5 issues realized from 2024 CHL/NHL High Prospects Recreation – NHL.com

Regina ahead Howe, Mississauga goalie Leenders, Guelph heart Luchanko amongst standouts
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MONCTON, New Brunswick — Raoul Boilard, No. 34 on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rating of North American skaters, had two targets and an help for Crew Purple in a 3-1 win in opposition to Crew White within the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL High Prospects Recreation at Avenir Centre on Wednesday.
Boilard (6-foot-1, 184 kilos), a middle with Baie-Comeau of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, was named participant of the sport for Purple. He is a projected second-round decide within the 2024 NHL Draft and thought of a accountable, agile skater, able to taking part in anyplace within the lineup.
“It feels good for certain,” Boilard mentioned. “I believe I did effectively on offense, and in addition did effectively within the defensive zone. I gained some face-offs (4-for-7), so I believe that is what you possibly can anticipate from me.”
Defenseman Colton Roberts (No. 24) had two assists and defenseman Ben Danford (No. 32) had a objective for Purple. Ryerson Leenders (No. 3 North American goalies) allowed one objective on 20 photographs, and Lukas Matecha (No. 9 North American goalies) stopped all 19 photographs he confronted for Purple.
Liam Greentree (No. 12) had a objective and Tij Iginla (No. 11) had two photographs on objective and was named participant of the sport for White. Carter George (No. 1 North American goalies) allowed one objective on 12 photographs, and Dawson Cowan (No. 5 North American goalies) allowed one objective on 17 photographs for White.
“I believe it was cool to see all the blokes going into the Draft,” mentioned Iginla, the son of Hockey Corridor of Fame ahead Jarome Iginla. “There have been a number of actually good gamers on the market, however I do not suppose anybody’s in a unique realm. I believe I can attempt to be as dominant as anybody on the market, however it was a superb sport and tons of fine gamers.”
Listed here are 5 issues realized from the 2024 High Prospects Recreation:
Tanner Howe of Regina (Western Hockey League) acquired a textual content from former teammate and present Chicago Blackhawks rookie heart Connor Bedard this week wishing him luck previous to taking part within the High Prospects Recreation.
Howe did not rating however had two photographs on objective for Purple.
“He advised me all about it, how enjoyable it’s, and to simply go have enjoyable and be your self,” mentioned Howe, referring to Bedard’s participation in final yr’s High Prospects Recreation earlier than being chosen No. 1 by Chicago within the 2023 NHL Draft 5 months later.
The 18-year-old left wing (5-10, 182), No. 29 on Central Scouting’s midterm rating of North American skaters, has been himself and is having success as captain this season.
“I bear in mind watching [Bedard] as our captain final season … main by instance,” Howe mentioned. “He did that so effectively, put within the additional reps in exercises. Everybody seen that and everybody adopted his lead, so an enormous a part of how I lead is due to him.”
Howe leads the Pats with 52 factors (22 targets, 30 assists), together with 20 power-play factors (eight targets, 12 assists), over 44 video games in his third WHL season. He’s decided to finish the season sturdy.
Six gamers within the sport had been born exterior North America.
Middle Adam Jecho (No. 13) of Edmonton (WHL) had 47 factors (21 targets, 26 assists) in 37 video games with Tappara in Finland’s Beneath-18 league final season. The very best-ranked participant amongst European-born skaters within the High Prospects Recreation was born in Zlin, Czechia, and has 26 factors (11 targets, 15 assists) in 29 video games as a WHL rookie.
Charlie Elick (No. 28) of Brandon (WHL) was born in Austria and moved to Calgary when he was 6 years outdated. The correct-shot defenseman has 20 factors (4 targets) in 42 video games with the Wheat Kings. Matecha of Chrudim, Czechia, performed for Dynamo Parubice in Czechia’s Beneath-20 league in 2022-23. Matecha is 10-11-1 with a 2.93 GAA and .912 save proportion in 24 video games with Tri-Metropolis (WHL) this season.
