Red Deer vs Edmonton; Regina vs Edmonton; Brandon vs Regina; Moose Jaw vs Brandon
Kolten Bridgeman – Kolten played limited minutes for the Pats in this game. At times he appeared to struggle with the pace of the game and looked a tad bit overwhelmed, but truthfully this is exactly what we would expect from a late 2006 defender playing in the Western Hockey League. Kolton has a massive body for such a young age and will be able to adjust to the pace of the league as he gets more games under his belt. Grade: C+
Parker Berge – The hometown kid had a very strong game and will be an interesting player to watch this season. Parker is a 2003 birth year and has already gone through the draft twice but is off to a hot start to the season. If he can maintain the play he showed tonight and the offensive capabilities he has shown so far to start the year Parker may hear his name called in June. Parker moved well throughout this game displaying strong skating backwards laterally and forwards. Parker is not a blazing skater forwards but he displayed strong IQ to hop into rushes and catch opponents just enough off guard to have an advantage in foot races. An example of this identification is Bedard’s first goal where Parker identified the turnover hopped into the rush and created a 2 on 1 situation. Berge was used in all situations by the Pats and was strong at both ends of the rink. Parker displayed a strong stick defensively and good gap control. Offensively Parker distributed the puck very well and as mentioned before was able to use strong IQ and skating to catch opponents off guard to create instant offence. Grade: B+
Corbin Vaughan – Corbin is not an overly tall person but he is very stocky and his frame looks older than his 16 years. Corbin did not play a ton in this game but when he did he moved the puck well and head checked before picking up the puck. Defensively Korbin stick checked opponents well and was also physical. His skating is below average as is his first step and Corbin will need to add speed if he wishes to be in contention for the 2024 draft. Grade: B-
Tanner Howe – If Tanner Howe is Robin to Bedard’s Batman then Gotham will be in good hands after this season. It is crazy to think how unstoppable these two would be if they both played in the WHL during the 2024/25 season. Howe most impressively displayed a cannon of a shot on both his goals beating the Edmonton netminder clean from distance on the first. Howe is an excellent skater and was all over the ice. He read the ice well in this game and was able to get to open space to create chances from. Elite level players are often difficult to play with and Howe is able to not only keep up to Bedard but even drive the line at times. Tanner played well defensively too playing physical at times and also using a good stick to break up plays and knock pucks away. Despite his small stature Tanner never looked intimidated or outmuscled. After an impressive rookie season Tanner will look to be one of the better offensive players in the WHL and most impressively he isn’t even draft eligible until 2024. Grade: A
Connor Bedard – Barring some form of catastrophe or a massive season from either Adam Fantilli or Matvei Mitchkov Connor Bedard will be the first name called at the 2023 NHL Draft. Connor did his thing tonight registering two goals and a secondary assist. He displayed all his tools from elite skating and edge work to his incredible shot. I would go so far as to argue that Bedard’s wrist/snap shot is second best in the world behind only Auston Matthews. Connor has an incredible ability to get the puck off his stick from angles and positions that nobody else can and this ability to shoot from any position is partially what makes him so dangerous. Connor was excellent in the faceoff dot winning 13/20 draws. Bedard was creative in the way he distributed the puck he dangled he played defence I could go on. Bedard is a special player and the most difficult thing this season will be coming up with a catchy slogan that rhymes with Bedard. Grade: A
Carter Kowalyk – Carter did not stand out in this game other than when he threw a massive hit in the third period. Carter’s foot speed (especially his first step) continues to be a concern and overall has the biggest negative impact on Carter’s projection. Grade: B
John Szabo – John did well defensively for the Oil Kings and was very good at coming back to help out the defenceman. He blocked a shot at even strength and was given the dubious task of guarding Bedard on the PK. Szabo did a good job of defending Bedard and on one play was able to stick with Bedard through the first few dekes before biting hard and being walked around for a shot on goal. If Szabo has success this season it will most likely be in a defensive role and not on the scoresheet. Grade: C+
