March 16, 2022
Lethbridge, Alberta: In an exciting game that kept you on the edge of your seat until the final buzzer, the Regina Pats came out on top with a 6-4 victory. Obviously Connor Bedard had a huge impact finishing with two goals and one assist, but in this game Neutral Zone focused on the 2022 NHL Draft eligible players in the line-up for the Regina Pats and their positive impact on the win.
| Layton Feist | Regina Pats | WHL | L | D | 5’10” | 168 | Regina Pats | 2019 | Coldstream, BC | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Feist is a slightly below average sized left shot defender with quick feet and good agility. In the defensive zone he relied on his quickness to contain the cycle to the corner and when he saw a loose puck he used his hips to get in front of his opponent so he would win the race. During defensive neutral zone transition he showed confidence in his feet to maintain a tight gap and we liked how he moved laterally without the need to cross-over. Feist finished the game with a primary assist on a Bedard goal that began in the defensive zone after he won a race to a 50/50 puck and showed the game awareness to chip the puck to the neutral zone. His goal came on a quick stick one-timer that had eyes, but again he showed the game awareness to get the puck to the net as quickly as possible because his forwards had numbers in front of the Lethbridge net. He received a minus on the first goal against. It was a broken play on a face-off, but we did not like how he turned his back to the puck which allowed him to get lost in the shuffle and eventually be a key screen on the point shot. Feist received second power play time and was a key contributor to the penalty kill unit.
| Luke Bateman | Regina Pats | WHL | L | D | 6’5″ | 218 | Seattle Thunderbirds | 2017 | Kamloops, BC | 2002 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Bateman is a 6’5″ 220 pound defender who as a late September 2002 is in his second year of draft eligibility. Although his hips may be a bit stiff, overall we like his stride and how his stride leg returns on a flat edge. Because of this we feel as he continues to grow into himself and gain strength that his skating will become cleaner and more efficient. In this game we liked how he retrieved pucks with his head on a swivel locating forecheckers and quick outlets. Bateman worked well with his defensive partner especially below the goal line where he handled indirect passes cleanly and did not need extra time to settle the puck. While shorthanded he showed the ice awareness to use the face-off dot as his guide and we liked how he moved in straight lines with an active stick. He has a willingness to block shots showing the athleticism to drop to a knee to eat a puck and still get up quickly to protect his net. At the end of regulation Lethbridge had a 6v3 and Bateman was a key figure in holding the lead as he protected his shooting lane. We feel he is a work in progress and probably will not be drafted, but we also feel he is a defenseman that NHL development coaches would love to work with. As he continues to mature and is not so worried about the offensive side of the puck we feel he can add a few inches to his stick which will make him even more difficult to play against.
| Matthew Kieper | Regina Pats | WHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 181 | Regina Pats | 2019 | Winnipeg, MB | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Kieper is an athletic goalie who showed good anticipation on in slot one-timers as well as the quickness to move laterally on line rushes. As a 6’1″ goaltender he played at the top of his crease, but we feel he dropped to his knees a little too early when there were scrums in front of him and the puck was at the blueline or in the high slot. Kieper gave up 4 goals on 35 shots for a game save percentage of .866%. The first goal against was a seeing eye snap shot off of a broken face-off play where Lethbridge’s Nolan Bentham fired a quick snap shot from the strong side blueline that went short side shelf. The second came on a power play immediately after a face-off when Yegor Klavdiyev fired a snap shot through a screen that went in approximately 6″ below the crossbar. On the third goal Kieper showed good lateral quickness as Alex Thacker danced below the goal line before attacking the strongside post on his backhand. The puck squirted through the crease to a wide open Justin Hall on the back door. Hall then scored the 4th of the game on a full ice 2v1 after he tried to hit his teammate on the backdoor, but the puck bounced back to him for a wide open net.
| Cole Dubinsky | Regina Pats | WHL | L | C/W | 5’10” | 185 | Regina Pats | 2018 | Androssan, AB | 2002 | Not yet rated |
Dubinsky is an average sized left shot forward with a high compete and work ethic who left his imprint all over this one as he finished with 1 goal, 2 assists and 4 shots on net. His goal came while shorthanded where he displayed speed and elusiveness on a clean zone entry beating the Lethbridge defender with a wide backhand-forehand fake then using his speed to beat his man to the far post. His two assists both came on quick zone entries. On the first he was in the wide dot lane and showed the quick hands to initiate a crossbody one-timer while at top speed. While on the second he was the puck carrier as he showed the poise and passing skills to find his teammate in the wide dot lane. As a 2002 we do not feel he will be drafted, but we feel his work ethic and honest 200′ approach will earn him a development camp invite.
| Braxton Whitehead | Regina Pats | WHL | R | RW | 5’11” | 160 | Regina Pats | 2020 | Palmer, AK | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Whitehead is an average sized right shot forward who still has a slight frame, but shows the willingness to attack the dirty area and take a hit to make a play. As a puck carrier he showed he could play with his head up through the neutral zone and manipulate the gap into his favor so he could use his speed to drive wide. We liked his ability to shoot while his feet were moving and then attack the net looking for a rebound. Whitehead did not receive any power play time, but was used on the penalty kill unit where his quickness was an asset. He took one face-off while shorthanded and was credited with the win. We do not think Whitehead will be drafted in 2022, but we feel his speed / quickness and direct approach will transition to higher levels especially after he begins to fill out and add strength.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images