April 3, 2025 • 38 mins
SteelFlyers All Sports Network
Brought to you by www.steelflyers.com
Warning! Prospect Watch is not your average hockey podcast and that's OK with us.
Our goal is to introduce you to stars in the making from all over the world.
They may not be household names yet but we assure you they will be soon enough.
Welcome to Prospect Watch a Pod Cast that focuses solely on the discovery and promotion of some of the best young talent in the game today from all reaches of the world.
ON this episode we are talking about NCAA players that teams should be taking a good long look at, and should consider signing them!
The Article:
https://steelflyers.com/ncaa-free-agents-nhl-teams-should-be-looking-to-sign/
NCAA Free Agents to consider:
Center: TJ Hughes - University of Michigan - 7:32
Winger: Quinn Hutson - Boston University - 14:30
Defense: C.J. Foley - Dartmouth College - 20:16
Goalie: Albin Boija - Maine University - 25:54
Get all the latest on the Prospect Watch Show right here
https://steelflyers.com/links/prospectwatchshow/
https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prospect-watch--5587768
Email - prospectwatch@steelflyers.com
Follow the show on X @ProspectWatch23
Follow the show on Instagram @ProspectWatch1
Lance Green, follow on X @LanceGreen39
Ron, follow on X @SteelFlyers52
Please Hit the like and subscribe!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prospect-watch--5587768/support.
Brought to you by www.steelflyers.com
Warning! Prospect Watch is not your average hockey podcast and that's OK with us.
Our goal is to introduce you to stars in the making from all over the world.
They may not be household names yet but we assure you they will be soon enough.
Welcome to Prospect Watch a Pod Cast that focuses solely on the discovery and promotion of some of the best young talent in the game today from all reaches of the world.
ON this episode we are talking about NCAA players that teams should be taking a good long look at, and should consider signing them!
The Article:
https://steelflyers.com/ncaa-free-agents-nhl-teams-should-be-looking-to-sign/
NCAA Free Agents to consider:
Center: TJ Hughes - University of Michigan - 7:32
Winger: Quinn Hutson - Boston University - 14:30
Defense: C.J. Foley - Dartmouth College - 20:16
Goalie: Albin Boija - Maine University - 25:54
Get all the latest on the Prospect Watch Show right here
https://steelflyers.com/links/prospectwatchshow/
https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prospect-watch--5587768
Email - prospectwatch@steelflyers.com
Follow the show on X @ProspectWatch23
Follow the show on Instagram @ProspectWatch1
Lance Green, follow on X @LanceGreen39
Ron, follow on X @SteelFlyers52
Please Hit the like and subscribe!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prospect-watch--5587768/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Warning, prospect Watch is not your average hockey podcast, and
that's okay with us. Our goal is to introduce you
to stars in the making from all over the world.
They may not be household names yet, but we assure
you they will be soon enough. Welcome to prospect Watch,
(00:47):
Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the next episode of prospect
Watch with your host Lay Screen.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
All right, guys, today we are going to be talking
about a very interesting topic of the NCAA's free agents,
right undrafted free agents that are to be had right now.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
As you can see, a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Of teams have been signing some of these players already
right before filming this. Toronto just signed Dartmouth's Luke Kymes,
which was a big name this season, so a lot
of names are already starting to go off the board.
I recently did an article where I pulled a couple
(01:31):
of different players, one from every kind of position that
I think would be amazing players to be had off
the free agent market. So I think we're going to
touch on some of that today on Steele.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
You bet, you bet? Man. Thank you very much for watching,
and if you like what we do, please hit the
like and subscribe. Man we'd really appreciate that. Well. On
this very special episode, we are going to look at
NCAA players that the league the NHL be taking notice
to and should be signing to their roster ahead of
the draft, and to get them on the roster right
(02:07):
now ahead of the playoff push. There's a lot of
teams out there right now that are vying for playoff
position things of that nature, and a lot of teams
out there that have some salary cap and some room
and some major needs for some of these positions that
we're going to talk about. So be sure to go
on over to steel Flyers dot com slash prospect Watch
(02:29):
and check out Lance's latest article about exactly what we're
going to talk about NCAA players that players are that
teams should be taking a look at for sure, So
hop on over there for sure check that out, and man,
I'll tell you what. We can't wait to get started,
right So you ready to go? Lance?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah, I mean guys, this is.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
A thing that teams do every single year, and it's
a great way for teams to add players yeah, to
their farm system, even to the AHL teams, even to
be able to come in and just being added that
they don't have to give up any picks, they don't
have to draft them. These guys went undrafted, their late bloomers,
(03:14):
and if you want to call them that, that have
just flourished since they reached the NCAA rankings and the
collegiate program that they're playing in, and you know, some
of them are very worthy of some contracts here to
become great NHL players, as we've seen a lot of
guys do in recent years and years past as well,
(03:38):
where they just immediately can step in because we all
know the NCAA is becoming a place where top level
talent that teams do draft go to continue to hone
their skills before they arrived with the big clubs, right,
top ten picks everybody, there's names all over the NCAAA
(03:58):
playing in. These these guys that we're gonna mention here
can handle playing against these great players that are just
drafted and sometimes even outproduce them, then why shouldn't they
have a shot at an NHL contract?
Speaker 1 (04:14):
I agree, I agree and exactly with what you said, Lance.
This is a great opportunity for teams to pluck players
that are much more NHL ready. Yeah, they might not
have been drafted and they've been able to develop at
the NCAA level. And we're starting to see more and
(04:37):
more where NHL clubs are taken guys from the NHL
levels and Lance and I have seen this throughout the
last couple of years, especially doing this show, where even
European players are starting to come over here and play
at the NCAA Division one A level. Okay, and this
(05:02):
is some of the best talent that you're gonna get
to play against. This is some of the best way
to judge yourself, a great way to get scouted against.
Because you're you're not playing against boys, okay, You're you're
you're now playing amongst men. Okay, Like when when you
(05:22):
get to you get to the KHL, right that that's
playing men against men. You know what I'm saying. When
you get to some of the Swiss League and and
the Liga and stuff like that, and over there in
Europe you're playing men against men. Right over here in
the United States, you get to NCAA level, you're playing
men against men. And and Lance, I gotta tell you
(05:45):
exactly with what you said, if these guys are able
to stand toe to toe with the likes of some
of the top draft picks that are already playing in
the NCAA, all of the Boston's, all of the Minnesota's,
all of the Michigan I mean, you name it, any
of them big schools out there, got a number of
those players playing for these teams right now. You know
(06:08):
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So I mean and if you look at their facilities, steal,
their facilities are top notch. Some of these schools are
spending one hundreds of billions of dollars all these they're
better than the NHL's facilities, practice facilities, UH, workout facilities,
spas like after care like these. These schools spare no
(06:30):
expense and it shows you know, and and who they
bring in here. So man, let's let's jump into it.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
And I think we we kind.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Of got a thought process here for these for these
fans to understand where we're coming from for this, because
you can just really plug and play, like like Steele said,
with some of these guys that are coming off great
seasons as as the year's ending and as we'll get
talking to here where the playoff brackets are forming, and
(07:00):
some of these team seasons are already done, which is
why we're seeing signings exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
But I think at the end we might even do
a quick little wrap up of what's gonna happen here,
because we are talking a lot about the n c
a A and and tournaments are getting started here and
coming up here in the in this next weekend here,
we're gonna get start some of the regionals, in some
of the semi finals and championship games here. So we
might touch a little bit on that there at the end.
