. He really grew into a capable, difference-making two-way power forward in the KHL, and perhaps most impressively, he was named the captain of his team at just 21 years of age, the youngest in franchise history. He's so strong, athletic, gritty and competitive that he is a lot to handle physically, even at the hands of veteran Russian pros and former NHLers. He can chip in points as a net-front presence, though his real value comes from how well he defends and matches up against opposing lines. Chicago will do their damnedest to get him to North America as soon as they can.

8. Colton Dach

Just how good is Dach, really? It's a difficult question to answer. As a big center with plus hands and an older brother, Kirby, who is succeeding in the NHL, the profile is very exciting. However, COVID precautions limited his games in 2020-21, his Kelowna Rockets were eliminated in the opening postseason round in 2021-22, and injuries have sidelined his current season, including knocking him out of the World Juniors just three games in. He's back on the ice now, going deep into the playoffs with Seattle, but he doesn't look 100% yet and his team is deep enough and talented enough at forward to not need to rush him. Chicago might be a little concerned about whether or not all those missed games, and resultant opportunities for growth in such crucial years of his development, will hinder his long-term potential.

9. Alex Vlasic

Vlasic jumped straight into the NHL after leaving Boston University and turning pro in the spring of 2022, dressing for 15 games for a Blackhawks team that was out of the playoff hunt and wanted a closer look at one of their top prospects. While he wasn't necessarily bad in that tryout, and even scored his first career NHL goal, Chicago elected to take the safe route with his development and let him refine his game down in the AHL for most of this year, which made total sense. As expected, he used his gargantuan reach and fleet feet to provide a stout defensive presence, while also getting to work on his offensive contributions a bit, or at least more than he would have in the NHL. Whether in 2023-24 or later, Vlasic will almost certainly end up on the Hawks as a shutdown defender.

10. Nolan Allan

It should be clear by now that the Blackhawks put a premium on defensive defensemen, and Allan is the one they paid the highest price for, using the last pick of the first round in 2021 to go a little off the board and secure his rights. They undoubtedly would have had high expectations for him to grow his game in the proceeding years, though the gains so far are relatively modest. Sure, Hockey Canada brought him along for the World Juniors, and the powerhouse Seattle Thunderbirds paid a pretty penny to bring him in for their full-throttle quest for a WHL title, but he hasn't fully reached a point yet where he has been a truly top-tier player. His skating and puck movement remain a little limited, and he could stand to be more of a physical presence. That said, growth in those areas is still achievable.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – NHL Player Profiles

Corey Sznajder – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 22:28:52 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: Chicago Blackhawks Defenceman Seth Jones (4) skates in warm-ups before a Los Angeles Kings game versus the Chicago Blackhawks on March 24, 2022 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Patrick Kane

Entering the final year of his contract, the talk surrounding Kane is less about his performance and more about where he’s going to be playing by the end of the season. It’s unknown if he wants to stick around for a teardown rebuild and he will be a coveted player if the Hawks make him available. Still one of the league’s stars, Kane is one of a few players who you can bookmark for at least 90 points regardless of his team situation. He has the hands to make impossible plays happen and his passing can change the pace of the game on a dime, halting for a second to freeze the defense and finding a teammate entering the zone with speed seconds later. It papers over some of his concerns away from the puck and makes any line he’s on dangerous. This year is going to be an interesting transition year for him. Kane usually has a sidekick who can read off of him, whether that’s Artemi Panarin or Alex DeBrincat. This year will be a little different with the talent drain in Chicago. Kane has produced with the likes of Artem Anisimov and Nick Schmaltz before, but it’s hard to say if the Hawks even have players of that quality on their roster now. Elite talent always finds a way to produce, but there’s going to be more pressure on just him to carry the load, which doesn’t seem possible given he’s already averaging 22-23 minutes a night. To say this will be a challenging year for him would be an understatement.

Jonathan Toews

It was obvious that Toews wasn’t himself during the first half of the year. It took him until early December to score his first goal and he struggled to make an impact in any area of the game. This wasn’t unexpected after he missed the entire 2021 season, but it was hard to figure out what the “new normal” would be for the Hawks captain. He turned the corner a bit during the second half, not producing the same way he used to but getting back to being a solid play-driver on a line with Brandon Hagel and Dominik Kubalik. Slow starts were a running theme for Toews even before 2020, so last year wasn’t out of the ordinary. What’s a little concerning for the Hawks is that Toews needs a lot more help from his linemates now. He doesn’t carry the puck as often as he used to and is more of a support player than someone driving the bus. Hagel was a great support guy for him for that reason, a worker bee type of winger to help get the puck from Point A to Point B while Toews drove the middle or provided support on breakouts. His production next year could depend on how much the Hawks pair him with Patrick Kane. Even at their age, they still have instant chemistry and Toews will get his points with Kane by his side. It’s been more of an “in case of emergency” thing for the Hawks recently because of the team’s depth, but with so few options and Toews also on an expiring contract, it might become more of a regular fixture.

Max Domi

Three years have gone by and Max Domi has gone from Montreal’s top-line center to just another guy in Columbus. The Jackets struggled to figure out the best way to use the skilled playmaker, not fitting at the top of their lineup and struggling to find chemistry with anyone. He couldn’t play with the same pace he did in Montreal and found himself relegated a third line role on the wing. His great passing chops would appear in spurts, but more off turnovers and plays where he was standing still to find someone going to the net instead of the play-driver he was at his peak. The same can be said for his brief stint with the Hurricanes where he was just a depth player. He had a few nice games and played hard but only had moments where he was a game-breaker for them. With Chicago, he’s getting another chance to show that he can drive his own line and play in the middle. They have some decent speed on the wing to pair him with, so the door is open for him to show teams he still be a difference maker at the NHL level. A fresh start on a new team (and a year where he isn’t recovering from shoulder surgery) could help.

Andreas Athansiou

Speed to burn. That has been Athanasiou’s tagline since he started playing hockey. Putting the rest of his skillset together has been a challenge aside from one 30-goal season in Detroit. His first year with the Kings was a step in the right direction, as he was used up and down the lineup to form “skilled checking lines” with the likes of Blake Lizotte and Gabriel Vilardi, doing a better job of using his linemates instead of trying to fly for a breakaway on every shift. It earned him a spot on the Danault line before injuries kept him from being a key player in the LA lineup. When healthy, Athansiou was on-pace for one of his best NHL seasons from a point-per-game pace (granted with only 28 games played). Still, he was trusted with some good minutes, ending the regular season on a line with Kopitar and Kempe and providing a jolt of “instant offense” to whatever line he was on. Doing this over 82 games will be a challenge, but on a Chicago team in desperate need of skill, he is a welcomed addition.

Tyler Johnson

It’s easy to forget that this is Tyler Johnson’s second year on the Blackhawks because injuries limited him to only 26 games. Between neck surgery and a concussion, the two-time Cup champion never had a chance to begin his career in Chicago. He started to find some traction late in the year on a line with Toews and Kublaik, recording four of his seven points in the month of April when the Hawks put that unit together. The veteran brings a little of everything to the table. He was a great shooter during his prime years in Tampa Bay and has the hockey sense to play off elite linemates, finding soft spots in the defense, giving them a passing option and being the guy who can carry the puck into the zone. The question is how much of that skillset is still intact after so many injuries. He’s only 32 years old, but with over 615 games to his credit, the miles and wear-and-tear on your body starts to add up. Johnson can still move well enough to be a decent support player on a checking line, but it’s tough to say if he can be a dangerous offensive player now. He should have plenty of opportunities to prove this in Chicago this year.

Sam Lafferty

Acquired in a mid-season trade for Alex Nylander, Lafferty filled some of the Hawks needs. He’s a hard-working forechecker and gave the Hawks a small jolt of energy whenever he was out there. The Hawks moved him around the lineup, including giving him time with Kane and DeBrincat and did his job as someone who will play physical with speed and recover pucks. Making plays with the same pace was a challenge, as his point total would indicate, but his lines did a nice job of at least titling the ice. This isn’t a small accomplishment on last year’s Hawks team, as even their good players got caved in from a territorial standpoint. Don’t expect much offense from Lafferty, but a guy like him is needed on a rebuilding team. There are going to be a lot of tough games and the Hawks need some guys who will at least inject some life into the lineup and can play on different lines.

Colin Blackwell

It’s rare for a player to make the NHL in his late 20’s these days, but Colin Blackwell did just that a couple of years ago. Selected by the Kraken in the expansion draft after a 12-goal season with the Rangers, the Harvard grad found a niche as a nice defensive forward on a line with Yanni Gourde and Mason Appleton. He had some scoring upside with the minors and in his brief stint in New York but excelled more with the details of the game after leaving the Rangers (and Panarin’s right wing). He has a jack of all trades type of skillset and was a fixture on Seattle’s aggressive penalty kill, being one of their leaders in shorthanded entries. It was enough to catch the attention of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, who quickly incorporated them as part of their penally kill rotation in the playoffs. The offensive side of the game can be a struggle for Blackwell at times, but his knack for stealing pucks and playing a strong forechecking game make him a great fit on a checking line. This is the role he will likely play in Chicago with some heavy penalty killing duty added in.

Taylor Raddysh

Finally graduating from Syracuse, Raddysh was given every opportunity to succeed in a lower line role with the Lightning. He was a nice player for them and showed that he can play a strong game from the hashmarks down, but he proved to be redundant in their system and he was dealt to Chicago as part of the Brandon Hagel trade. His Hawks career got off to a great start with five goals in his first six games and after that it was tough sailing. Raddysh scored only 4 goals in his last 15 games, two of them coming in the same game, despite getting consistent second line minutes with Jonathan Toews and power play time on top of that. Attempts to make him a goal-scorer who you could setup in the bumper spot didn’t go as smoothly as planned and Raddysh was best utilized as someone who could be the first forward in on the forecheck rather than a scorer. With two years left on his deal, the Hawks have some time to figure out what they have in the former 2^nd round pick. They have plenty of grinders on the roster, so Raddysh developing a scoring touch would help him stick around.

Philipp Kurashev

Kurashev’s highlight reel from his rookie year paints a warped picture of him. He scored some absolutely beautiful goals during the 2021 season and looked like a perfect complementary player for this next chapter of Hawks hockey. Those moments were few and far between, though and Kurashev ended up getting lost in depth forward purgatory by the end of the year. This year was an interesting turn. The goal-scoring touch that he had his rookie year was gone, two of his six goals went off a defender, but there was more of an all-around element to his game. He was more willing to be the first guy into the zone on the forecheck, not trying to split defenders or carry the puck through traffic or force plays that weren’t open. The more direct approach to his game made him a more reliable player away from the puck and helped him find a niche as an energy line type of player with some playmaking upside. A nice player to have for this year, but also a guy who might get lost in the shuffle if there isn’t another level to his game.

DEFENSE

Seth Jones

When Chicago made the trade for Seth Jones and signed him under contract until 2030, the idea was he would be a franchise cornerstone defenseman who could raise the tide of their roster. Instead, they got a defenseman who could log a lot of ice-time, play solid in those minutes but not change the game as much as they hoped. In the vacuum, Jones had a typical season for his standards, and it was a major bounce-back from his final year in Columbus. Some of the warts in his game are still there. He’s a dynamic, explosive skater when the play is moving north and showed that with some of the splash plays he provided on offense. When skating backwards, however, he has trouble containing speed and will misjudge where the puck is going. There aren’t many defensemen who can do both at an elite level, but the Hawks didn’t play with the defensive structure to cover up for Jones’ weakness here. You would see him get caught in the middle while defending entries, unsure if he should protect the middle or chase to the outside. It’s the game you often get stuck in on a team that struggles to control play like the Hawks. The mistakes aren’t always the player’s fault, but they add up overtime. Interim head coach Derek King did a good job of simplifying the games for Jones, but he still carried a heavy burden and only making a major impact on the power play. Jones is stuck in a tough place with a rebuild on the horizon, but he is one of the Hawks go-to guys for now and finding him a partner to replace the departing Calvin de Haan will be a top priority.

