2023-24 NCAA, CHL, OHL and European prospects thread

[Guttersniped]

Michigan St clearly should have played Viktor Hurtig.

 

[My3Sons]

Edwards finishes with one goal and two assists. Hopefully Casey is back for the frozen four

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Saturday Prospect Recap

Cm Squires was the 2nd Star of the Game in the Eagles 7 to 3 win over the Oceanic. They are up 2 to 0 in the series. Squries had 1 even strength goal, 2 Primary even strength assists & 1 Powerplay secondary assist. Also he was a +4 with 2 shots, 4 PIM, 3 hits & was 3/3 in the faceoff dot.

Josh Filmon was the 2nd Star of the Game in the Broncos 4 to 3 win over the Hurricanes. Filmon had 1 power play goal & was a -1 with 6 shots on goal. The Broncos are up 2 to 0 in the series.


Sunday Prospect Recap

Charlie Leddy put up 0's across the board in Boston College's 5 to 4 overtime win over Quinnipiac. Boston College is off to the Frozen Four next week in St. Paul Minnesota.

Cole Brown was a -2 with 2 shots on goal in the Bulldogs 6 to 3 loss against the 67's. The series is now tied at 1 win for each team.

Ethan Edwards had 1 even strength goal, 1 secondary even strength assist & 1 powerplay secondary assist. He was a +2 with 2 shots as well. Michigan beat archrivals Michigan State 5 to 2 to advance to the Frozen Four. Seamus Casey did not play after being injured last game.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Going to be an interesting decision if the Devils have to choose between signing Casey or Edwards - and is not as clear-cut as choosing based on where they were selected in the draft.

 

[Call Me Al]

Going to be an interesting decision if the Devils have to choose between signing Casey or Edwards - and is not as clear-cut as choosing based on where they were selected in the draft.

lol there is literally no world where even if the devils had to make a choice between them that they would give up the much more valuable asset in casey in favor of edwards. it is clear cut and not at all interesting.

you can trade a casey for two edwards

 

[MasterofGrond]

Why would the Devils need to choose between them?

One's LD and the other RD and it's not like we're f***ing overloaded with quality defensemen in Utica.

 

[JimEIV]

Why would the Devils need to choose between them?

One's LD and the other RD and it's not like we're f***ing overloaded with quality defenseman in Utica.

They've even been paired at various points.

We could get a whole top pairing for Utica

 

[forceten]

We have room for both of them.

Now that Quinnipiac has been eliminated can we please sign graf and quillan?

 

[Mgd31]

We have room for both of them.

Now that Quinnipiac has been eliminated can we please sign graf and quillan?

Looks like Quillan is going to Toronto per Friedman

 

[Guttersniped]

Looks like Quillan is going to Toronto per Friedman

Oh, Boston lost out.
I guess that’s why there’s talk about Boston getting Jaxon Nelson, the big center from Minn.

Which is unfortunate, we could sure use Nelson.

There’s a number of players I hopes we might get, but I’m trying to limit my eventual disappointment so I won’t get into them here.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

It’s seems Fitz and company haven’t even tried to snag any big names from College FA.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

It’s seems Fitz and company haven’t even tried to snag any big names from College FA.

Or maybe he has but we just don't know it.

 

[Devils731]

Devils Skilled Forward Prospect Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Samlinen leaving UConn. Looks like a few guys are leaving that team.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

It’s seems Fitz and company haven’t even tried to snag any big names from College FA.

About 25 teams pursued Graf, so it's very likely that Fitz and company have tried to snag big names from College FA.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Tuesday Prospect Recap

Josh Filmon had 1 even strength goal , 1 secondary powerplay assist , had 4 shots & was a -2 in the Broncos 5 to 3 win over the Hurricanes. The Broncos lead the series 3 to 0.

Cole Brown was a -3 with 0's in every other key stat in the Bulldogs 5 to 2 loss to the 67's. The series is 2 to 1 in favor of the 67's.

Cam Squires continued to stay hot earning 3 Star of the Game in the Eagles 3 to 1 win over the Ocèanic. He had 2 goals. One was an extremely flukey breakaway goal that the other team cleared the rebound from the crease just to hit the player next to him and bounce right in the wide open net. The 2nd was an empty net goal. He was a +3 with 6 shots on goal and went 3/3 on faceoffs as well. The Eagles have a commanding 3 to 0 lead in the series.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Already 23 years old, otherwise I don't know anything about him.



From Corey Pronman:

12. Dylan Wendt, RW, Western Michigan-NCHC

Wendt was quite productive for Western this season, scoring a lot of goals. He’s always been a talented player whose game took off this season. He skates well and handles the puck like a pro, and on his best shifts, he looks like an NHL prospect. His hockey sense isn’t the best, but he competes well enough and shows enough skill to be intriguing as a pro prospect.