Left wing Eriks Mateiko (No. 36) of Saint John (QMJHL) spent a number of years in Latvia’s improvement leagues earlier than becoming a member of the Sea Canines as a rookie in 2022-23. Mateiko, who has 31 factors (16 targets) in 33 video games with Saint John, represented Latvia on the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Harrison Brunicke (No. 67), a right-shot defenseman with Kamloops (WHL), was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to Calgary when he was 2 years outdated. Brunicke has 18 factors (eight targets, 10 assists) in 40 video games in his second full season with Kamloops.
Middle Julius Miettinen (No. 49) of Helsinki, Finland, performed 38 video games with HIFK’s under-20 staff and had 22 factors (10 targets) in 2022-23 earlier than becoming a member of Everett this season. Miettinen has 42 factors (20 targets, 22 assists) in 45 video games with the Silvertips this season.
Sam O’Reilly of London (Ontario Hockey League) and Miettinen are two prime forwards who every started their careers as defensemen.
O’Reilly (No. 40) made the adjustment simply three years in the past, transferring from protection to proper wing within the Larger Toronto Hockey League. He is now taking part in second-line heart for London and leads all OHL rookies with 14 targets and 42 factors in 43 video games as a 17-year-old.
Miettinen, who turned 18 on Jan. 20, performed protection the primary seven years of his hockey-playing profession in Finland earlier than being moved to heart.
“I scored seven factors (4 targets, three assists) in a single sport in Finland, so that they determined to attempt me at ahead,” Miettinen mentioned. “I used to be 12 on the time. I believe it made me the participant I’m proper now as a result of I can play protection, too. I perceive that aspect of the puck.”
Miettinen, who had an help within the sport, is first amongst WHL rookies with 9 power-play targets and fourth in face-off successful proportion amongst rookies with no less than 200 face-offs taken (54.1; 398-for-736).
Leenders of Mississauga (OHL) was actually busy all through his 30:35 of taking part in time because the starter for Purple.
The 17-year-old made 13 saves within the first interval, none larger than a left pad cease in opposition to Berkly Catton (No. 9) of Spokane (WHL) on a 2-on-1 with Terik Parascak (No. 14) of Prince George (WHL).
“I knew they had been each extremely expert gamers, so I used to be simply attempting to learn it one of the best I can and made the save,” Leenders mentioned. “The puck hit the within of my pants, so I used to be form of fortunate.”
Leenders, who fashions his sport after Marc-Andre Fleury of the Minnesota Wild and Jonathan Fast of the New York Rangers, is trying to enhance his statistics over the second half of the season.
“I might wish to step up my numbers a bit and get one of the best save proportion within the OHL,” he mentioned. “I wish to assist our staff to an extended playoff run.”
Leenders is 16-16-1 with a 3.06 goals-against common, .913 save proportion and three shutouts in 33 video games in his second season with the Steelheads.
Jett Luchanko (No. 21) of Guelph (OHL) completed among the many prime 5 in six of 10 on-ice classes which allowed gamers the chance to showcase their particular person strengths whereas gauging their health and ability ranges amongst their friends for NHL administration and scouts.
The correct-shot heart (5-11, 185) positioned first in response with puck, and second in transition skill with puck.
“I did not actually put together that a lot for this particular testing, however I believe I simply take my exercises, my physique and my consuming actually significantly so I believe that actually comes into play,” Luchanko mentioned. “There’s some response stuff that was fairly cool, however I just like the straight-line skating with the puck and with out the puck. It was a cool expertise.”
Defenseman Sam Dickinson (6-3, 204; No. 7) of London completed second within the on-ice testing, Calgary (WHL) proper wing Carson Wetsch (6-0, 187; No. 44) was third, Oshawa (OHL) proper wing Beckett Sennecke (6-2, 175; No. 15) was fourth, and Elick was fifth.
Dickinson completed first in 30-meter ahead skate with puck and 30-meter backwards skate with puck, and second in transition skill.

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