Basically, this list is a grouping of 25 players I can't wait to watch this WHL season. They range from forwards, to defenceman, to goalies and also include players who have been drafted and players eligible for future NHL drafts. The WHL is a great league with a ton of talent, so take a look at my list of some players to keep a close eye on this season.
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7. Hunter Shinkaruk - Many have the newly named Medicine Hat Tigers captain penciled in as the top forward prospect the WHL has to offer for the 2013 NHL Draft. At this point, that's pretty tough to argue considering his point totals the last couple of years. He's a fantastic player and could be in the running as a top scorer for the 2012-13 season. But, he also faces some pressure as the Tigers roster lost a ton of talent after last year including Emerson Etem and Tyler Bunz. This is now Hunter's team.
8. Matej Stransky - The Dallas Stars draft pick led the Blades in scoring last year and is now scheduled to start the year with the Blades two top acquisitions from the summer, Brenden Walker and Shane McColgan. The chances of Stransky scoring 40 goals this year are high, but those expectations also come with pressure. Can he repeat his 2011-12 success during such a pressure-filled year? Time will tell, but I can't wait to see how Stransky handles it.
9. Sam Reinhart - I already touched on the growing pains potentially ahead for the Ice and for them to counter that, Sam Reinhart will need to continue his upward swing. The kid has been lighting the WHL on fire ever since he first played full time with the Ice during the playoffs in 2010-11. He's not eligible for the NHL draft until 2014, so he still has a ton of time to dazzle people with well rounded play. I can't wait to see him play live several times this season. A truly unique talent.
10. Patrik Bartosak - The Red Deer Rebels are poised to be one of those middle-ground teams in the WHL's East in 2012-13. One guy that could elevate them above that is their goaltender Patrik Bartosak. He entered the WHL as a rookie last year and had a fantastic first half of the season before tweaking his knee and missing the rest of the year. He's a big, talented goaltender who is one of those many European wild cards the WHL seems to offer this season, especially in goal.
Great article. It's nice to read someone who understands Jr. hockey. I'm excited about seeing all the guys you mentioned. I agree on Lowry. He has serious upside. Too bad he was hurt last year. Would've made the Vause line a little more deadly. I'm interested to see more of McNeill too, kind of a Jekyll/Hyde guy.
Shinkaruk and Virtanen will both be fun to watch too. Good year to be seeing some eastern conference games.
Great article. It's nice to read someone who understands Jr. hockey. I'm excited about seeing all the guys you mentioned. I agree on Lowry. He has serious upside. Too bad he was hurt last year. Would've made the Vause line a little more deadly. I'm interested to see more of McNeill too, kind of a Jekyll/Hyde guy.
Shinkaruk and Virtanen will both be fun to watch too. Good year to be seeing some eastern conference games.
Great article, about half way through it so far an loving it. You're definitely my favourite source of WHL info!
I'm actually looking to purchase a bunch of Giants tickets, which teams would you suggest watching to see some really dynamic, dominant talents? Not necessarily looking for stacked teams, but teams with a few guys I can really focus on, players who could potentially turn into impact NHLers down the road. I'm thinking the Winterhawks, the Oil Kings, the Tigers (just for Shinkaruk really) and the Warriors (for Rielly, I'm a Leafs fan after all). Any other suggestions? Think these are good picks team-wise, or are there other teams I should be looking at? I'm going to try to get to around 4-6 Giants games in total (in the regular season).
I felt bad for Skapski last night. He made some really good saves, but there was a ton of pressure on him most of the night. I wouldn't really call any of the goals that went in "soft". A lot of the Ice players were screening him in the worst possible ways. He seems like a really decent goaltending prospect.
Lowry and Rielly for me, lucky that you're in both players' division RS. We know they're talented and this is their year to finally be able to show it all off. Both are huge dynamic talents can't wait to see what a full, healthy season brings for these two, should be some dominant campaigns.
Great article, about half way through it so far an loving it. You're definitely my favourite source of WHL info!
I'm actually looking to purchase a bunch of Giants tickets, which teams would you suggest watching to see some really dynamic, dominant talents? Not necessarily looking for stacked teams, but teams with a few guys I can really focus on, players who could potentially turn into impact NHLers down the road. I'm thinking the Winterhawks, the Oil Kings, the Tigers (just for Shinkaruk really) and the Warriors (for Rielly, I'm a Leafs fan after all). Any other suggestions? Think these are good picks team-wise, or are there other teams I should be looking at? I'm going to try to get to around 4-6 Giants games in total (in the regular season).
I think you nailed it with teams like Portland and Edmonton. Red Deer would be solid, to see Dumba. Besides that, I would recommend watching Kamloops. Not a ton of high-end prospect talent, but a fantastic team overall.
I felt bad for Skapski last night. He made some really good saves, but there was a ton of pressure on him most of the night. I wouldn't really call any of the goals that went in "soft". A lot of the Ice players were screening him in the worst possible ways. He seems like a really decent goaltending prospect.
I gotta disagree.
At least two or three of the goals had no business ending up in the back of the net.
At least two or three of the goals had no business ending up in the back of the net.
How many of those were garbage goals though? He is pretty weak on the rebounds, that is certain. But at least from what I saw, he has a fast glove. And I am not sure if anyone was tracking blocked shots from that game, but I wasn't seeing much from the Ice.
How many of those were garbage goals though? He is pretty weak on the rebounds, that is certain. But at least from what I saw, he has a fast glove. And I am not sure if anyone was tracking blocked shots from that game, but I wasn't seeing much from the Ice.
None of them.
He failed to make the save. These werent rebound tap ins.
The Cole Benson goal was one of the bad ones. There was at least one more, and Im pretty sure there were two more.
He failed to make the save. These werent rebound tap ins.
The Cole Benson goal was one of the bad ones. There was at least one more, and Im pretty sure there were two more.
Lowe's goal I wouldn't call soft. His own team screened him. Samuelsson's was pretty bad I admit. I believe it was the Benson goal that was the rebound tap in from the bad side angle wasn't it? Or that might have been Baddocks...
I didn't get a good look at st Croix's goal, I can't really comment on it.
Fine lol, you win on the bad goals standpoint. But some of the saves he did make were great. He looked pretty panicked at times, maybe its just his age.
Lowe's goal I wouldn't call soft. His own team screened him. Samuelsson's was pretty bad I admit. I believe it was the Benson goal that was the rebound tap in from the bad side angle wasn't it? Or that might have been Baddocks...
I didn't get a good look at st Croix's goal, I can't really comment on it.
Fine lol, you win on the bad goals standpoint. But some of the saves he did make were great. He looked pretty panicked at times, maybe its just his age.
The Benson goal just got lost in his pads from a bad angle and trickled through into the net.
I wouldnt say the Lowe goal was bad necessarily. I was sitting in the corner by the glass in the end the Ice were defending in the first and third.
Not saying he is a bad goalie. Was the first time I saw him play, first game of the year and all that, just an observation that two or three of the goals were pretty weak imo.
So who should I keep an eye on tonight...Seattle vs Portland? Im specifically wondering about 2013 prospects as I know a lot about the teams older players.
So who should I keep an eye on tonight...Seattle vs Portland? Im specifically wondering about 2013 prospects as I know a lot about the teams older players.
I would be following Seth Jones the entire game. I would imagine a bunch of scouts are going to be there doing the same thing.