Cole Miller – Cole may be still growing into his massive 6’4″ and filling it out, but we saw glimpses of what he may become. On one shift Miller took over the game and showed off a hard shot, great distribution and average to above average speed. If Cole is to be drafted by an NHL team this season his moments of brilliance will need to be much more consistent. Grade: B-
Gavin Hodnett – Gavin had a fantastic game assisting on all three Edmonton goals. He is an undersized forward but was able to use excellent skating to be all over the ice in this one. Gavin stickhandled the puck very well and was able to create opportunities offensively with both his feet and his hands. As evident by his three assists Gavin moved the puck very well both in transition and in the offensive zone. Gavin helped out defensively and positioned himself well on the ice. Gavin is undersized but never appeared to be outmuscled or intimidated. Grade: A-
Dawson Seitz – Dawson moved the puck with some proficiency and displayed a hard shot on the power play. Seitz is developing his skating base and building lower body strength. Grade: C+
Mason Finley– Mason is another big body who is still developing his frame. He did score in this game by being in the right place to pot a rebound off a shot pass to the far pad of the Regina goaltender. Grade: C+
Reid Larson – This was not a great game for Reid. Reid did play a ton and will be relied on heavily by the Oil Kings this season so he may still be adjusting to the workload. Defensively Reid displayed good gap control and threw a great hip check. Grade: B-
Ethan MacKenzie – Ethan had another strong game once again displaying his excellent skating and active feet. He distributed the puck very well and was able to break out of his own zone while under pressure. Ethan’s biggest issue this season will be defending against larger opponents. Ethan was out muscled at times and attackers were able to shield the puck from him with their bodies to drive to the net. Ethan’s skating and strong IQ lead me to believe that he will figure out how to defend larger opponents sooner rather than later. Grade: B+
Kalan Lind – Kalan is a very skilled centre who carried the puck with his head up. Kalan distributed the puck well to teammates and was good at drawing defenders into himself before dishing to an open teammate to the outside. Kalan drove his line offensively and he had the puck on his stick a ton throughout the game. His edge work was very solid allowing him to escape pressure and protect the puck. He was able to use his feet and hands to find space along the wall and was able to distribute the puck from that area. In the faceoff dot Lind was excellent winning 7 of the 12 draws he took. Kalan played a 200 foot game and positioned himself well in the defensive end to help out his defenceman. He threw numerous body checks in this game and showed a willingness to partake in the rough side of the game. Kalan’s biggest hurdle for this season will be his skating as his straight line speed is average at best for the WHL. When the game transitioned Kalan struggled to keep up and he struggled to attack with speed through the neutral zone. Another element worth noting is that Kalan was used as the net front presence on the powerplay in this game. Red Deer was able to score 5 on 4 with Kalan providing a great screen but this position limited the number of touches he had on the power play and will most likely lead to fewer points on the power play this season than if he played the half wall. Grade: B+
Ollie Josephson – Ollie had a very strong start to the season registering an assist. On his assist Ollie did a good job of retrieving a loose puck and getting it back to the point to Mayo who blasted home a goal from the point. Ollie is a physically developed player who has a very athletic frame. Due to his size he was able to engage in the physical play with great effectiveness. One such play Ollie was able to make a pass while being run by an Oil Kings player; taking the hit to make the play. He was also unafraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice and was able to engage in wall battles with good success. Overall he made smart simple plays to advance the puck out of his zone or into the offensive zone. Ollie also showed great skill in his puck handling and his ability to receive bad passes. This was a very strong debut for Ollie and he should have a very good rookie season with the Rebels. Grade: B+
Talon Brigley – Talon had a strong first game of the year registering a primary and secondary assist. On his primary assist Talon beat a defender to a loose puck and then threw a perfect pass to the front of the net for Anderson to tap in the goal. Brigley’s straight line speed is solid as evident by the above noted assist and he was able to use quick feet to create space for himself. Talon spreads his feet wide to create a solid base from which he is able to engage with others and absorb contact. His first few steps are average to above average and his on ice abilities stem from his ability to create opportunities with his feet. Talon distributed the puck well throughout the game well and seemed to form good chemistry with Josephson. Overall this was a great start to what should be an exciting season for Brigley. Grade: B