(07:28):
But so hop on over to steel Flyers dot com
slash link slash prospect Watch Show to check out Lance's
latest article about NCAA players that that teams of NHL
team should be taking a look at. And we're gonna
dive into the first one from the University of Michigan,
and we're talking about t J. Hughes and Lance, I
(07:50):
gotta be honest with you. And now he's he's playing
center for them, Okay.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
And plays a little wing too, but p Domina at least.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Center, Okay. But and it's good that you have a
player that can kind of do both. Yeah, do both.
But tell me why this is a player that the
league should be looking out, should be looking to add
to their roster.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yes, So I mean, TJ comes from a fantastic program.
Before he came to the Michigan Woarverines, he played for,
you know, one of our favorite teams, the Brooks Bandits.
Oh yeah, had countless players on this show from because
they're such an amazing organization. You know, they they won
(08:40):
countless AJHL championships and they have since moved up to
the BHL and you know, to try to gain tougher competition.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
But TJ.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Playing, you know, his last year with the Brooks Bandits,
he's undersized, right, He's five to eleven, one hundred and
eighty five pounds. Now, he's not his typical six foot two,
two hundred pound center that you know every NHL team wants, right,
But he's stealthy, He's he's quick, you know, on his feet,
he knows where to be. And let's let's just talk
(09:15):
with the Brooks Bandits. His last season with them, he
scored sixty six goals and sixty one assists for one
hundred and twenty one points and sixty games played. That
equals out to two point one to one points per game.
He bettered those stats even and topped them in the playoffs.
That year he won HL Championship, he won the Centennial Cup.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
You know, he did it all.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So turning to a Warverine now, I think he's a
junior at the end of his junior year. Now, he's
played three seasons for Michigan now and they've had countless
turnover with all their top picks that they bring in.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
And we know Warlverines are.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
You know, he got all some top guys and he's
played right.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Along with them.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And for the three years he's been there, he's been
able to compile forty seven goals, seventy five assists, and
one hundred and twenty two points in one hundred and
sixteen games played.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
And he's managing or averaging.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Around or just shy of winning sixty percent of his
face offs, which is pretty darn good. I mean, considering
who Michigan plays on a nightly base. They do not
play some slack teams. They are trying to play the
best teams that they can play to be able to
get a better ranking schedule, you know, when it all
(10:39):
comes down to it. So still, he did attend Tampa
Bay's development camp last season. Last summer he didn't get signed,
then a lot of people thought he would and I
think it was his chance, his reasoning to want to
go back to do you know, to set out what
(10:59):
he wants, what he wanted to do and you know,
win a national championship this year. Didn't work out for
him this year, But man, has he proved himself over
these last three years.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
He's an offensive dynamo.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
He always has been. He makes anybody that's with him
better if if you can process that, guys, like it
doesn't matter who he puts out there.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
He's been over these last three years.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
The turnover at Michigan, like I said, has been, you know, phenomenal,
just to be able to still be competitive year in
and year out, and when you're bringing all kinds of
new talent and every year because all your players leave
and go to the NHL or AHL and turn pro
TJ's been there, He's been consistent. He deserves a look, Guys,
he deserves.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
To be signed. He puts up points still at a
regular pace.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
He plays a bigger game. He's a bigger five to
eleven than you think about. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
And he's over one hundred and eighty pounds, so he
does play a bigger game. He does have a he's
not afraid to get in the dirty areas. I mean,
for a center of that that kind of you know, stature,
(12:12):
I guess if you want to call it that. But
the other key factor thing that you also mentioned Lance
was his face off percentage. And you know, look, I
don't know about y'all, but that's a pretty key element
to a center position. Yeah, we understand you need to
be able to score, and yeah, we understand you need
(12:34):
to be able to toe, drag and dangle and blah,
but you also need to be able to win face offs. Right,
you gotta be good on the dots, and you also
got to be defensively responsible. And that's the other thing
that I can also say as he is also that too.
(12:54):
Do you know what I'm saying? And playing for the
Michigan Wolverines.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That is a professional type program here, folks, it.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Doesn't it doesn't get any more step down from the
pros than it does for Michigan. I mean, that is
a top level program. They're playing the likes of Minnesota's
and and Ohio states and Penn States, and you know, they're.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Playing the likes of them kind of teams on a
regular basis. You know, so a lot of props to
TJ for for being as good as he was. We
talked to some of his teammates with the Brooks Bandits,
you know what I mean, So we probably should have.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Had him on, not for not trying, but yeah, no,
not for not trying, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
But but and it's you know, understandably so because quite frankly,
to have that kind of a production, with that kind
of a size, uh and and at that level, I
definitely think he's ready to go uh to the to
the NHL. Even if you put him on the fourth
line as a fourth line center, I think you're still
(14:12):
gonna get good production out of him like that. So
all right, well there you go, man, TJ. Houston, University
of Michigan. I like it. I like it. All right.
Here we go, moving on, folks, moving on. We're moving
on to a winger from hey, wait for it, Boston University.
(14:34):
Oh man, we're talking about a Hudson, right, we're talking
about it. When Hudson here, man, talk to me, talk
to me about Look, you and I both know that
Boston University is stacked as far as their roster is concerned.
There is a lot of draft picks on that roster
(14:55):
right now, right, okay, so tell me why is Quinn
Hudson standing out?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Well, another undrafted player, right, you may have heard of
that name Hudson right around the NHL. Now, his younger brothers,
Twenty one year old Lane Hudson, who was taken in
the second round by the Montreal Canadians, is having a
heck of a season, Yes he is.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
In fact, I believe he's up for the Calder Trophy
this year.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Yeah, he's one of the main ones there. And his
eighteen year old.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Brother Cole, who was selected by the Caps in the
second round, is having a phenomenal year as well. And
you know he's playing, he's playing with Quinn, and you know.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Having a heck of the year.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
But Quinn is for some reason just been overshadowed by
his other brothers. And I don't know why, because he
holds the highest points per game average when I wrote
this article of anybody in the NCAA this season. He's
(16:05):
net wow, one point four to four points per game
in the NCAA. All right, that's more than just still.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Of those draft picks that are tiers and picks. Yeah,
just to let you folks know, that is a serious,
serious number. One point four to four points per game.
That that that is unheard of. Yeah, I mean okay,
(16:33):
and he's still undrafted. What hey, NHL?