Jake McCabe

The longtime Buffalo Sabre set a career high in points with 22 in 75 games, which is a little surprising with how long he has been around. It was a bright spot compared to some of his underlying numbers. McCabe was the victim of Chicago’s volatile defensive system, posting one of the worst Expected Goal Differentials on the team at five-on-five. Part of that is his limited offensive skills and the Hawks exposing some of his weaknesses with defending the rush. He’s a lanky defender with decent puck skills, but not the most agile player in the world and only 12 months removed from knee surgery. He had difficulty turning to retrieve pucks and containing speed, which is concerning for a player who was signed to be more of a steadying presence. Oddly enough, some of his best plays from last year came on at the other side of the rink, showing some decent vision from the left point behind the Hawks top line. Originally signed to play alongside Seth Jones, he could see more time on that pair after spending most of last season in a secondary shutdown role alongside Conor Murphy.

Connor Murphy

Prior to last season, Connor Murphy was the only true shutdown defenseman on the Hawks roster. While mobile, he spent most of his shifts in the defensive zone and was always the one putting out fires there for the Hawks while supplement it with some splash offense off the rush. Last year was another usual season for him, playing on the team’s second pair in a shutdown role with heavy penalty killing duty, but the additions of McCabe, Caleb Jones and Stillman made his skillset a little redundant. He is the most defensively sound member of that group, so his contributions were easy to get lost in the shuffle, although not so much to the Hawks who inked him to a four-year contract. It’s tough to say if Murphy will be relied on for more offense this year. He skates well and has a sneaky good wrist shot when he jumps in, but those moments are becoming once every month now instead of once every few games. It’s less about the willingness to do it and more that he burns so much energy blocking shots and chasing pucks down while defending that he has to change before even thinking about starting a rush. He is someone who could benefit from stronger play-driving in Chicago, which will be tough with the current state of their roster.

Caleb Jones

The younger brother of Seth, it took some time for the Hawks to work Caleb Jones into their lineup, missing the first month of the season with a wrist injury. He was in-and-out of the lineup for most of the season, caught in the middle of not being a trusted veteran and being too “old” to be considered a prospect. Jones had some skills the Hawks needed, as he’s very good at using his stick to disrupt entries and is a good enough skater to keep forwards to the outside. His passing was also a welcome addition to their backend which lacked puck skills, as he provided a nice safety valve for Murphy or McCabe when he got in the lineup. The caveat is that he played a sheltered role for most of the year, exiting the zone on more regroups and controlled plays than beating forechecks. Jones became more of a fixture on the second pair later in the season and is an interesting piece for the Hawks heading into next year. He doesn’t have the reputation as an impact player yet but could be someone Chicago gives more responsibility to with a real lack of mobility on their blue line and a spot on the second power play unit up for grabs.

GOALTENDING

Petr Mrazek

It’s been an up-and-down career for Petr Mrazek, and it’s hard to get overly excited about his latest stop on the league tour. He’ll be presumably taking the reins in Chicago, where a disastrous handful of seasons has left the club – so recently considered a dynasty – sitting at the bottom of the NHL’s standings with little hope of an upward path. That’s a tough fit to consider for the now 30-year-old Mrazek, who most recently struggled behind the ever-mercurial Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mrazek’s game at its best is one characterized by quick, nimble skatework and a willingness to put in the extra legwork to get to those hard-to-reach shots. But when he struggles, Mrazek’s speed can give him an almost sloppy appearance; a lack of crisp positioning leaves leaky gaps in his pads and around his hands that allows pucks to sneak by even when he gets himself into what seems like the perfect position on time. And while he showcased his best work in Carolina, staying on his toes and anticipating defensive breakdowns in time to save the day for the Hurricanes more often than not, he offered Toronto some of his most inconsistent performances in recent memory. Now, he’ll be expected to serve as a stopgap for the clearly-rebuilding Blackhawks; he’s at a point in his career where it’s nearly impossible to see him outlasting their tank efforts. The bright side for him, though, is that it’s hard to see Chicago having much use for him if he does right the ship – and there are a handful of contending teams who don’t have a lot of security in net for the coming year. So, if he sheds the inconsistencies and tightens up the gaps in his pads to kick off the 2022-23 campaign, he could buy himself a one-way ticket to fill a need in net for a playoff franchise midway through the year. The only real question mark? His health – given his propensity for injuries and the lack of much in the way of relief waiting in the wings, it’s a little unsettling trying to predict just what Chicago is going to roll out in net over the course of the year. Ultimately, though, Mrazek is a much better bet for game starts than his tandem partner Alex Stalock – so when it comes to workload, he should at the very least get himself a nice amount of volume.

Projected starts: 60-65

Alex Stalock

If you find yourself surprised that Alex Stalock is still in the NHL for the upcoming season, you aren’t alone – but he’s in for a doozy of a season, set to play a role in Chicago similar to the one Craig Anderson is playing in Buffalo. Fresh off the celebration of his 35th birthday, Stalock arrives in Chicago with just one NHL game to his name in the last two seasons combined.

The Blackhawks are shamelessly throwing their season to the wolves in hopes of building back up from the bottom in the next few seasons, so it’s unlikely they’re worried about Stalock being rusty and costing them wins. But on the bright side, despondent Chicago fans dreading the upcoming season should at the very least enjoy what Stalock has to offer from an entertainment perspective this year – and he’s a genuinely respected presence in the locker room, so there’s little worry that he’ll drag the team down from a morale perspective. He’s one of the most fun goaltenders the modern game has to offer, to boot; with a passion for cutting down angles and challenging shooters, Stalock is practically a living meme. He doesn’t exactly thrive in any one area of his game, but a remarkable level of self-confidence and a near-bottomless bag of tricks he’s willing to pull from leave Stalock operating from a position of strength as he continually keeps shooters guessing. As far as stopgaps go for a club looking to overhaul their lineup, there are few that offer the same entertainment value and feel-good vibes that Stalock does – even if he may not have the kinds of numbers most would associate with free agent acquisitions. And for a team that seems determined to lose a lot, he’s a reasonable bet not to break the tank.

Projected starts: 30-35

NCAA: NCHC 2019-20 Season Preview – League of Champions

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 20:07:01 +0000

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference, more commonly known by its acronym of NCHC is the League of Champions in the realm of collegiate hockey. Since our calendars began to start with a ‘2’, teams currently in the NCHC have won eight titles, including each of the last four. And despite sending a raft-load of their best players to the professional ranks over the summer – some after graduation and others after leaving school early – there is a pretty decent chance that the 2020 champion will emerge from the NCHC once again.

For reference sake, at this writing, the seasons are all one weekend deep, but conference play is still a ways away.

Colorado College

Around the turn of the century, from a period extending from 1995-2008, the Colorado College Tigers were a veritable powerhouse, appearing in the NCAA tournament in 11 of 14 seasons, a period which included four appearances in the Frozen Four and one appearance in the championship match. While those teams were not loaded with future NHL superstars (remember Joey Crabb?), they were fine for the collegiate level. Since the end of that run, the Tigers have only appeared in the postseason once, a second round loss in 2011. In fact, since the 2011-12 season, CC has not finished the season with a record above .500. Let’s take the troubles a step further. In the four seasons between 2013-14 and 2016-17, the team had a combined record of 27-103-14. Not good, Bob.

Things have begun to look up though, with two seasons of middling, yet respectable performances under head coach Mike Haviland. Despite the school’s poor recent history, they have managed to recruit some very talented players, even if there don’t seem to be many, if any, future NHL superstars among them. The roster is mostly made up of smaller players, with only two regular skaters listed as over 6-1”. In fact, the roster is, on average, the shortest among all 60 NCAA Division I schools, and only two schools are lighter. On the other hand, their players are more mature, as only Western Michigan has an older roster in the conference.

Despite the above, some of last year’s critical players, including the starting netminder and their top three scorers, have all moved on. The new starting goalie looks like Ryan Ruck, a graduate transfer from Northeastern, he had not played much since holding the reins as an underclassman. The defense-corps should be led by Zach Berzolla and Bryan Yoon, the latter of whom impressed last year as a freshman. Up front, Chris Wilkie returns after missing half of his junior season to injury. He has close to a point per game player when healthy and had a blockbuster opening weekend, picking up five points in two matches. He should be supported in the offensive game by the likes of playmaker Nicholas Halloran – also returning from injury – speedy Ben Copeland, and some sleeper types like Erik Middendorf, Bailey Conger, and Christiano Versich, and top recruit Josiah Slavin. The Tigers might not be ready to return to the tournament again yet, but they are inching closer.

Draft Players: LW Josiah Slavin (Chi, 7^th round, 2018), RW Chris Wilkie (Fla, 6^th round, 2015). Technically, D Casey Staum was also drafted, by Montreal in the 5^th round in 2016, but he took so long to get to campus, the Canadiens no longer hold his player rights.

Miami University (Ohio)

We are entering a new era in Oxford, Ohio, as former longtime assistant coach Chris Bergeron has taken over as the new head coach, following an intervening nine year stint in charge of the program at Bowling Green State. He comes to a program that, like Colorado College, has been struggling of late. In the Redhawks’ case, it is a four year run of futility (and five of six), without either an NCAA tournament run, or even a .500 record. The combined record from 2014-15 through last season stands at 47-81-19. To add to Bergeron’s challenge, not only did top seniors Grant Hutton (NYI) and Josh Melnick (Dal) graduate, but Johnny Gruden (Ott) left after an underwhelming freshman campaign to continue his development in the OHL.

On the bright side, outside of the three mentioned above, the only player who contributed even ten points to the 2018-19 season who has left is graduating forward Ryan Siroky and his 11 goal senior season. Miami will play out this season with a chance to surprise some teams, as their roster has some underrated firepower and a lot of speed. Florida prospect Karch Bachman is particularly fast and looks primed to have a career year. He will try to join fellow senior Gordie Green in leading the Redhawks’ offensive attack.

There are more questions on defense as they have surrendered over 3.25 goals per game for the past three seasons running. Senior netminder Ryan Larkin needs to do a better job of keeping the puck out of his net, or lanky recruit Ben Kraws, recently of Sioux City of the USHL, will have to prove he can do better. Of course, this isn’t only on the goaltenders, as the blueline will have to be more effective as well. Veteran Derek Daschke has piqued the interest of NHL scouts and Rourke Russell has also been reliable in his way. Perhaps one of the two freshman who are receiving regular shifts from the get-go, either Jack Clement or Alec Capstick, can help out more than previous defensive crews were able to.

Drafted Players: LW Karch Bachman (Fla, 5^th round, 2015)

St. Cloud State

In both of the past two season, St. Cloud State rampaged through the NCAA during the regular season and then were toppled in embarrassing fashion by the Atlantic Hockey representative in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In 2017-18, it was Air Force that turned the trick. Last year, American International did the deed. Last year was especially embarrassing as the Huskies entered the tournament as the top ranked team in the nation. Nonetheless, they will be hard-pressed to repeat those exploits this year, having lost five of their top six scorers from last season to the pros.

From a team that could outscore almost all comers last year, the Huskies should look to tighten up their defensive game now, as most of their key departures came up front, while Jimmy Schuldt (Vgk) was the only prominent blueliner to leave. The returning defenders combine skill, speed and grit. Little Jack Ahcan provides and he is more than ably backed up by Nicklaus Perbix, who looked very good as a freshman last year. Sophomores like Brendan Bushy and Spencer Meier should look to build off of promising freshman campaigns. Behind them, Slovakian netminder David Hrenak will have to continue to be reliable, even as trusty backup Jeff Smith has exhausted his NCAA eligibility.

