Hershey Bears Monthly Prospect Update - October Grades
Many have addressed it, but perhaps none better than Riley Barber, who said, “Whenever a guy gets called up or a guy gets injured, it’s the next guy up. We gotta win games. The whole season doesn’t stop just cuz you don’t have your top goalie or your top players so we just gotta go in there and grind different ways and win different ways.”
After enduring a not-so-Hershey like beginning to the season, the Bears are starting to find their footing, closing out October with back-to-back Atlantic Division wins over Providence and Hartford at Giant Center.
Now 3-5-0-1 on the season, the news coming out of Hershey is that injured goaltenders Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek are close to returning to the ice should send a strong reinforcement to the rest of the league that the Bears early-season slumber is, thankfully, over.
That’s not to say that Hershey hasn’t gotten some good games out of Adam Carlson (2-1-0) and Parker Milner (1-4-1). It’s more of a testiment to how the other skaters on the ice are starting to gel a bit. Milner's glaring numbers can be contributed, in some part, to Hershey's lack of consistent puck possession early on and some growing pains with a very inexperienced blueline.
“I think the young guys played well tonight, especially our D; they were really solid tonight,” said Liam O’Brien after Saturday night’s victory. “We feel really good in the room, even though we lost (Friday). I think even last night we felt really good because we came together. We played as 5-man units in our own end and we were systematically we were just playing good hockey. Things are looking good right now.”
On top of that, the Bears are starting to get scoring from a variety of places. Rookies Lucas Johansen and Connor Hobbs both notched their first AHL goals this week and just nine games into the season, there are only six skaters who have yet to appear on the scoresheet.
“Guys are really fired up in the locker room,” said Carlson. “It’s a big weekend and a big weekend series win. It just kind of gets that monkey off our backs...we’re starting to roll with it and bounces are starting to come our way. We just keep working and good things are starting to happen.”
Special Teams
Power Play
Troy Mann made some adjustments to the PP unit, which resulted in some success this past weekend as the Bears were 5-for-21 on the PP. The Bears have the best home PP unit in the League at 33.3%. They’re 26th on the PP on the road, so look for improvement there.
Season Stats: 9 games played, 10-for-48 = 20.8% - 9th in AHL (zero shorthanded goals against)
Penalty Kill
Hershey has some new faces on the PK units this year, and they’ve gotten a ton of work already this season. The Bears went 14-for-17 this weekend against three teams that have had tremendous success on the PP so far this season. Like with the PP, the Bears have a better PK at home, 6th in the AHL at 88.9%. They rank 11th on the road. Both of Hershey’s two “shorties” have come on the road though.
Season Stats: 9 games played, 6-for-51 = 88.2% - 6th in AHL (two shorthanded goals for)
Goaltenders
Adam Carlson - Grade BOctober/Season stats: 3GP, 2-1-0, 2.70 GAA, .910SV%, 0 SO
Carlson has been a very pleasant surprise in goal for the Bears. He helped Hershey earn their first victory of the season in Grand Rapids and then at home this past Sunday against Hartford, a key divisional win. He is a consummate professional off the ice too, understanding that his time in Hershey may be limited.
“It doesn’t matter what they decide, I have to come in everyday and get better regardless of where I am,” Carlson said after Sunday’s victory. “If I’m here, or down in South Carolina, I just need to be doing my job, and like I said earlier, just roll with the punches. I can’t control what’s out of my control and that’s out of my control. All I can do is control my play and I’m trying to do that to the best of my abilities right now.”
Parker Milner - Grade C-October/Season stats: 6GP, 1-4-1, 3.81 GAA, .865 SV%, 0 SO
Milner isn’t totally to blame for the poor numbers as the Bears did not do a terrific job of puck possession in the early goings; however, Hershey was definitely looking for a little more from the guy who backstopped South Carolina’s run to the Kelly Cup Finals. He was returned to South Carolina October 31.
Defensemen
Colby Williams - Grade B+October/Season Stats - 9GP, 1G-4A, -3, 10 PIM
Colby Williams finds himself one of the “veterans” on defense and has been adjusting pretty well to being a leader at age 22. With one goal and four assists on the season, his shooting percentage currently stands at 9.09%. He had two assists in Hershey’s opener in Lehigh Valley. His four minor penalties and one double minor in the first nine games is a bit troubling, but with the Bears gaining some traction, look for that number to improve as Mann begins reminding his team about the importance of playing a clean game.
Jonas Siegenthaler - Grade A-*October/Season Stats - 9GP, 1G-1A, -1, 8 PIM
Siegenthaler, after some bumps along the way to adjusting to life and hockey in North America, now finds himself one of the “veterans” on a defense with two highly-touted rookies. The smooth-skating Swiss doesn’t make many mistakes on the ice and is learning where to best position himself when the puck is in Hershey’s defensive zone. Are there improvements to be made? Absolutely. He’s taken four minor penalties in nine games, and with one goal in just 11 shots, his shooting percentage is 9.09% - Mann will certainly take that.