Carter Kowalyk – Carter played a ton of minutes in this game and will be leaned on heavily by the Oil Kings this season. Carter’s puck distribution was the best part of his game as he effortlessly moved the puck up to the forwards and carried the puck with his head up always looking for passing options. When defending the rush Carter’s gap control was very effective and he showed an astute ability to defend rushes 1 on 1. The physical side of Carter’s game was evident in this game as he threw multiple hard hits. Carter’s skating is an area that will need to be improved upon as he struggled moving laterally at times and his pivots were a little cumbersome. Grade: B
Mason Finley – Mason was able to score off of a nice set play off an offensive zone faceoff. On this play Edmonton won the draw in the offensive zone (right faceoff dot) and Mason went hard to the net and picked the rebound up off the goalie’s pad and was able to slam the puck home. Mason played the net front on the powerplay and did a good job of screening the goaltender and fighting for position. Finley’s skating is an element of his game that will need to be improved upon as he struggled to accelerate and play with pace. Mason also struggled at times to hit teammates with passes and must continue to play with his head up. Grade: B-
Reid Larson– Reid had a solid WHL debut and appeared to become more comfortable as the game wore on. Reid’s passing at first was a little bit wild but as he became more confident he was able to consistently make effective passes up to the forwards. Skating wise Reid is an average to above average WHL skater pivoting well and using active feet to create space for himself either to become a passing option or to find a shooting lane. His comprehension of the play was evident as he picked his places to jump into the offence well. Reid also did a good job of gapping up opponent puck carriers and overall did a good job of defending the rush. Reid will be relied on heavily by the Oil Kings and it will make for an interesting first year in the league. Grade: B
Ethan MacKenzie – Ethan had a fantastic effort registering a secondary assist on the powerplay. On this play Ethan identified Dawson Seitz cutting across the crease and hit him with a pass for a chance that was stopped before Cole Miller banged home the rebound. This pass was extremely astute as he threaded the puck through a small gap between three Red Deer defenders and landed it perfectly on Seitz’s stick. Ethan is an above average skater who was able to use his feet to escape pressure in the defensive end (through the use of tight turns) as well as jump into the offence. On a powerplay late in the game Ethan busted up the left wall from his own zone and was able to draw a penalty killer in to him before dropping a pass to a teammate just inside the zone enabling the Oil Kings to set up the power play. Ethan moved the puck well D to D and overall is a strong heads up distributor. He was able to throw the odd bodycheck and on one play he hit his man held him against the glass found the puck and hit a teammate with a pass to start the breakout. Ethan also put his body on the line at the end of the game as he dove and twisted on the ice to knock the puck away from a Red Deer forward with the net empty. As to be expected from an undersized 16 year old defenceman Ethan was pushed around at times. As the season progresses Ethan should become stronger and should be able to hold his own when the play gets rough. Grade: A-
Luke Bateman – Has size and plays physical. Jumps up into the rush when he sees an opening lack of foot speed was exposed when doing this. Reads plays well steps up in neutral zone to make plays using body. Had poor stick placement in his own end. Puck skills need work lots of fumbling puck when stick handling and passes were off target. Balance on his feet an issue when taking a hit easily separated from the puck. Grade: C
Tye Spencer – Shifty player who creates in the offensive zone. Doesn’t let his lack of size hamper his ability to play the game hard. Will go to the net and fight for space. More of a pass first player. Hard on the backcheck got good positioning and would create turnovers with stick lift. Defensive zone needs some work. Got out to the bluelines and challenged but would float back to support low. Grade: C+