It will not be possible to replace the likes of Ryan Poehling, Blake Lizotte, Patrick Newell and Robby Jackson, and the Huskies will largely be relying on positive developmental steps being taken by Sam Hentges, Nolan Walker and Easton Brodzinski, among others. Those three have proven able to score when they didn’t have to carry the offense, but they will have to move up while incoming freshmen including Chase Brand, Jami Krannila and Zachary Okabe will have to fit in those vacated support roles.

Drafted Players: G David Hrenak (LA, 5^th round, 2018), D Nicklaus Perbix (TB, 6^th round, 2017), C Sam Hentges (Min, 7^th round, 2018)

University of Denver

The University of Denver Pioneers have appeared in each of the last 12 NCAA tournaments, and have passed the first round in each of the last five, a stretch which includes three Frozen Four appearances and one championship. While many of the main contributors to that 2017 title have moved on, many to the pros, a few are still suiting up in the Crimson and Gold. On the blueline, Michael Davies and Erich Fear are still tied to glory. Up front, Liam Finley and Tyson McLellan are the last remaining holdovers.

Even if the current iteration of the Denver roster lacks players like Will Butcher, Troy Terry, Dylan Gambrell, or Henrik Borgstrom, this is not a roster devoid of high end talent in the least. Like any former champion, the Pioneers were able to leverage their high profile success into high end recruits. One such recruit, although not discussed much in national circles, may prove to be the most important, in Swedish netminder Magnus Chrona. Given the crease in Denver’s first five games this year, the Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick has allowed only seven goals. Hard to lose when the last line of defense is so tight. In front of Chrona most contributors to last year’s Frozen Four team are back, led by captain Ian Mitchell, one of the top defensemen in the country, while Slava Demin is primed for a stronger showing as a sophomore.

The forwards in Denver lack the great depth of the blueline, but there are a few players who look likely to stick out this year, starting with top recruit Bobby Brink, whose scoring exploits in the USHL were extraordinary. He is joined up front by a trio of drafted players in Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Cole Guttman, and Brett Stapley, in addition to the two aforementioned championship leftovers. Freshman Hank Crone should also lengthen the attack as he comes with solid offensive pedigree from his time in the USHL. I wouldn’t put another Frozen Four appearance past the Pioneers.

Drafted Players: G Magnus Chrona (TB, 5^th round, 2018), D Slava Demin (Vgk, 4^th round, 2018), D Ian Mitchell (Chi, 2^nd round, 2017), RW Bobby Brink (Phi, 2^nd round, 2019), C Cole Guttman (TB, 6^th round, 2017), C Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Cgy, 6^th round, 2018), C Brett Stapley (Mtl, 7^th round, 2018)

University of Minnesota-Duluth

I don’t want to bury the lead, so I’ll come right out and state here that Minnesota-Duluth will not be the first three-peat NCAA Ice Hockey champs since the 1951-53 Michigan Wolverines. The ghosts of Reginald Shave and Telesforo Mascarin can rest easy. The back-to-back champs from Duluth were not reliant on a handful of stars, but rather from incredible depth up and down the lineup. Of last year’s team, only Mikey Anderson and Riley Tufte have signed NHL deals, and only three other graduates have signed professional contracts, but the departed make up half of UMD’s top eight scorers.

Not seeing any change, though, is the Bulldogs’ crease, where the extremely consistent Hunter Shepard is back for his senior season. Shepard barely played as a freshman, but took only six combined games off in the past two seasons, with save percentages ranging from .923-.925. Even if his first few games this year were uncharacteristic, you know what you are going to get with him. The blueline is a different story. After Scott Perunovich and Dylan Samberg, two future NHLers, there are a number of question marks. Nick Wolff is giant, but has always had mobility concerns. Matt Anderson (no relation to Mikey or Joey) is now the best Anderson on the Bulldogs, but hasn’t shown he is more than a third pairing guy. Same with Hunter Lellig. Undersized Louie Roehl may be the best bet to step up among this crew.

Up front the energetic Cates brothers, Noah and Jackson, are joined by skilled Nick Swaney and a number of strong two way forwards including Cole Koepke, Justin Richards, and Kobe Roth. UMD will need for one of the above to move from solid into a new tier, or for one of their prized recruits, such as Brandon Puricelli, Quinn Olson, or Luke Loheit, to hit the ice skating, so to speak. Another odd point about the UMD forwards is that very few are natural centers, with Richards and Jackson Cates being the only two with any collegiate experience. The Bulldogs will be strong enough defensively to make a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament, and while anything can happen in a one-game playoff tournament, another long spring run would be very unexpected.

Drafted Players: D Scott Perunovich (StL, 2^nd round, 2018), D Dylan Samberg (Wpg, 2^nd round, 2017), LW Noah Cates (Phi, 5^th round, 2017), LW Cole Koepke (TB, 6^th round, 2018), RW Luke Loheit (Ott, 7^th round, 2018), LW Quinn Olson (Bos, 3^rd round, 2019), RW Nick Swaney (Min, 7^th round, 2017)

University of Nebraska-Omaha

Since joining NCAA Division I in 1997-98, Nebraska-Omaha has had its moments, chiefly the Frozen Four appearance in 2014-15, and the program has had its share of star talents, but, to borrow an expression from historical baseball, they have more often been a second division team than a challenger for glory. Outside of the aforementioned Frozen Four appearance, the school has only twice appeared in the NCAA tournament, and have finished with a record below .500 more often than not.

This year’s roster looks to carry on that fine tradition of unexceptional hockey with some highlights. Starting in the crease, Isaiah Saville, the top netminders in the USHL last season, gives the school potentially its best goaltending in program history. The Vegas draft pick is technically sound and very athletic. Protecting the crease will be a blueline corps not known for puck skills, although Dean Stewart may be underrated and Ryan Jones is off to a hot start as a senior. Then again, as his two goals in three games is equal to everything he has accomplished offensively in his first three years, we are right to remain skeptical. That said, keep an eye on freshman Brandon Scanlin, joining the Mavericks fresh from an AJHL Playoff MVP run with Brooks last spring.

The forwards are a mixed bunch, with a few “what if’s” that could move the needle on UNO’s season. What if Kevin Conley, who won an NCAA title with Denver as a freshman before transferring is ready to take on a leadership role? What if former USNTDP member Tyler Weiss is ready to play a skill game and not just flash skills while playing a two-way game? What if Zach Jordan can be more consistent and be not just one of the best forwards in Omaha, but in the conference as a whole? He has the size, speed, and drive to make NHL scouts take notice. What if undersized Tristan Keck is saving his best for his senior season, reprising his final year as the MP of the MJHL? The Mavericks should be fun to watch, but there are too many questions to expect them to emerge as conference challengers.

Drafted Players: G Isaiah Saville (Vgk, 5^th round, 2019), D Ryan Jones (Pit, 4^th round, 2016), D Dean Stewart (Ari, 7^th round, 2016), LW Tyler Weiss (Col, 4^th round, 2018)

University of North Dakota

After 15 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament, and 20 appearances in 21 years, a period in which the university won three national championships and appeared in eight additional Frozen Fours, North Dakota has missed the dance for the last two years. It is officially in a slump. If Head Coach Brad Berry thought that the job would be easy after winning a title in his debut in 2015-16, the subsequent seasons have definitely proven him wrong. And now that the last remnants of the championship season have graduated, the Fighting Hawks are now built entirely through Berry’s vision as all of the players on the roster have joined the team knowing he would be the head honcho.

To his credit, the roster has talent and depth at all positions, including many players who have heard their names called out on draft day by NHL teams. The forwards feature three former USNTDP members, although it is hard to state with certainty which players will end the season as “top six” players as most of them have offensive ability that would be wasted on most bottom sixes. On the other hand, among returning forwards, only one, Jordan Kawaguchi, topped 20 points last season, so there will be room for a lot of players to step up this year. Two of the USNTDPers in particular, Grant Mismash and Gavin Hain, will be looked to to provide more offense that they had in the past. Joining them and Kawaguchi are a number of talented recruits, including freshmen Shane Pinto and Harrison Blaisdell as well as Westin Michaud, a top scorer at Colorado College who joins UND as a graduate transfer.

There is actually a pretty good chance that North Dakota’s offense will again include hefty contributions from the blueliners, as three of last year’s top five scorers were defensemen, all of whom (Jacob Bernard-Docker, Colton Poolman, and Matt Kierstad) are returning. The first of those three was already drafted, while the latter two have some expectations of NHL contracts in the near future. The Fighting Hawks will also expect an increased contribution from Jonny Tychonick, who underwhelmed somewhat as a freshman. The crease will again be manned by a tandem of Adam Scheel and Peter Thome, with Scheel expected to get the bulk of starts. If there is a team that can withstand the inevitable injuries that accompany all hockey seasons, it is North Dakota.

Drafted Players: G Peter Thome (Clb, 6^th round, 2016), D Jacob Bernard-Docker (Ott, 1^st round, 2018), D Jonny Tychonick (Ott, 2^nd round, 2018), LW Collin Adams (NYI, 6^th round, 2016), C Harrison Blaisdell (Wpg, 5^th round, 2019), F Judd Caulfied (Pit 5^th round, 2019), C Gavin Hain (Phi, 6^th round, 2018), C/LW Grant Mismash (Nsh, 2^nd round, 2017), C Shane Pinto (Ott, 2^nd round), C/LW Jasper Weatherby (SJ, 4^th round, 2018)

Western Michigan

Despite eight years under the auspices of head coach Andy Murray, and constantly playing with a number of NHL-level talents, Western Michigan has struggled to win with any consistency, making the NCAA tournament only twice during the Murray reign. A big part of that lack of team-wide success has been a general inability to keep the puck out of their own net. Another part can be attributed to injuries. More of which on both momentarily.

About the defense, the Broncos have turned the net over to incoming freshman Brandon Bussi, coming off a strong season for USHL Muskegon. Bussi will be replacing the graduated Trevor Gorsuch, despite former two year starter Ben Blacker still being on the roster. On front of Bussi, Corey Schueneman is gone, but the rest of the blueline corps is back, and they will be supplemented by Ronnie Attard, who blew up the USHL last year with a 30 goal year from the back. Between Attard and Mattias Samuelsson, both big players with strong pedigrees, WMU has the core in place for an improved defense.

Up front, without overlooking the abilities of the likes of Hugh McGing, Josh Passolt, Austin Rueschhoff, and Dawson DiPietro, much will rest with the health of Wade Allison. The senior, who was absolutely electric as an underclassman, struggled with a severe knee injury last year, sitting out a large portion of the season, and playing with significantly recued effectiveness when he could play at all. Despite a slow start to his season (1 point in four games), there is hope that he can return to the level that had the Flyers use a second round pick on him in 2016. A return to full health by Allison could be the difference between the Broncos being competitive, and being in the thick of the NCAA tournament chase.

Drafted Players: D Ronnie Attard (Phi, 3^rd round, 2019), D Mattias Samuelsson (Buf, 2^nd round, 2018), RW Wade Allison (Phi, 2^nd round, 2016), LW Hugh McGing (StL, 5^th round, 2018).

NCHC Top Draft Eligible Players

Brandon Scanlin, D, Nebraska-Omaha
Adam Scheel, G, North Dakota

Neither Scanlin nor Scheel are top daft eligible players and both have been passed over twice already. But both have size, some ability, a history or production, and the opportunity to play a key role for their respective teams.

