Prospect Info: Hershey Bears/South Carolina Stingrays 2022-2023 Vol. 1

[DWGie26]

the Bears playing good hockey right now. They let a couple of games get away from them but the lead the AHL

I saw Rybinski didn’t come back to bench for third period. Don’t like the sound of that.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Finally got to catch a game in person so I’ll write a few notes:

Lappy is Kuzy 2.0. Which is funny, because Kuzy is the guy he said he models his game after during his draft year. Just oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. The coaching staff already trusts him quite a bit. Lapierre is the go to puck carrier when his line is on the ice. They have him come back and retrieve a pass in his own end quite a bit so he can lead the breakout. Biggest flaw is lack of size. Needs to get stronger at this level. He gets manhandled during board battles and in the corners, but he doesn’t shy away from physical play, which I love.

Iorio is going to be a good one. Just so smooth on the back end with the puck on his stick. Reads the play very well in the defensive zone and his positioning is solid. Has a sneaky wrister, and his passing is super underrated.

McMichael started the game off a little slow, but came alive in the third. Lehigh was all over him the entire game and the refs missed plenty of calls against him. I love how he’s not afraid to get into the dirty areas to score a goal. Spends a lot of time around the net looking for deflections and rebounds. His goal was right in front of our seats. Just a pure snipe where the goaltender couldn’t do anything.

Stevenson played well. Wasn’t tested much in the first. Had some big stops in the 2nd to keep the Bears in the game. The third Phantoms goal he’d like to have back, but he played well enough to get some help from the guys and get the win. Seems to rely on his positioning and less on athleticism. Could definitely see a future at the NHL level if he continues to develop well.

Ethen Frank deserves an NHL contract in the offseason. Has the wheels, the shot and he has the IQ to play on the top line and not miss a beat. The first line was pretty quiet all night until Scarbossa’s goal in the third, but Frank stood out the most up until that point.

Their PP is awful. Scarbossa was horrendous out there. Kept turning the puck over and that first unit rode the bench in the 2nd. They actually had Iorio, Massie, McIlrath, Sutter and Rybinski out there for a shift instead of the first unit. I think the message was received because they woke up after that.

Bears have a lot of skill overall but they do lack toughness. I could see them having a problem against a more physical team come playoff time.

 

[Rayquaza64]

Clay Stevenson wins again, he's 3-0, 1.96 .924. Stopped 25/28 tonight. Lappy and McMike both scored and bears win.

thats the type of bears game we love to see

Finally got to catch a game in person so I’ll write a few notes:

Lappy is Kuzy 2.0. Which is funny, because Kuzy is the guy he said he models his game after during his draft year. Just oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. The coaching staff already trusts him quite a bit. Lapierre is the go to puck carrier when his line is on the ice. They have him come back and retrieve a pass in his own end quite a bit so he can lead the breakout. Biggest flaw is lack of size. Needs to get stronger at this level. He gets manhandled during board battles and in the corners, but he doesn’t shy away from physical play, which I love.

Iorio is going to be a good one. Just so smooth on the back end with the puck on his stick. Reads the play very well in the defensive zone and his positioning is solid. Has a sneaky wrister, and his passing is super underrated.

McMichael started the game off a little slow, but came alive in the third. Lehigh was all over him the entire game and the refs missed plenty of calls against him. I love how he’s not afraid to get into the dirty areas to score a goal. Spends a lot of time around the net looking for deflections and rebounds. His goal was right in front of our seats. Just a pure snipe where the goaltender couldn’t do anything.

Stevenson played well. Wasn’t tested much in the first. Had some big stops in the 2nd to keep the Bears in the game. The third Phantoms goal he’d like to have back, but he played well enough to get some help from the guys and get the win. Seems to rely on his positioning and less on athleticism. Could definitely see a future at the NHL level if he continues to develop well.

Ethen Frank deserves an NHL contract in the offseason. Has the wheels, the shot and he has the IQ to play on the top line and not miss a beat. The first line was pretty quiet all night until Scarbossa’s goal in the third, but Frank stood out the most up until that point.

Their PP is awful. Scarbossa was horrendous out there. Kept turning the puck over and that first unit rode the bench in the 2nd. They actually had Iorio, Massie, McIlrath, Sutter and Rybinski out there for a shift instead of the first unit. I think the message was received because they woke up after that.

