Hershey Bears Monthly Prospect Update - January Grades
Despite the 2-0 start to January with back-to-back wins over the Charlotte Checkers, the Hershey Bears have fallen into a huge hole in the form of an eight-game winless streak.
With seven points in ten games this past month, January 2018 looks eerily similar to last year’s January slump (three wins in 12 games) where the Bears picked up just nine points. If it’s any consolation, last year’s team went on to earn the 3rd spot in the Atlantic Division and advanced past the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
But, that was last year. This year, the Bears are below .500 and currently hold down the 8th and final spot in the Atlantic Division. With 32 games to go, there is still hope, but it’s getting slimmer with each loss.
There aren’t any As on the report card this month, but then again, when you only win two games in a month, that’s probably to be expected. That just means there’s lots of room for improvement.
Special Teams
Power Play
Once the pride of the team, the PP has now sunk to 19th in the league. Adding insult to injury, the Bears, the last team in the league without a shorthanded goal against, allowed three during the month of January.
January Stats: 10 games played, 5 for 43= 11.6% (three shorthanded goals against) Season Stats: 45 games played, 32 for 203 = 15.8% - 19th in AHL (three shorthanded goals against)
Penalty Kill
Hershey’s PK moved up three spots this month, and currently sits at 9th in the AHL. Hershey has been shorthanded 194 times so far this season, which is 12th highest in the league. Obviously for a team that is having difficulty finding consistent team scoring, being short handed is not a positive, so cutting back on the penalties remains a must.
January Stats: 10 games played, 30 for 35 = 94.3% (zero shorthanded goal for) Season Stats: 45 games played, 164 for 194 = 84.5% - 12th in AHL (six shorthanded goals for)
Goaltenders
Pheonix Copley - Grade B
January Stats: 7GP, 1-3-3, 2.00 GAA, .923 SV%, 0 SO Season stats: 23GP, 8-9-5, 2.91 GAA, .896SV%, 0 SO
Hershey’s still looking for their lock-down goaltender, but don’t blame all of the struggles on the goalies. Mental errors in clearing the puck from the zone and turnovers still plague the team and the netminders are left with trying to stop odd-man rushes more often than any coach would like to see. Obviously there have been shots that probably shouldn’t have gone in but did. In Copley’s case, a pop up and over goal from Lehigh Valley in the Outdoor Classic is one example of this.
Vitek Vanecek - Grade C
January Stats: 4 GP, 1-2-0, 3.79 GAA, .893 SV%, 1 SO Season stats: 15GP, 6-6-1, 2.60 GAA, .901 SV%, 2 SO
Vanecek’s month was a bit of a head scratcher. After posting a shutout of Charlotte to open the month and a strong performance against Lehigh Valley in the road, the wheels came off the bus in Springfield where he allowed four goals on 11 shots before being replaced by Copley. His next outing in Providence saw five goals allowed on 28 shots. Again, all of the blame cannot be placed at the skates of the netminders, but if Hershey’s going to make a run, the Bears need the goaltenders to be nearly perfect every night out.
Defensemen
Colby Williams - Grade C
January Stats - 7GP, 1G-1A, +2, 21PIM Season Stats - 42GP, 3G-10A, -12, 66PIM
Much of the news surrounding Williams this month stemmed from his hit on Danick Martel in Allentown that lead to a three-game suspension by the league that forced both players to miss the Outdoor Classic, and his grade reflects that costly mistake. He currently ranks third on the team in scoring among defensemen and is the only blueliner to post a shorthanded goal and PP goal and have a positive +/- on the month.
Jonas Siegenthaler - Grade B-
January Stats - 10GP, 0G-2A, -2, 6PIM Season Stats - 44 GP, 3G-4A, -7, 31PIM
The smooth-skating Siegenthaler has really made strides in some areas, but scoring continues to be an area where he can help the team, especially since the Bears struggle to score. Working on velocity on his shot and improving the .16 points per game are musts.
Lucas Johansen - Grade B
January Stats - 10GP, 0G-1A, -2, 2PIM Season Stats - 44GP, 5G-11A, -16, 12PIM
While he’s never looked totally uncomfortable on the ice, Johansen seems to be settling in nicely. That said, the rookie blueliner who replaced the likes of Madison Bowey and Christian Djoos is not an offensive weapon...yet. Johansen takes precious few penalties, which is always a positive. The simple fact that he is one of the defense’s scoring leaders with .27 points per game is somewhat troubling.
Connor Hobbs - Grade B-
January Stats - 10GP, 0G-3A, -3, 8PIM Season Stats - 23GP, 1G-4A, -10, 26PIM
With an entire month back from his fractured wrist under his belt, Hobbs is starting to return to form. The blueliner can get the puck to the net quickly. Now that he’s back on the ice full time, the Bears can certainly stand for him to work on his accuracy and get pucks to the net.
