From the first Hlinka game, the players I liked how they showed were Vachon, Kinsman, Brown, Connor, Erdman, Lacroix, McDonough, Terrance, and Whitelaw.
Vachon is a 5'10 goalie, so unlikely to be drafted and I've watched him play once now. He might not be good, but I thought he had a good game. Kinsman is only listed at 5'10, so thats also going to be bad for his draft stock. I thought he looked 6'0, but 5'10 could be accurate. He's a very steady RHD who does nothing that stands out. I think he's a pick and have liked his game before, but at 5'10 I understand why he's not a pick if he doesn't get selected in 2023.
I thought Brown looked very similar to the NHL player with the same name as him. Gritty winger who lacks high-end dangles, but a two-way player who has some offense. Connor looked like a defensive center with a little offense. Both Brown and Connor are 5'10, so if they aren't picks I see why, but I think there's a good chance they get picked.
Erdman and Lacroix were the two new guys that really stood out to me. Lacroix has speed and skill. Listed at 6'0 also. Played well on Whitelaw's line. Has top 2-3 round potential for next year. A dual playing in the BCHL. The Canadians are going to love that. Erdman looked like Brown/Connor but with higher-end offense. Another guy I think could be top 2-3 rounds.
Not sure why McDonough was on the fourth line. One of the best prospects on the team pretty clearly. Physical guy with size and offense. Liked what I saw from him last season in the USHL. Terrance may lack upside, but a two way center with size, good enough offense and skating. He'll likely be a top 2-3 rounds pick. Whitelaw is very flashy offensively. Saw this from him last year. He's now listed at 5'9. I don't know if it'll be enough for round one. It very well might, but I would think he has to be top 2-3 rounds just due to his scoring upside.
We also know Musty, McCarthy, and Strathmann are good, but I didn't think any of the three were that good in the first game. Musty created the most offense of the forwards after Whitelaw, but too individualized in his play. He made a lot of selfish and stupid decisions, and it's not like this guy is Connor McDavid. He's a good prospect who has a good chance to be first round, but he need to not try to play hero so much. McCarthy had a pretty bland game. I think being paired with St. Louis pretty often, who was a complete disaster and ruined nearly all our PP's, hurt him a little. He made some nice plays that St. Louis and some other teammates messed up, but still expect a little more of him. Strathmann is another guy who is one of the better prospects on the team and I liked most of what he did, but he did the cardinal sin you can't of a defenseman which is being stripped of the puck as the last guy back and it led to a 1v1 with the goalie. Gotta eliminate that, but otherwise he did some nice things.
These thoughts could change after we see a few games, but this was what I thought after one game from our team.
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