Zane McIntyre – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (February 26th to March 3rd) – Matthews at the center of Maple Leafs run – Favourable schedules and players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:00:03 +0000

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 26: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) chases the play during the regular season NHL game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on April 26, 2022 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.(Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire)

The Maple Leafs haven’t just won their last six games, they’ve outscored their competition an incredible 33-14 over that span. At the center of that run has been Auston Matthews, who’s provided 10 goals and 13 points over his past five contests. That gives him 52 goals and 76 points through 55 outings in 2023-24.

There was a time when Sam Reinhart was challenging Matthews for the goal-scoring lead, but Matthews’ edge in that battle has jumped to 13 goals. Not only did Matthews reach the 50-goal milestone before any other player hit 40, but there are still just 10 other skaters with at least 30 tallies this year.

Even after factoring in the Toronto game Matthews was unavailable for, the star forward is on pace for 76 markers. If he could actually do that, it would leave him in a four-way tie for fifth in the all-time single-season goal-scoring list. Along the way, he would also become the first player to reach the 70-goal mark since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny in 1992-93.

Of course, his pace has been skewed by his recent hot streak, but part of what makes Matthews impressive is how consistent he is. Dating back to Dec. 2, Matthews hasn’t had a goal drought last longer than two games (Dec. 30-Jan. 2, Jan. 13-14), and he’s provided at least one marker in 12 of his last 15 appearances.

It'll be exciting to see what he can do over the final weeks of the campaign and his pursuit of the 70-goal milestone adds an interesting wrinkle to a Hart Trophy conversation that’s been largely dominated by Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon, who are leading the Art Trophy race with 95 points (36 goals) and 93 points (34), respectively.

Arizona Coyotes - TUE @ MTL, THU @ TOR, FRI @ OTT (BTB), SUN @ WSH

The Coyotes are on the road next week and are set to play in Montreal on Tuesday, Toronto on Thursday, Ottawa on Friday and Washington on Sunday. Although an extended road trip is far from ideal, three of those four adversaries are well outside a playoff spot.

Arizona has lost 11 straight games, so it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that there aren’t many Coyotes players who have looked great recently. That said, it’s worth keeping an eye on Dylan Guenther. With the team focused on the future, the 20-year-old is serving on the first line and top power-play unit, leading to him averaging 18:17 of ice time, including 4:39 with the man advantage, over his past four contests. He hasn’t been good, but not great so far, providing six goals and 11 points across 19 outings this season, but given his high-end offensive upside, and the choice minutes he’s been receiving, Guenther has the potential to finish the campaign on a high note.

At the other end of the spectrum, veteran forward Jason Zucker has seen his role fade, to the point where he’s logged just 10:47 per game over his last three appearances, compared to his season average of 14:06. Although the Coyotes are likely to shop him ahead of the deadline, his $5.3 million cap hit might scare off contenders, and even if he does get moved, his new team likely wouldn’t use him as more than a third liner. Zucker has had periods this campaign where he’s performed well enough to be worth utilizing in fantasy, but only managers in particularly deep leagues should be using him at this time.

On the goaltending front, Connor Ingram has been dealing with an undisclosed injury, but based on his original 7-10 day timetable from Feb. 14, he should be about ready to return. The 26-year-old goaltender has been one of the bright spots for Arizona this campaign with a 17-13-2 record, 2.76 GAA and .912 save percentage across 35 outings. He’d be worth starting in fantasy on any night next week except for Thursday versus Toronto.

Dallas Stars - MON VS NYI, TUE @ COL (BTB), THU VS WPG, SAT VS SJS

The Stars will play in Colorado on Tuesday, but outside of that, they’ll be at home, hosting matches against the Islanders on Monday, the Jets on Thursday and the Sharks on Saturday. It’s one of the tougher schedules I’m highlighting, but Stars players will at least get plenty of opportunities to make an impact next week with four games ahead of them.

This hasn’t been a great campaign for Jake Oettinger, who has a 20-10-4 record, 2.98 GAA and .902 save percentage through 35 contests and he’s been particularly rough recently, allowing 10 goals on 65 shots (.846 save percentage) over his past three games. Scott Wedgewood, who has a 13-6-4 record, 2.97 GAA and .899 save percentage in 13 outings, isn’t an ideal alternative, but perhaps the backup goaltender will get some additional work next week so Oettinger can rest and regroup. If nothing else, Wedgewood should start either Monday or Tuesday. If he gets the Avalanche assignment, then it would be best to avoid him, but the Islanders are in a three-way tie for 21st offensively with 2.93 goals per game, so that would be a favorable adversary for the backup goaltender.