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Right, So to go over some of those numbers, he's
a third year player, he's a junior as well, and
he's managed in that time period of those three years
to net fifty three goals fifty seven assists for one
hundred and ten points in one hundred and eleven games,
so almost a point per game overall three this season especially,
(17:02):
he's well over that. But even before that, his other
two years, he was putting up points. And you know
what I like about him still. You know what I'm
getting ready to say.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Is he's a plus player.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Hello.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Is that he's maintaining over his collegiate career a plus
forty nine average.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
All right, Hello.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
So he can put up the points, he can also
keep them out of the net as well. And you
know he's twenty three years old. You're not getting some
kid that you're gonna need to teach.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
A whole lot, all right. He's been taught.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
He's, like Steele said, he's playing for Boston University. They
have amazing coaches and has been the under the tutelage
of some of the best collegiate coaches in the game,
so he can step in. He's got an amazingly high
high hockey IQ's. He doesn't have the extreme talents that
(18:04):
maybe his younger brothers have, especially lane and stuff. He
plays a little bit different position, but you know, his
high hockey IQ is the thing that has got him
to this point and has got him to be able
to be in the right position to net all these
one point four to four points per game that he's
been netting because he's there. He's in the right areas,
(18:27):
he knows where to be. You don't have to teach
this guy anything. You can plug and play him into
the lineup, into your AHL or NHL lineup right now,
and he'd be productive.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
I would love to say, you know, I would love
to see any one of these teams out there take
a chance on any one of these players, because I
think I think you'd be able to. It's a steal,
no matter how you slice it, it's a steal. And
no no matter what player that we talk about here,
you're you're gonna get an amazing talent and amazing player
and somebody that's gonna, you know, go all out for
you and and try to win for you. So all right,
(19:02):
I'm really liking and you know, and you and I
both know that Boston University, like we said before, they
they have there are another one of those great programs
that that a lot of a lot of players that
are drafted go and play there at Boston University. And
(19:23):
for the most part, Boston University is always in the
NCAA Championship Games or in the Frozen Fours. They've they've
had a streak now for quite a while. They usually
one of those teams usually wins the bean pot, you
know what I mean. So Boston has been a stack
(19:47):
team and have a player like Hudson's standout, I think
he deserves a look too from another NHL team as
well too. So, hey, NHL teams, Ring, Ring, it's the
clue phone for you here you go. All right, So,
as the aforementioned Dartmouth College that you talked about here
(20:10):
in the beginning, we're going to talk about a defenseman here, CJ.
Foley from the aforementioned Dartmouth College. And we know from
the players that we've interviewed that Dartmouth College is one
of those top level colleges where if you want to
(20:32):
learn how to play good hockey and get a good education,
that this is one of those places that you need
to go.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Yeah, a lot of their kids stay. They stay and
they don't just leave after a year. They get degrees
from there. And you know, with that being said, CJ
is another one of them. He's twenty one years old.
He's a right hand shooting defenceman. Who doesn't need one
of those right you know, they just don't grow on trees,
(20:58):
and especially one that can are as talented as CJ.
And he's five foot eleven, one hundred and seventy four pounds,
not the idea, you know, ideal you know, stature that
you want.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
But man, he can move. He can move Steele.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
He's a puck moving of offensive defenseman who if I said,
I had to get a comparison, it would be like
a poor man's shamous Casey who was drafted by the Devils.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Okay and played for Michigan.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
An amazing, amazing stick handler. He can bring the puck
up from behind the net and carry it all the
way up in the offensive zone by himself and take
it right to the gold mouth and put it in
or you know, put it on net at least for
somebody to get a juicy rebound after that. Now this season,
(21:53):
Foley has managed to a mass eleven goals and eighteen
assists for twenty nine points and thirty games played as
of when I wrote this article, and he was averaging
a plus sixteen on the season.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
All right, boy, that really just upsets us right there.
What a defenseman who's plus that much? Are you kidding?
Speaker 2 (22:14):
He can skate, he can shoot, you know, got a
monster shot from the blue line, can just cycle the
puck so easily. He makes it look just just like
you know, tying your shoes or something. Still, it's so
easy for him just to cycle the puck around like
he's been doing this for twenty years in the pros.
(22:36):
He did attend Florida's developmental camp this past summer, and
I think he impressed why he was there. So, like
I said, there's already been a couple of signings, especially
just off of his team already since their season ended exactly,
and I'm kind of surprised that he's still around to
(22:56):
be had because just the the ability to move the
puck and skate flawlessly and stick handle his way through
five different people on the ice to get a shot
on net. You don't really see that, or if you do,
you don't really get the guy that's gonna do that
(23:17):
and then get back and play defense as well.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
And I think he does both of those really well.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
So, you know, man, I would think it would be
a great depth signing a guy who could come in
and play big minutes right away for your AHL club
or fill in on a bottom pairing if you just
had a defenseman get injured for a playoff run, you know,
(23:45):
for an NHL team, Because this guy, he has all
the NHL abilities in those in those big you know
way of you know how they they played the NHL game. Now,
they expect defenseman to be able to skate, to be
able to shoot, to be able to carry the puck up.
It's not a guy who's gonna stand there flat footed
(24:07):
and pass the puck up to a winger on a
fast break anymore. They need to get them in the
offensive working schemes of things, and and CJ is just
the guy to do that.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
I'm with you on that, but and I can kind
of understand why maybe he has gone undrafted because it
is a little bit tougher uh for defenseman, especially of
that stature, to get drafted per se. But and we
all know that it takes defenseman that little bit of
extra longer for them to actually come good. And to
(24:44):
be quite honest with you, I think actually having him
go to the NCAA a uh and prove himself at
that level has allowed his stock to rise. I believe
and and and teams should be taking a look at
him as far as we're concerned. You know, Look, this
is the beauty about what we do here, is that
we find these gems. We find these players that we
(25:06):
think that you know, teams should be looking at, or
or that we feel that, you know, could be a
good addition to a team or would be worthy of drafting.
We watch a lot of their tape, We watch a
lot of the games that we can. We try to
do as much research about every one of these players
that we talk about. It's not like, you know, we're
(25:28):
just kind of throwing this stuff out there, you know
what I'm saying. So I like the list so far,
And of course we have to save you know, Goaliest
for last right for sure, for sure, it wouldn't be
wouldn't be Prospect Watch with your host Lance Green. If
we didn't save goaliest for last, right, So okay, here
(25:52):
we go from Maine. Okay, and Maine is now going
to be playing in the tournament here coming up this weekend.
They're going to be playing against penn State, Quinnipiac, and
and Yukon. That's gonna be the four teams playing at
(26:13):
Allentown Center PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. And the the
backstopper for the main uh is uh Is Albin.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Uh Is booya ba Alvin Boya boy.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
All right, Albin Boya all right. So that's gonna be
the goaltender for Maine coming up here in this tournament.
And you know what, Lance, I got to tell you
something for as a goaltender to be able to be
somebody that you can notice. And we also know that
goaltenders take longer to develop as well too, you.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
And I got no problems with goaltenders going to NCAA
levels or go on to the league, or going to
the Swedish League or going to the KHL, because you're
you're gonna play against better talent, you know what I'm saying.
