F Christian Humphreys - USNTDP, USHL (2024, 215th, COL)

[Hockeyville USA]

Interested to see where Naurato places him in the lineup. Going to be a transition year for Michigan as they lost a lot of talent and could lose more if McGroarty is traded & signs, plenty of opportunity for Humphreys to step right in and contribute right off the bat.

 

[morganpt]

I agree that it will be interesting to see where Naurato slots him on the lineup this year. It's hard to see him playing in a top 6 role at the start when there are several stellar sophomore right wingers ahead of him and McGroarty (if he stays) on the top line. I imagine Moldenhauer, Whitelaw, and Humphrey's will be battling for minutes. Too add to the complexity, Michigan lacks lefties (handedness below and only Hallum and Estapa are natural left wingers). Example lines:

Hallum (L) - Hughes (R) - McGroarty (L)

Eernisse (R) - Hage (R) - Moldenhauer (R)

Werner (R) - Schifsky (R) - Whitelaw (R)

Estapa (L) - Draper (R) - Humphreys (R)

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

1 point in 10 games. Probably will transfer after the year, so this is a likely precursor to that, unless he chooses to forego college hockey.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

1 point in 10 games. Probably will transfer after the year, so this is a likely precursor to that, unless he chooses to forego college hockey.

I expect him to be a very good junior player. I’m a bit surprised NCAA didn’t work out for him at this point. Maybe his character concerns were real. He has talent and he should be better.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I expect him to be a very good junior player. I’m a bit surprised NCAA didn’t work out for him at this point. Maybe his character concerns were real. He has talent and he should be better.

I think the issue is that Michigan always has a lot of depth. While I think he will be a good college player, I don't think that he was the level of player to be able to break into Michigan's top 9 at the age of 18. And he's going to be useless for the fourth line. Probably should've just played this season in the USHL and then joined Michigan the following year.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I think the issue is that Michigan always has a lot of depth. While I think he will be a good college player, I don't think that he was the level of player to be able to break into Michigan's top 9 at the age of 18. And he's going to be useless for the fourth line. Probably should've just played this season in the USHL and then joined Michigan the following year.

The belief was "Michigan isn't as deep this year, Humphreys has a real shot to break into the NCAA & get top 6 minutes this season." That obviously didn't happen. Now we see if Humphreys goes to junior for the rest of the year or even a couple years and then back to the NCAA at a place like Penn State.

 

[jtechkid]

it will be intersting to see where all this year ntdp kids and play because most of them should go to ushl for another year:
1, schock and barnett top 4 michigan
2, amico and trethaway top 4 bu
3, phillips top 4 in minny
4, fondrak and moore top 6 in bu
5, mooney top 6 in minny
these kids are not use to sitting

 

[BKarchitect]

I think he will do big numbers in juniors. Still a long shot NHL prospect but probably a good move for his development.

 

[Torts]

Good move in my opinion. Was not getting the ice time in Ann Arbor and can contribute more on a team lacking dynamic high end offensive players like Kitchener.