Hubert Labrie - Grade B+
January Stats - 3GP, 0G-1A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats - 34GP, 1G-6A, -6, 26PIM
Labrie spent the majority of the month as Hershey’s veteran scratch, but returned to the ice once Williams was assessed a three-game suspension. Labrie definitely steadies the defense when he’s on the ice, but he doesn’t help Hershey’s offensive production, which could be one of the reasons he’s found himself off the ice during games more than on it as the Bears need scoring.
Tyler Lewington - Grade C
January Stats - 10GP, 0G-1A,-2, 9PIM Season Stats - 44GP, 1G-6A, 1, 101PIM
The good news for Hershey is that Lewington only racked up nine PIM this month. The bad news is that the Bears only got one assist from him. It sounds like a broken record, but the Bears need scoring from everywhere on the ice and aren’t getting it from many places. Some added offensive production from the likes of Lewington while minimizing penalties would certainly be helpful. That said, Lewington is one over very few players on the roster who can boast a positive +/- at this point in the season.
Aaron Ness - Grade B-
January Stats - 10GP, 0G-3A, -4, 8PIM Season Stats - 24GP, 2G-14A, -2, 12PIM
Since his arrival back in Hershey from Washington, Ness has amassed 16 points in 24 games, good enough for the best scoring percentage among the defensemen. It was a pretty difficult January for the team, and not even Ness’s return served to put a halt to the losing streak, which currently stands at eight games. If Hershey is going to turn it around, Ness needs to become a vocal leader on the blueline.
Kris Bindulis - Grade Incomplete
January Stats - 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats - 6GP, 0G-0A, 0, 2PIM
Bindulis returned to South Carolina and did not appear in any games for Hershey this month.
Tommy Hughes - Grade Incomplete
January Stats - 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats - 4GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM
Hughes did not appear in any games for Hershey this month.
Paul Geiger - Grade Incomplete
January Stats - 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats - 4GP, 0G-1A, -4, 0PIM
Geiger spent all of January in South Carolina.
Forwards
Chris Bourque - Grade B
January Stats:10GP, 1G-5A, -5, 2PIM Season Stats: 45GP, 12G-31A, -16, 36PIM
Bourque had a pretty incredible January - he got to witness his father suit up for the Alumni Contest for the Bears, played in the All-Star game in Utica, and is preparing to leave for South Korea as a member of the US Olympic team. But production-wise for Hershey this month, things have not been as stellar. Bourque is tied for a team-worst -16. Bourque is a virtual lock for another 50-point season, but the Bears are going to have to figure out a way to win with and without him.
Travis Boyd - Grade B
January Stats: 10GP, 2G-3A, -6, 0PIM Season Stats: 44GP, 9G-22A, -16, 10PIM
Positive news first - Boyd had no penalties in ten games last month and accounted for two goals and assisted on three others. But he was -6 on the month and dropped into a tie for the worst +/- on the team with Bourque. Boyd is still within striking distance of another 50-point season and will certainly have to step up his game when Bourque departs for the Olympics, not just as a set-up man, but as a scorer.
Wayne Simpson - Grade B
January Stats: 10GP, 2G-4A, -5, 2PIM Season Stats: 45GP, 9G-16A, -12, 17PIM
Troy Mann has been tinkering with line pairings and with the power play units hoping to get some more offensive production. So far, he hasn’t found those magical combinations. Simpson remains solid anchoring the second PP. He’s third on the team in scoring, but at just 25 points well past the halfway point, time is running short to find those combinations. With Bourque departing for South Korea, Simpson’s skills as a scorer are going to be sorely needed and Hershey fans are hoping he can bring back some of what they saw a year ago when he was wearing a Providence sweater.
Riley Barber - Grade B+
January Stats: 10GP, 3G-1A, -3, 0PIM Season Stats: 45GP, 12G-12A, -15, 22PIM
Another would-be spark plug for the Bears that is struggling a bit this season is Barber. However, he seems to be finding his scoring groove after posting three goals this month in just ten games. He is tied with Bourque for a team-high five PP goals so far this season. Hershey definitely could use the offensive firepower from Barber in five-on-five and man-advantage situations to continue to climb.
John Albert - Grade B+
January Stats: 9GP, 1G-2A, +1, 0PIM Season Stats: 31GP, 3G-7A, -4, 8PIM
Albert’s presence back on the ice this month after returning from an injury late in December has allowed Hershey to have a net-front presence on each line, which is a bit of a different style for the team. Around the Outdoor Classic, Hershey started sending pucks to the net rather than waiting for Grade-A opportunities to shoot. Albert and company in front of the net should prove beneficial moving forward, but only if Hershey gets more pucks on net.
Liam O’Brien - Grade B
January Stats: 10GP, 0G-1A, +1, 6PIM Season Stats: 41GP, 8G-6A, -1, 40PIM
O’Brien’s red-hot December fizzled into a ho-hum January scoring-wise. O’Brien has been bounced around this past month on different lines, which probably can account for the decrease in production. On a positive note, there was definitely a concerted effort to stay out of the penalty box, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not throwing his weight around a bit when a situation arises.