NCHC Undrafted Top Free Agents

Derek Daschke, D, Miami
Colton Poolman, D, North Dakota
Zach Jordan, RW, Nebraska-Omaha
Hunter Shepard, G, Minnesota-Duluth
Nicholas Halloran, RW, Colorado College

Frozen Four Recap – Minnesota Duluth Were Destined to Win Back-to-Back Championships

Russ Cohen — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 13:10:25 +0000

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 13: Massachusetts Minutemen Defenseman Cale Makar (16) takes a shot on goal with Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Defenseman Nick Wolff (5) defending and Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Goaltender Hunter Shepard (32) defending during the first period of the NCAA Hockey Frozen Four championship game between the Massachusetts Minutemen and the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on April 13, 2019, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Game 1 – Providence vs. Minnesota Duluth

Minnesota Duluth was the better all-around team going up against the very defensive Providence College Friars. The first period was a real feeling out situation. The period ended scoreless, with Providence taking nine shots to UMD’s eight. UMD was 0-1 on the power play. Arizona Coyotes defensive prospect Michael Callahan led his team with two shots and blueliner Mikey Anderson, (Los Angeles) was tied for the lead for Duluth with two, along with undrafted senior defender Billy Exell.

In the second period, each team traded goals. Justin Richards got UMD on the board first with a goal at 6:39. Captain Parker Mackay and Matt Anderson got the helpers. Richards, an undrafted sophomore center, was smart and shot the goal between the wickets of Friars senior goalie and Edmonton Oilers prospect Hayden Hawkey.

At the 11:17 mark of the middle frame, the Friars tied it up. Josh Wilkins got the power play goal with Jacob Bryson and Brandon Duhaime getting the helpers. Wilkins, an undrafted junior center, who has since signed an NHL deal with Nashville, scored the goal from the right side and it was a beauty. Duhaime, was also certainly going to be signed at some point decided to go pro and the Minnesota Wild sent the fourth-rounder to Iowa in the AHL shortly after the conclusion of the Frozen Four.

The game was tied until 10:07 of the third frame. That’s when Exell scored to regain the lead for UMD. Kobe Roth and Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg), got the helpers. Samberg had a great game, with his usual solid defense. He covers what he is supposed to and contributes his share of offense as well. He will be a terrific NHL player someday, perhaps sooner than later. The next goal of the night, an empty netter, was his. Richards added his second of the game, an empty netter as well, before the final horn sounded. The final score was 4-1. UMD was back in the finals and there were not many people who didn’t think that this was going to happen.

Game 2 - UMass vs. Denver

UMass came into this game as the favorite, considering Cale Makar was the best player on the ice and possibly in all of college hockey. In fact, he was named as the most outstanding hockey player in the NCAA earlier in the week, when he was awarded with the Hobey Baker Award. Denver had a history of winning, so anything was possible. This was expected to be a closer game than the earlier match.

This game featured multiple headshots and ejections and UMass lost junior right winger Niko Hildenbrand first which could have proved costly.

Denver opened up the scoring at 8:59 of the first period when free agent left winger Colin Staub put the Pioneers up 1-0 with a power-play goal with assists from Kohen Olischefski and Cole Guttman, the latter a Tampa Bay prospect. Guttman assumes the top-line center role with the Pioneers and is always first to loose pucks.

UMass tied it up at 11:41 of the period, when free agent right winger Bobby Trivigno scored with the man advantage. Free agent left winger Jacob Pritchard (who has since signed a rookie contract with Carolina) assisted on the play along with Anthony Del Gaizo, a left winger who was having himself a solid tournament as a freshman.

Denver’s Ryan Barrow was the second player ejected from the match due to a headshot. UMass scored on the extended power play off a goal by sophomore right winger Mitchell Chaffee to make it a 2-1 game. The aforementioned Makar and Pritchard both assisted on the goal. John Leonard, a San Jose Sharks pick, added an additional power play goal to make it a 3-1 game, scoring with a wrist shot right up the gut. Mario Ferraro and Jake Gaudet got the helpers.

The second period started with UMass leading 3-1 and it also ended that way. The Minutemen lost Chaffee to a head shot but they managed to kill off the extended power play.

After missing on two power plays in the third period the lights were starting to dim on the Denver season until Cole Gutman scored on a high wrist shot to make it a 3-2 game.

At 16:14, Guttman would strike again with a clutch goal, this time from the lip of the crease. The game was tied at 3-3 in front of a raucous crowd and after the two teams traded chances, the game was headed to overtime.

The building was tense as the teams gave it their all in the overtime period. Eventually, at the 15:18 mark of that first overtime, Makar whipped a pass back to his d-partner, Marc del Gaizo, and he flexed his stick and hit the one-timer into the back of the net allowing UMass to advance with a 4-3 win. It was 12:03 am and the latest an NCAA game finished in the history of the tournament.

The Final: UMD vs. UMass

With two days off between the semifinals and the grand finale, this game started out with a lot of energy. That said, UMass was playing shorthanded as Bobby Trivigno had been suspended due to an unpenalized headshot in the Denver game. While perhaps not pivotal, this was a big loss of a second-line player for the Minutemen.

At 3:51 of the first period Parker Mackay deposited a goal in the corner of the net off a nice feed from Mikey Anderson. Anderson is a very accurate passer and he makes that pass from the point regularly, although this one counted more than most. Former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte picked up the other assist. UMD had a 1-0 lead. When UMass got on the power play, UMD was able to kill things off with good play and better coaching.

UMD was 22-2-0 this season when they scored the first goal in the game, a fact which surely gave the Bulldogs additional energy.

Midway through the second stanza the score had held up. Makar had some nice plays and scoring chances in this game but couldn’t put any past UMD goalie Hunter Sheppard, who was a Mike Richter Award Finalist, for the best goaltender in NCAA hockey. Before the second period was over, Anderson broke free from the pack and scored on a nice wrist shot from the middle of the ice that UMass goalie Filip Lindberg never had a chance on, giving his team the commanding 2-0 lead in the second period. Mackay set up the goal, making a nice curl in the corner and keeping the puck on his stick before hitting the open Anderson in motion with only 23.5 minutes left in the game. Things looked bleak for UMass.

Late in the second Makar committed a penalty off a big shoulder hit knocking the other player over. He was called on an interference infraction and by that point, it was apparent that UMass was not going to win on this day.

The third period was more muted, and when freshman Jackson Cates shot a puck on the short-side at that made it a 3-0 game at the 17:18 mark, it was over. There wasn’t going to be a miracle comeback. Cates, 21, is the older brother of freshman Noah Cates, a Philadelphia Flyers draft pick who had a terrific regular and postseason playing mostly a top line grinding role with occasional flashes of his offensive potential.

The UMD penalty kill was the star of the game, killing all four of UMass’ power plays.

When the final whistle blew, the crowd in Buffalo stood and saluted the Bulldogs who beat UMass to cap off a great season, finishing as NCAA champions for the second season in a row and the third time this decade. UMass had never made it to the big game before. Shortly after the end of the game, star blueliner Cale Makar signed with the Colorado Avalanche.

On a side note:

Cale Makar made his NHL debut in the playoffs against the Calgary Flames. The fast-skating, smart defenseman has elite talent. When you are used to being the best player on the ice, as he was with UMass, and you have to generate a lot of the offense by the way you bring the puck up the ice and the passes you make to your teammates, joining an already rolling NHL team was the perfect scenario for him. He got his first goal in his debut by having his stick down and receiving a perfectly timed pass from Nathan MacKinnon before he ripped it home.

Nobody should be surprised that he had an immediate impact. Some players are that close and the better players around them get them up to speed quicker. Back in 2011-12, Chris Kreider left Boston College and joined the New York Rangers. He played in 18 games and scored five goals along with two helpers. The upper echelon college players, with international experience, can do that from time to time. With Colorado upsetting the top seed in the West in the first round, Makar will now have an extended opportunity to make a prolonged first impression in the NHL.

NCAA Playoffs (Pt.2) – St. Cloud State (top national seed) vs (4) American International College – West Regional, Denver vs (3) Ohio State – West Regional, Notre Dame vs (2) Clarkson – Northeast Regional

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 14:04:24 +0000

As the NCAA rudely does not split the regional tournaments based on geographic point of origin, while Russ and I cover the various conferences according to geography, our previews are based on matchups instead of isolated regional looks. No matter, it should make for a better Frozen Four.

St. Cloud State (top national seed) vs (4) American International College – West Regional

Ryan Poehling (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Last year, the St Cloud State Huskies entered the NCAA tournament as the top seed in the nation, with the reward of a soft entry into the one-and-done hunt for glory against Air Force, the Atlantic Hockey champions. It was a rout. The Falcons shocked the college hockey world, taking out the Huskies with a 4-1 scoreline, a final punctuated by two late empty netters. So SCSU fans must currently be experiencing a rotten sense of deja-vu as they once again enter the tournament as the top seed in the nation, and for their trouble, get to kick things off against the Atlantic Hockey champs from AIC.

For the underdog Yellow Jackets, 2018-19 was not only the college’s first AH title, but also their first season with a winning record since 193-94, back when they were a DIII school. Swedish junior netminder Zacharias Skog has been a workhorse for AIC, with solid if not stellar numbers (2.75 GAA, .896 SV% in 33 games). The Yellow Jackets spread the offensive attack around, with seven skaters contributing at least 20 points, led by junior Blake Christensen, whose 46 points (sixth nationally) are AIC’s best single season total since entering DI.

As lovely a story as American International have, and as neat a storyline as a repeat first round upset for St. Cloud State would be, who are we kidding? AIC is an offensive team, and their 3.26 goals per game average was ninth nationally. No matter, as the Huskies finished second with 4.08 per match. You want defense? St. Cloud State allowed only 2.18 goals against per game (11^th nationally), while AIC surrendered 2.95 per game (37^th in DI). The Huskies were also significantly better on both special teams units. And of course the top seed in the land played in the NCHC, a traditional powerhouse, while I can’t remember when (if ever) Atlantic Hockey placed more than the obligatory conference tournament winner in the NCAA national tournament.

Kings’ draft pick David Hrenak should play in net, as he typically played in three quarters of his team’s games as a sophomore. The Huskies had ten players put up at least 20 points on the season. Leading scorer Patrick Newell is a natural playmaker with a good first few steps who might have just enough skill to entice an NHL team to give him a contract despite his lack of size. Blueliner Jimmy Schuldt is also expected to receive an NHL offer and has been tied to Montreal already. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but does everything well enough to work in a whole-greater-than-the sum-of-its-parts sort of way. Everyone knows Ryan Poehling, former Montreal first rounder and multiple time member of the American WJC squad. His collegiate numbers don’t pop, but his hands are NHL ready. An X-factor for the Huskies could be freshman Nick Perbix, a former Tampa Bay sixth rounder. The big blueliner uses his frame and long reach well along the board and throughout the defensive zone, while being pleasantly surprising in the offensive end.

Prediction – St. Cloud State erases some demons and wipes the floor with AIC. The Yellow Jackets score twice (once after the game has been effectively decided) to keep some sense of pride.

Denver vs (3) Ohio State – West Regional

While 2017 champs Denver are the two seed, 2018 Frozen Four participant Ohio State likely would have had the honors if they had only made it to the Big 10 Finals, instead of being knocked out in the semis by Penn State. Denver, on the other hand, ended their conference tournament with a nice consolation match, beating Colorado College in the third place match, after being eliminated by Minnesota-Duluth.

This game has the potential to be a very low scoring affair, as both institutions finished the year in the top 14 nationally in goals allowed per game, at 2.08 (Denver) and 2.31 (Ohio State). The Buckeyes were the better offensive team though, outscoring the Pioneers on a per-game average by 0.27 goals per game (3.09-2.82).

If OSU wasn’t dissuaded by his rough Big10 tournament showing, big Tommy Nappier should get the nod in net as his fantastic .934 save percentage far overshadowed crease-mate Sean Romeo’s .902, as the latter’s play seemed to regress this year after a solid junior campaign.

