If you are catching up after a busy work or school week, the Hurricanes prospects are in action playing four games in five days starting on Friday night.
You can catch up my articles leading up to the Traverse City Prospects Tournament here:
Part 1 spelled out some of the tourney logistics and had a couple tidbits of what I would be watching closely.
Part 2A had player by player preview notes for Jake Bean through Jeremy Helvig (working alphabetically).
Part 2B finished up with player by player preview notes for Janne Kuokkanen through Josh Wesley.
Action kicked off the the young Hurricanes on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects.
I will not offer a play by play type recap. I recommend Michael Smith’s account of the game at the team website if you want that as a starting point.
The Twitterish-sized recap is that the Hurricanes were largely outplayed by Detroit through two periods but were the better team in the third period. Callum Booth was steady, calm and solid in net and the team’s best player especially during the first two periods that saw the Hurricanes hemmed in their own. The Hurricanes were opportunistic offensively collecting more than their fair share of goals on on a limited number of chances. Because the scoring, the Hurricanes climbed out to a 2-0 lead after one period and finished the game with a 6-2 win.
I will instead offer a short collection of thoughts on Friday’s game. I will follow up with more detailed analysis either at the midway point of the tourney or for sure at the end of it once we have a slightly larger sample size with which to evaluate the players.
Different from 2016
The Hurricanes won this tourney in 2016. Last year’s team was generally better than who they played throughout the majority of the tourney and did not require too much from their goalie. Friday was the complete opposite through two periods. Detroit was by far the better team and it showed in the shot counts. Callum Booth was the story of the first two periods and the Hurricanes’ best player on the night.
A strong night for Josh Wesley
He was not immune to the team-wide challenges moving the puck out of their own end, and he also had an episode where he lost his stick was out of position and saw the puck go in his net luckily to be waved off. But Wesley also looked decisive, assertive and aggressive defending on the night. His defensive gaps were small, and he regularly stepped up at the blue line to force the opponent to unload the puck under pressure and before desired. My preview had Wesley needing to make a strong impression to try to play his way into more AHL ice time in 2017-18. Friday should be a strong first impression for Checkers’ coach Mike Vellucci.
Part Jordan Staal/part Victor Rask for Nicolas Roy
I am on record as not being as high on Nicolas Roy’s chance to play at the NHL near-term. It is not that I do not see potential for him, I just think he will at a minimum need time in the AHL to continue to upgrade his mobility. That said, he generally impressed me on Friday. He looked a bit like Victor Rask in the sense that he showed a pretty good knack for positioning, assignments and decision-making without the puck which is critical for players with average or less foot speed. So that is the Victor Rask part. And with the puck on his stick, he showed a bit Jordan Staal-like ability to combine a mix of skating and size such that it was hard for defensemen in front of him to do challenge him or do much more than keep backing up and staying in position. He also netted a breakaway goal with a pretty finish.
Intermittent dynamic offense for Janne Kuokkanen
I said before the tourney that Kuokkanen was one of a few players who should stand out as top of the class in this tourney. I would actually not say that he consistently drove or dominated play when he was on the ice, but what he did do was show a knack for assertively, even if intermittently, make high-end offensive plays. He sniped home a goal on the power play, and was part of a number of other good scoring chances too.
The dynamic duo of Nate Schilkey and Martin Necas
As far as forward pairs go, I would put Martin Necas and Charlotte Checker signee Nate Schilkey at the top of the list. I really like Necas. My first impressions of him at prospect camp were two things. First was how effortlessly he covered ice. He is fast, but significantly it is in that smooth and effortless way that blows by people without breaking a sweat. Second was his ability to play the puck at full speed.
He showed off both of those traits again on Friday night, and he also seemed to find instant chemistry with line mate Nate Schilkey. The two seemed to be on the same page on the rush all night, and the result was probably the prettiest goal of the night. On a 2-on-1 Necas made a heady play to get the puck across early which gave Schilkey time and space to shoot or pass. When Schilkey received the puck and sent it right back, the result was an easy goal for Necas. The duo made multiple plays together.
Rising and falling by position
Important to note is that a single game is not cause to completely revamp a prospect ranking list or make dramatic changes to the long-term expectations for a player prior to the single game. But Traverse City does present a rare opportunity to evaluate these players in game action playing against the same competition as the other prospects.
So disclaimer aside, here is a short list of players who stock rose or fell (again modestly) based on Friday’s game.
Defense – Rising=Josh Wesley // Falling=Roland McKeown
I thought Haydn Fleury had a solid game in an understated way just as one would hope/expect. Playing with Fleury probably helped, and I would not say that he was perfect, but I thought Josh Wesley stood out positively in that he played an aggressive brand of defense that attacked the puck and took away time and space. And he did so without too much incident. Past the top pairingk I did not think Jake Bean looked significantly better than the group (which struggled) trying to move the puck out of his own end, but playing to his strengths, he netted two assists making plays in the offensive zone. Neither of Brenden De Jong or Noah Carroll stood out to me. And on the flip side of the Glen Wesley coin, I thought Roland McKeown had a tough night. At a fundamental level, I think the challenge for him is quickness/acceleration and to some degree speed. On Friday, he had a tendency to be generally in the right starting place, but flat-footed or moving too slowly such that he had a few players beat him wide and/or be able to chip the puck around him and then easily win the race to it.