Bears have a lot of skill overall but they do lack toughness. I could see them having a problem against a more physical team come playoff time.

losing a top six physical player like moulson really blows. having a guy like him was great

 

[DWGie26]

Finally got to catch a game in person so I’ll write a few notes:

Lappy is Kuzy 2.0. Which is funny, because Kuzy is the guy he said he models his game after during his draft year. Just oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. The coaching staff already trusts him quite a bit. Lapierre is the go to puck carrier when his line is on the ice. They have him come back and retrieve a pass in his own end quite a bit so he can lead the breakout. Biggest flaw is lack of size. Needs to get stronger at this level. He gets manhandled during board battles and in the corners, but he doesn’t shy away from physical play, which I love.

Iorio is going to be a good one. Just so smooth on the back end with the puck on his stick. Reads the play very well in the defensive zone and his positioning is solid. Has a sneaky wrister, and his passing is super underrated.

McMichael started the game off a little slow, but came alive in the third. Lehigh was all over him the entire game and the refs missed plenty of calls against him. I love how he’s not afraid to get into the dirty areas to score a goal. Spends a lot of time around the net looking for deflections and rebounds. His goal was right in front of our seats. Just a pure snipe where the goaltender couldn’t do anything.

Stevenson played well. Wasn’t tested much in the first. Had some big stops in the 2nd to keep the Bears in the game. The third Phantoms goal he’d like to have back, but he played well enough to get some help from the guys and get the win. Seems to rely on his positioning and less on athleticism. Could definitely see a future at the NHL level if he continues to develop well.

Ethen Frank deserves an NHL contract in the offseason. Has the wheels, the shot and he has the IQ to play on the top line and not miss a beat. The first line was pretty quiet all night until Scarbossa’s goal in the third, but Frank stood out the most up until that point.

Their PP is awful. Scarbossa was horrendous out there. Kept turning the puck over and that first unit rode the bench in the 2nd. They actually had Iorio, Massie, McIlrath, Sutter and Rybinski out there for a shift instead of the first unit. I think the message was received because they woke up after that.

Bears have a lot of skill overall but they do lack toughness. I could see them having a problem against a more physical team come playoff time.

Great notes. Love to hear that about Iorio. Every time i have seen him play, he impresses me with quick release. hate that he is always on the third pair and today with Massie.

Love Ethan Frank and feel he can be a good energy middle-six guy. He’s kinda like Snively with a right shot. Should definitely give him a contract, but he’ll have a more difficult path than others.

I really like Rybinski and I think he can get to NHL next year on 4th line. Unfortunately, he has been hurt aand out of the lineup a fair bit lately. How did he look in the first two periods? And what happened to him?

Really great to see our best prospects shining.

 

[usiel]

Clay Stevenson wins again, he's 3-0, 1.96 .924. Stopped 25/28 tonight. Lappy and McMike both scored and bears win.

Nice night for the prospects.

 

[hb13xchamps]

I really like Rybinski and I think he can get to NHL next year on 4th line. Unfortunately, he has been hurt aand out of the lineup a fair bit lately. How did he look in the first two periods? And what happened to him?

The only thing that stuck out from him that I vividly remember was a super lazy clearance attempt that he threw directly to a Phantoms player in the slot. Luckily Stevenson was ready for it, and made a nice save. He wasn’t really on my radar as I honed in to Lapierre when their line was on the ice.

I didn’t catch his injury, but there was a few big hits that happened on the far side of the rink from me and he could have been a recipient of one of them. I faintly recall someone going back to the bench after getting lit up, maybe that was him? It was hard to see the number since it was on the far side of the rink.

 

[hb13xchamps]

I see Bear Hughes is at 24 points in 21 games for South Carolina. I’d like them to take a look at how he handles AHL duty. Right handed center, which is always a plus. They could use him on the 4th line and bump Sutter to the wing.

 

[swansonsays]

Zach & Hunter sent back down. Tyler Wall back to SC. Clay still in Hershey, also. Guessing Hunter is not 100% is the reason for that.

 

[Stan Galiev]

I see Bear Hughes is at 24 points in 21 games for South Carolina. I’d like them to take a look at how he handles AHL duty. Right handed center, which is always a plus. They could use him on the 4th line and bump Sutter to the wing.

The concept of starting decent skater prospects and not just goaltenders in the ECHL is interesting to me. I feel like it would be a good first adjustment to pro NA hockey. Especially for Euro prospects. Even if for only a handful of games.

 

[DWGie26]

The concept of starting decent skater prospects and not just goaltenders in the ECHL is interesting to me. I feel like it would be a good first adjustment to pro NA hockey. Especially for Euro prospects. Even if for only a handful of games.

The levels are really interesting. Key is being in ”that level” until ready for the next one. This is why i don’t have a problem with prospects playing overseas (SHL or KHL) or in college. Just don’t want to overtake them.