And so when you you get that and you developed
them types of goaltenders. And I think that's what Maine
has got in Boujah here for sure. I'm six one
(27:18):
and eighty one pounds. Talk to me about him, Lance,
Why you have this goaltender for last?
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I mean, this kid's twenty one years old now. He's
a Swedish goaltender. Came up through the Swedish leagues, the
J eighteens, the j twenties SHL play was pulled up,
but didn't play there. So in saying that, I think
is why he came over to the NCAAs. He played
(27:48):
played with Maine last year. He played in eighteen games.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Last year.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
He had a two point zero one goals against average
and a nine to sixteen say percentage with twos. All right,
as a freshman just learning the North American game. All right,
that's pretty good, man. That is pretty darn good. That
is pretty darn good. So this season he's been able
to top that. He's since taken over the net, over
(28:15):
the crease, and he's he played in thirty six games
so far this year, where he has a one point
seven to six goals against taverage and a nine to
thirty save percentage with four shutouts.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
On the year.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
He has twenty three wins on the season, and he
is a main main reason while Maine is in this
tournament and projected to be one of the top teams.
I don't want to jink some knock on wood to
come out of the Eastern Division at the PPL Center
(28:49):
this weekend and you know after whenever the final game
for that is.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
But man, this kid is good steal let me tell you.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Solid solid backstop for them. I think he only builds
their confidence up because they have him as their backstop
and they can trust him to be to be reliable
back there and.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
To stop a big stop. This kid does not give
up on a play, all right.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I don't want to compare him to Dominic Kashick, but
if you think how Hashik would be out of position
and totally laid out on the ice and then just
throw a limb up there and and that makes but
this kid does you know, he's a great fundamental goaltenderk
(29:40):
just never never gives up on a play. And he's
been on so many highlight reels this this season of
just amazing stops that he's made a second or third
stop against in this in a single series because maybe
his team wasn't able to to get rid of the
(30:01):
you know, the rebounds and send it back up ice
and he just comes out of nowhere and still stops
some amazing you know, stop with his glove or his
blocker or stick blade, it doesn't matter. He's just he's
just going to keep that puck out of there. And
you know, he's played some big hockey games here. He's
(30:22):
twenty one now, he's just coming in to win. Goaltenders
really begin to come into their own as in twenty
two to twenty three years old. And you know, since
coming over to the United States to play hockey, he's
just he hasn't missed a beat, Like I mean, he
(30:44):
looks like he's been doing it all his life and
he had he isn't coming from a bigger ice surface
and had to learn the faster paced North American style
play on that smaller rink that so many goalies tend
to struggle with when coming over across the pond.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
And you know, he's just done so so flawlessly for Maine.
I think that.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
I mean, he would be an amazing pick up even
even if you wanted to just sign him let him
play the playoffs with the Phantoms and then send him
back or or whatever team you know that signs him.
You know, it's just, hey, let's let's send him back
(31:28):
to Maine for a third season and let him get
number one goalie you know, reps.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
But why not? Why not give this kid a shot
at a contract?
Speaker 2 (31:42):
I can tell you right now there is probably gonna
jump on the depth charts a list of teams as
long as my arm that need goaltending.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Yeah, and I could think of Penguins being one of them.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
One of them.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Guy got that can step in, right, yeah, could help
out wilkes Bury right now, he could help out okay, Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Right.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
What I'm saying is is that what do they have
to lose if they bring him in now?
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Right?
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Absolutely nothing. He gets a little bit of it, gets
a little taste, you know what I mean. See see
how he does in the tournament. If he's able to
to move on, then cool. If not, then bring him
in and see what he does and see, I mean,
you know, what what do you got to lose at
this point?
Speaker 2 (32:24):
You know, teams have some teams have what like ten
games left or something in the regular season and you know,
a lot of HL teams are repping for the playoff
runs already. If you're if you're NHL club's not doing
that great, maybe you maybe you send him to the
HL and along with your kids coming out of juniors
that have aged out that you previously drafted, and make
(32:49):
a playoff push there altogether.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
You know, just see what he has.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
You know what lance of all of the players. I
think these are some great players that would have a
great shot at making an NHL roster. All they have
to do is just do do their due diligence on
some of these players kind of like and and make
the assessments that we've kind of done and see what
kind of players these guys could potentially be. I think
(33:17):
that there's there's no ceiling on some of these guys,
and I think that's what gives them more of an
attractive nature, because some of these guys still have more
ceiling to go, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (33:33):
So, but.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Folks, you got to go check out the NCAA tournament
that's coming to Allentown, Pennsylvania at the PPL Center this
coming weekend. Uh there's a game Friday, and then I
believe uh there's two games Friday, and you'll see those
two games, and then the winner of each of those
(33:56):
two games then plays the championship game then on Sunday,
the third, and that's sounded the PPL Center. Gotta go
check that out, Gotta gotta root for those teams. Some
of the teams that we're going to be rooting for
are gonna be Penn State, and obviously the team we
just talked about, Maine and Yukon's going to be there,
and Quinnipiac is going to be there too. So some
great teams, some great hockey. Be sure to go check
(34:19):
that out. I believe, in fact, the games are going
to be televised on ESPN two. I believe at least
the games are gonna be televised. I believe.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Yeah, definitely ESPN two and possibly most likely ESPN you
as well, if you guys have Yeah, yeah, but you know,
definitely Quinnipiac is a national championship team.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Not not too many years.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Ago, twenty three they were right.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
So, I mean, Penn State, big ranked team all year long,
kind of faltered a little bit towards the end there,
but you know, a team that is is killer and
it's local team if you're in the Philadelphia region where
they're going to be luckily enough, playing time time.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Penn State has been back since twenty twenty three as well, So.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
I mean, you know, it's a good it's a good
way to see some teams that you don't see around
these parts, and you know, just some good, good college hockey.
It's a whole different atmosphere if you get into a
collegiate game. You have the band, the team's bands playing,
you got the you know, you got the students section.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
It's just a fun environment and.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Just some really really good hockey going to be played
in our own backyard, as you know, we're around that
area from where we are, but from all over all
over the country. There's you know, there's a Midwest bracket,
there's a there's a Western bracket, there's a Southern bracket
as well.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
Northern bracket where they're going to be playing up in
in in Massachusetts well too.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
So yep, so you got a lot of great teams
playing this weekend all over the nation and you know,
fighting to get to see who gets to go to
that final four, a frozen.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Four rather so exactly, and that's what this is all
about here. So for sure. So Lance, I'll tell you what, man,
I think we got a really good show here. We
talked about some great players that some NHL teams should
be looking to the NCAA for some of those depth
players for some of those teams that are trying to
make a playoff push or trying to make a run.
(36:35):
Also potentially could be the same thing for your AHL
club a depth player or trying to make a playoff run.
For sure, for sure, be sure to go on over
to steel Flyers dot com, slash link slash prospect Watch
show check out all of our data shows and all
of Lance's great latest articles. Thank you very much for
what for watching. If you like what we do, hit
(36:57):
the like and subscribe. Man, we really do appreciate that.
