Red Deer Rebels @ Calgary Hitmen
Western Hockey League, Regular Season Game
March 5, 2021
Scout: Brant Kersey, Saskatchewan
Friday, March 5 marked the opening of the season for the Calgary Hitmen, and to my surprise they looked like they were in mid-season form. The focus of this report was on the Hitmen players. Sean Tschigerl, who is going to be heavily relied upon for offensive production, opened the scoring in the first after a terrific breakway shot upon exiting the penalty box. Tschigerl made a great read coming out of the box, heading for a defensive position in his end he noticed the Red Deer turnover and quickly changed directions allowing for a great breakaway pass. No mistake was made on a quick, accurate cross-body shot. The Hitmen led 1-0 after the first and doubled their lead with one of the most peculiar goals one might ever see. Tyson Galloway attempted a risky, through-the-middle breakout pass that missed its mark. The puck ricocheted near the red line and travelled the length of the ice. Red Deer’s goalie, Ethan Anders, believed it was going to be icing allowed it to sneak between his pad and the post. The rest was up to Calgary’s Brayden Peters as he shut the door in a somewhat spectacular fashion totaling 27 saves in the shutout win. Key Players for the Hitmen, by birth year, were:
2003
| Tyson Galloway | Yale Hockey Academy | CSSHL U16 | L | D | 6’4″ | 214 | Calgary Hitmen | Kamloops, BC | 2003 | 2020-2021: B |
One of the most surprising showings of the night was the emergence of Tyson Galloway as a legit 2-way defender. The large-bodied Galloway showed he’s put in the work during the extended off-season. His footwork, puck-handling, passing and shooting all looked sharp. He had several defensive plays that stood out, however one really made an impression. Following a turnover in the defensive end slot, Galloway quickly moved into position using his body on the puck cutting off the shooting lane to the net. His positioning and understanding of how to use his large frame made it impossible for Red Deer forwards to beat him 1-on-1 all night. A handful of rushes up the ice highlighted his strong lateral movement. One play Galloway needs to eliminate from his game is blind backhand passes upon entering the offensive zone. He made two of them and then had to recover quickly as they both ended up as turnovers. A
| Sean Tschigerl | OHA Edmonton | CSSHL U16 | L | F | 6’0″ | 181 | Calgary Hitmen | Whitecourt, AB | 2003 | 2020-2021: B |
The gifted forward, who the Hitmen have high hopes for this season, did not disappoint in this game. His goal mid-way through the first showed everyone that given the opportunity he’ll bury it. It was a great shot. It was quick and seemed to handcuff Ethan Anders. Not only did he show up offensively he made a couple sneaky-good defensive plays proving he’s more than a one-trick pony. The under-utilized stick-lift is part of Tschigerl’s repertoire, and he used it very effectively, stealing pucks and quickly transitioning up ice. His skating is above average, not explosive, but given open ice he’s tough to contain. A
| Rory Neill | Winnipeg Hawks Bantam | Bantam | L | D | 5’11” | 161 | Calgary Hitmen | Winnipeg, MB | 2003 | Not yet rated |
Neill, who played quite a few minutes with Luke Prokop, had a very solid night. His game was overshadowed by Prokop, however he understood his supporting role in the duo. He supported his partner allowing him to move up in the play and handle the majority of breakouts. Neill looked confident with the puck, moving, with his head up and delivering crisp passes to his teammates. His speed and footwork also looked good. Quick feet got him out of several tough situations in the third period, where a bigger frame would have had an easier time handling Red Deer forwards. He is definitely a work in progress for the Hitmen and there is a subtle arrogance in his game where he could be a big-time player. B-
| Zack Funk | Fraser Valley Thunderbirds | Midget | R | F | 6’0″ | 192 | Calgary Hitmen | 2019 | Vernon, BC | 2003 | 2020-2021: C |
Funk could quite possibly be a coach’s dream player, but a scout’s worst nightmare. He was barely noticeable all night. We watched him closely all evening, with the puck he made simple, yet smart plays. Dumping, forechecking, backchecking, it was all fine – but nothing that stood out. His skating is okay, not explosive, not slow, just okay. He didn’t look out of place on any shift. His forechecking wasn’t overly aggressive which didn’t lead to any turnovers and then again didn’t get him caught out of position. He did show some patience and skill with a toe-drag on a laid out defender but lacked the scoring touch with a weak shot on net. Overall it was a mediocre game from Funk. C+