The Buckeyes have a multi-faceted attack, blending big, powerful skaters (Dakota Joshua) with small waterbugs (Mason Jobst, Carson Meyer) and one of the top playmakers in college hockey in Tanner Laczynski to blend it all together. They feature one of the deeper lineups in college hockey, with talented players at all positions. The aforementioned Jobst and Nappier are both free agent candidates.

Moving to Denver, former championship hero Jarid Lukosevicius is joined by the likes of Mathias Emilio Pettersen, Liam Finlay, and Cole Guttman up front, while Ian Mitchell leads the charge from behind. The latter may be ready to turn pro after the tournament, as the former Chicago second rounder has been a consistent producer throughout his two years on campus.

What the Pioneers lack in terms of scoring depth (only five 20 point producers on the roster), they make up for in net, now that former Detroit draftee Filip Larsson is back and healthy after missing the early part of the year to injury. Then again, Denver could turn to Devin Cooley, a lanky sophomore who held down the fort while Larsson and who actually put up better numbers, although the latter point is only marginal. Either could lock down the crease and the difference would be minimal.

Ohio State plays with a full rink press and should have the edge on the shot counter, but volume will not be enough as they will need to generate quality, high-danger scoring chances to beat Denver, no matter which netminder gets the nod. To their credit, they have the playmakers to make it happen.

Prediction – Ohio State wins in a terse, one-goal game.

Notre Dame vs (2) Clarkson – Northeast Regional

But for the vagaries of single elimination hockey, Notre Dame, who made it to the Frozen Four finals last year, would not have made the tournament at all, despite a reasonable full season record, had they not won the Big10 conference tournament, conveniently located in their home rink. Clarkson, on the other hand, ended a good year on a high note, winning the ECAC tournament title in a thrilling overtime finish against Cornell.

For as much as Notre Dame is clearly the higher profile hockey club, the Fighting Irish enter the tournament as a nominal underdog against the higher ranked Golden Knights. While ND is still able to keep the puck out of their own end, thanks largely to star netminder Cale Morris, an athletic goalie who tracks very well and could be convinced to leave campus one year early, their ability to light the lamp at the other end has not recovered from the graduation of Jake Evans after last year. Big winger Joe Wegwerth, long the butt of my criticism in years past, was actually leading the offensive attack in the first third of the season, before his year, and collegiate career, were ended due to a knee injury.

Notre Dame has relied on an offense by committee, and the team’s leading scorer – and two of the top four – have actually come from the blueline. Undersized Bobby Nardella has always had more offensive flair than defensive and has developed into a top collegiate player, even if his pro prospects are more likely to peak in the AHL than the AHL. Blueline mate Andrew Peeke, a Columbus pick, better combines offensive and defensive play as he has a big body, covers in his own end, and has developed his instincts for jumping into the rush rather nicely. The team has some nice forwards such as free agents Dylan Malmquist and Cal Burke, but the forward corps is more notable for Colorado pick Cam Morrison’s failure to take steps forward beyond solid.

German center Nico Sturm is the man for Clarkson and, along with second line pivot Devin Brosseau, are the main scouting draws for the Golden Knights. Both players combine offensive ability with good size, and Sturm in particular has demonstrated two-way reliability in the recent past. Netminder Jake Kielly is also a likely future pro and is coming off his second straight season with a 0.929 save percentage and a GAA in the 1.80-1.90 range. He is a technically strong netminder with plus athleticism. Both teams in this matchup are defensively strong, but Clarkson is fourth nationally with a GAA more than 0.25 goals per game stingier than Notre Dame’s. The Fighting Irish will need to be beneficiaries of more than their fair share of power play opportunities to tilt the odds in their favor, even while acknowledging that the reverse (more PP opportunities for Clarkson) would be fateful as the ND PK is middle of the pack.

Prediction – Clarkson makes it past the first round for the first time in eleven years

Minnesota-Duluth (2^nd seed nationally) vs (4) Bowling Green State – Midwest Regional

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs defenseman Scott Perunovich (7) takes a shot during the college hockey game between the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and the Minnesota State Mavericks on December 28, 2018 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)

No matter how this matchup ends (you can probably guess), this season is a big success for Bowling Green State, as they had not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1989-90 and are a long ways removed since their championship team in 1983-84. On the other hand, we have the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, who are in their fifth straight tournament, a stretch which includes last year’s title run and narrowly misses an additional championship, way back in 2010-11. History is clearly on the side of the Bulldogs. The numbers are not as clear.

Bear in mind for a moment that it is difficult to fairly compare team-wide stats across different teams from different conferences. The competition is vastly different. While UMD was regularly squaring off against the likes of St. Cloud State, Denver, North Dakota, Western Michigan, and Colorado College, outside of Minnesota State, Bowling Green got to feed off of the Alaska schools, Alabama-Huntsville, Michigan Tech, Ferris State and other undermanned teams. But the numbers are fun to look at. UMD finished 11^th nationwide, scoring 3.11 goals per game. BGSU finished 8^th at 3.30. On the other side of the ledger, UMD was sixth nationally in goals allowed per game at 2.00, while the Falcons were second only to Minnesota State, surrendering a paltry 1.82 per contest. The two teams split the special teams battle, with Duluth having the more potent power play and Bowling Green the stingier penalty kill.

Minnesota-Duluth is the more prospect laden team and most prospect hounds are familiar with former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte and former second round blueliners Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg) and Scott Perunovich (St. Louis). Perunovich tied for the team scoring lead with unheralded sophomore center Justin Richards, the latter of whom played a depth role in last year’s title run. Perunovich can be a bit of a one-way defender, but he goes that well (offense, clearly) well. Another fun bulldog to watch for is Minnesota draft pick Nick Swaney, whose tenacious play belies his lean frame. The puck skills also give him a fun factor. Philadelphia pick Noah Cates may have had a greater impact in Team USA at the las WJC than he typically does for UMD, but he grinds and plays with strong pace.

On the other hand, the Bowling Green lineup is relatively anonymous on the national level, but both Max Johnson and Brandon Kruse, the latter a Vegas draft pick, exceeded 40 points this year, and the lack of star power is not an indication of a lack of talent. Defender Alec Rauhauser has a long history of starting the attack from the blueline and his offensive knowhow and extra-large frame could lead to NHL offers, while netminder Ryan Bednard was spectacular as a junior and may be coerced to leave school early to sign with Florida, which drafted towards the end of the 2015 draft. No disrespect to UMD goalie Hunter Shepard, who too the reins on last year’s title run, and was recently named MVP of the Bulldogs charge to the NCHC tournament title, but BGSU might have a slight edge between the pipes.

Prediction: I smell an upset here. There always seems to be one fourth seed which eliminates a regional first seed. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be Bowling Green State knocking off the defending champs from Minnesota-Duluth.

As we do not know which schools will go on from the first round of the NCAA tournament to the regional finals and the Frozen Four after that, we have provided predictions of the first round, so know is the time to double down and see the tournament through to the, at least for one school, glorious finish.

Presented without comment:

West Regional Final: St. Cloud State over Ohio State

Northeast Regional Final: Clarkson over UMass (Amherst)

East Regional Final: Northeastern over Minnesota State (Mankato)

Midwest Regional Final: Quinnipiac over Bowling Green State

Frozen Four Semifinals: St. Cloud State over Clarkson

Frozen Four Semifinals: Northeastern over Quinnipiac

NCAA Championship: NORTHEASTERN over ST. CLOUD STATE

NCAA: NCHC Playoff Preview – Small but mighty, three national champions in three years and the nations top ranked St. Cloud make this a division to watch

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 15:39:24 +0000

Small, but mighty, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference has only eight teams, but three of them won national championships in the last three years (North Dakota, Denver, Minnesota-Duluth, from first to most recent) and another, St. Cloud State, carried the top ranking in the nation pretty much from end to end this year. Western Michigan is pretty good, too. Colorado College is no great shakes today, but won a pair of national titles in the 1950s. Even the two bottom feeders, Nebraska-Omaha and Miami (OH) have a few players of note each, making every team a potential winner.

After finishing the regular season schedule last week, the NCHC tournament begins this weekend. With an even eight teams in the conference, the tournament is fairly straightforward, with the top team playing the eighth seed, the runners-up playing the seventh seed, three playing six, and four facing off against five, with the higher ranked seeds getting home ice advantage throughout. The first round, running from Friday through Sunday (Mar. 15-17) is a best of three series, with Sunday’s games only necessary if the teams split the Friday-Saturday matchups.

Let’s have a look.

#1 St. Cloud State vs #8 Miami

Despite playing two fewer games on the year, the nation’s highest ranked team St. Cloud State, scored 55 more goals than Miami did this year. Miami allowed 38 more into their own nets. The SCSU Huskies were also substantially better on both the power play and the penalty kill. They lost only four times in regulation all year (at Northeastern, at Union, at Minnesota-Duluth, and at North Dakota), although they did tie both games in Miami in Late November/early December. Then again, in the two games the teams played in St. Cloud State this year were both won by the Huskies, by identical 5-1 scores.

The Miami RedHawks have only two drafted players in their lineup, but through three seasons, Karch Bachman has yet to turn his blazing speed into production and freshman Jon Gruden is still feeling his way through the collegiate game. Wingers Josh Melnick and Gordie Green were the only two players on Miami to eclipse ten goals and neither are high end NHL prospects. Keep an eye on blueliners Derek Daschke and Grant Hutton, the former a freshman and the latter a senior, as they can contribute to the attack from the back and Hutton may have NHL scouts sniffing around his big frame and right-handed shot.

Ryan Poehling (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

St. Cloud State is not the most prospect-laden team in college hockey, but they do not lack for future NHLers, and they play wonderfully as a team. The most well-known name on the team is former Montreal first rounder Ryan Poehling, a future third line center with second line aspirations, if there ever was one. The junior starred for Team USA at the most recent WJC, but was only fifth in team scoring for the Huskies. He is an exemplary 200 foot center with skills and finishing ability but lacking the instincts to play a top line role at the highest level. Also keep an eye on senior blueliner Jimmy Schuldt, a high scoring two-way defender who is likely to receive an NHL contract after the SCSU season ends.

Another player on the Huskies who has impressed me is freshman defender Nick Perbix, a former Tampa pick, who came on as the year advanced and might be a late bloomer to watch. He was recently name to the NCHC All-Rookie team. Patrick Newell is an undersized senior forward who has good offensive instincts while lacking in tools.

Prediction: St. Cloud State sweep

#2 Minnesota-Duluth vs #7 Nebraska-Omaha

The defending national champions did not dominate the NCHC this year, but the UMD Bulldogs are still a high-end college hockey team. The only two games between these two teams took place in late January in Duluth and the home team swept by a combined score of 10-3. Minnesota-Duluth plays a very stingy defensive game, finishing tenth in the county in gals allowed, at just 72, a touch over two allowed per game. As Omaha was in the bottom ten in goals allowed (126) and did not make up for it with a a big offensive attack, this looks like a mismatch close to the spread between St. Cloud State and Miami, above.

The UNO Mavericks have a few drafted players on the roster, with the most prominent among them being blueliner Dean Stewart (Arizona), who added an offensive element to his game this year, scoring five times after failing to get the red light going in either of his underclass year. He is still a shut-down defender at heart. Tyler Weiss (Colorado) struggled some as a freshman, but has a game full of skill and I expect his contributions to grow given full health (he missed ten games) and more physical maturity. Although undrafted, keep an eye on power winger Zach Jordan, who brings a good combination of NHL size (1980s style), good speed, and some finishing ability.

The two most well known names on the Bulldogs roster are former USA WJC team members Riley Tufte (Dallas) and Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg). Other former WJC participants here include Scott Perunovich (St Louis), Noah Cates (Philadelphia) and Michael Anderson (Los Angeles). Although Tufte is a former first rounder now finishing up his junior season, he has been underwhelming in the college game. Cates brings grit and fine hands to the ice and the most fun player to watch on UMD, for my money, is Minnesota pick Nick Swaney, who is small, but tenacious and with impressive puck skills. This series should be a mismatch.