Goaltending hasn’t been Dallas’ only problem. The Stars have also been held to just two goals over their last two contests. Joe Pavelski has done alright in that span, providing a goal and an assist. He went through a slump from Jan. 23-Feb. 19 in which he was limited to four assists across 10 games, but the veteran forward seems to be heating up again. Even at the age of 39, he’s one of Dallas’ top performers with 20 goals and 48 points in 58 appearances.

Jamie Benn has also managed to stand out during the Stars’ recent struggles, supplying an assist in each of his last three games. He has just nine goals and 33 points through 58 outings this season, which is a major step down from his 78-point 2022-23 campaign. However, he’s been playing alongside Pavelski at even strength and serves on the top power-play unit, so Benn is in a position to be productive down the stretch.

Edmonton Oilers - MON VS LAK, WED VS STL, SAT @ SEA, SUN @ PIT (BTB)

Edmonton will host the Kings and the Blues on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. After that, the Oilers will travel to Seattle on Saturday and Pittsburgh on Sunday. LA and St. Louis are having decent, but not amazing campaigns while Seattle and Pittsburgh are behind in the battle for a wild-card spot.

The good times for Stuart Skinner appear to be behind him. He’s posted a 2-2-1 record, 4.20 GAA and .863 save percentage over his past five games, making this his worst stretch since his early season struggles. While Skinner still might shake this off and get hot again, this might create an opening for Jack Campbell, who has been paying his dues with AHL Bakersfield, to get a fresh opportunity. The veteran netminder has a .919 save percentage over his last 12 AHL appearances, so he’s settled down and would be worth keeping a close eye on if Edmonton calls him up.

While goaltending is something of a question mark for the Oilers, their offense is as strong as ever. Connor McDavid has been leading the charge as usual, providing an unreal 14 assists over his last five games alone. Meanwhile, Corey Perry seems to be fitting in with the Oilers, supplying three goals and four points over his past four contests. He hasn’t seen much power-play ice time, but he has shared the ice with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at even strength.

Perry should be a good pickup for as long as he’s seeing time on either of the top two lines, but you’ll want to continue to monitor that situation. Edmonton might still add another skilled forward before the March 8 deadline, and if they do, then Perry might shift to serving primarily on the third unit, which would significantly hurt his fantasy value.

Florida Panthers - TUE VS BUF, THU VS MTL, SAT @ DET

The Panthers are one of the rare teams I’m covering with just three scheduled games, but they’re well-positioned to win all three contests. They’ll host the Sabres and the Canadiens on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before heading to Detroit for a match on Saturday. Of those adversaries, the Red Wings are the only ones still with playoff aspirations.

Florida has won 10 of its last 12 games, but the Panthers were dealt a potentially massive blow Thursday when Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk were forced to exit the match due to undisclosed injuries. At the time of writing, it’s not clear how significant those injuries are, but those are two key players for the Panthers.

If Tkachuk, who has 20 goals and 65 points through 57 games, is forced to miss time then William Lockwood will likely draw into the lineup for the first time since Jan. 19 and play regularly. The 25-year-old would serve primarily on the fourth line, so he wouldn’t at all be directly replacing Tkachuk, but Lockwood is a good source of hits when he is in the lineup, so he’s worthy of note in very specific fantasy circumstances.

We might also see Evan Rodrigues shift into a top-six role and move up to the first power-play unit if Tkachuk is unavailable. That would be a meaningful boost for Rodrigues, who has eight goals and 33 points through 57 appearances in 2023-24.

Forsling has eight goals and 27 points in 56 contests this season, but he’s only used sparingly with the man advantage, so his absence wouldn’t meaningfully impact the Panthers in that regard. In terms of even-strength minutes, though, we might see Oliver Ekman-Larsson asked to do significantly more. Josh Mahura would also likely start playing regularly after spending Florida’s past two contests as a healthy scratch.

Minnesota Wild - TUE VS CAR, THU @ NSH, SAT @ STL, SUN VS SJS (BTB)

Minnesota will host the Hurricanes on Tuesday, and then the Wild will have a two-game road trip with games in Nashville on Thursday and St. Louis on Saturday. They’ll conclude the week with a home contest versus the Sharks. Carolina is a tough opponent, but the Predators and the Blues are middle-of-the-road squads while San Jose is near the bottom of the pack.

With a 26-24-6 record, the Wild are running out of time to prove to management that they shouldn’t be sellers at the deadline. If they’re able to convince the front office of that, it will be thanks in large part to the efforts of their top line.

Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy are three of the hottest forwards in the league. Kaprizov is on a six-game scoring streak in which he’s provided five goals and 14 points. Over the same span, Eriksson Ek has supplied seven goals and 13 points while Boldy has contributed four goals and 11 points. Minnesota has gone from 17-20-5 on Jan. 13 to 26-24-6 at the time of writing, which is a significant climb, but the Wild are still on the outside looking in on the wild-card race. The Wild have little margin for error, which might serve to further motivate that star trio.

If Minnesota does start selling, though, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will likely be among those moved. The 39-year-old is having a rough campaign with an 11-10-3 record, 2.96 GAA and .897 save percentage across 27 contests, but contenders will appreciate the added goaltending depth he can provide coupled with the wealth of playoff experience he brings to the table. It’s worth monitoring the situation because, with a strong team playing in front of him, Fleury might have some use down the stretch, although his playing time will likely be limited.

Should the Wild deal Fleury and write off this campaign, it will be interesting to see if they give Jesper Wallstedt another shot. He had a disastrous introduction to the NHL, allowing seven goals on 34 shots to Dallas on Jan. 10, but that’s obviously a small sample size and the 21-year-old is a highly regarded goaltending prospect, so it might be worth it to give him some starts down the stretch to provide him with more NHL experience. Alternatively, if the Wild believe his development is better served remaining with AHL Iowa, then veteran journeyman Zane McIntyre might finish the campaign with Minnesota. In that scenario, Filip Gustavsson would likely be leaned on massively down the stretch, as would McIntyre in Iowa.

New Jersey Devils - TUE @ SJS, FRI @ ARI, SUN @ LAK

The Devils will spend the week on the road, playing against the Sharks on Tuesday, the Coyotes on Friday and the Kings on Sunday. Although they’re playing in just three games, Anaheim and San Jose rank 30th and 31st, respectively, in the standings, which makes Devils players especially appealing next week.

Nico Daws has allowed 11 goals over his past two games, bringing him down to 6-8-0 with a 3.32 GAA and .895 save percentage through 14 appearances this season. Vitek Vanecek (lower body) might return soon, but he has a 17-9-3 record, 3.18 GAA and .890 save percentage in 32 contests, so he’s hardly an ideal alternative.

New Jersey will likely make a strong push to get a goaltender before the deadline. Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom seems like one possibility, provided he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a trade. If they get him or another netminder, then Daws will likely be sent to the minors while Vanecek, who is in the second season of his three-year, $10.2 million contract, would be relegated to the backup role.

At least the Devils have a strong forward corps. Tyler Toffoli isn’t the headliner of it, but he’s certainly a noteworthy component. The 31-year-old is on a four-game scoring streak (two goals, four points), which brings him up to 24 goals and 39 points in 55 contests this season. Jack Hughes is also dialled in with three goals and six points over his past six appearances.

Ottawa Senators - MON @ WSH, TUE @ NSH (BTB), FRI VS ARI, SAT @ PHI (BTB)

Ottawa will open the week with road contests versus the Capitals on Monday and the Predators on Tuesday. The Senators will then host the Coyotes on Friday before playing in Philadelphia on Saturday. None of those opponents is high-end, though Nashville still has playoff aspirations while Philadelphia is currently in a reasonably secure position in the battle for a postseason berth.

The Senators won’t make the playoffs, but that won’t be for lack of trying on the part of Claude Giroux. The 36-year-old forward is on a seven-game scoring streak in which he’s collected three goals and nine points. That gives him 18 goals and 51 points through 54 outings in 2023-24. Giroux’s three-year, $19.5 million contract runs through 2024-25, and he has a no-movement clause, so he’s unlikely to be traded before the deadline, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s any temptation there for him to reevaluate his plans. He’s never won a Cup, and Ottawa might not be able to provide him with a great shot at a serious playoff run before his contract is up.

Still, that’s a decision Giroux is more likely to make next season. Instead, Vladimir Tarasenko, who is playing through a one-year, $5 million deal, is far more likely to be moved in the coming weeks. It is worth noting that he has a full no-trade clause, so Tarasenko will have a lot of sway over where he goes. The 32-year-old winger has 15 goals and 37 points over 52 contests this season and would be a great middle-six forward for most contenders.

As Ottawa sells and looks toward the future, Ridly Greig might also start playing an expanded role. The 21-year-old has nine goals and 21 points in 44 outings while averaging 14:27 of ice time, including a modest 0:43 with the man advantage. In particular, that power-play time might expand down the stretch, which could aid Greig in finishing the campaign on a positive note.

