The MH News released an article saying that Sykora will be playing for HK Nitra this year.
This is a bit of a blow losing the top overall import selection.
This is a bit of a blow losing the top overall import selection.
They definitely haven't been getting the luck of the draw with Sillinger being plucked to the NHL last year and Sykora not coming over this season. The Tigers say they will keep the door open and watch him play at the world juniors. I think it may still be possible he could come over for his 19 year old season the year after next.
Trade
The Tigers traded forward prospect Diego Buttazzoni to the Portland Winterhawks in exchange for two conditional draft picks, a 2024 second-round pick and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick.
This likely was precipitated by the player being asked to be moved. He was a 2nd round selection in the 2021 draft, so the Tigers recouped the pick and got a 4th.
Next Season preview
*Just for depth Purposes* Some of the prospects I have listed might be wrong/outdated.
*Just for depth Purposes* Some of the prospects I have listed might be wrong/outdated.
Forward
Brendan Lee(20)Owen MacNeil(19) Noah Danielson(20)
Tyler MacKenzie(18) Oasiz Wiesblatt(18)Ashton Ferster(19)
Tyler MacKenzie(18) Oasiz Wiesblatt(18)Ashton Ferster(19)
Oren Shtrom(18) Steven Arp(18) Brayden Boehm (18)
Andrew Basha(17) Tomas Mrsic(16) Gavin McKenna (15)
Cayden Lindstrom(16)
Hunter St. Martin(17)
Cru Hanas(17)
Shane Smith(17)
Defence
Dru Krebs(19) Bogdans Hodass(19)
Rhett Parsons(19) Pavel Bocharov(18)
Reid Andresen(17)(.35) Josh Van Mulligen(17)(.2)
Rhett Parsons(19) Pavel Bocharov(18)
Reid Andresen(17)(.35) Josh Van Mulligen(17)(.2)
Goaltending
Beckett Langkow(19) (.900)
Ethan McCallum(16) (.865)
Ben Vatis(16)(.865)
Ethan McCallum(16) (.865)
Ben Vatis(16)(.865)
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Garin Bjorklund(20)(.910)
Intangibles
Garin Bjorklund - Will he be back as a 20??? He signed an ELC from Washington a few weeks from the signing deadline. That usually means he is headed back because a late signing is indicating they just want to keep his rights...however....Washington did a Goalie Overhaul this off-season and I think he may be at risk for being lost the ECHL.
Washington did not re-sign their 2 NHL starters and signed 2 Free Agents.
For depth in the AHL they have 4 goaltenders signed including Garin. 2 of their AHL goaltenders are 27 and one the last year of their deals. They may be looking at Garin to be in the AHL in 2 years, which means they could send him to the ECHL this season.
Their isn't room for him in the AHL, but I easily see a scenario where he starts with splitting time in the ECHL and a possible starter should he play well.
A MH news article gave some interesting things to think about. In the Article Bjorklund says: "Bjorklund said when he left Hershey it was hinted he would playing professional hockey next year and that’s what he is focused on." https://medicinehatnews.com/sports/local-sports/2022/05/07/bjorklund-excited-to-start-pro-career/
With the luck that the Tigers have been getting and the quote mentioned in the paper, I'm very nervous he won't be back and think the Tigers should plan without him in the lineup.
Forward Thoughts
They didn't loose much at forward and everyone is a year older. This year will be about seeing who's improved and who has fallen off the radar. I don't expect anything earth breaking, but I've never been more uncertain as to what type of offense the team will have.
The Tigers have a lot of potential for players to have smaller breakout seasons and they do have a lot of 2nd/3rd line type depth, which is better than last years 3/4th line depth.
The problem is that they don't really have top scoring line depth. They have some veterans, but their are later bloomers and overagers. They are more of the guys you want on your checking line or supplementing the 2nd lines.