Prediction – Minnesota-Duluth in a sweep.

#3 Western Michigan vs #6 Colorado College

Until ending strong against Miami last weekend, Western Michigan was limping to the finish. That poor end run included a split at Colorado College, winning the first game on overtime before getting run out of the Rockies by an 8-2 score. Although separated by 11 points in the NCHC standings both teams had goal differentials close to even, with WMU being the more high-event team.

This series has the makings of an upset, especially if Broncos’ netminder Trevor Gorsuch cannot turn around his late season malaise. Their most likely sources of offense are the undersized Hugh McGing (St. Louis) and senior Colt Conrad, playing for a contract. Wade Allison (Philadelphia) has the most breakout potential on the squad, but has had a very difficult season coming off a serious knee injury. A season ending hat trick may be a turning of the corner, but it has been so long since he powered WMU through the first half last season that we have to assume it was only a flash against an overmatched opponent until he proves us all wrong.

On the other side, we have a team in Colorado College that plays a fast paced game and in almost entirely made up of free agents, with only bottom six winger Christopher Wilkie (Florida) having an NHL team control his rights. Small winger Trey Bradley, son of Brian, has a high IQ, plays with pace, and has a fine offensive tool kit. They also have a talented all-situations defender in Bryan Yoon, who helps keep the puck moving in the right direction. Netminder Alex Leclerc is also worthy of a shout-out. At 5-10”, he is almost certain never to play at the highest levels in North America, but he does just fine at the collegiate level.

Prediction: Colorado College in three

#4 Denver vs #5 North Dakota

In the final matchup, featuring two recent national titlists, we have two teams who have struggled this year, but still have enough talent on hand to make a long run, both in the NCHC tournament, and at the NCAA tournament.

Both teams have experienced goaltending shakeups this year, with Denver’s top recruit Filip Larsson (Detroit) missing much of the early part of the year before returning to health and taking over the crease from Devin Cooley, who held his own during Larsson’s absence. North Dakota’s crease was also best by injuries. First, Peter Thome (Columbus) was hurt in the early going. Later, potential draftee Adam Scheel was hurt, likely for the remainder of the season, just as Thome was returning to health.

Among skaters, Denver was expecting to be led by its blueliners, including Ian Mitchell (Chicago), and Slava Demin (Vegas), but they will need strong performances up front by the likes of Lima Finlay, Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Calgary), Jarid Lukosevicius, and Cole Guttman (Tampa Bay). None of the four have much in the way of size, but they are opportunistic and can do some damage.

While Denver had five players with over 20 points, only Jordan Kawaguchi surpassed that mark for North Dakota. A number of the Fighting Hawks’ most highly touted recruits up front, including Gavin Hain (Philadelphia), Grant Mismash (Nashville), and Jasper Weatherby (San Jose) struggled, leaving the blueline to take up the slack, as three of the team’s top five scorers were defenders, including Matt Kiersted, Colton Poolman (Tucker’s brother and a very similar player), and Jacob Bernard-Docker (Ottawa). The last of those three has the makings of a future star at the collegiate level, even if his freshman year was already quite good.

Of the four games between these two teams this year, Denver won twice, North Dakota once and the teams tied in the other game. Considering that Denver’s goalies are now both healthy, while North Dakota will be without their more effective netminder, I give the Pioneers the edge, albeit in a low scoring fashion.

Prediction: Denver in three games

If the first round plays out as projected here, I would expect St. Cloud State to knock off Colorado College in the semifinals, while Denver enacts a mild upset of defending champs UMD. There will be no upset in the final as, unlike last year, when the Huskies fumbled a top seed in the conference tourney and then again in the NCAA tournament, SCSU will win the conference handily.

Dropping the puck on the 2018-19 NCAA season – Part 2 – Hockey East, NCHC, Big 10

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 17:54:50 +0000

In yesterday’s look at the NCAA season that is slowly cracking open. We touched upon the Atlantic 10, WCHA, and ECAC conferences. While national champions have come from the latter two conferences in recent years, there is no doubting that the strength of the collegiate game lies in the three conferences discussed here.

Hockey East

While some of the more well-known traditional powerhouses are based in the northeast, the vaunted Hockey east conference had a down year last season and seem to be in line for a repeat (in relative terms) this year. There are teams that were also-rans last year and who will likely continue to be league doormats this year. Chief among those is Vermont. Outside of leading scorer, who left school early to sign an ELC with Tampa, the majority of last year’s roster has returned, but the roster was not a strong one. There are three players who have been drafted by NHL clubs on the roster, but none has yet made a strong case that they are worthy of high-level professional careers after leaving the Catamounts. If there is a player to watch, it is junior captain Matt Alvaro, the leading returning scorer. Despite their conference schedule opener, in which they shut out Boston University by a 4-0 total, Merrimack will be in tough to be a factor as the year draws out. Defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic, a Winnipeg draft pick, plays a strong two-way game, but each of the top four point getters from last year have moved on and the team will need younger players to step up and contribute in ways they never have. The early season results are promising, but it is far too early to assume the growth is real. That said, netminder Craig Pantano was strong in partial duty last year and may be the type of unsung hero the Warriors need to stay competitive. New Hampshire used to be a staple at the NCAA conference, but they have been on the outside looking in for each of the last five years. Unlike the other bottom feeding systems, the Wildcats have a few impressive players available to them. Sharks’ pick Mike Robinson barely played last year as a freshman, but he seems to have a grip on the job early on and has performed well so far. Athletic Panthers’ prospect Max Gildon leads the blueline, and senior captain Marcus Vela (San Jose) is the center-piece of the offensive attack. Joining the attack will be veterans Ara Nazarian, Liam Blackburn, and Charlie Kelleher.

In the next rung of teams in Hockey East, we can look at UConn. Still a relative neophyte to the upper rungs, the Huskies are only in their fifth season in the conference, after migrating from the Atlantic. They are an interesting team in that the majority of their players of note are European-raised players, including their top two netminders, Adam Huska (NYR) and Tomas Vomacka (Nsh), blueliner Philip Nyberg (Buf), and forwards Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI) and Jachym Kondelik (Nsh). A few scoring forwards of note who have not been drafted include a pair of juniors in big Benjamin Freeman and Alexandre Payusov. A seeming concussion sustained by Iskhakov in the season’s second game could be a big setback to the team if he is unable to recover in a speedy fashion. The Maine Black Bears were seemingly ready to get back on the upswing, if not quite reach the heights that the program has in the past thirty years, which has seen them crowned NCAA champs twice, and reach seven other Frozen Fours. Unfortunately, days before the opening game, defender Patrick Holway, a Detroit pick, left the team due to unstated personal issues. In his absence, the team will lean more heavily on senior Rob Michel, the team captain, and sophomore Brady Keeper, both of whom have two-way bonafides. Up front, the team will rely on Detroit pick Chase Pearson to generate offense, and he will be joined by freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup, one of the top scorers in the USHL last year. More than anything, though, Maine’s hopes will rest on the crease work on Boston pick Jeremy Swayman, who was stellar as a freshman, earning Hockey East All-Rookie team honors and playing for Team USA in the WJC. He needs to be at least as good again for the school to have designs on a Tournament berth.

Next up are a couple of Massachusetts schools in UMass and UMass-Lowell. The UMass-Lowell River Hawks have been a solid contender ever since Norm Bazin took over the head coaching duties of a floundering program in 2011-12. They rarely get the press they deserve as they tend to lack in high profile, drafted players. With only four drafted players at present – only one of whom was taken before the sixth round, expect the team to be a sleeper again. Most of their top scorers return, led by Kenneth Hausinger, Ryan Dmowski, and Ryan Lohin (TB). The team has seen more turnover at the blueline, but Croix Evingson (Wpg) is slated to take a step forward, while Detroit pick Seth Barton has gotten his collegiate career off to a good start. Swedish puck mover Mattias Goransson could also garner NHL looks. Also, while Christoffer Hernberg had the lion’s share of the goaltending workload last year, Rangers pick Tyler Wall seems to have the coaches’ trust this time around. UMass Amherst does not have the recent success of Lowell to look back to, but they do have one of the top prospects in the collegiate game on the roster in Cale Makar (Col). The talented blueliner was strong last year, both as a freshman for the Minutemen as well as for Team Canada in the WJC, and should be even better this year, in what is likely his final season on campus. He is joined on the blueline by Mario Ferraro (SJ) and Marc Del Gaizo, both skilled puck movers. The forwards are less imposing as a group, but most of the big producers return from last year, led by Mitchell Chaffee, John Leonard (SJ), and Oliver Chau, who has missed the start of the season due to illness. A couple of exciting freshmen in Bobby Trivigno and Anthony Del Gaizo (Marc’s older brother), coming off strong USHL campaigns, make the team more of a scoring threat. Incumbent starting netminder Matt Murray returns, and he will be challenged by Finnish freshman Filip Lindberg.

Staying in the state of Massachusetts, powerhouses BC and BU have both gotten off to lousy starts to their respective seasons, but both have far too much talent up and down the roster not to expect brighter days ahead. Boston College may have the most deserved pessimism among the two, having scored only five goals in their first three games. Toronto pick Joseph Woll has as much talent as any collegiate netminder and he should keep the Eagles in most games, but he will need help. The most likely offensive presence is in the form of freshman Oliver Wahlstrom, a top draft pick of the Islanders and a pure sniper if such a beast exists. Another freshman with the burden of great expectations is Minnesota pick Jack McBain. Among returning forwards, Logan Hutsko (Fla), David Cotton (Car) and Graham McPhee (Edm) are the most consistent offensive threats. The talented and undersized Jacob Tortora could also take a step forward. The blueline lacks a true dynamic two-way threat, but Michael Karow (Ari) and Casey Fitzgerald (Buf) can both hold their own and Michael Kim is a good college player. Boston University also has a star between the pipes in Jake Oettinger, a former Dallas first rounder, who has been inconsistent, but with high end flashes in his collegiate career. The Terriers are deepest along the blueline, with five drafted players, all of whom deserve their high press. They are led by co-captain Dante Fabbro (Nsh), and supplemented by skill in David Farrance (Nsh) and Chad Krys (Chi), and more defensively centered defensemen, such as Cam Crotty (Ari) and Kasper Kotkansalo (Det). Up front, there are former first rounders including Shane Bowers (Col) and Joel Farabee (Phi) and later picks who are almost as talented in Patrick Harper (Nsh) and Jake Wise (Chi). Co-Captain Bobo Carpenter, a senior, has long been rumored to be a free agent contract beneficiary after graduation. While they have not done so yet, this team is chock full of players who can beat you on any given night.