Washington Capitals - MON VS OTT, TUE @ DET (BTB), FRI VS PHI, SUN VS ARI

The Capitals will spend most of the week at home, hosting Ottawa on Monday, Philadelphia on Friday and Arizona on Sunday. The Capitals will also have a brief excursion to Detroit for a contest Tuesday. The Senators and the Coyotes are set to be sellers at the deadline, making them the more vulnerable of the Capitals’ upcoming adversaries.

Alex Ovechkin was limited to just six goals and 20 points across his first 33 games in 2023-24, but that rough stretch is well behind him. First, he provided an impressive two goals and seven points through six games from Dec. 30-Jan. 11, then the 38-year-old truly caught fire starting on Jan. 24, contributing eight goals and 14 points over his past 10 appearances.

Ovechkin’s resurgence isn’t shocking -- he always seems to find a way to bounce back when people start writing him off -- but Connor McMichael’s recent success is eyebrow-raising. The 23-year-old has supplied four tallies over his last two games and five goals in his past four appearances. That brings him up to 12 goals and 22 points through 53 contests this campaign. It helps that he’s been playing in a somewhat expanded role recently, averaging 16:11 of ice time over his past eight contests compared to 15:07 prior to that point. Keep an eye on him because while McMichael has been somewhat slow to establish himself in the NHL, he does have serious potential.

It's not all good news for Washington, though. T.J. Oshie sustained a lower-body injury Thursday. If he ends up missing time, then Sonny Milano might serve in an expanded role. Milano has five goals and 10 points in 26 contests, including two points over three games since returning from his own injury.

NHL Prospect Watch: Boston Bruins

Ryan Wagman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 13:28:39 +0000

Although not quite to the same extreme, the Boston Bruins have built their system similarly to the Chicago Blackhawks in that they heavily scout and draft players who are destined to play in college. Last season, 11 Bruins prospects were playing NCAA hockey, while another pair were spending an extra year in the USHL, the largest NCAA-feeder league. At the recent draft, as if to reiterate that this element of organizational philosophy had not changed under relatively new GM Don Sweeney, they took a college player in the first round and drafted three other college-bound amateurs among their six total picks.

A great example of this philosophy can be seen in 2015 second rounder Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (also known as JFK), who was selected out of the Omaha program in the USHL. A Swedish import, JFK had shown marked improvement in his two years in the USHL, including reasonably good showings above his age group for his home country. He was a point per game player in his draft year with a strong reputation for two-way play. Since his selection by the Bruins, the rangy center has matriculated at local Boston University, where the head office can very easily keep tabs on a player who will have earned his spot among the most promising in the system. As a freshman with the Terriers, JFK maintained a promising scoring touch (10 goals, 20 assists in 39 games) while once again representing the Tre Kronor, this time at the WJC.

Forsbacka-Karlsson is a five tool player, who projects to be above average in all offensive characteristics while also bearing the stereotypical Swedish high hockey IQ. He has plus acceleration as well as good agility. His wrist shot is whippy, with a plus release. I fully expect him to add at least 50% to his goal total as a sophomore and doubling the total would not surprise in the least. He is confident in his puck skills and owns solid finishing moves. He can carry the puck right into coverage, and feel reasonably secure that he will come out the other side unscathed. BU also used the freshman regularly on the penalty kill, indicative of the maturity in his game. He is not a banger by any means, but has decent strength already and room to fill out on his frame. He may be ready to embark on his professional journey as soon as next summer. In any case, he is expected to be the leader of the BU offense, as the only two players who outscored him last year will be paid to play this season.

April 11, 2015: Boston University Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (5). The Providence College Friars defeated the Boston University Terriers 4-3 in the final of the Frozen Four, NCAA Division 1 Men's Ice Hockey Championship at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Providence wins their first ever NCAA championship.

Matthew Grzelcyk, D, Boston University (NCAA) (85^th overall, 2012)

One of JFK’s teammates at BU last season, Grzelcyk elicites cheap comparisons to current Bruin Torey Krug. For the most part the comp comes from both blueliners standing a mere 5-9”. In this case, the comp is doubly appropriate as Grzelcyk is also a gifted offensive defenseman, although he has a ways to go to reach Krug’s NHL utility. After scaring Bruins supporters by playing the full four seasons in college, Grzelcyk finally put pen to paper on an Entry Level Contract with Boston shortly after BU was knocked out of the NCAA tournament.