We also like to say thank you to a speaker
for getting us out there to all of the podcasting platforms.
All you have to do is type in prospect Watch
and the name of your favorite player and we should
come up hopefully and you give us a five star rating,
and we really appreciate that. So, Lace, what do you think, buddy?
We got a good one.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Yeah, Man, I'm excited for this weekend.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I gotta tell you I'm gonna be watching some good,
good college hockey and you know.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
See sooner might be closer than the TV.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
Yeah, fingers crossed, you know, well, we'll hopefully we're there,
but we'll see how it all plays out, you know,
work and everything else, but we'll see.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Like I said, man, fingers crossed, you might see some
cool stuff coming for sure. Also like to make a
big major announcement, some major changes are going to be
happening here to the channel and also to the show.
We're going to have some great new graphics coming up
for this show. The rest of this show, We're also
going to be doing a things a little bit differently
(38:01):
and be looking for a separate Prospect Watch channel on YouTube.
That's right, folks, a separate prospect Watch channel on YouTube.
Be looking for that to be coming out here real soon.
And then also be looking forward to the great new
graphics for the show and also some great things coming
out as well. To be sure to check them out.
(38:23):
Head on over to steel Flyers dot com and check
out all that great stuff. We'll be sure to check
you on the next episode of Prospect Watch. Check you'll
later
Warning, prospect Watch is not your average hockey podcast, and
that's okay with us. Our goal is to introduce you
to stars in the making from all over the world.
They may not be household names yet, but we assure
you they will be soon enough. Welcome to prospect Watch,
(00:47):
Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the next episode of prospect
Watch with your host Lay Screen.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
All right, guys, today we are going to be talking
about a very interesting topic of the NCAA's free agents,
right undrafted free agents that are to be had right now.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
As you can see, a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Of teams have been signing some of these players already
right before filming this. Toronto just signed Dartmouth's Luke Kymes,
which was a big name this season, so a lot
of names are already starting to go off the board.
I recently did an article where I pulled a couple
(01:31):
of different players, one from every kind of position that
I think would be amazing players to be had off
the free agent market. So I think we're going to
touch on some of that today on Steele.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
You bet, you bet? Man. Thank you very much for watching,
and if you like what we do, please hit the
like and subscribe. Man we'd really appreciate that. Well. On
this very special episode, we are going to look at
NCAA players that the league the NHL be taking notice
to and should be signing to their roster ahead of
the draft, and to get them on the roster right
(02:07):
now ahead of the playoff push. There's a lot of
teams out there right now that are vying for playoff
position things of that nature, and a lot of teams
out there that have some salary cap and some room
and some major needs for some of these positions that
we're going to talk about. So be sure to go
on over to steel Flyers dot com slash prospect Watch
(02:29):
and check out Lance's latest article about exactly what we're
going to talk about NCAA players that players are that
teams should be taking a look at for sure, So
hop on over there for sure check that out, and man,
I'll tell you what. We can't wait to get started,
right So you ready to go? Lance?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah, I mean guys, this is.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
A thing that teams do every single year, and it's
a great way for teams to add players yeah, to
their farm system, even to the AHL teams, even to
be able to come in and just being added that
they don't have to give up any picks, they don't
have to draft them. These guys went undrafted, their late bloomers,
(03:14):
and if you want to call them that, that have
just flourished since they reached the NCAA rankings and the
collegiate program that they're playing in, and you know, some
of them are very worthy of some contracts here to
become great NHL players, as we've seen a lot of
guys do in recent years and years past as well,
(03:38):
where they just immediately can step in because we all
know the NCAA is becoming a place where top level
talent that teams do draft go to continue to hone
their skills before they arrived with the big clubs, right,
top ten picks everybody, there's names all over the NCAAA
(03:58):
playing in. These these guys that we're gonna mention here
can handle playing against these great players that are just
drafted and sometimes even outproduce them, then why shouldn't they
have a shot at an NHL contract?
Speaker 1 (04:14):
I agree, I agree and exactly with what you said, Lance.
This is a great opportunity for teams to pluck players
that are much more NHL ready. Yeah, they might not
have been drafted and they've been able to develop at
the NCAA level. And we're starting to see more and
(04:37):
more where NHL clubs are taken guys from the NHL
levels and Lance and I have seen this throughout the
last couple of years, especially doing this show, where even
European players are starting to come over here and play
at the NCAA Division one A level. Okay, and this
(05:02):
is some of the best talent that you're gonna get
to play against. This is some of the best way
to judge yourself, a great way to get scouted against.
Because you're you're not playing against boys, okay, You're you're
you're now playing amongst men. Okay, Like when when you
(05:22):
get to you get to the KHL, right that that's
playing men against men. You know what I'm saying. When
you get to some of the Swiss League and and
the Liga and stuff like that, and over there in
Europe you're playing men against men. Right over here in
the United States, you get to NCAA level, you're playing
men against men. And and Lance, I gotta tell you
(05:45):
exactly with what you said, if these guys are able
to stand toe to toe with the likes of some
of the top draft picks that are already playing in
the NCAA, all of the Boston's, all of the Minnesota's,
all of the Michigan I mean, you name it, any
of them big schools out there, got a number of
those players playing for these teams right now. You know
(06:08):
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So I mean and if you look at their facilities, steal,
their facilities are top notch. Some of these schools are
spending one hundreds of billions of dollars all these they're
better than the NHL's facilities, practice facilities, UH, workout facilities,
spas like after care like these. These schools spare no
(06:30):
expense and it shows you know, and and who they
bring in here. So man, let's let's jump into it.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
And I think we we kind.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Of got a thought process here for these for these
fans to understand where we're coming from for this, because
you can just really plug and play, like like Steele said,
with some of these guys that are coming off great
seasons as as the year's ending and as we'll get
talking to here where the playoff brackets are forming, and
(07:00):
some of these team seasons are already done, which is
why we're seeing signings exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
But I think at the end we might even do
a quick little wrap up of what's gonna happen here,
because we are talking a lot about the n c
a A and and tournaments are getting started here and
coming up here in the in this next weekend here,
we're gonna get start some of the regionals, in some
of the semi finals and championship games here. So we
might touch a little bit on that there at the end.
(07:28):
But so hop on over to steel Flyers dot com
slash link slash prospect Watch Show to check out Lance's
latest article about NCAA players that that teams of NHL
team should be taking a look at. And we're gonna
dive into the first one from the University of Michigan,
and we're talking about t J. Hughes and Lance, I
(07:50):
gotta be honest with you. And now he's he's playing
center for them, Okay.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
And plays a little wing too, but p Domina at least.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Center, Okay. But and it's good that you have a
player that can kind of do both. Yeah, do both.
But tell me why this is a player that the
league should be looking out, should be looking to add
to their roster.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yes, So I mean, TJ comes from a fantastic program.
Before he came to the Michigan Woarverines, he played for,
you know, one of our favorite teams, the Brooks Bandits.