Their lineup seems to be more of a scoring by committee group. I do see a case at the end of the season, where their offense picks it up a notch or two. I think we will see Gavin McKenna play more than 5 games. The Tigers could play him 5 games at the start of the season, then call him up on emergency basis later in the year. Similar to what Winnipeg did to Matthew Savoie
Going by the numbers Tyler Mackenzie looks primed for a breakout season. I think a .9PPG season is possible.
Oasiz Weisblatt, 19 of his 29 points came after the new year, so I have him reaching .7PPG which may be optimistic. (A bunch of points later in the season is usually a sign a player is closer to breaking out)
Brendan Lee was almost a .5 PPG player after his trade, but a late bloomer type so I'm expecting around a .65 ppg rate.
Owen MacNeil doubled his previous point totals from the previous season. I expect around a .65 to .75 ppg rate.
Oren Shtrom had a real quiet season last year. The pandemic year saw him scoring 14 points in 22 games, and last season managed 19 points in 60 games. When he had points they came in bunches, but he also had a slow finish and didn't record a point in the final month last year. I guess we shouldn't expect a huge year, but eventually I think it's very possible. I've put him at a safer figure of around .5 ppg, which is what I was expecting around last year. It's possible he pushed hard up quick though if he can stay healthy.
Noah Danielson missed a lot of time last year, and their is potential for a breakout season if he can bring a consistent work ethic and stay healthy. I think he is capable of having a .75ppg season.
Brayden Boehm had a lot of speed, once he develops some finish and other players around him improve that could see an offensive explosion as well. Although for a lot of players 18 is a bit of an up and down year, and it's not until their 19 year old year where they really breakout. it will be interesting to see Braydens' Progress. I think he may be more of a candidate to breakout at 19 than 18, but we'll see.
They still have some inexperience and are missing great top line depth. Their were dead last, the previous season with 154 goals scored. My initial prognosis puts them at around 206 goals scored which puts them very close to the last playoff spots taking into consideration the past years goals scored among teams in the playoffs.
Gavin McKenna is also a wildcard. He is only eligible for 5 games, but I expect him to get some sort of emergency callup role and play more than 5 games. It could be very possible he ends up in a similar path to Lethbridge's former star Dylan Cozens who played 3 regular season games, then scored 8 points in 12 games in the playoffs as a 15 year old.
Defenceman Thoughts
This group looks pretty solid. 3 Solid 19's an 18 year old looking to have a breakout year and 2 good younger players in their 17 year old years. Even if the Tigers give up some goals, the defensive group will be much much stronger and possibly the biggest strength of the group.
Dru Krebs and Bogdans Hodass are both primed for big breakout seasons. Rhett Parsons was a huge physical presence last year and he will be a year older. Pavel Bucharov will be looking to make a big impact after going undrafted in the NHL entry draft.
A lot of times a strong defensive group can greatly lift a team with a weaker offensive output, although last season the Tigers offence was too weak.
Goalie Thoughts
At this point I'm expecting Garin to be gone. If he comes back that fills out the 20 year old spots.. If he doesn't come back I'd expect the Tigers to look at an overage forward, or maybe even an overage goalie, depending what is out there.
Beckett Langkow and a rookie 16 year old goaltender is a lot different than a 20 year old NHL drafted and signed goalie in net. I think Langkow is a solid goaltender, but I also think his confidence was likely shaken up a lot as the Tigers were the weakest in the league last season. We will see what happens, but this group could be very similar to the offence in a developing group.
Overall preliminary Thoughts
This will be a year of. "Let's see what we have, and make tweaks if necessary". This will be the type of year that can define their future success. It will be easy to sway into temptation to get better in a push for the playoffs. They are still a little too young, but should be miles better than last season.
I think a successful season will be making the playoffs. An ultra successful season would be sneaking into the 6th or 7th seed and creating havoc in round 1 of the playoffs.
I do think missing the playoffs is also a possibility but I have yet to delve deep into the other Eastern Conference and Central Division teams. I hope to have that out as the season gets closer.
Age Breakdown
20- 2 (3)
19 - 6
18 - 6
17 - (3-6)
This is a much better spread than last season, where their was I think at times the only 19 in the lineup was the goalie.
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