Pronman: Top college, CHL and European free agents for NHL teams

Ranking this year’s class of free agents coming out of the CHL, NCAA and major European leagues.

theathletic.com

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Roughly a top 10 UDFA signing with NJ is a success I suppose.

 

[Triumph]

Listing him as a C, if he actually plays center that's huge, someone who can play C in Utica and isn't 30 years old would be a help

 

[Guttersniped]

Posted this in the AHL thread but moved it over because I’m thorough like that!



CHRIS PRONMAN

Pronman has tiers

Projected Middle of the Line-up
#1
Projected to Play NHL Games
#2-#6

Has a Chance to Play Games
#7-#17

12. Dylan Wendt, RW, Western Michigan-NCHC

Wendt was quite productive for Western this season, scoring a lot of goals. He’s always been a talented player whose game took off this season. He skates well and handles the puck like a pro, and on his best shifts, he looks like an NHL prospect. His hockey sense isn’t the best, but he competes well enough and shows enough skill to be intriguing as a pro prospect.

(This is a list of all FAs, Wendt is 7th among NCAA FAs)

Long Shot to Play Games
#18-#35

Pronman: Top college, CHL and European free agents for NHL teams

Ranking this year’s class of free agents coming out of the CHL, NCAA and major European leagues.

theathletic.com

ELITE PROSPECTS

This list has 38 skaters & 9 Goalies LINK

Spoiler: How EPRinkside Grading Works

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LINK

Western Michigan saw their entire first line graduate to the professional ranks at the end of last season, each of them signing as college free agents. Dylan Wendt was one of the Broncos tasked with stepping up in their absence, and he was more than up to the challenge. Now, he's likely to follow their path to the NHL.

Wendt is a playmaker first and foremost, skilled and creative in equal measures. Constant scanning allows him to strike with pacey one- and two-touch feeds, and there's almost no number of sticks and skates that he can't feather a puck through. And while he's always proven effective during sustained pressures, the development of an NHL-calibre delay game has only made him that much more effective in space.

It's not hard to imagine a scenario where Wendt's playmaking skill, two-way diligence, and versatility confer him a bottom-of-the-lineup role at the NHL. Still, this is his first year as a truly elite offensive driver in college, and he shot 28 percent according to our partners at InStat Hockey. Some skepticism is warranted.

CHRIS PETERS
Chris Peters, now at Flohockey, had Wendt 9th on his list of 13, and he lists 6 underclassmen separately.
LINK

Dylan Wendt, RW, Western Michigan​

A 23-year-old junior that is enjoying his best NCAA season, Wendt is garnering interest thanks in large part to his significant uptick in goals. The 6-foot-1 winger has 21 goals so far this season after posting 22 total points as a sophomore last season. Western Michigan has been a fairly reliable producer of NHL free agent talent over the last few years. In all likelihood, Wendt is a bit of a longer-shot prospect with a chance to provide scoring depth at the NHL level, but it's hard not to look at the explosive offense he's shown this year and not want to see what the next step he can take is.

DAILY FACEOFF
Wendt didn’t make Daily Faceoff’s list of 10 NCAA FAs (plus 3 HM)
LINK

SCOUT ON TWITTER


HOCKEY NOW GUY

 

[Nubmer6]

New Jersey Devils Juniors Prospect Update: End of Season Review

There aren’t many Devils prospects left in Juniors. Let’s take a look at them.

www.allaboutthejersey.com

 

[Guttersniped]

Even though there’s Wendt talk in the Utica thread, I moved the post here so by god this is where my Wendt content is going now.

Went to Western to Improve, Now Wendt Achieving His Goals

WMU junior Dylan Wendt is having a breakout season with 21 tallies and continuing a recent run of prolific Bronco goal-scorers

nchchockey.com

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The 12th-ranked Broncos have continued their dynamic ways this season with yet another new face sitting atop their stat sheet in junior forward Dylan Wendt. After spending his first two seasons earning his stripes and adding more responsibilities to his role on the team, Wendt is enjoying a breakout 2023-24 campaign with 21 goals and 37 points. His goal total is tied for seventh nationally and only one behind Denver’s Jack Devine and Minnesota Duluth’s Ben Steeves for the NCHC lead.

“When I got the job the first time under Jeff Blashill it was really about how can we take the good and make it great,” Western Michigan head coach Pat Ferschweiler said. “It was the same thing when I returned (under Andy Murray). We want players that love to come to the rink every day and Dylan is one of them. He has had two great summers of work in a row that allowed him to be successful. He always had the hands and the head to do what he’s doing and now we’re seeing it.”

As is commonplace for rookies, ice time was at a premium when Wendt first arrived in Kalamazoo. The Grand Haven, Mich. native suited up in 34 of 39 games as a freshman for a roster that ultimately won its first NCAA Tournament game in program history to reach the regional final. While logging valuable defensive minutes in a bottom-six role, Wendt finished the year with three points on a goal and two assists. His lone tally of the year was a memorable one as he scored in a 5-2 road victory against in-state rival and No. 1 Michigan.