The Massachusetts native played a very freewheeling game for the Terriers and will need to adapt next year in the AHL, but there are some tools there to strongly suggest that he should not fully abandon his game. Namely, Grzelcyk is a strong skater with a rocket from the point. At the very least, he can reach the NHL as a power play specialist. While undersized, he does not play a weak game, but most of his attempts at physicality are doomed to fail due to his inherent strength deficit. He needs a lot of refinement on his play away from the puck as well. As he tends to think offense, he will get out of position too often trying to push the play. When he times it right, he is an absolute boon to the possession game. Unfortunately, if he mistimes it, or misjudges the play, he ends up leaving his mates shorthanded. This is not a function of his size, but of his proclivities, so being forced to play a more structured game, as well as take on a role where he is not the go-to option, should do wonders for his all-around development. With Krug locked up in Boston long-term, he will need to show that a he can be more than a power play specialist to find a regular NHL job, although with more attention to detail in his own end and a willingness by the Bruins to play two “skill” guys on the blueline will allow him to get there after roughly a full season in the AHL.

Ryan Fitzgerald, C, Boston College (120^th overall, 2013)
Matthew Benning, D, Northeastern (175^th overall, 2012)
Wiley Sherman, D, Harvard (150^th overall, 2013)
Ryan Donato, C, Harvard (56^th overall, 2014)

Fitzgerald, Benning, Sherman, and Donato are all listed together here as all four, like Forsbacka-Karlsson and Grzelcyk above, played their college hockey in the Boston region. No matter which game Bruins scouts wanted to watch in the Beanpot Classic, each side featured at least one Bruins prospect.

Donato, the most promising of the quartet, gained some national attention with a sharp showing at the recent WJC. He has a plus second gear and can beat many defenders to the outside with pure speed. Although his shot is average at best, the son of former Bruin Ted Donato has plus hands. Playing in the shadow of Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey as a freshman, he put up respectable numbers and should do even better for the experience. He demonstrates hints of speed, stickhandling ability and offensive vision, but did not often enough show all three traits at the same time. More consistency in execution should make him a more exciting player altogether.

Like Donato, Matthew Benning is another Boston legacy prospect as Uncle Jim was the Bruins’ Assistant GM when Matthew was drafted in 2012. A two-way defenseman, the younger Benning is a solid skater with plus puck skills. He sees passing lanes very well and consistently makes crisp, accurate passes, whether the target is moving or stationary. He is the primary transition-starter with Northeastern. Not a physical player, Benning can be sloppy with his gap control, but will utilize his stick occasionally to break up rushes. The upside may only be that of a decent third pairing blueliner, but there is little except opportunity to prevent him from reaching that plateau.

Ryan Fitzgerald is yet another legacy prospect. His father, Tom, played 1,097 games in the NHL, the final 71 of which, in 2005-06 were in a Bruins uniform. Ryan Fitzgerald is a player who mostly gets by on his above average hockey smarts, which come to the fore in all three zones. He always seems to be near the puck, even though his skating is only in the realm of average. He has scored over 0.5 goals per game over the past two seasons at BC even though his shot is subpar. Beyond always being in the right place at the right time, Fitzgerald receive plus marks for his stickhandling skills. He will complete a fourth season at BC, but projects to fill a bottom six role as a professional, who can also take on a leading role on the penalty kill.

The final member of the Bruins Beanpot contingent*, mammoth defender Wiley Sherman, is more of a project than the other five profiled here. Listed at 6-6”, 201, plays a game in line with his physical dimensions, in the sense that he is quite physical and difficult to play against. His skating is good for his size, although he will always struggle against smaller, fleet of foot opponents. Furthermore, his hands and game processing are in need of improvement if he is to make it to the NHL. While he increased his offensive production as a sophomore (from three points to ten) he will never be an offensive force as his core strengths are all in the area of force, as opposed to stealth. There is nothing wrong with using a fifth round pick on a player of this ilk, but he remains as much a long shot today as he was when he was originally drafted as a prep schooler three years ago.

*This is as good a place as any to remind you that this series is not looking at 2016 draft picks, as first rounder Charlie McAvoy has already completed his freshman year at Boston University.

Danton Heinen, C, University of Denver (NCAA) (116^th overall, 2014)

One third of the Pacific Rim line which took the University of Denver to the Frozen Four, Heinen, like linemate Trevor Moore, has since turned pro. The former fourth round pick has surpassed one point per game in both of his collegiate seasons in Colorado, a product of soft and creative hands. The B.C. native has plus vision that he uses with frequency, whether threading the needle with a pass, or reading the game in his own end, looking to create turnovers. His other offensive tools, his skating and his shot, both project as somewhat above average. He also has roughly average size and physicality, which, in his case, means that he holds his own. While there is reason to think he could contribute at the NHL level very quickly, if not straight-away, the Bruins have enough depth down the middle to let Heinen develop for at least a few months in Providence. Ultimately, his ascension to the NHL will depend on how quickly he acclimatizes to the professional game. Heinen has second line upside.