Although Northeastern will no longer be able to rely on NCAA superstars Dylan Sikura or Adam Gaudette, they are still loaded with talent up and down the lineup and feature a stud netminder in Cayden Primeau (Mtl). An offensively inclined team, the attack includes assistance from the blueline in the form of Jeremy Davies (NJ), Ryan Shea (Chi), Eric Williams, and freshman Jordan Harris (Mtl). Even absent Gaudette and Sikura, the Huskies feature freshman Tyler Madden (Vancouver) and Matt Filipe (Car) up front, in addition to proven producers including Zach Solow, Brandon Hawkins, Grant Jozefek, and many more. In a conference full of outstanding goaltenders, it should be no surprise that our top ranked team, Providence, has one of their own in Hayden Hawkey (Edm), who is more than just a fantastic hockey name. Like with Northeastern, the Friars get a lot of offense from the blueline, led in their case by Jacob Bryson (Buf), Ben Mirageas (NYI) and Spenser Young. The Friars can also roll three solid scoring lines if everyone performs up to expectations. Philadelphia first rounder Jay O’Brien has been slow to start, but he should acclimate from the prep ranks to Hockey East in short order to take a place of prominence alongside player including Kasper Bjorkqvist (Pit), Brandon Duhaime (Min), Jack Dugan (Veg), Josh Wilkins, and Scott Conway. Any of the last four teams mentioned could feasibly end the year as Hockey East champions and pose legitimate title hopes. But if the last two seasons are any indication, they will have to prove they can hang with the titans from the Midwest.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference

For each of the past three seasons, when it came time to crown a national champion, the last team standing was a member of the NCHC conference. To give an idea at the depth of strength in this conference, the threepeat of sorts was accomplished by three different schools. One of those schools was not Miami University, although RedHawks were a finalist in 2009, their best ever finish. After three losing seasons, for them to threaten the powerhouses atop the conference once league play begins would be a shocker. Florida prospect Karch Bachman, one of the speedier players in the college ranks, may finally be ready to be a legitimate offensive contributor if his first few games are an indication. The team has some talent from the blueline as well, namely Grant Hutton, who is expected to have a few NHL options to choose from at the end of his senior season, and freshman Derek Daschke. The top new recruit though, and Miami’s big hope for the future, is Johnny Gruden, a top line player with the USNTDP last year and a fourth round pick by Ottawa. The team has a number of other solid players dotting the roster, but lacks much in the way of dynamic skill. A team with more higher end talent on the roster but a less cohesive team game is Nebraska-Omaha. Up front, there are offensively inclined forwards sch as Frederik Olofsson (Chicago), Steven Spinner (Washington) and Zach Jordan (watch out for this guy). Colorado pick Tyler Weiss should also be fun to watch, as he was often pigeon-holed into a bottom six role last year in the USNTDP, but his inherent skills suggest a higher ceiling. Pittsburgh draft pick Ryan Jones and Arizona pick Dean Stewart lead the blueline. Incumbent netminder Evan Weninger returns, but his position is not entrenched and Philadelphia prospect Matej Tomek will challenge after leaving North Dakota, where he never got a chance to play.

At this point, Western Michigan is probably also an underdog. Flyers’ prospect Wade Allison has dynamic scoring potential, and is one of, if not my absolute favorite player to watch in the college game, but he has not played since last January due to a lower body injury, and there are only rumors about the imminence of his eventual return. In his absence, St. Louis pick Hugh McGing will play a prominent role in the attack along with free agent Dawson DiPietro and Vegas pick Paul Cotter. Senior Colt Conrad is also auditioning for an NHL contract, after scoring at a point per game pace last year. From the blueline, the player to watch is Mattias Samuelsson, recently a second round pick of Buffalo’s. As he is more of a defensive defenseman, watch for smaller Cam Lee to add to the offense from behind. The squad will need more steadiness in net than they have received of late to launch a strong challenge for postseason play. Colorado College is a team on the rise, but it may be a year too soon to put them near the top. After four seasons with no more than eight victories, they took off with 15 wins last year, and should breach a .500 record this year with continued development from some of their key contributors. Netminder Alex Leclerc is too small to garner NHL interest, but is a very good collegiate goalie. Up front, Florida pick Chris Wilkie is ready to contribute after sitting out last season as a transfer. He joins a quarter of talented upperclassmen in Nicholas Halloran, Mason Bergh, Trey Bradley, and Westin Michaud. I also have my eyes on freshmen Benjamin Copeland and Erik Middendorf, both of whom were overlooked at the draft last year after strong seasons in the USHL. Although the forwards drive the Tigers’ attack, the defensive corps is not without talent, particularly in the forms of Kristian Blumenschein, and Benjamin Israel.

Three years removed from a championship, the North Dakota team that takes the ice today bears little resemblance to the title team. The only players of note with ties to the title are Dallas pick Rhett Gardner, a beefy two-way forward, and Hayden Shaw, a smaller, reliable and non-flashy defender. Hope and indeed expectations for continued contention is drawn from the Fighting Hawks’ recent recruiting classes. The blueline is receiving a talent injection from freshmen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonny Tychonick, who were ironically both drafted early by Ottawa last June. They join Colton Poolman, whose game is very reminiscent of brother Tucker’s. Versatile forward Grant Mismash, a Nashville pick, is expected to take his game up a notch up front. The team also needs to figure out which of Adam Scheel or Peter Thome (Clb) will take over as the starter from the departed Cam Johnson. Denver has more connections to their recent title, but now that Dylan Gambrell and Henrik Borgstrom have both turned pro, the core has changed. The team still has the makings of a contender though, with dynamic defender Ian Mitchell (Chi) set to be the main attraction. He is joined by a couple of freshmen blueliners of whom greatness is expected in Slava Demin (Veg) and Sean Comrie. Up front, the team will have to take a committee approach to scoring, as there is skill, but little of it is truly high end. There is a trio of drafted freshmen who could be better than anticipated in Cole Guttman (TB), Mathias Emilio Pettersen (Cgy), and Brett Stapley (Mtl). They join big game hero Jarid Lukosevicius. As with North Dakota, the Pioneers have to answers questions in net, as heralded recruit Filip Larsson is out indefinitely and Devin Cooley, who has taken the reins to start the season, is largely unproven.

The best hope for a fourth different NCHC championship in four seasons is St. Cloud State, which was actually the top ranked team in the country heading into the playoffs last year. There are teams in this conference with more NHL-bound talent than at St. Cloud State, but the Huskies do not lack in that regards either, while they fill in at the edges with a high caliber of support player. Former Montreal first rounder Ryan Poehling is ready to take the next step offensively and breach one point per game. Helping him to fill the nets are Patrick Newell, Robby Jackson, Blake Lizotte, and Easton Brodzinski. The blueline is similarly deep and skilled, led by tiny Jack Ahcan, Nick Perbix (TB), Jon Lizotte (no relation to Blake) and Jimmy Schuldt, who surprised many by ignoring the lure of the NHL after his junior season. Finally, in net, the team is equally comfortable going with David Hrenak (LA) or Jeffrey Smith, both of whom have displayed the ability to stop pucks at an above average rate in the NCAA. Of course, the NCHC could easily claim another title from a repeat champion. Last year’s champions, Minnesota-Duluth, were not expected to make a strong push, as they had a very young roster and were widely thought to be a season or two way from their “window”. Amazingly, only three of their top ten scorers from last year are gone. The blueline returns three sophomores who both spent time on the American WJC squad in Scott Perunovich (StL), Mikey Anderson (LA), and Dylan Samberg (Wpg). Netminder Hunter Shepard is still anonymous, despite his workhorse status on last year’s title run. Up front, former Dallas first rounder Riley Tufte is overdue to breakthrough, as he has been slowly refining his game to the point where he is nearly unstoppable down low. Helping out with the attack will be Peter Krieger, Nick Swaney (Min), and freshman Noah Cates (Phi). This year’s Bulldogs may be even better than last year’s champs.

Big 10

While last season saw the NCHC claim the crown for the third year in a row, it should not be forgotten that each of the other three teams in the Frozen Four came out of the Big 10. Of course, Michigan State was not one of those teams. The Spartans are now 11 years removed from their most recent title. They should see their wins total grow for the third year running, but are still not quite a challenger. They return nine of their top ten scorers from last year and Taro Hirose, Mitch Lewandowski, and Patrick Khodorenko are expected to lead the team once again. As promising as that trio is, it is unclear where the secondary scoring will come from. Starting netminder John Lethemon is good enough to keep MSU in games, but should not be expected to steal too many. After the Spartans, any team could reasonably reach the NCAA tournament, but some are less likely than others. Next up would probably have to be Penn State. It is easy to forget that the Nittany Lions have only been back in the NCAA for six seasons. Most of their top scorers from last year are returning, but the talent level is still something short of dynamic. Chicago pick Evan Barratt could be ready for the next step and Colorado pick Denis Smirnov is probably the most talented of the bunch. Upperclassmen Chase Berger, Brandon Biro, and Nathan Sucese are auditioning for NHL scouts and are productive, if not necessarily exciting players. The blueline is a relative weakspot, led as it is by Cole Hults (LA) and Kris Myllari. In net, Peyton Jones has had a nice career thus far, but it is unclear that he can be anything more than adequate at this level.

Since a pair of Frozen Four appearances earlier in the decade, Minnesota has been a bit of a hit-or-miss team. Last year saw a bit of both, but without second leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt on the team, the Golden Gophers could struggle once again to get back to the top. As always, they are exceptional recruiters, with this year’s star freshmen including Blake McLaughlin (Ana), Sampo Ranta (Col), and the draft eligible blueliner Benjamin Brinkman. Some of the returning players who could be critical include forwards Rem Pitlick (Nsh), Scott Reedy (SJ), Thomas Novak (Nsh), Brent Gates (Ana), and Tyler Sheehy along with blueliners Clayton Phillips (Pit), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (TB), and Tyler Nanne (NYR). In the early going it seems that last year’s backup netminder, Mat Robson, has surpassed former starter Eric Schierhorn. If Robson can maintain his performance over the full season such as he has in a part time role, the Gophers could be better than expected. The talent is here, but it needs to come together. Put anther way, Minnesota’s talent with Penn State’s structure could be a front runner. Wisconsin won 20 games in 2016-17 after combining for 12 victories in the two seasons prior, eliciting visions of grandeur. Unfortunately, the team sunk back down to 14 wins last year, prompting a rethink of the team’s standing. The Badgers are a team whose strength is on the blueline with five drafted players – all underclassmen - taking charge. Returning from last year are the physical Tyler Inamoto (Fla), the quiet puck mover Josh Ess (Chi), and offensively inclined puck rusher Wyatt Kalynuk (Phi). Joining them this season are a pair of USNTDP grads in checker Ty Emberson (Ari) and the dynamic K’Andre Miller (NYR), who has superstar potential. Veteran Peter Tischke rounds out the blueline corps. Up front, Wisconsin is not as exciting, but Sean Dhooghe, among the smallest high level players I have ever watched is a joy. Linus Weissbach (Buf) and Max Zimmer (Car) look like they will contribute and I have reasonably optimistic expectations of Tarek Baker as well. Like much of the conference, the Badgers are unsettled in net.

Notre Dame has been to the Frozen Four for both of the last two seasons, but the graduation of Jake Evans, the school’s number three scorer since the turn of the century, will have an impact. That said, the Fighting Irish are constantly restocking, so the team should be a strong competitor once more. Cale Morris was exception in net last year, winning the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in the nation and will still be very good even if he takes a step back. Big Andrew Peeke (Clb) and mobile Matthew Hellickson (NJ) make a strong start to the blueline while veteran Bobby Nardella along with new recruit Spencer Stastney (Nsh) look like a good second pairing with two way capability. The top players up front include Callahan Burke, Cam Morrison (Col), and Dylan Malmquist. Even big Joe Wegwerth can overcome his stiff hands by being a tank in the opposing crease. Freshmen Jacob Pivonka (NYI), Graham Slaggert, and Alex Steeves could also go a long way to giving the Irish attack the needed depth to succeed. Ohio State does not have the flashy names that dot the rosters of most of the rest of the Big 10, but they have talent up and down the team and can win in many ways. They seem to be using a rotation in net, with both incumbent starter Sean Romeo and the younger Tommy Nappier in line to play a good amount. None of their key blueliners have been drafted, but any of Wyatt Ege, Grant Gabriele, Matt Miller, Gordi Myer, or Sasha Larocque can hurt you. There is a smattering of NHL interest up front, such as power forward Dakota Joshua (Tor), playmaker Carson Meyer (Clb) who transferred from Miami, smaller dynamo Mason Jobst and Hobey Baker candidate Tanner Taczynski (Phi). I could go on, but that might be enough to get back to the Frozen Four.

