The prospects are off the ice right now for mid-practice resurfacing, so here’s a quick update…
I’ve been focusing on the defensemen, largely because there have been a lot of odd-man rushes in practice and it’s harder to get a real feel for forwards when there’s that much open ice. The defensemen have been under some pressure but are holding up well.
Jake Muzzin looks the most impressive to me. His size and skating are solid, but what sets him apart is his stick work. As the defenseman in 2-on-1 drills, he has a lot of control, and even when he doesn’t get a deflection on the puck, he’s often able to use his stick to influence the direction of the forwards. His first pass probably isn’t as sharp as some of the other defensemen.
Thomas Hickey is very smooth and composed in everything he does. He’s not as physical as some, but his positioning is strong and he makes a good first pass.
Johan Fransson showed great offensive instincts and was aggressive defending the odd-man rushes, as he took a few chhances that sometimes worked out. Nicolas Deslauriers and David Kolomatis had their moments as well but were probably a little more tentative physically than others. Those are the ones who jumped out at me…
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