Garrett Mitchell - Grade C
January Stats: 3GP, 0G-0A, -2, 2PIM Season Stats: 26GP, 5G-0A, -8, 55 PIM
Mitchell remained a healthy scratch much of the month, appearing in just three games, one of which was the Outdoor Classic. There’s lots of talk around Hershey that the team needs their captain on the ice, but the coaching staff is looking for offensive production to be sure. When on the ice, Mitchell is a grinder who is not afraid to go after the puck on the boards, no matter how big the other guy is. In his three games played this month, it’s apparent that he’s trying to make the most of his ice time to prevent more of those healthy scratches - there’s still a lot of hockey left in the tank.
Dustin Gazley - Grade B-
January Stats: 10GP, 2G-2A, -1, 12PIM Season Stats: 42GP, 5G-11A, +3, 22PIM
It’s been said before, but it is worth repeating - Gazley’s speed on the ice is a huge asset to this team. But he’s not scoring as much as he’d like. Contributing to the lack of scoring is certainly a lack of shooting. Gazley’s recorded just 61 shots to this point. In order to score, one must first take a shot. To add insult to injury, Gazley racked up 12 PIM in one game including a misconduct for abuse of officials. That error in judgement reflects negatively in this month’s grade.
Mason Mitchell - Grade B-
January Stats: 5GP, 0G-1A, +1, 6PIM Season Stats: 24GP, 1G-4A, -3, 20PIM
Sidelined due to an injury, Mitchell appeared in just five games this month for Hershey. The rookie isn’t afraid to mix it up with guys from other teams, which can be a blessing and a curse. You have to like a guy who isn’t afraid to give or take a hit, but the rookie can’t put himself in a position to miss games, especially with a huge opportunity in front of him and the other rookies this season in Hershey.
Tyler Graovac - Grade B+
January Stats - 10GP, 3G-1A, -2, 0PIM Season Stats - 24GP, 7G-6A, -5, 6PIM
When you’re new to Mann and his system, you have to find a way to make it impossible to scratch you and Graovac seems to have done so. His offensive numbers aren’t flashy, but he’s scoring and contributing to a team that is struggling offensively. Additionally, he’s kept himself out of the penalty box. His ability to play in front of the net and unleash a nice shot along with limiting mistakes has pretty much solidified his position.
Mathias Bau - Grade B-
January Stats: 10GP, 0G-3A, -7, 2PIM Season Stats: 40GP, 9G-7A, -8, 12PIM
Probably the biggest surprise of the season so far has been the play of Bau. The rookie has quickly adapted to North American hockey at the AHL level. He’s quickly closing in on a career high in terms of games played and is another guy who needs to be more willing to take shots and continue to camp out in front of the net to deflect shots past the opposing goaltender.
Nathan Walker - Grade B-
January Stats: 10GP, 2G-3A, -1, 14PIM Season Stats: 12GP, 2G-4A, -3, 14PIM
Walker’s return to Hershey has definitely been a spark. He adds speed to whichever line Mann puts him on and isn’t afraid to be physical either. He’ll chase down pucks no matter where they are and check guys no matter how much bigger they are. If he’s on the ice and a disagreement starts, he’ll be there. Plain and simple, the guy is happy to be on the ice no matter what level and will give 100% on every shift and it shows.
Zach Sill - Grade B+
January Stats: 10GP, 2G-1A, -1, 2PIM Season Stats: 45GP, 4G-8A, -9, 16PIM
His numbers aren’t staggering by any means, but Sill continues to anchor the fourth line for the Bears and proved to be a steadying force with a variety of linemates this month as Mann searches for chemistry and scoring across multiple lines. He doesn’t take many penalties, and if there’s a guy on the team you’d like to see good things happen for, it’s probably Sill because he does all the little things and deserves to be rewarded.
Anthony Peluso - Grade C-
January Stats - 3GP, 1G-0A, +1, 9PIM Season Stats - 23GP, 3G-2A, -1, 21PIM
Last month’s prospect report basically said if you don’t find a niche on this team you don’t play often, and that has held true for Peluso. With Mann basically saying everyone’s spot was up for grabs, Peluso could have struck while the iron was hot. Instead, it seems he’s maintained his status quo, and as a result, has appeared in just three games. His games in Hershey may be numbered.
Jeremy Langlois - Grade Incomplete
January Stats: 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats: 27GP, 2G-4A, -7, 6PIM
Langlois has not appeared in a game since the 13th of January due to injury.
Hampus Gustafsson - Grade Incomplete
January Stats: 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats: 14GP, 0G-2A, +1, 2PIM
Gustafsson spent the month in South Carolina.
Kelly Zajac - Grade Incomplete
January Stats: 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats: 2GP, 0G-1A, -2, 0PIM
Zajac remained in South Carolina in January.
Dylan Margonari - Grade Incomplete
January Stats: 0GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM Season Stats: 4GP, 0G-0A, 0, 0PIM
Margonari did not appear in any games this month for Hershey.