As good as Notre Dame and Ohio State are, not to mention Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Penn State, if the Michigan Wolverines get even halfway decent work in net, they could be the best team in the country. Quinn Hughes was a top ten pick last year by Vancouver and is as dynamic as blueliners get. This will be his last tune-up before moving to the NHL. First line center Josh Norris had a fine freshman season and then was one of the main pieces moving from San Jose to Ottawa in the Erik Karlsson trade. Will Lockwood (Van) is healthy again and provides an agitating, skilled presence. The Pastujov brothers, Nick (NYI) and Michael, provide strength and skill up front. Minnesota pick Nicholas Boka is a talented puck mover from the blueliner who can get the puck moving in the right direction when Hughes is catching his breath. Luke Martin (Car) and Joseph Cecconi (Dal) has shutdown qualities. Brendan Warren (Phi) can contribute offense while playing the tough minutes up front. Moving down the lineup there are other surprises in store as well. Ohio State may be a safer bet, but Michigan has the best chance among any team in the nation, to dominate any given night.

USHL Playoff Preview: New format, wild results

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 20:21:45 +0000

Looking to add more drama to its postseason, this season is the first in which the USHL has extended the playoffs through the addition of a best-of-three wildcard round, adding two teams to the festivities from each conference. Whereas the league had previously included only the top four from each conference in the playoffs, this year, the fifth and sixth teams received an extra chance as well.

The new setup sees the top two teams from each conference receive a bye week while the third through sixth teams played up to three games in three nights, all at the home arena of the higher ranked squad.

Perhaps in opposition to expectations, the wild card round saw three upsets in its four series. In the Eastern conference, third seed Muskegon fell in three games to sixth seed and defending champions, Chicago, a series capped by a game three overtime winner. Meanwhile, the fifth seed, Dubuque, won the first two games in Green Bay, negating the need for a winner-take-all finale.

In the Western Conference, third seed Fargo eliminated sixth seed Tri-City in short order, winning their two games by a combined score of 8-1. Fourth seed Sioux Falls feel to fifth seed Lincoln in three games. Like with the Muskegon-Chicago series, the home team won the first game, before dropping the next two, with the finale going to overtime.

The Conference semifinals begin tonight (Friday, April 20, 2018) with Youngstown hosting Dubuque, with the other three series beginning tomorrow evening.

Eastern Conference

Team USA (1) vs Chicago Steel (6)

This matchup may not be the mismatch the seeds suggest that it is. During the regular season, Team USA’s league games are effectively split between the USNTDP U17 and U18 squads. This arrangement was great for development, but usually pretty bad for the standings. Since rejoining the USHL in 2009-10, the USNTDP split team has only reached the postseason twice, and not since the 2011—12 season. Of the players who led this team during the regular season. Most of the top contributors will be unavailable for the postseason, as the bulk of the U18 squad, and some of the better U17 players, are currently in Russia representing flag and country at the World Under 18 Championships.

The leftover players are still very talented on the whole, but lacking in high impact. The players most likely to push the USNTDP onward are 2019 draft prospects Ryder Rolston, Matthew Boldy, and Trevor Zegras up front, and Henry Thrun from the blueline. All three forwards were point per game players in the regular season and are potential high end prospects for next year.

Jack Dugan, photo by Hickling Images.

The Steel are led by one of the top drafted prospects in the league in Jack Dugan, a Vegas pick and one of the best non USNTDP draft prospects for this year in Blake McLaughlin. The two made up two-thirds of a great top line over the first half of the season, but were split up around mid-season after a coach firing reminiscent of what took place in Flint of the OHL last year. They also have a very promising 2019 prospect of their own in Robert Mastrosimone. Steel games have been high event games this year. Only the USNTDP has scored more and no other playoff team (including the ousted wild-card entrants) have surrendered more. That said, if they stick with Finnish import Oskar Autio in net, they have a very good chance of getting to the conference finals.

Blake McLaughlin.

Draft eligible players to watch: For Chicago, pay attention to Blake McLaughlin. After exploding in the first half of the season, his production slowed measurably in the second half, but he scored twice in the wild card round. He is a dark horse pick in the late first round or early second round. For the US squad, Erik Middendorf is one of a select few who were not taken to Russia for the WU18 tournament. He is a decent two-way player who can skate. The Colorado College commit could be taken in the seventh round if he shows some offensive punch here.

Prediction: As they played Autio throughout the wild card round, I expect the status quo to remain for the best of five here. Chicago in five.

Youngstown Phantoms (2) vs Dubuque Fighting Saints (5)

Representing Exhibit A in why the Western Conference was the stronger one this year, both combatants here surrendered more goals than they scored this year, not something you would expect from a playoff team, much less the second seed from the East. Both teams have veteran rosters, with Dubuque bringing more size, although Youngstown plays a rougher game. The Phantoms somewhat make up for the time they spend in the penalty box by having a fairly strong penalty kill. Dubuque has been much more mediocre when it comes to special teams this year.

Alex Steeves

The Fighting Saints could have been much stronger this year, as their rosters includes three players drafted by NHL teams in Casey Staum (Mtl), Cole Guttman (TB) and Santeri Virtanen (Wpg). Unfortunately, injuries have meant that Dubuque has spent the majority of the season without any of the three and are not expected to have those players now either. Their offensive attack will be spearheaded by forwards Quinn Preston and Alex Steeves, the latter of whom is draft eligible. Joshua Maniscalco, a former USNTDP member, has been very productive from the blueline as well. Their goaltending looks to be a weakspot, despite Cole Weaver’s great work in shutting down Green Bay in the Wild Card round.

The Phantoms have more offensive weapons at their disposal, including Matthew Berry, Chase Gresock, and Michael Regush. They lack much offensive punch from their defensive corps, although midseason acquisition Michael Callahan has provided solid puck movement. The teams’ biggest strength, however comes from their stoppers. They likely expected to have Chicago draft pick Wouter Peeters claim the starters job this year – and he has been pretty good - but Russian import Ivan Prosvetov has been even better. No matter which netminder they choose for the playoffs, they will have a clear edge over Dubuque in the crease.

Curtis Hall. Photo by Hickling Images/courtesy of the USHL.

Draft eligible players to watch: From Dubuque, it can only be Alexander Steeves. The Notre Dame commit has a big engine and real offensive juice. The team’s leading scorer (seventh league-wide) always wants the puck on his stick and knows what to do when he gets it. From Youngstown, the pre-season pick would have been Curtis Hall, but he has shown that his lack of puck skill severely limits his upside. My personal favorite here is the goalie Prosvetov, who can absolutely dominate at his best. But he may not get the nod as Peeters is also very good. So I will pick Michael Callahan. He is not an exciting prospect, but the Providence commit does a lot of things quietly well.

Prediction: Youngstown in four. Between the top notch goaltending and the more diverse offensive attack, they will be tough to beat, especially under the assumption that Dubuque continues to play shorthanded.

Western Conference

Waterloo Black Hawks (1) vs Lincoln Stars (5)

The Waterloo-Lincoln series should be closer than the two teams’ relative place in the USHL standings would suggest. They both scored a hair under 200 goals on the season, although Waterloo has a team-level GAA of around 0.25 better. A factor that should play a role here is special teams play. Both teams are strong on the penalty kill, with Lincoln’s 84.7% kill rate coming second in the USHL. Waterloo, at 83.8% was not far behind. On the power play, however, the Black Hawks more than make up for the shortcoming when down a man. They had the league’s second best man advantage, scoring 23.6% of the time. Lincoln could only convert on 15.6% of their power plays.

That Waterloo power play was a result of some strong offensive talent. Draft eligible Jack Drury is by far the league’s top power play producer with 12 goals and 22 assists coming on the man advantage. The team captain sees the ice well and knows how to take advantage of the extra space a power play brings. Speedy Ben Copeland, veteran Jackson Cates and midseason addition Benjamin Finkelstein (Fla) make them hard to stop.

The goalie battle is also strong here. Both teams feature drafted goalies, on the roster with Matej Tomek (Phi) playing for Waterloo and Tomas Vomacka (Nsh) for Lincoln, but there is no guarantee that either of the latter get the nod. In the wild-card round, the Stars went with normal backup Derek Schaedig, after a rough outing in game one by Vomacka. The Black Hawks also have Jared Moe, one of the better draft eligible goalies in the league pushing Tomek for playing time.

Paul Cotter

Draft Eligible Players to Watch: From Waterloo, pay attention to Drury. His offensive output has been fantastic and has the requisite hockey IQ expected from a legacy player (Son of Ted Drury) and Harvard commit. The question hanging over his prospect value is whether he can produce enough at even strength. From Lincoln, keep an eye on Paul Cotter, who scored the overtime winner in game 3 of the wild card round. He is a good skater with a nice shot and outstanding questions about his upside.

Prediction: Waterloo in four. Lincoln is the most penalized team in the league, with a gap of 129 minutes between them and the runners-up. That will really hurt them as the Black Hawks can take advantage, and will take advantage, over and over again, presuming Lincoln continues to play their brand of hockey.

Omaha Lancers (2) vs Fargo Force (3)

This series promises to be the exact inverse of the above-discussed matchup of Team USA and the Chicago Steel. While the other series should be full of end-to-end rushes, and blaring goal sirens, Omaha vs Fargo is a matchup of the two stingiest teams in the league. Fargo surrendered 133 goals on the season, while Omaha allowed only 143. Both teams enter hot, with Fargo having won five in a row and nine of ten, while Omaha is riding an eight game winning streak.

The goaltending on both sides is stellar. The expected starter for Omaha, Zach Driscoll, finished second in the league with a .934 save percentage. Fargo’s Strauss Mann came in third, at .932. Should, for any reason, either team need to turn to its backup, Fargo’s Ryan Bischel came in fifth in save percentage and Omaha’s Vincent Purpura finished eighth. Omaha’s offensive attack is led by undersized Czech veteran Filip Suchy, who came in second in league scoring with 69 points. Noah Cates (Phi) and Cole Gallant also both finished with over 50 points. Cates, in particular, is a talented player of the puck. Fargo only had one 50 point scoring in Grant Hebert, but Danish import Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup would have also reached that plateau were it not for time missed for the WJC and a subsequent injury. Fargo also has a number of defensemen who can contribute to the attack, including Ty Farmer, Spencer Meir, and Robbie Stucker (Clb).

Both teams are good on the PK, sharing identical 83.5% kill rate. On the power play, we see some separation. Omaha was very good this year, scoring on 19% of their man up opportunities. Fargo, on the other hand, put everyone to shame, with a USHL high 24.5% power play success rate. Neither team is overly penalty prone, though, so this element may be diminished in significance during this series.

Draft Eligible Players to Watch: Fargo has an older roster on the whole, without any first time eligible players of note. That said, 20 year old Danish winger Schmidt-Svejstrup turned a lot of heads with his goal scoring exploits at the beginning of the season. He lacks pace and likes to fly the zone early, but he knows how to get himself into scoring position. He finished the season with 26 goals in 40 games. On Omaha, Ryan Savage had the most pre-season hype, but has been largely disappointing. Defenseman Travis Mitchell plays a muscular, disruptive style on the blueline, and could be a late round pick, but the real player to watch is left winger Jack Randl. The Michigan commit has promising offensive touch and will be relied upon in the second wave of attack for the Lancers.

Prediction: This is the closest matchup of the round. Omaha wins in five, thanks to better offensive depth. Lots of close, one goal (or two, with the latter being an empty netter) decisions.

Should the first round proper prediction play out, the Conference finals will pit Waterloo against Omaha in the West and Youngstown against Chicago in the East. In that scenario, I see Omaha shutting down Waterloo and Youngstown outscoring Chicago to set up a Clark Cup matchup between Omaha and Youngstown. In this battle of second seeds, Omaha proves the old adage that “defense wins championships” and brings home their eighth Clark Cup championship, and their first since 2007-08.