Malcolm Subban, G, Providence (AHL) (24^th overall, 2012)
Zane McIntyre, G, Providence (AHL (165^th overall, 2010)

Combined, Subban and McIntyre played in 58 of the Providence Bruins’ 76 games. Boston would have preferred to see them split the entire season for their AHL affiliate, but Subban took a puck to the windpipe on February 8, shattering his larynx and knocking him out for the season. McIntyre, on the other hand, was simply disappointing, with an .898 save percentage that was not only worse than Subban’s, but also markedly worse than that of journeyman AHLer Jeremy Smith, brought in after Subban went down, who posted a 0.934 save percentage in 20 games, and was the starter between the pipes for Providence’s aborted playoff run.

The two netminders of note here are a study in contrasts in that each has some of the attributes that often go into making quality goalies, but neither, as of yet, has been able to bring the full picture to fruition. Subban, the former first rounder, is the goalie with the more enticing natural tools. P.K.’s younger brother is extremely athletic and moves better than most of his peers. More often as well. While his mobility allows him to scramble for second chances and make plenty of exciting saves, he also often gets out of position too quickly and is forced to scramble to avoid letting in soft goals. On other occasions, when the play is close to the crease, but not close enough for him to employ a poke check, he makes himself too small, opening up plenty of room towards the top half of the net.

McIntyre, on the other hand, was drafted with comparatively little fanfare as a sixth rounder, and also a different name, as he was known as Zane Gothberg at the time. Although, like Subban, McIntyre is listed at 6-2”, and a few pounds north of 200, he is nowhere near the athlete of his more renowned teammate. While Subban is very good with low shots, kicking out his legs with ease, and struggles more with higher shots when he gets too deep into his crouch, McIntyre has the reverse split. His slower legs make him beatable down low, he makes himself bigger in the crease and has a sharp glove hand. McIntyre has plus anticipation and is calm in his net. He could stand to improve his rebound control. There are plenty examples of both styles of goalie who have seen success in the NHL, but the athleticism (and pedigree) point to the more likely future NHL starter of this tandem to be Subban. That said, neither are near ready yet. Subban has publicly agitated for an NHL job next year, but his development would not likely be well served by sitting on the bench for 60-odd games per year behind Tuukka Rask. He still has not proved that he could master the AHL level.

Austin Czarnik, C, Providence (AHL) (UFA: Mar. 31, 2015)
Noel Acciari, C, Providence (AHL) (UFA: Jun. 2, 2015)

Along with Frank Vatrano, Czarnik and Acciari were signed as undrafted free agents last spring after successful NCAA careers. Czarnik from Miami (Ohio) and Acciari from Providence. Both are examples of quality scouting from a hockey sector that is often overlooked. While neither player should be seen as having a strong chance of a long NHL career, both are also solid bets as underdogs.

Czarnik is undersized yet talented. He demonstrates good vision and has a very good shot. His release, particularly on his wrister, is very quick while Providence often used him on the point during power plays. Acciari, on the other hand, is much more a meat-and-potatoes player. A good skater with solid edges, he offers relatively little offensively. What he provides brings to the rink is a feisty, physical game, which he couples with a good hockey IQ, often lining up with Providence’s first PK unit. In spite of their polar opposites in terms of points production, Czarnik spent the entire season in the AHL, while Acciari received a 19 game trial with Boston. Czarnik could play in the NHL for a coach who doesn’t mind a lack of physicality in a third or fourth line center. Acciari fits the traditional fourth line agitator role to a tee.

NCAA: Hellebuyck, Chubak Impress on Opening Day

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 20:24:21 +0000

Day 1 of the 2013 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament did not disappoint on Friday, as we witnessed one bracket-busting shocker and a couple of very impressive goaltending performances. Below are some of my thoughts and notes on three of the first four games of opening-round action.

Saturday's action is underway, and another bracket-buster is complete. St. Cloud State defeated Notre Dame 5-1 to advance to the second round, so they'll play the winner of Miami (Ohio) and Minnesota State.

YALE 3, MINNESOTA 2 (OT)

Yale's thrilling 3-2 OT victory over Minnesota was a gut-spilling end to Adam Wilcox's impressive rookie season. He had no chance on the game-winner by Jesse Root, which stemmed from a great forecheck by Kenny Agostino, who forced a turnover behind the net. Wilcox tried to push off his left post and throw his right arm and stick out, but failed to deflect a puck that beat him over the shoulder just nine seconds into overtime.

