The New Jersey Devils opened the 2017 Prospects Challenge in dramatic fashion as they picked up a come-from-behind OT victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from the first game of the mini-tournament:
1) Will Butcher looked really good in his debut. There wasn't much flash to his game but he consistently made the smart, simple play and did a nice job of keeping the puck moving in the right direction. In the NHL he's going to have guys pressuring him all the time so making quick decisions -- and good ones -- is pivotal to finding success. He did that last night. I was also impressed by his gap control and ability to read the play and react accordingly while defending, particularly against odd-man rushes. It's clear he can handle himself against prospects. The next step is doing so against NHL players during preseason play.
2) Nico Hischier was pretty quiet early on but he really settled in as the game progressed and was a difference maker by the time the 3rd period rolled around. He showed some good bursts of speed, made some nice passes while being pressured in tight spaces, and seemingly created chances every time he touched the ice down the stretch.
3) Jesper Bratt played on a line with two of the Devils' best forward prospects, Michael McLeod and Blake Speers, and I thought he was the best of the bunch. He was very shifty and tough to contain with the puck and had it on a string in the offensive zone for a good portion of the night. He also made a nice pass to a pinching Michael Kapla on the game-winning-goal. I can't wait to see more of him in London (OHL) this season.
4) I thought Evan Cormier looked pretty shaky for much of the game. He allowed several big rebounds during the first half and made some simple saves look very uncomfortable. Kudos to him for hanging in there and limiting the damage, I guess, but I wasn't overly impressed.
5) Ryan Kujawinski had a strong game, obviously, but I wouldn't get too excited about his future. He has two years of pro experience under his belt and is older, bigger, and more physically mature than pretty much every other player on the ice. He was good, no doubt, but he was supposed to be.
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