Post by countryboy on Mar 28, 2024 8:35:15 GMT -4
On the 20's for next year, I think that the most likely trio will be:
Bickle
Hughes
Vos
In the second half of the season Bickle really emerged as the #1 goaltender and Ozols took more of a back seat. He definitely looked more comfortable as the season progressed. He seems to have Hulton's trust and appears to have a leadership role with the team. I expect that Bickle returns and is paired with a young goaltender.
Hughes was our second leading goal scorer and really had a great season considering how it started. During the first month of the season he was a fixture on the 3rd/4th line and he missed some time in October and it really was unclear whether he was injured or just absent from the team for a time. Thankfully, he when he returned to the lineup he really emerged as a strong, powerful winger for us. He's a big body and plays a very physical style. I find Hughes is really good at knowing where the line is that you cannot cross. He always plays a physical style but is rarely in trouble with the refs. Hughes should be a lock as a 20 y/o player and maybe wears a letter for us next season.
Then for spot #3 it likely comes down to one of Vos of Michel. I think Vos has emerged as the best candidate between the two. He is a guy with an unlikely path to the Q. He played 3 full seasons of U18 hockey and didn't make his debut until his 18 y/o season. As a 13th round pick you really don't hold much for expectation for him.
Michel is a guy we had coming back as part of the return for Brabenec. I liked his play much better as an 18 y/o player. He's more of a defensive d-man, but he showed much more offensive potential last season compared to this one. He has basically the same number of points in 37 games as an 18 y/o as he did in a full season this year.
For Vos and Michel, they are close in terms of abilities and somewhat similar in style. The most likely scenario is that both guys come to camp to battle for the final spot.
Bickle
Hughes
Vos
In the second half of the season Bickle really emerged as the #1 goaltender and Ozols took more of a back seat. He definitely looked more comfortable as the season progressed. He seems to have Hulton's trust and appears to have a leadership role with the team. I expect that Bickle returns and is paired with a young goaltender.
Hughes was our second leading goal scorer and really had a great season considering how it started. During the first month of the season he was a fixture on the 3rd/4th line and he missed some time in October and it really was unclear whether he was injured or just absent from the team for a time. Thankfully, he when he returned to the lineup he really emerged as a strong, powerful winger for us. He's a big body and plays a very physical style. I find Hughes is really good at knowing where the line is that you cannot cross. He always plays a physical style but is rarely in trouble with the refs. Hughes should be a lock as a 20 y/o player and maybe wears a letter for us next season.
Then for spot #3 it likely comes down to one of Vos of Michel. I think Vos has emerged as the best candidate between the two. He is a guy with an unlikely path to the Q. He played 3 full seasons of U18 hockey and didn't make his debut until his 18 y/o season. As a 13th round pick you really don't hold much for expectation for him.
Michel is a guy we had coming back as part of the return for Brabenec. I liked his play much better as an 18 y/o player. He's more of a defensive d-man, but he showed much more offensive potential last season compared to this one. He has basically the same number of points in 37 games as an 18 y/o as he did in a full season this year.
For Vos and Michel, they are close in terms of abilities and somewhat similar in style. The most likely scenario is that both guys come to camp to battle for the final spot.