Adam McNutt – Had an inconsistent game in his own end tonight. Showed good angles taking away time and space for attackers. At times would stop his feet defending the rush and reach with his stick giving attackers space. Has a short stride but gets to where he needs to be in good time. Looked for options out of his end with the puck passing was off. Sticks up for teammates and is hard to play against in tight areas. Grade: C
Matthew Kieper – Not overly big but had a lot of battle in his game tonight. 50 saves. Tracked pucks and made the second saves when needed. Challenged shooters and controlled his crease. Was aware of what was around him and able to react quickly to cross ice passes. Did have issues stopping pucks behind his net for his teammates. Grade: B+
Sam Oremba – Was a bit out of sync as it was his first game with a new team. Put himself in bad spots early and took some hard hits. Settled in after a period. Used his size with puck on his stick protected it well and took it to the net. Would hit open ice with force in the offensive zone looking for loose pucks. Does have an odd skating style, but pace was there. Grade: C+
Zach Turner – Did not have a good game. Forced pucks into bad spots all over the ice resulting in turnovers and chances against. First passes were slow to develop not on the tape. Puck retrievals were good however turning up ice was challenging. Had gap issues off the rush. Showed some offensive instincts got to mid ice on blueline got pucks through to the net. Grade: LV
Mason Ward – Big physical defender who hits hard. Wins battles in the corners using his size and strength. Has a long reach however needs to keep his feet moving when using it. Was active in the offensive zone would push defenders back into the goalie when he had the puck. Work ethic was very inconsistent. Skating speed is average has a decent stride for a big man going forward struggles on transition and lacks speed backward skating. Grade: C+
Marek Howell – Very noticeable game as he did the little things right. Has good size and uses it to separate players from the puck. Has average speed and was very well balanced on his feet. Very active on the offensive blueline got shots away quickly and through to the net. Will need to get quicker walking the line to get into better shooting areas. Release on his wrist shot was quick. Made good passes out of his zone hard and on the tape. Grade: B-
Eric Alarie – Big body power forward who uses his size to drive the net with the puck. Has a very accurate and heavy shot. Good net presence on the Powerplay. Has a good understanding of where to be away from the puck in the Defensive and Neutral zones. Knows where to go in the offensive zone away from the puck but lack of speed on first few steps keeps him from getting into the soft spots when they are open. Lack of effort when his team was down a few goals. Grade: C+
Atley Calvert – Player who has everything in his toolbox but doesn’t have skills that are elite. Played in every situation. Got pucks deep and got on the forecheck also wasn’t afraid to beat guys 1-1 on the rush. Needs to improve his speed. Knows his game doesn’t try to go beyond that. Strong on faceoffs didn’t lose his man. Grade: B-
Brayden Yager – Very quiet night offensively. Struggled to create and wasn’t able to adapt to the pressure he was given. Competes hard feet are always moving when given open ice he can accelerate quickly. Protects along the wall and comes out with the puck. Knew where to be in the offensive zone. Had good stick positioning in the defensive zone. Grade: B
Jackson Unger – Consistency issues throughout the game. Looked engaged had good feet square to the shooter in good positions. Next shift would overplay losing positioning. Gave up a soft goal slow to react to pass cross ice. Needs to work on his lateral movement to be a player at the next level. Would crouch low in his stance opening up room. Grade: C+
Quinn Mantei – Very solid 2-way defenseman. Was quick on puck retrievals head on a swivel. Made smart outlets out of his zone. Not afraid to step up in the neutral zone to take away lanes. Had some chances to jump into the rush but hesitated. Showed a physical game in his own end laying some big hits something that lacked a year ago. Grade: B-
Carson Bjarnason – Big body tender who covers a lot of the net standing up and in butterfly. Always in solid positioning off the rush or pucks in tight. Has quick feet and plays side to side with poise. Very active stopping pucks behind net for defenseman. Did struggle with keeping pucks in his glove but recovered quickly if dropped. Grade: B+
Andrei Malyavin – Became better and put in important situations as the game went on. Shifty with the puck and not afraid to make the hard pass through sticks. Joined the rush and would go to the net. Did pass puck off in good scoring areas on the PP. Did have gap issues on the cycle but was able to recover quickly. Needs to use his stick more in the defensive zone when he gets caught. Grade: B-
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images