| Tristan Zandee | Canmore Eagles | AJHL | L | F | 6’3″ | 201 | Calgary Hitmen | 2020 | Airdrie, AB | 2003 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Zandee has all the tools to become a very good WHL scorer. He has a heavy shot with a quick release. His has a long, smooth stride and overall, high-end speed. What he lacks is the game experience to put it all together at the WHL level. Several times throughout the game he missed opportunities to get into position for scoring chances. It was the same on the defensive side of things. Again, he has the tools, he just needs the confidence and game experience to put it all together. C
| Owen Palfreyman | Cariboo Cougars | Midget | L | D | 6’4″ | 185 | Calgary Hitmen | Whitehorse, YT | 2003 | 2020-2021: C |
A work in progress who found himself over his head for most of the game. Palfreyman, who was listed as the 7 th defenceman on the night started the game on very shaky ground, really looking out of place. Near the end of the game he started receiving more and more ice time and his confidence grew. He is a decent forward skater, however his backwards skating got exploited on a couple of occasions due to poor gap control and lack of speed. He kept his game fairly simple, which was smart for a young defender, but his troubles defending really stood out over anything else he did on the evening. C-
2002
| Brayden Peters | Lethbridge Hurricanes Midget | Midget | L | G | 6’1″ | 201 | Calgary Hitmen | Taber, AB | 2002 | 2019-2020: C |
The 2002 netminder was a standout in this game. The story would have been different had he not made, at least, five outstanding stops. Not only did he shut the door on Red Deer’s attack, but the timeliness of the saves was key. Red Deer had sustained pressure during key points of the game and Peters was solid. He tracked the puck well all night making several chest saves, with no rebounds. Furthermore, his reflexes were on point with a number of quick glove and pad saves. A+
| Luke Prokop | Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep | CSSHL U16 | R | D | 6’4″ | 203 | Calgary Hitmen | 2018 | Edmonton, AB | 2002 | 2019-2020: B |
When watching a Hitmen game prepare yourself to hear the name Prokop a lot! Luke, the younger of the Prokop brothers, is a big, smooth skating veteran defenceman. Luke uses his size and reach better than most as he leverages his reach for better angles on passing, shooting and defending. In 1-on-1 situations he envelopes opponents and erases them from the play. On offence his reach and quick puck movements allow him to deliver shots and passes around, often confused and out-of-position, defenders. Luke was the go-to for all situations including quarterbacking the number 1 power play unit. B+
2004
| Brandon Whynott | Yale Hockey Academy | CSSHL U16 | L | F | 6’2″ | 185 | Calgary Hitmen | 2019 | Langley, BC | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Whynott, a very big body winger could be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. He shows a level of confidence that is beyond his years. Unafraid to attack defenders in 1-on-1 situations and letting the puck fly toward the net anytime he finds himself in a scoring area. His shot is solid, but needs to be quicker and more accurate. His skating is quite good for his size. Whynott needs to understand he’s as big and as strong as the other players on the ice, and that he can use his body and skill to be a handful for any WHL defenceman. C
| Grayden Siepmann | Yale Hockey Academy | CSSHL U16 | R | D | 5’10” | 181 | Calgary Hitmen | 2019 | Kamloops, BC | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Siepmann, like most first year WHL defenders found himself getting caught out of position by doing too much puck watching. He did look a little smaller on the back-end, however playing alongside Galloway, Prokop and Jackson Van De Leest, most would look undersized. His frame is solid and for a positive he didn’t get outmuscled in 1-on-1 battles. He understands how to position himself properly to give him the best advantage to contain forwards trying to get to the net out of the corner. His puck moving was fairly non-existent as a majority of his plays were glass-and-out. C-