Carter Bear and Anton Frondell are two guys I've watched recently that I think could be talked about a bit more - maybe for different reasons though.
Was initially watching Everett to catch Dupont, but Bear stood out in a good way. He's made big improvements over last year and is putting up numbers to start the season. Very tenacious, good in traffic, really strong puck skills and a good release, plays both special teams, and he's a pretty a quick skater. Really solid around the net and below the hash marks. Has growth potential in his skating as the issues are more strength based than mechanical IMO. A bit too hungry for offence at this stage but there are good indications that his two-way play could improve. I wouldn't call him a stand out physically or skills-wise, but he's got a couple plus tools, reads the play well, and excels in tight spaces. A bit of size and added strength and I think he could be a really interesting C prospect. CGY pick possibility.
Frondell looked... not bad but not great in the two Allsvenskan games I saw. He's been projected high for a while so I won't go into much detail on him, but generally I've liked his ability to get inside and he's got good tools. However, I think he might drop a bit if he doesn't pick it up soon. I don't see the urgency or engagement I'd expect from a guy looking to go top-5/10 and having to play against men for the first time. I'm really curious to see how the rest of the season goes as 10-15OA isn't outside the realm of possibility if his pro play stays pretty tepid.