Wilcox showed some visible nerves in the game's opening minutes, but despite some shaky footwork and dangerous passing plays, he stood tall with 11 saves in a scoreless first period. Jeff Malcolm was a bit more comfortable and poised in the first period, but he was well-insulated, only having to make seven saves.

Wilcox's game smoothed out during the second period, even when he was sniped over the right shoulder by Agostino at the 7:08 mark. Adam was able to square up to the shot on the developing 4-on-2 play, but Agostino had plenty of time and space to find the sweet spot just over the blocker. Wilcox stayed up on his feet and didn't drop early, but he simply couldn't get a piece of the well-placed wrist shot, which was fired from just above the hash marks.

Gus Young extended Yale's lead with a power play goal eight minutes later, a shot that once again beat Wilcox on the blocker side. On this goal, Adam appeared to be distracted by a strong net-front presence from Yale's 6-foot-4 forward Antoine Laganiere.

Laganiere's big body was stationed right on top of the crease after the initial 3-on-2 rush turned into a broken play due to a blocked shot. Wilcox instinctively dropped on that blocked shot, then had to slide to his left to square up to the loose puck, which was whiffed on by another Yale forward. That forced Adam to drop again, then shift his body to his right while recovering back to his skates for a second time. Laganiere was taking away Wilcox's eyes and space throughout the entire recovery sequence, so when Young's seeing-eye wrist shot was finally released, Wilcox, who was back up on his skates, couldn't get a piece of it through traffic.

Knowing Wilcox had no chance on the game-winner, this was a game where I felt like he deserved a better fate. He finished with 23 saves on 26 shots.

Overall, I thought Wilcox was tense early, but became more relaxed and comfortable as the game went along. He was his usual adventurous self when he was moving and playing the puck, but he's so good at reading plays and then retreating back to his net behind his strong skating skills.

Despite the rough loss, it was a treat to watch Wilcox this season. A few areas of his game can be cleaned up a bit this summer, but ultimately, I'm still wildly impressed with his skill-set.

One point I'll make as a way of encapsulating everything I've learned about him this season:

He's really good at gauging the different speeds of the game, whether it's the speed of a forechecker applying pressure when he's moving the puck, the speed of a wrist shot, or the speed at which shot speed, speed of odd-man rushes, etc. Combine that with his athleticism and raw instincts, even if he doesn't have the same statistical success as a sophomore, his pro upside will continue to improve as he gains more experience.

Take nothing away from some of the timely saves made by Malcolm, but I did not see much pro upside in his game. He did seal the ice well and make some good paddle-down saves, but his skating needs to improve, as does his overall mobility. His footwork is not very polished, and while he competes hard to seal holes and cover loose pucks, he's not the type of NCAA goalie I consider to be a "technically sound" prospect.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned in my preview piece, sometimes the underdogs or "unknown" goalies are the ones that come up with the biggest wins. Experience plays a huge role in the NCAA tournament, and if there's one area where Malcolm was strong, it was his composure and even-keeled presence in the crease.

He finished with 26 saves on 28 shots and is currently facing North Dakota on Saturday night.

UMASS-LOWELL 6, WISCONSIN 1

This game was not on ESPNU live, so I caught most of the replay later at night. This game was seemingly dominated by the RiverHawks for the entire 60 minutes, and the unquestionable defensive star was Winnipeg Jets prospect Connor Hellebuyck.

I've all but erased the term "blocking goalie" from my scouting vernacular, but only because today's goaltending styles are not static. All NCAA-level goalies know that styles are predicated on situations, and that means the blocking save is a save selection, not a style. It's more about decision-making and knowing when to use the blocking save, and in what kind of situations.

But the more I watched Hellebuyck against Wisconsin, the more I came to realize that he really is a "blocking-style" goalie. In so many instances, he was dropping, making himself big, letting pucks hit him, and then relying on his defense to clear loose pucks or tie up opponents so he could recover and square up again.

There was very little excess movement in his game, but I felt that a big part of this was due to the fact he's not the strongest skater. Because of this, I think he's forced to simplify his game by playing inside the blue paint and utilizing his big frame as much as possible.

What makes Connor such an interesting prospect is the fact that he has a "steely resolve" in the crease. He looks completely unfazed by anything happening around him, which is pretty remarkable for a freshman coming straight out of the NAHL. He has a quiet look about him, and it was really noticeable when he was being interviewed by ESPNU during a TV timeout.

What really resonated in my mind was a statement he made on ESPNU when he described his style. He called it "big and boring" and that really revealed to me a lot of what I've explained above -- he does nothing fancy or flashy, he simply makes the first save and gets his body behind pucks in whatever manner necessary.

It's not pretty, but it's effective.