Forwards – Rising=Martin Necas // Falling=Hudson Elynuik
I could go a couple directions for forward. I would not classify any as every shift dominant, but at the same time the dynamic element was definitely there for multiple players, In more game-like action than the prospect camp scrimmage, I thought Necas looked just as dangerous with the puck and some speed coming through the neutral zone. On the negative side of the coin, Hudson Elynuik sputtered a bit. He seemed to be making a conscious effort to dial up the physical in his game (which is a good thing) and get a piece of Red Wings players when possible. He did that with only modest success and picked up two minor obstruction type penalties along the way.
Goalie – Rising=Callum Booth
As noted above, Callum Booth was my first star. He did not make a ton of highlight reel saves, but especially out of the gate, he offered a needed dose of steady, sound and calm. Especially in the first game of a tournament with the team not playing well, Booth’s play and demeanor were the key component for staying in the hockey game long enough for opportunistic offense to save the day. I would expect Jeremy Helvig to start on Saturday and get his chance to match Booth.
I will offer a more thorough review after another game or two is played.
What say you Canes fans? In trying to track 19 only somewhat familiar players, what do your notes show?
Go Canes!
My impression is that the first two periods were a very talented group of individuals trying to play as a team–so it looked like they struggled. But passing marks to the players and coaching staff because everyone kept at it and didn’t revert to one-on-one plays based just on ability. Which I think helped the goalie. I agree that Booth was strong, he also benefitted because the team, although being outshot and struggling to keep possession, did a fair job of maintaining a team structure on defense. Their positions in their own end limited Detroit’s “Grade A” chances.
Beyond that, I think the top players all had moments of showcasing their skills.
Kuokkanen looked like a scorer/playmaker on multiple occasions. As did Necas. Roy was strong all over the ice–his skating was good enough given his size and excellent positioning. Gauthier’s goal was the type of goal I would expect. Foegele played with energy and he was rewarded with a goal on a sequence where he looked determined to make a play.
Not sure if there is gambling, but the Schilkey (most points)/De Jong (most shots) exacta had to be really long odds. Seriously, if he can play three more similar games, Schilkey should win one of the open spots in Charlotte.
On D, Fleury was mostly good. I do think Carroll, while not standing out, made two or three solid plays. I guess I my impression is he was more of the prospect camp player who impressed Matt than the player from last season who apparently was a poor performer.
I didn’t see anything to discourage me from my earlier thoughts that 2020 will look something like:
1st Line: LW= Teravainen/C=Aho/RW=Necas
2nd Line: LW=Kuokkanen/C=Staal/RW=Gauthier
3rd Line: LW=Skinner/C=Roy/RW=Lindholm
4th Line: LW=Foegele/C=Kruger/RW=Smallman
You’re missing Saarela!
Wow. Didn’t this remind you of so many of the big clubs games – outworking and outplaying the opposition, badly outshooting them, only to fall to a more talented team with a better goalie? That’s a testament to how much talent we have on the way, if you ask me. While we clearly didn’t have our legs until the third period, the team was able to stay into it thanks to opportunistic scoring off some pretty plays and stellar netminding from Callum Booth. Nedeljkovic better step it up if he wants to maintain his positioning as our top goalie prospect. Booth stopped everything that came his way, the two goals against were rebounds he had no chance on and with better defense never would have happened. Josh Wesley impressed me too; played very physically and put down a couple Wings players with big hits, including one on Svechnikov who is NHL ready and a very big kid. I thought Haydn Fleury played very well as his partner, steadily being in position to take away time and space and keep them to the outside. He’s a great skater. As is Bean, who made some pretty passes in the offensive zone but struggled clearing the puck a few times in his own end. Schilkey will be interesting to see develop in Charlotte over the next couple years, you can see the offensive awareness that led to a big senior year with Ohio State. Kuokkanen didn’t stand out a ton to me either until late, though there is something to be said for his creativity and ability to make things happen even when he’s not driving the play like he is known to do. The one timer from the point on the PP was pretty. Gauthier kinda falls into that same boat, but I still love his size/speed/shot combination. He found the soft area in the slot and Kuokkanen made a nice feed to he could rip one top shelf. He doesn’t miss many from there and has a nack for getting those opportunities. Nicolas Roy was good on faceoffs, solid on the penalty kill, and the goal was beautiful. He’s just smart as hell. I also thought his skating was fine. Second time I’ve seen him this summer and it’s made me come away less worried than I was coming in. He’s not a burner like Necas by any means, but he also wasn’t egregiously trailing the play or really losing a step in any way that, to me, seemed detrimental. I thought Foegele was a little sluggish until the 3rd, like much of the team, but then he began outworking them consistently being a thorn in their side on the forecheck, and got a dirty goal quite similar to how I think he’ll score pretty frequently once he’s in the NHL. And lastly… Necas was our best forward. You hit it head on – the speed is elite, he ability to play at that full speed is fantastic to watch. He reminds me of Nathan McKinnon (or a McDavid-light, though I have a hard time comparing anyone to that freak of nature) in this way, as he gets the defenders on their heels and drives possession consistently. It seemed like he was the only one that could get the puck into their zone in the first two periods, and when he did good things happened. His saucer pass to Schilkey that preceded the return pass for his goal was a thing of beauty. Both those kids deserve big props for the first game. I’m excited to see the rest of the tournament, I expect more highlight reel goals from all over the roster, and expect them to have a more complete performance with their legs under them the rest of the way. Team is so fun to watch, so much talent on the way.