Lucas Johansen - Grade BOctober/Season Stats - 8GP, 1G-3A, -8, 6 PIM
How does it feel to score your first AHL goal? In a word - relief, especially if it takes eight games to get there and the expectations are high. Johansen’s -8 is a pretty tough pill to swallow, but he’s had to adjust quickly to the AHL game, marking the second time Troy Mann has had to scrap plans for talented rookie defensemen (Bowey, Djoos, and Lewington two years ago) and toss them right into the fire. But Johansen is a pretty quick study, going even over the last three games, and has earned a spot on both the PK and PP teams...as a rookie.
“It definitely takes some adjusting; it’s more internal I think,” Johansen said Sunday of his adjustment to the AHL. “You have to get used to how we want to play. I've always played a passive game defensively. My whole life I’ve played passively, and now all of a sudden you know we play aggressive, so those are things you have to pick up quick and I definitely feel more comfortable.”
Connor Hobbs - Grade BOctober/Season Stats - 8GP, 1G-1A, -7, 9 PIM
Like Johansen, the plan for Hobbs has been tossed out the window thanks to injuries forcing recalls to Washington. And just like Johansen, Hobbs is starting to gain confidence and adjust to the AHL game. While nine penalty minutes in eight games may seem excessive or worrisome, he has only drawn two minors to go along with his first AHL fight, on the road in Grand Rapids. Watching Hershey’s season opener from the pressbox provided a huge motivation for him.
“I wasn’t used to getting scratched and I knew that was going to happen and I think it’s kind of pushed me to do better and go harder in practice and its only helped me,” said Hobbs. “Getting that first goal was huge and it feels great, especially because my dad’s here, so it felt really good to do it in front of him.”
Hubert Labrie - Grade B-October/Season Stats - 9GP, 0G-1A, -4, 12 PIM
At 26, Labrie is the elder statesman on the defense for Hershey. Labrie’s game has always been more cautious than flashy, and Hershey is going to rely heavily on him to be a “lead-by-example” anchor on the defense. He does need to cut down on the minor penalties though.
Tyler Lewington - Grade COctober/Season Stats - 9GP, 0G-0A, -7, 24 PIM
Lewington is the only guy left from the trio of rookies two seasons ago with Bowey and Djoos in Hershey. The tough guy on the defense, Lewington has two fights, one in each of the first two games, but the seven minor penalties (tied for 3rd in the AHL) are particularly troubling on a Troy Mann coached team.
Forwards
Chris Bourque - Grade AOctober/Season Stats: 9GP, 3G-8A, -4, 16 PIM
At 31, Chris Bourque is still playing some of his best hockey through the first nine games of the season, and that’s just what Hershey needs one of its leaders to do. Bourque has three goals and, perhaps more importantly, eight assists. The prolific scorer understands that scoring this season in Hershey needs to come from multiple players and has provided some excellent set-ups, most recently setting up Liam O’Brien’s first goal of the season on the PP against Providence. It’s hard not to like a guy who is tied for 6th in points.
Travis Boyd - Grade AOctober/Season Stats: 9GP, 1G-8A, -5, 2 PIM
An All-Star a season ago, Boyd, Hershey’s Iron Man of sorts (he did not miss a game during his first two seasons with the Bears), had struggled to find the back of the net so far this year with just one goal scored. But with eight assists so far this season, Boyd’s ability to turn in multi-point nights has helped Hershey win back-to-back games for the first time this season. Boyd is second in PP assists in the league and tied for 2nd in PP points.
Wayne Simpson - Grade AOctober/Season Stats: 9GP, 2G-4A, -6, 9 PIM
One of the newer fan favorites, Simpson made a terrific play in Milwaukee to earn his first goal of the season, an unassisted goal that stood as Hershey’s lone goal of that game. Five of his penalty minutes came at the end of that game as he and Jimmy Oligny dropped the gloves. Simpson anchors the second PP unit for Hershey.
Riley Barber - Grade A-October/Season Stats: 9GP, 1G-3A, -4, 8 PIM
A bit snake-bitten until recently, Barber’s one goal and three assists in 29 shots has been a bit troubling, but the speedster finally connected in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this past Friday night. Ultimately, it was his minor penalty for slashing that cost the Bears the game as the Penguins tallied a PP goal to win 3-2.
Barber’s mother, Stacy, a six-year breast cancer survivor, dropped the puck in a pregame ceremony on Pink the Rink Night, a truly emotional and triumphant night for both Barbers.