Oh yeah, had countless players on this show from because
they're such an amazing organization. You know, they they won
(08:40):
countless AJHL championships and they have since moved up to
the BHL and you know, to try to gain tougher competition.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
But TJ.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Playing, you know, his last year with the Brooks Bandits,
he's undersized, right, He's five to eleven, one hundred and
eighty five pounds. Now, he's not his typical six foot two,
two hundred pound center that you know every NHL team wants, right,
But he's stealthy, He's he's quick, you know, on his feet,
he knows where to be. And let's let's just talk
(09:15):
with the Brooks Bandits. His last season with them, he
scored sixty six goals and sixty one assists for one
hundred and twenty one points and sixty games played. That
equals out to two point one to one points per game.
He bettered those stats even and topped them in the playoffs.
That year he won HL Championship, he won the Centennial Cup.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
You know, he did it all.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
So turning to a Warverine now, I think he's a
junior at the end of his junior year. Now, he's
played three seasons for Michigan now and they've had countless
turnover with all their top picks that they bring in.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
And we know Warlverines are.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
You know, he got all some top guys and he's
played right.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Along with them.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
And for the three years he's been there, he's been
able to compile forty seven goals, seventy five assists, and
one hundred and twenty two points in one hundred and
sixteen games played.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
And he's managing or averaging.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Around or just shy of winning sixty percent of his
face offs, which is pretty darn good. I mean, considering
who Michigan plays on a nightly base. They do not
play some slack teams. They are trying to play the
best teams that they can play to be able to
get a better ranking schedule, you know, when it all
(10:39):
comes down to it. So still, he did attend Tampa
Bay's development camp last season. Last summer he didn't get signed,
then a lot of people thought he would and I
think it was his chance, his reasoning to want to
go back to do you know, to set out what
(10:59):
he wants, what he wanted to do and you know,
win a national championship this year. Didn't work out for
him this year, But man, has he proved himself over
these last three years.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
He's an offensive dynamo.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
He always has been. He makes anybody that's with him
better if if you can process that, guys, like it
doesn't matter who he puts out there.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
He's been over these last three years.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
The turnover at Michigan, like I said, has been, you know, phenomenal,
just to be able to still be competitive year in
and year out, and when you're bringing all kinds of
new talent and every year because all your players leave
and go to the NHL or AHL and turn pro
TJ's been there, He's been consistent. He deserves a look, Guys,
he deserves.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
To be signed. He puts up points still at a
regular pace.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
He plays a bigger game. He's a bigger five to
eleven than you think about. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
And he's over one hundred and eighty pounds, so he
does play a bigger game. He does have a he's
not afraid to get in the dirty areas. I mean,
for a center of that that kind of you know, stature,
(12:12):
I guess if you want to call it that. But
the other key factor thing that you also mentioned Lance
was his face off percentage. And you know, look, I
don't know about y'all, but that's a pretty key element
to a center position. Yeah, we understand you need to
be able to score, and yeah, we understand you need
(12:34):
to be able to toe, drag and dangle and blah,
but you also need to be able to win face offs. Right,
you gotta be good on the dots, and you also
got to be defensively responsible. And that's the other thing
that I can also say as he is also that too.
(12:54):
Do you know what I'm saying? And playing for the
Michigan Wolverines.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That is a professional type program here, folks, it.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Doesn't it doesn't get any more step down from the
pros than it does for Michigan. I mean, that is
a top level program. They're playing the likes of Minnesota's
and and Ohio states and Penn States, and you know, they're.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Playing the likes of them kind of teams on a
regular basis. You know, so a lot of props to
TJ for for being as good as he was. We
talked to some of his teammates with the Brooks Bandits,
you know what I mean, So we probably should have.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Had him on, not for not trying, but yeah, no,
not for not trying, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
But but and it's you know, understandably so because quite frankly,
to have that kind of a production, with that kind
of a size, uh and and at that level, I
definitely think he's ready to go uh to the to
the NHL. Even if you put him on the fourth
line as a fourth line center, I think you're still
(14:12):
gonna get good production out of him like that. So
all right, well there you go, man, TJ. Houston, University
of Michigan. I like it. I like it. All right.
Here we go, moving on, folks, moving on. We're moving
on to a winger from hey, wait for it, Boston University.
(14:34):
Oh man, we're talking about a Hudson, right, we're talking
about it. When Hudson here, man, talk to me, talk
to me about Look, you and I both know that
Boston University is stacked as far as their roster is concerned.
There is a lot of draft picks on that roster
(14:55):
right now, right, okay, so tell me why is Quinn
Hudson standing out?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Well, another undrafted player, right, you may have heard of
that name Hudson right around the NHL. Now, his younger brothers,
Twenty one year old Lane Hudson, who was taken in
the second round by the Montreal Canadians, is having a
heck of a season, Yes he is.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
In fact, I believe he's up for the Calder Trophy
this year.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Yeah, he's one of the main ones there. And his
eighteen year old.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Brother Cole, who was selected by the Caps in the
second round, is having a phenomenal year as well. And
you know he's playing, he's playing with Quinn, and you know.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Having a heck of the year.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
But Quinn is for some reason just been overshadowed by
his other brothers. And I don't know why, because he
holds the highest points per game average when I wrote
this article of anybody in the NCAA this season. He's
(16:05):
net wow, one point four to four points per game
in the NCAA. All right, that's more than just still.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Of those draft picks that are tiers and picks. Yeah,
just to let you folks know, that is a serious,
serious number. One point four to four points per game.
That that that is unheard of. Yeah, I mean okay,
(16:33):
and he's still undrafted. What hey, NHL?
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Right, So to go over some of those numbers, he's
a third year player, he's a junior as well, and
he's managed in that time period of those three years
to net fifty three goals fifty seven assists for one
hundred and ten points in one hundred and eleven games,
so almost a point per game overall three this season especially,
(17:02):
he's well over that. But even before that, his other
two years, he was putting up points. And you know
what I like about him still. You know what I'm
getting ready to say.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Is he's a plus player.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Hello.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Is that he's maintaining over his collegiate career a plus
forty nine average.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
All right, Hello.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
So he can put up the points, he can also
keep them out of the net as well. And you
know he's twenty three years old. You're not getting some
kid that you're gonna need to teach.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
A whole lot, all right. He's been taught.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
He's, like Steele said, he's playing for Boston University. They
have amazing coaches and has been the under the tutelage
of some of the best collegiate coaches in the game,
so he can step in. He's got an amazingly high
high hockey IQ's. He doesn't have the extreme talents that
(18:04):
maybe his younger brothers have, especially lane and stuff. He
plays a little bit different position, but you know, his
high hockey IQ is the thing that has got him
to this point and has got him to be able
to be in the right position to net all these
one point four to four points per game that he's
been netting because he's there. He's in the right areas,
(18:27):
he knows where to be. You don't have to teach
this guy anything. You can plug and play him into
the lineup, into your AHL or NHL lineup right now,
and he'd be productive.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
I would love to say, you know, I would love
to see any one of these teams out there take
a chance on any one of these players, because I
think I think you'd be able to. It's a steal,
no matter how you slice it, it's a steal. And
no no matter what player that we talk about here,
you're you're gonna get an amazing talent and amazing player
and somebody that's gonna, you know, go all out for
you and and try to win for you. So all right,
(19:02):
I'm really liking and you know, and you and I
both know that Boston University, like we said before, they
they have there are another one of those great programs
that that a lot of a lot of players that
are drafted go and play there at Boston University. And
(19:23):
for the most part, Boston University is always in the
NCAA Championship Games or in the Frozen Fours. They've they've
had a streak now for quite a while. They usually
one of those teams usually wins the bean pot, you
know what I mean. So Boston has been a stack
(19:47):
team and have a player like Hudson's standout, I think
he deserves a look too from another NHL team as
well too. So, hey, NHL teams, Ring, Ring, it's the
clue phone for you here you go. All right, So,
as the aforementioned Dartmouth College that you talked about here
(20:10):
in the beginning, we're going to talk about a defenseman here, CJ.