Year two in Kalamazoo saw Wendt make strides in his game. After putting up just five points in the first 16 games and being held scoreless in November, he posted 17 points in his final 23 games to finish the year with 22 points (8 goals, 14 assists) to help the Broncos make their second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. His teammates noticed his leap forward when they voted him WMU’s Most Improved Player.

“The staff preaches repeatability and consistency in doing the right thing,” Wendt said. “In my first two years, it was mainly about trusting the process and seeing those guys doing their thing, but knowing my time would come. It is a big change seeing less ice time than juniors at the beginning, but you have to keep the right mindset and stay committed to getting better every day and learning from the veterans ahead of you.”

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A three-game losing streak left the Broncos at 1-3 in NCHC play heading into a crucial series at Colorado College, when Ferschweiler juggled the line combinations to put Wendt and senior Luke Grainger together with standout freshman Alex Bump. The trio found instant chemistry in the Nov. 17 series opener as each scored a goal and combined for seven of nine points in a 3-1 win. The Broncos completed the series sweep by a 4-0 score the next night with Wendt posting his second-straight three-point game to finish the weekend with three goals and three assists.

“Ever since we got put together we’ve been clicking. We’re three different players who complement each other well,” said Grainger, the team captain. “When Alex came on the line, it gave us a left-handed shot to help create some open space. We communicate well and stay on each other to make different plays and get better each game. Alex uses his size in the corners and sees the ice well and he can score as well. Dylan has a great hockey IQ that he uses. For me, I try to make plays on the rush and get open as much as I can.”

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“Dylan only needs one chance to put the puck in the net. He’s a pure goal scorer,” Bump said. “He can score in different ways and it’s impressive to watch and be a part of. It’s cool to see how far we’ve come since that first weekend we played together against CC. Being around each other has built the chemistry and we know where each other are on the ice now.”

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While Wendt had the chance to learn the ropes by seeing the habits of both Frank and Polin as they won individual scoring titles, the junior forward is also forging his own identity as the next in a line of prolific scorers to don the Brown and Gold.

“You see players like Ethen and Jason doing so well, you want to emulate them,” Wendt said. “Both of them were among the hardest workers on the ice. That’s the biggest takeaway I got from them is to keep doing the work and putting in the reps. I learned from Ethen about his one-timers and working on getting as fast as he was. Jason had such great puck protection skills and hockey IQ, so I took a lot of nuances of the game from him.

“I always wanted to learn more about the game when I stepped onto the ice. You’re never too good to learn. You look at the top players and they are always getting better. I embrace the growth mindset and still pick up things from my teammates that I like incorporating into my game.”

“His competitiveness stands out,” Ferschweiler added. “At Western, we talk about how hard it is to score and that you have to work for your offense. We keep relating when you work and move your feet, you’ll have success on the offensive end. That’s what Dylan does to get his offense.”

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[PizzaAndPucks]

Wednesday Proespct Recap

Cam Squires had 1 secondary even strength assist , was a +1 with 2 shots and went 1 for 1 in the faceoff dot in the Eagles 4 to 3 loss to the Océanic. The Series is 3 games to 1 in favor of the Eagles.

Josh Filmon scored an even strength goal off of his face (Bobby Holik moment for anyone who remembers from like 2010 lol) , was a +/- 0 with 4 shots and was 1 for 2 in the faceoff dot in in the Broncos 5 to 4 win in double overtime. The Broncos swept the Hurricanes 4 to 0 & are advancing to the next round of the playoffs.

Thursday Propesct Recap

Cole Brown had 1 shot on goal & was a +1 in the Bulldogs 6 to 5 overtime loss to the 67's. The 67's are up 3 games to 1 in the series.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Friday Prospect Report

Cam Squires was a +/- 0 with 2 PIM & 1 hit in the Eagles 4 to 2 win. They have eliminated the Océanic 4 games to 1 and are advancing to the next round of the playoffs.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Even though there’s Wendt talk in the Utica thread, I moved the post here so by god this is where my Wendt content is going now.

Went to Western to Improve, Now Wendt Achieving His Goals

WMU junior Dylan Wendt is having a breakout season with 21 tallies and continuing a recent run of prolific Bronco goal-scorers

nchchockey.com

I love this kid's attitude. He is all about learning and hard work to achieve success.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Saturday Prospect Recap

Cole Brown had 1 shot on goal & was a +/- 0 in the Bulldogs 4 to 2 win to make the series 3 to 2 against the 67's.

Sunday Prospect Recap

Cole Brown was a -2 with 3 shots in the Bulldogs 6 to 1 loss to the 67's. The 67's have won the series 4 games to 2 and have eliminated the Bulldogs from the playoffs.