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I’m glad Oliver Tulk got invited to camp. I mentioned him last year on ‘the site that shall not be named.’ Tulk Kindel and Howe were one of the best lines in the whl. But every game I saw Tulk was easily the player that stood out on the ice. I remember googling him at 2nd intermission of the first game I watched because of how much he was dominating play. He was also the hitmen points and goals leader. In the end he only beat kindel by a single point on the season but that’s because he slowed down and little and kindel heated up. Tulk is only 5’8” and a year older so maybe that’s why he went undrafted? At no point in the year did kindel stand out enough on any game I saw for me to even look him up haha maybe I saw his lesser quality games ????????♂️
Brunicke
He’s been really really good. I think some of the “he’s been way above everyone else” narrative that I’ve seen might be a bit overblown and he makes a mistake here and there but I really hope he makes the team this year. He deserves the chance.
Pietila
This is a guy who needs to be talked about more. One thing I’ve seen a lot in the media is how Brunicke is taking on a mentor role in camp which is happening for sure. So I think it’s notable they’ve stuck Pietila next to Brunicke all camp. He’s made a lot of plays, including a great assist and a great goal today.
Horcoff
You can tell he’s the most raw of the three firsts but he’s going to be a player for sure. He skates really well for his size. Glad he’s going back to college but it wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up the best of the three.
Zonnon
He was the best player of day 1 in my opinion. Didn’t see that same quality the other two days. Needs some work on his shot but he’s not that far away from contributing.
Kindle
I don’t think he really stood out enough. I think his best qualities though would show up more in a 200 ft game and it’ll be interesting to see how he does tomorrow. Had a couple nice tip-ins today though.
Miller
Ryan Miller impressed me a ton on day 2 (which was the least competitive of the practices tbf) but his shot looked great and he scored regularly which isn’t even an advertised part of his game. One to watch this year.
Laatsch
I’m biased towards big defensemen but I was really impressed by how he moves with the puck. He’s been easily the best defenseman in the Horcoff group. Would love to see how he does in the AHL this year.
Day 1 notes
Harrison brunicke was listed as the guy who stood out the most so far. Extremely smooth skater with great passing ability and a ton of upside who looks like he could be a top 4 D in the nhl.
Bill zonnon was also listed as a guy who was very impressive. He has excellent compete and a feisty nature to his game as well as a shot that is better than expected and harder than expected. He also is extremely smart and seems to know where to be on the ice and where to get in position to shoot and pass the puck. The hockey news says that he reminds them of prime patric hornqvist with how he competes and can push guys around as well as dominate the crease.
Travis hayes is the last guy who was listed ‘4th round pick this past draft’. Not the most skilled player or the fastest guy, but he’s extremely scrappy and has a ton of compete to his game. Isn’t afraid to throw his body around and he has an edge to his game which is what you’d love to see out of a bottom 6 forward at his peak most likely in the NHL. A guy who’s going to fight for every inch of the ice service and who’s going to play any role you ask him too. Always a spot for a guy like that on your roster.
Day 2
Ben kindel: He undressed harrison brunicke on a 1 on 1 drill. Made brunicke fall on his behind with his edgework and then smoothly beat the goalie by making a couple of slick moves to get the shot past him. Ben looks really good so far and he thinks the game at a high level and sees things before they happen which lets him play at a fast speed on the ice. His skating is also better than expected and he can shift on a dime and stay on his skates while doing so with the puck on his stick. He’s showing his massive potential early and he’s showing why dubas and wes were all in on him.
Oliver tulk: Undrafted guy who was invited to camp after a monster season ’38 goals and 100 points’ playing alongside kindel and tanner howe on one of the most dominant lines in the entire league. He’s small at 5.8 but he makes up for it with his speed and anticipation skills. They mention that you don’t get 100 points just by being a passenger on a line and that he’s looked really good.
Day 3
Mikhail Ilyin: He arrived just recently and looked really good. Slick passing ability, nice hands, and skating isn’t a concern at this juncture. They mention that they’d like to see him use his top end speed some more but otherwise his skating looked fine and they think it’s good for his development that he’s going back to the KHL for another season to improve.
Finn Harding: Was our 7th round pick in last years draft and his development has been outstanding so far. His skating is superb and he can easily go coast to coast with his ability to skate and control the puck as he does so. His offensive game took a huge step forward last season with 57 points in 67 games in the OHL and he’s looking like a steal so far. He’s a prospect on the rise and who could be a big part of the future on defense for us.
Will Horcoff: Out of the 3 first round picks we had, he’s the guy who is the most raw and needs the most development. However his upside is immense and it’s great that he’s going back to michigan to play for a full season and work on his game. Showcased some of his hands today by roofing a couple of shots, and he has underrated passing ability for a kid this raw. He’s a pure upside pick and a guy who if he puts it together, could be an absolute beast at the NHL level.