For Miro - probably another year in KHL is good development path.
For Chesley - I’d like to see him move to AHL next year (unless he has to go to junior or Caps in which case stay at MN).

 

[hb13xchamps]

 

[DWGie26]

Nice win for the boys tonight. Unfortunately didn’t get to watch. But Ethan Frank with 2 and CMM with 1 goal. This team is good! But damn a lot of injuries (and call ups) in the last month. Hope Rybinski can get and stay healthy. I think he could be the Hathaway replacement But he needs a good run of games and productivity.

 

[pman25]

When are we gonna sign Ethen Frank, this guy needs a contract

 

[Random schmoe]

I'm sure it's on their mind, but they can only have two more guys under contract at this point.

(Their only prospects who NEED to be signed by summer 2023 are Martin Has and Dru Krebs, neither of which are sure bets to get an ELC. But they have six unsigned prospects playing NCAA that might want to come out early.)

They might also want or need to maintain flexibility for the trade deadline.

They might feel like it's "safe" to wait until the end of the season because of the contract limits and difficulty for another NHL team to sign him away mid season.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

So I've been to five Bears games so far this season.

Their overall home record: 13-3-2

Their record with me in attendance: 2-2-1

 

[DWGie26]

So I've been to five Bears games so far this season.

Their overall home record: 13-3-2

Their record with me in attendance: 2-2-1

You still have a winning points percentage.

Bears are very good this year! Good mix of prospects with high end AHL talent in Anas, Ness, Gersich, Scarbossa, and Veccicone. Several guys who are legit NHL prospects in Lapierre, McMichael, Frank, Malenstyn, Rybinski, Johansen, Iorio, shepherd. Some of those will path with the Caps and others will path through other teams, but that roster is loaded! Good timing to have that roster heading into an offseason with a lot of FA’s.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

You still have a winning points percentage.

Bears are very good this year! Good mix of prospects with high end AHL talent in Anas, Ness, Gersich, Scarbossa, and Veccicone. Several guys who are legit NHL prospects in Lapierre, McMichael, Frank, Malenstyn, Rybinski, Johansen, Iorio, shepherd. Some of those will path with the Caps and others will path through other teams, but that roster is loaded! Good timing to have that roster heading into an offseason with a lot of FA’s.

Oh, I still watch every other home game on AHL TV, I just wish they'd save some of those wins for when I'm there

 

[swansonsays]

So I've been to five Bears games so far this season.

Their overall home record: 13-3-2

Their record with me in attendance: 2-2-1

Have we been to the same games? Haha! I've also been there for two of the three regulation losses. They've looked good for the most part. I think Hunter was a little shaky last night, normally he'd stop two of the four against. Also, that was near NHL level game management by the official that wasn't Koharski. Not talking the two goal / no goal calls ( I agree with both) but the back & forth penalties.

 

[Random schmoe]

South Carolina coach Brenden Kotyk named as coach of the Eastern Conference for the ECHL all star game coming up on Jan 16. Bear Hughes voted to the roster. (There might only be one player per team..?)

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Still holding out hope these return as a throwback someday.

 

[swansonsays]

Being completely honest, I do not (& did not) like "the swipe" jersey at all. I realize that it fits with honoring Bourque, so I have no problem with it as a one off thing. I'd much prefer an alternate that uses the skating bear logo, but that's just my opinion. To each, their own.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Being completely honest, I do not (& did not) like "the swipe" jersey at all. I realize that it fits with honoring Bourque, so I have no problem with it as a one off thing. I'd much prefer an alternate that uses the skating bear logo, but that's just my opinion. To each, their own.

I grew up/got into hockey with the jerseys in the bench shot I posted, and a burgundy #35 Budaj was the only Bears jersey I had ever owned until last year, so I've got a ton of nostalgia for it. I do prefer the current set to the swipe years, though

 

[Hivemind]

The actual sweaters of the "Swipe" jersey look cool, but that version of the logo has not aged well (and wasn't that good at the time either).

 

[Holtbyisms]

I grew up/got into hockey with the jerseys in the bench shot I posted, and a burgundy #35 Budaj was the only Bears jersey I had ever owned until last year, so I've got a ton of nostalgia for it. I do prefer the current set to the swipe years, though

You wear that often? Pretty sweet one on a guy below where we normally sit behind the benches.

 

[DWGie26]

Was toying with idea of heading up to Hershey for the game tonight, but my son heads back to college tonight so kinda need to hang out and support my wife who gets super sad when family leaves. But i will watch the game. Wonder if Protas will play. Snively still needs to pass through waivers.