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Whikadoodle · 05-03-2021, 09:36 AM

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New England Wolfpack Prospect Roundup

(BOSTON, MASS) As Season 59 continues to drag along for the 10-19 New England Wolfpack, the Boston faithful have grown restless. Forever a hockey city, Bostonians are now looking towards next season, and their potential future, for their hockey hopes. Despite a looming expansion draft that will rumble the foundations of every SHL Club, the Wolfpack feel confident that they've filled their coffers with enough talent to weather the storm. Here is a summary of how each of their Juniors prospects are faring:

s57 Draftees

Jonathan Granstrom
Center - 853 TPE

Jonathan Granstrom has been a mainstay on the Detroit Falcons this season. Leading all forwards in Time on Ice, Granstrom's veteran presence has felt welcome on a team that finds itself sitting pretty in second place overall in the SMJHL standings. The Swede is the classic portrait of a two-way Centerman - just as comfortable in the offensive zone as he is in the defensive zone, always hustling to make a play and extend his zone of control to all 200 feet of the ice, and physically and mentally tough. Although only 5'10", Granstrom plays like a rat; willing to throw the body around and do whatever it takes to give his team an edge. Granstrom has lit up the scoresheet as well, potting 7 goals and 13 assists to give him 20 points in 34 games. Granstrom comes from a winning culture in Detroit, and we're excited to see how he develops in the bigs.

Bas O'Bigbers
Left Wing - 773 TPE

Bas O'Bigbers is another international acquisition for the Wolfpack, currently lacing them up for the Newfoundland Bezerkers and the Irish Federation of the IIHF. The offensive wizard flies around the offensive zone as a skilled puck technician with solid physical stats and great hockey IQ. Bas has similar stats to Granstrom - 7-14-21, but has done it in three fewer games. Where Bas truly shines is in their ability to grind out possessions, stay strong on the forecheck, and find a way to get a goal no matter how dirty or deep you have to get. New England definitely has a type, and Bas fits the mold. A strong, gritty forward playing for a successful franchise and embracing their role. Rumor has it that Bas is the reigning Newfoundland Bezerkers arm wrestling champion, and it is this writers wonder whether he can hold that title once he gets called up to the show.

s58 Draftees

Cole Carter
Left Wing - 432 TPE

The second Swede in the pipeline, Cole Carter is an athletic prospect currently playing for the Boats of Anchorage. A much larger prospect than the ones we've discussed thus far at 6'5" and 225 lbs, Carter has the ability to create space for himself and his teammates while moving up and down the ice with the size of an elephant and the speed of a gazelle. Carter has taken the next step and is arguably ready for the lights of the TD Garden right now - he leads 4th place Anchorage in goals and assists, and for you stat nerds he also leads the team in relative Corsi. Cole finds himself second on the points leaderboard for the entire juniors league, behind only Kelowna's Cian McFelter - who has benefited from the services of a club who has had their way scoring goals against just about everyone in the league. Cole has put up a similar statline, 14-25-39 in 31 games, on a team who forces everyone to play hard on the defensive end and look for short opportunities in the offensive zone to strike. Cole Carter was Mr. Irrelevant in the s58 draft, going 72nd Overall as the last skater selected, including after passes from every team besides Winnipeg and the team who originally selected him, Chicago. New England was able to pick Cole Carter up off the waiver wire, and Cole has made a strong case for why he should be considered a top tier prospect and potentially one of the future greats.

Jonny Tsunami
Left Wing - 645 TPE

The first American-born prospect we've discussed so far, Jonny Tsunami is a Hawaiian winger with great hockey sense and a nose for finding the front of the net and parking his big body right there to jam it up. Tsunami is a great athlete, but that is often overshadowed by just how much this player understands the game of hockey and uses it to his advantage. Tsunami has found the back of the net 10 times in 35 games thus far this season, and we're just going to ignore his +/- rating for now, as his Maine Timber squad is the first we've discussed in this write up who isn't currently vying for a 4 Star Cup this season. Tsunami understands that he can be one to turn that around, and that the most important thing about a Juniors championship run is turning it on at the right time. A bright spot of Tsunami's game is his ability to clog the lane - he's got 51 shot blocks on the season thus far. Tsunami is both physically and mentally tough, and this season is going to do wonders for his game once he reaches the SHL.

s59 Draftees

Jack Micro
Right Wing - 420 #blazeit TPE

(Okay before I even start this your player render is rodney mullen and now I like you even more)

Jack Micro is a highly-touted prospect. One of the headliners of the s59 Draft Class, Micro is a puck handler who can find the open teammate, decide the right play, and surprisingly even win quite a few at the face off dot. The American product is one of the speediest wingers in all the J, and a prototype player for a faster, more-skilled game of hockey. Micro is one of the three players in the transcontinental pipeline - the intentional decision of the New England brass to pull players from the same teams in hopes of obtaining that same level of chemistry in the bigs. Anaheim is ranked 13th in the power rankings, 1st in our hearts, and 8th in the overall standings. Jack Micro has contributed by putting up 13 assists and playing considerable minutes for the Outlaws. Furthermore, Micro is one of the most disciplined players in the league, with only 4 PIMS to his name after 575 minutes on the ice this season. Players like Jack Micro don't come around every day, and he's already defining his role as he prepares to get the call.

Matej Winters
Left Defense - 359 TPE

Dipping their toes into Eastern Europe for the first time in seasons, Matej Winters is a speedy, coordinated, smart, and capable centerpiece of New England's future blue line. Matej has taken an important role eating minutes in Anaheim and playing responsible hockey. One of the only players who could possibly overtake Micro in a race, Winters has supplemented his technical drills with an insane workout schedule that has resulted in him being one of the most developed prospects physically in Juniors. Winters has been asked to shoulder the load in Anaheim, averaging over 21 and a half minutes per game. "Ironman Winters" is a player who gives his all every night on the ice, and that type of endurance is going to pay off dividends when he's asked to be the foundational piece of New Engalnd's defense for years to come.

Top Cheddar
Right Wing - 329 TPE

Who cares this guy is a scrub

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