Foley from the aforementioned Dartmouth College. And we know from
the players that we've interviewed that Dartmouth College is one
of those top level colleges where if you want to
(20:32):
learn how to play good hockey and get a good education,
that this is one of those places that you need
to go.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Yeah, a lot of their kids stay. They stay and
they don't just leave after a year. They get degrees
from there. And you know, with that being said, CJ
is another one of them. He's twenty one years old.
He's a right hand shooting defenceman. Who doesn't need one
of those right you know, they just don't grow on trees,
(20:58):
and especially one that can are as talented as CJ.
And he's five foot eleven, one hundred and seventy four pounds,
not the idea, you know, ideal you know, stature that
you want.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
But man, he can move. He can move Steele.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
He's a puck moving of offensive defenseman who if I said,
I had to get a comparison, it would be like
a poor man's shamous Casey who was drafted by the Devils.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Okay and played for Michigan.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
An amazing, amazing stick handler. He can bring the puck
up from behind the net and carry it all the
way up in the offensive zone by himself and take
it right to the gold mouth and put it in
or you know, put it on net at least for
somebody to get a juicy rebound after that. Now this season,
(21:53):
Foley has managed to a mass eleven goals and eighteen
assists for twenty nine points and thirty games played as
of when I wrote this article, and he was averaging
a plus sixteen on the season.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
All right, boy, that really just upsets us right there.
What a defenseman who's plus that much? Are you kidding?
Speaker 2 (22:14):
He can skate, he can shoot, you know, got a
monster shot from the blue line, can just cycle the
puck so easily. He makes it look just just like
you know, tying your shoes or something. Still, it's so
easy for him just to cycle the puck around like
he's been doing this for twenty years in the pros.
(22:36):
He did attend Florida's developmental camp this past summer, and
I think he impressed why he was there. So, like
I said, there's already been a couple of signings, especially
just off of his team already since their season ended exactly,
and I'm kind of surprised that he's still around to
(22:56):
be had because just the the ability to move the
puck and skate flawlessly and stick handle his way through
five different people on the ice to get a shot
on net. You don't really see that, or if you do,
you don't really get the guy that's gonna do that
(23:17):
and then get back and play defense as well.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
And I think he does both of those really well.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
So, you know, man, I would think it would be
a great depth signing a guy who could come in
and play big minutes right away for your AHL club
or fill in on a bottom pairing if you just
had a defenseman get injured for a playoff run, you know,
(23:45):
for an NHL team, Because this guy, he has all
the NHL abilities in those in those big you know
way of you know how they they played the NHL game. Now,
they expect defenseman to be able to skate, to be
able to shoot, to be able to carry the puck up.
It's not a guy who's gonna stand there flat footed
(24:07):
and pass the puck up to a winger on a
fast break anymore. They need to get them in the
offensive working schemes of things, and and CJ is just
the guy to do that.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
I'm with you on that, but and I can kind
of understand why maybe he has gone undrafted because it
is a little bit tougher uh for defenseman, especially of
that stature, to get drafted per se. But and we
all know that it takes defenseman that little bit of
extra longer for them to actually come good. And to
(24:44):
be quite honest with you, I think actually having him
go to the NCAA a uh and prove himself at
that level has allowed his stock to rise. I believe
and and and teams should be taking a look at
him as far as we're concerned. You know, Look, this
is the beauty about what we do here, is that
we find these gems. We find these players that we
(25:06):
think that you know, teams should be looking at, or
or that we feel that, you know, could be a
good addition to a team or would be worthy of drafting.
We watch a lot of their tape, We watch a
lot of the games that we can. We try to
do as much research about every one of these players
that we talk about. It's not like, you know, we're
(25:28):
just kind of throwing this stuff out there, you know
what I'm saying. So I like the list so far,
And of course we have to save you know, Goaliest
for last right for sure, for sure, it wouldn't be
wouldn't be Prospect Watch with your host Lance Green. If
we didn't save goaliest for last, right, So okay, here
(25:52):
we go from Maine. Okay, and Maine is now going
to be playing in the tournament here coming up this weekend.
They're going to be playing against penn State, Quinnipiac, and
and Yukon. That's gonna be the four teams playing at
(26:13):
Allentown Center PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. And the the
backstopper for the main uh is uh Is Albin.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Uh Is booya ba Alvin Boya boy.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
All right, Albin Boya all right. So that's gonna be
the goaltender for Maine coming up here in this tournament.
And you know what, Lance, I got to tell you
something for as a goaltender to be able to be
somebody that you can notice. And we also know that
goaltenders take longer to develop as well too, you.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
And I got no problems with goaltenders going to NCAA
levels or go on to the league, or going to
the Swedish League or going to the KHL, because you're
you're gonna play against better talent, you know what I'm saying.
And so when you you get that and you developed
them types of goaltenders. And I think that's what Maine
has got in Boujah here for sure. I'm six one
(27:18):
and eighty one pounds. Talk to me about him, Lance,
Why you have this goaltender for last?
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I mean, this kid's twenty one years old now. He's
a Swedish goaltender. Came up through the Swedish leagues, the
J eighteens, the j twenties SHL play was pulled up,
but didn't play there. So in saying that, I think
is why he came over to the NCAAs. He played
(27:48):
played with Maine last year. He played in eighteen games.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Last year.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
He had a two point zero one goals against average
and a nine to sixteen say percentage with twos. All right,
as a freshman just learning the North American game. All right,
that's pretty good, man. That is pretty darn good. That
is pretty darn good. So this season he's been able
to top that. He's since taken over the net, over
(28:15):
the crease, and he's he played in thirty six games
so far this year, where he has a one point
seven to six goals against taverage and a nine to
thirty save percentage with four shutouts.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
On the year.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
He has twenty three wins on the season, and he
is a main main reason while Maine is in this
tournament and projected to be one of the top teams.