I was also interested to hear the broadcasters on ESPNU comment on how he had been working with former UML goaltender Dwayne Roloson. That opened the door for some more insights into his style, as Roloson was one of the true "old school" goalies that thrived by competing hard and reading plays extremely well.

Even though it wasn't always pretty, there was no denying that Hellebuyck was making big saves throughout the game. The only shot that beat him came on a Wisconsin power play in the third period, and hit deflected off two bodies, so it wasn't a result of a bad read or a mental lapse. He even stopped a penalty shot by Wisconsin's Jeff Dahl late in the first period when the score was 1-0 UML.

Wisconsin may have been dominated in this game, but they out-shot the RiverHawks 11-4 in the first 20 minutes. Even when Wisconsin scored to pull within 3-1 in the third period, Hellebuyck's steadying presence during the ensuing few minutes squashed whatever momentum Wisconsin had.

Hellebuyck finished with 31 saves and a chance to make the Frozen Four with a win over UNH on Saturday night.

To be honest, this guy fascinates me because I have so many questions about his style, and how it affects his long-term upside. Can he really thrive at the higher levels playing this way? Does the "drop-and-block" mentality allow him to develop the athleticism he'll need at the next level? Can he improve to the point where he's a solid pro-level goalie?

Regardless of these questions, and regardless of how much of his success stems from the team in front of him, the saves he made against Wisconsin were pretty impressive.

No, the footwork wasn't polished, and no, he's not the quickest goalie out there, but he was clearly the difference-maker, and at the end of the day, that's all any head coach cares about.

NORTH DAKOTA 2, NIAGARA 1

Maybe the most impressive performance I watched on Friday night came from Hobey Baker finalist Carsen Chubak.

Super-athletic and with a propensity for the flashy, acrobatic save, Chubak is a high-energy goalie with an extremely high level of compete in the crease. His movements are explosive, he's very aggressive with his angles and positioning, and he's never out of a play.

Because of his gifted mobility and footwork, he really excelled at covering loose pucks in the crease. He pounced on them with visible speed, and due to his small frame and condensed stance, he sealed the ice extremely well. Even when North Dakota tried to snipe him under the bar, Chubak fended off shots with his shoulder, arms, and gloves.

Chubak single-handedly put Niagara in place for the upset. Time and time again, no matter who had the scoring chance for North Dakota, Carsen had an answer. Technically sound on initial shots, when he did give up a rebound, his mobility gave him the edge needed to get pieces of second chances. Whether he had to dive on his side or lunge out to take away time and space from an elevated shot, he simply found a way to make the save.

"When we first started to work with Chubs he worried we would take away his athleticism, instead we worked together to use it," Mind The Net goalie coach Travis Harrington said to me on Twitter. "Chubak's game management is incredible. He reads and understands the game well. Always asking questions."

Chubak's story for Niagara began with an injury-riddled past. He had reconstructive knee surgery during his freshman year, and then had hip surgery before his sophomore year.

His perseverance over the past three years not only led him to a remarkable run this season, but it helped him out-perform the entire North Dakota team for all but 57 seconds in the 2-1 loss. That's all it took for UND to take the lead in the third period and seal the deal, which killed any chance of a fairy-tale finish for the Purple Eagles.

Despite the loss, Chubak finished with 41 saves, many of which were of the acrobatic and aggressive variety, and he was one of the game's biggest stars.

Zane Gothberg flew under the radar in this game due to Chubak's inspiring performance, but he was very solid in his own right. Similar to what I saw in Wilcox, the freshman was visibly shaky early, but settled into a good rhythm by the second period.

Niagara's lone goal may be considered of the "weak" variety by many analysts, but it was a tricky read. Jason Beattie's wrist shot barely snuck under a sliding block from a defenseman, which coincidentally took away Zane's ability to track the release. It slipped under both players and gave Niagara the 1-0 lead at the 6:27 mark of the second period.

Gothberg stopped 15-of-16 shots in the middle frame, and many of their chances were high-quality. One of his biggest saves came on a partial breakaway by Niagara's Ryan Murphy with five minutes left in the second. That save gave him a visible boost of confidence, and despite the added pressure of a come-from-behind 2-1 lead, he was technically sound in the third period and stopped all seven shots he faced.

But what impressed me the most was Gothberg's overall net coverage. In tight or through traffic, he was able to make some dynamic saves, and even in one instance, dropping his stick and covering a loose puck with his blocker hand. He has good structure to his technical game for a freshman, and his big upper body takes away some of the space in the top corners.

Enjoy the games on Saturday and be sure to check back tomorrow for another blog post on the goalies!