bwstanley, your opening question took the words right out of my mouth: every time I looked up we were hemmed in, being outshot by the opposition, and then we took advantage of all our limited opportunities to score to maintain a lead after the first two periods – I think we were outshot through 2 by 31-14 but had a one-goal lead. In the third, we broke their spirit and scored three times. That was the Hurricanes in reverse last season. How wonderful to be on the other end of something like that for a change.
I also agree that Necas was our best forward and exciting to watch: fast and smooth and calm and skilled.
Dmilleravid – fun to see the reverse for a change isn’t it! Maybe with the guys we’ve brought in + Darling in net we’ll see the big club steal a few in this way this year as well. Couple games here and there could be the difference come April…
One guy I forgot was Spencer Smallman – nothing flashy, but he seemed to be a decent skater and have that same awareness and ability to play soundly in both ends that will lead to a decent career in the bottom six. No scoring points or anything, but I thought he made a couple key plays early in the game defensively and clearing the puck when we were hemmed in that won’t be discussed as much as some other guys. He won puck battles along the wall and doesn’t shy away from contact. I like that. One guy I expect more from is Andrew Poturalski. I think he just had an off game and will be more of a factor offensively the next few games. Go Canes!
Completely agree on Smallman. He’s not lightning fast, but he skates reasonably well and skates hard with and without the puck. He had couple plays where he had puck on his stick in neutral zone with D in front of him in good position and pushed pace right into D forcing D to make tough decision on whether he could step up with speed coming at him. I believe in all cases, the D backed up and Smallman gained the blue line and was able to go wide while his team mates followed him.
Nothing flashy but an all-around good game for Smallman.
Other random points.
Several folks mentioned this at prospect camp. Necas appears taller than 6’1″. When he stood beside Foegele, who is listed at 6’2″, he looked a little taller.
Smallman and Mattheos played like depth contributors. Nothing spectacular but hard workers who made little plays most shifts.
If Booth gets the start today, how is his stamina, he not only stopped a lot of shots but was moving around quite a bit.
Necas reminds me a bit of version 1.0 of Brett Pesce when he entered the league. Pesce had NHL height and a decent frame but he was light by NHL standard (and has since added a little more muscle mass I believe). But he was that wiry kind of strong that played 15 pounds heavier than the scales.
Necas is similar. He lists at only 178 but in terms of style of play, willingness to play in straight lines where there are crowds and contact and balance on his skates, he plays bigger. He is not a Gauthier but especially with a few more pounds, he will have enough ‘new NHL’ strong to his game.
I really liked the way Necas played. I liked the chemistry he showed with Schilkey. I’m glad the Checkers at signed Schilkey. He looked good for a camp invitee and now this first game seems to indicate something worth watching. The WCL line, Mattheos/Elyniuk/Geekie didn’t do anything for me. Was very disappointed there. Best line was certainly the Necas/Schilkey/Foegele line. It will be interesting to see if Vellucci changes up some lines or keeps things the same. I’d almost like to see a Roy/Gauthier/Smallman line and put Poturalski up with Kuokkanen and Stevens.
Agree on Schilkey. He was a very good college player which does not always translate to the NHL, but mastering a lower level of competition is a good starting point.
I view him similar to Poturalski in that his game projects to be enough offensively to play in the NHL, but he has work to round out his game while at the same time make two level transitions. And as a 23-year old first year pro, his runway to get there is shorter than the 20-year olds.
Well, I had problems trying to get on Fox go, and missed most of the 1st period, and when I got the NHL feed…it looked like it was being filmed under water… SOOOO I couldn’t read the names or numbers… it was glorified radio!
Thanks to everyone who gave me your insight of the action, and maybe today I’ll have more luck!
At least the prospects (collectively) are quite promising…which is the whole point of this exercise, eh?
Wouldn’t it be nice to know what the management team thinks of the kids?
Wanted to start tomorrow’s discussion early.
Helvig looked as good as Booth.
The prospects as a whole were more like a team–especially on PK where they actually looked to be playing a similar scheme to the big club.
Roy is making a case for being on the opening roster in Raleigh.
The other Traverse City games have significant numbers of goals. The young D (and the responsible play of the forwards) is proving to be solid.
Deciding who to keep in Charlotte this year is going to be difficult–and even more so next year, because Helvig is off to a strong start toward earning an ELC while Elynuik was better today.
Mattheos and Geekie both seem like value 3rd rounders–especially considering that Mattheos is the youngest player from the team’s draft class.
GMRF’s preference for size is evident watching the games. The Canes’ group of prospects has some big boys.