John Albert - Grade B+October/Season Stats: 9GP, 1G-2A, -4, 6 PIM
Albert has provided the net-front presence the Bears have seemed to lack a bit in previous years. But Albert was decked hard into the boards late in the game against Hartford and was not on the ice for Tuesday’s practice, so his status is not currently known. Albert has contributed a goal and a pair of assists in nine games and is the anchor of the second PP unit for the Bears, but Hershey will definitely miss him in front of the net if he is indeed on the injury list moving forward.
Liam O’Brien - Grade B+October/Season Stats: 9GP, 2G-0A, -2, 4 PIM
Not too many guys were happier to get their first goal of the season than Liam O’Brien. With a pair of goals on just 11 shots, O’Brien’s shot percentage is one of the highest on the team. His willingness to battle in front of the net in the offensive zone is a nice compliment to Albert as well, and everyone knows the tough guy is not afraid to drop the gloves, but he seems to be making a conscious effort to stay out of the penalty box this season with just two minors.
Jeremy Langlois - Grade BOctober/Season Stats: 8GP, 1G-0A, -6, 2 PIM
Langlois, who impressed Mann in camp, is not the flashiest player on the ice. The centerman can get lost among his more prolific scoring teammates, but sometimes not noticing a player means he’s consistently not making mistakes. So far, he’s been rather steady and a 10% shooting percentage is going to ensure continued appearances in games on a Troy Mann-coached team.
Garrett Mitchell - Grade B-October/Season Stats: 8GP, 1G-0A, -5, 25 PIM
Mitchell is leading the team in PIM so far this season, which is not always something that is going to make his coach very happy. That said, Mitchell will always stick up for his teammates, no matter how much bigger the opponent may be. The message is clear - no cheap shots on Hershey skaters while Mitchell is on the ice. With a goal in ten shots, the captain has bought into the Grade-A philosophy. He’s settled into his role as a captain in the AHL.
Dustin Gazley - Grade BOctober/Season Stats: 8GP, 0G-1A, -2, 2 PIM
The speedy skater had tons of scoring success in the preseason, but that hasn’t translated into the regular season - yet. After spending most of last season on the injury list, Gazley has shown that his speed was not impacted due to the injury as when he’s on the ice, he is usually one of the first players into the offensive zone.
Mason Mitchell - Grade IncompleteOctober/Season Stats: 3GP, 0G-0A, -2, 0 PIM
It’s hard to have any real impressions of the “other” Mitchell as he’s appeared in just three games so far. He has just one shot and has not appeared on the score sheet yet. He was on the ice Sunday for Hartford’s first goal, an unassisted tally from Steven Fogarty, that came when the Bears were unable to clear the puck from the zone. Mistakes like those are costly as the Bears learned and are ones that Mann will certainly expect to see cleaned up.
Mathias Bau - Grade IncompleteOctober/Season Stats: 4GP, 0G-0A, -3, 0 PIM
The 6’7” Dane has appeared in four games. While he hasn’t generated any offense yet, he has taken two shots. If Albert’s injury proves to be substantial, Bau is going to have to step up quickly, just like his fellow rookies on the blueline have done.
Hampus Gustafsson - Grade BOctober/Season Stats: 5GP, 0G-0A, -1, 0 PIM
The 6’4” Swede has appeared in five games this season in addition to a total of 14 last season (ten regular season and four playoff games). While he’s still looking for his first AHL goal, his -1 rating is tied for tops on the team, something the Bears have improved since opening night.
Zach Sill - Grade BOctober/Season Stats: 9GP, 0G-0A, -5, 6 PIM
Rivaling Riley Barber in the snake-bitten category, Sill has yet to make an appearance on the scoresheet after nine games. He has 12 shots on goal, and some of those just missed by inches. He’d probably give himself a lower grade, but you can’t discredit one of the guys who always is battling for the puck along the boards. The scoring will come, Sill just needs to keep doing the little things to help his team, like winning faceoffs.
Honorable Mentions
Pheonix Copley - Copley has yet to play a game this season due to a lower body injury. Last year a lower body injury forced him to watch the Bears lose to Providence in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. In the off-season Copley signed a new two-year contract that has him poised to back up Braden Holtby next season. According to Mann, Copley is getting close to returning. He was on the ice for Tuesday morning’s practice.
Vitek Vanecek - Like Copley, Vanecek is on the shelf right now with a lower body injury. A year ago Vanecek was thrown into the fire when an off-season signing by the Bears did not work out. Copley’s arrival helped steady things and allowed Vanecek to regain his confidence for the playoffs. Like Copley, Vanecek is close to returning according to Mann. Vanecek was also on the ice for Tuesday morning’s practice.
Chandler Stephenson - Stephenson, after his first professional hattrick, has been recalled to Washington.
Anthony Peluso - Peluso has been recalled by the Capitals.
Madison Bowey - Bowey is currently playing with the Capitals.
Kris Bindulis - Returned to South Carolina after appearing in one game for Hershey.
Paul Geiger - Recalled from South Carolina.