I don't want to jink some knock on wood to
come out of the Eastern Division at the PPL Center
(28:49):
this weekend and you know after whenever the final game
for that is.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
But man, this kid is good steal let me tell you.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Solid solid backstop for them. I think he only builds
their confidence up because they have him as their backstop
and they can trust him to be to be reliable
back there and.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
To stop a big stop. This kid does not give
up on a play, all right.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I don't want to compare him to Dominic Kashick, but
if you think how Hashik would be out of position
and totally laid out on the ice and then just
throw a limb up there and and that makes but
this kid does you know, he's a great fundamental goaltenderk
(29:40):
just never never gives up on a play. And he's
been on so many highlight reels this this season of
just amazing stops that he's made a second or third
stop against in this in a single series because maybe
his team wasn't able to to get rid of the
(30:01):
you know, the rebounds and send it back up ice
and he just comes out of nowhere and still stops
some amazing you know, stop with his glove or his
blocker or stick blade, it doesn't matter. He's just he's
just going to keep that puck out of there. And
you know, he's played some big hockey games here. He's
(30:22):
twenty one now, he's just coming in to win. Goaltenders
really begin to come into their own as in twenty
two to twenty three years old. And you know, since
coming over to the United States to play hockey, he's
just he hasn't missed a beat, Like I mean, he
(30:44):
looks like he's been doing it all his life and
he had he isn't coming from a bigger ice surface
and had to learn the faster paced North American style
play on that smaller rink that so many goalies tend
to struggle with when coming over across the pond.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
And you know, he's just done so so flawlessly for Maine.
I think that.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
I mean, he would be an amazing pick up even
even if you wanted to just sign him let him
play the playoffs with the Phantoms and then send him
back or or whatever team you know that signs him.
You know, it's just, hey, let's let's send him back
(31:28):
to Maine for a third season and let him get
number one goalie you know, reps.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
But why not? Why not give this kid a shot
at a contract?
Speaker 2 (31:42):
I can tell you right now there is probably gonna
jump on the depth charts a list of teams as
long as my arm that need goaltending.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Yeah, and I could think of Penguins being one of them.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
One of them.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Guy got that can step in, right, yeah, could help
out wilkes Bury right now, he could help out okay, Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Right.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
What I'm saying is is that what do they have
to lose if they bring him in now?
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Right?
Speaker 1 (32:09):
Absolutely nothing. He gets a little bit of it, gets
a little taste, you know what I mean. See see
how he does in the tournament. If he's able to
to move on, then cool. If not, then bring him
in and see what he does and see, I mean,
you know, what what do you got to lose at
this point?
Speaker 2 (32:24):
You know, teams have some teams have what like ten
games left or something in the regular season and you know,
a lot of HL teams are repping for the playoff
runs already. If you're if you're NHL club's not doing
that great, maybe you maybe you send him to the
HL and along with your kids coming out of juniors
that have aged out that you previously drafted, and make
(32:49):
a playoff push there altogether.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
You know, just see what he has.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
You know what lance of all of the players. I
think these are some great players that would have a
great shot at making an NHL roster. All they have
to do is just do do their due diligence on
some of these players kind of like and and make
the assessments that we've kind of done and see what
kind of players these guys could potentially be. I think
(33:17):
that there's there's no ceiling on some of these guys,
and I think that's what gives them more of an
attractive nature, because some of these guys still have more
ceiling to go, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (33:33):
So, but.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Folks, you got to go check out the NCAA tournament
that's coming to Allentown, Pennsylvania at the PPL Center this
coming weekend. Uh there's a game Friday, and then I
believe uh there's two games Friday, and you'll see those
two games, and then the winner of each of those
(33:56):
two games then plays the championship game then on Sunday,
the third, and that's sounded the PPL Center. Gotta go
check that out, Gotta gotta root for those teams. Some
of the teams that we're going to be rooting for
are gonna be Penn State, and obviously the team we
just talked about, Maine and Yukon's going to be there,
and Quinnipiac is going to be there too. So some
great teams, some great hockey. Be sure to go check
(34:19):
that out. I believe, in fact, the games are going
to be televised on ESPN two. I believe at least
the games are gonna be televised. I believe.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Yeah, definitely ESPN two and possibly most likely ESPN you
as well, if you guys have Yeah, yeah, but you know,
definitely Quinnipiac is a national championship team.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Not not too many years.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Ago, twenty three they were right.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
So, I mean, Penn State, big ranked team all year long,
kind of faltered a little bit towards the end there,
but you know, a team that is is killer and
it's local team if you're in the Philadelphia region where
they're going to be luckily enough, playing time time.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Penn State has been back since twenty twenty three as well, So.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
I mean, you know, it's a good it's a good
way to see some teams that you don't see around
these parts, and you know, just some good, good college hockey.
It's a whole different atmosphere if you get into a
collegiate game. You have the band, the team's bands playing,
you got the you know, you got the students section.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
It's just a fun environment and.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Just some really really good hockey going to be played
in our own backyard, as you know, we're around that
area from where we are, but from all over all
over the country. There's you know, there's a Midwest bracket,
there's a there's a Western bracket, there's a Southern bracket
as well.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
Northern bracket where they're going to be playing up in
in in Massachusetts well too.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
So yep, so you got a lot of great teams
playing this weekend all over the nation and you know,
fighting to get to see who gets to go to
that final four, a frozen.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Four rather so exactly, and that's what this is all
about here. So for sure. So Lance, I'll tell you what, man,
I think we got a really good show here. We
talked about some great players that some NHL teams should
be looking to the NCAA for some of those depth
players for some of those teams that are trying to
make a playoff push or trying to make a run.
(36:35):
Also potentially could be the same thing for your AHL
club a depth player or trying to make a playoff run.
For sure, for sure, be sure to go on over
to steel Flyers dot com, slash link slash prospect Watch
show check out all of our data shows and all
of Lance's great latest articles. Thank you very much for
what for watching. If you like what we do, hit
(36:57):
the like and subscribe. Man, we really do appreciate that.
We also like to say thank you to a speaker
for getting us out there to all of the podcasting platforms.
All you have to do is type in prospect Watch
and the name of your favorite player and we should
come up hopefully and you give us a five star rating,
and we really appreciate that. So, Lace, what do you think, buddy?
We got a good one.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Yeah, Man, I'm excited for this weekend.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I gotta tell you I'm gonna be watching some good,
good college hockey and you know.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
See sooner might be closer than the TV.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
Yeah, fingers crossed, you know, well, we'll hopefully we're there,
but we'll see how it all plays out, you know,
work and everything else, but we'll see.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Like I said, man, fingers crossed, you might see some
cool stuff coming for sure. Also like to make a
big major announcement, some major changes are going to be
happening here to the channel and also to the show.
We're going to have some great new graphics coming up
for this show. The rest of this show, We're also
going to be doing a things a little bit differently
(38:01):
and be looking for a separate Prospect Watch channel on YouTube.
That's right, folks, a separate prospect Watch channel on YouTube.
Be looking for that to be coming out here real soon.
And then also be looking forward to the great new
graphics for the show and also some great things coming
out as well. To be sure to check them out.
(38:23):
Head on over to steel Flyers dot com and check
out all that great stuff. We'll be sure to check
you on the next episode of Prospect Watch. Check you'll
later
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