Hurricanes in Traverse City: Five Things to Watch

With a youth movement about to change the makeup of the Checkers’ roster, this year’s NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, will be a better preview than usual.

As many as 10 players on Carolina’s roster for its fifth consecutive year of playing in the tournament are eligible to start this season in Charlotte. With many key players from the Checkers’ first four NHL seasons moving on to other teams or hoping to move on to the NHL, there’s a good chance that some players in the tournament will be asked to play bigger roles than typically expected from that group.

Beyond those 10, a group of 2013 and 2014 draft picks still too young to play in the AHL will likely join them in the coming seasons. That’s part of why the Checkers’ coaching staff of Jeff Daniels and Geordie Kinnear will be behind the bench once again.

What follows is a quick look at what to watch for throughout the tournament, which, for Carolina, begins with a game at 4 p.m. on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres. CarolinaHurricanes.com will be providing live coverage of the tournament that will also be summarized here.

1. RETURNING PLAYERS

Though many in the tournament played junior hockey last season, teams are allowed to bring a few players with limited professional experience. For the Hurricanes, that means forwards Victor Rask and Brendan Woods – rookies from last season’s Checkers team.

Rask, 21, will be making his third appearance in Traverse City (it could actually be his fourth if not for the NHL’s 2012 lockout leading to the cancelation of that year’s event). On the strength of a strong start and a strong finish to last season, the Hurricanes’ second-round draft pick in 2011 ranked fifth on the Checkers in scoring with 39 points. A first-line center for parts of that campaign, there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t be in the mix to be in a prime scoring role on a more full-time basis going forward. Based on his skills and experience, he should be a high scorer at this event.

Woods, 22, could also see an increased role this season. A fourth-liner who contributed eight points in 42 games, the fifth-round pick in 2012 has the profile and skill set to be an effective power forward. Having just recently resumed skating following surgery to correct an injury suffered late last season, Woods was somewhat limited at the Hurricanes’ development camp in late July but hopes to be good to go for this tournament, making it an excellent warm-up for training camp.

2. NEW FORWARDS

A handful of players on this year’s team have experienced a small taste of the AHL, if only on a tryout basis. Of that group, 2012 second-round draft pick Brock McGinn arguably has the best chance of being an impact player at the AHL level right off the bat or perhaps even skipping it entirely.

Daniels said recently that he felt McGinn, who played four regular-season games and two playoff games for the Checkers as a 19-year-old in 2012, was ready to become a full-time AHL player last season. Since he was still too young at the time, all he did was score 85 points, including 43 goals, in 58 games for the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm.

Phil Di Giuseppe, who the Hurricanes selected nine spots prior to McGinn in 2012 (38th overall) didn’t produce the same kind of gaudy offensive totals at the University of Michigan but showed flashes of skill in his first three professional games with the Checkers and at the Hurricanes’ most recent development camp. He too is gearing up for his first professional season.

With Zach Boychuk and Chris Terry looking closer than ever to cracking the NHL roster, strong rookie campaigns from the likes of McGinn and Di Giuseppe could prove crucial in helping the Checkers fill what could be a considerable offensive void. Both listed as left wingers, they may not get a chance to play together at Traverse City although they did show chemistry at development camp.

Another player to watch up front is Patrick Brown, a recent Boston College graduate who the Hurricanes signed as a free agent in the spring. A depth player for much of his college career, he broke out for 30 points in 40 games as the Eagles’ captain last season and went on to turn heads at his first development camp. He and Carter Sandlak, a gritty forward who really caught the Hurricanes’ attention while playing for Minnesota at last year’s Traverse City tournament, will be looking to prove their worth as first-year pros.

3. ON THE BLUE LINE

While the Hurricanes still have a handful of returning defensemen like Brett Bellemore, Danny Biega, Michal Jordan, Keegan Lowe and Rasmus Rissanen on two-way contracts, not to mention 2011 first-round pick Ryan Murphy, there could be an opportunity for a few Traverse City participants.

A fourth-round draft pick in 2012, Trevor Carrick, who scored 51 points in 70 OHL games last season, has turned into an intriguing prospect. Speaking at development camp, Daniels called him one of the best defensemen at last year’s tournament.

Meanwhile, Dennis Robertson has a chance to do what Biega, another four-year college player who slid right into the top pairing, did last season. As older rookies (at 23, Robertson is the third-oldest player on the Hurricanes’ team aside from undrafted invites Patrick McEachen and Jake Chelios), they have a considerable advantage in terms of size, strength and experience over their peers. To compare, Robertson is actually two months older than Rissanen, who is entering his fourth pro campaign.

In addition to the aforementioned returning players who spent considerable time in Charlotte last season, Austin Levi and Beau Schmitz will also be pushing to graduate from the ECHL, leaving no shortage of competition come training camp.

4. ALTSHULLER’S OPPORTUNITY

With the Hurricanes signing Drew MacIntyre to a two-way deal as insurance behind Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin and the Checkers bringing all-time wins leader John Muse back on an AHL deal, there may not be a clear path for rookie Daniel Altshuller to begin next season with Charlotte. That said, this tournament is a good chance for him to make an impression before training camps start later this month.

The first goalie drafted by the Hurricanes to turn pro within the organization since Mike Murphy in 2010, it’s possible that Altshuller will start the season by playing regularly at the ECHL level rather than sitting on the sidelines in Charlotte. However, due to injuries, the Checkers’ No. 3 goalie has historically had quite a role to play, with Muse forcing his way into the picture in 2011-12 and again as a professional tryout last season.

A third-round pick in 2012, Altshuller, who led all OHL goaltenders with a 1.89 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in last season’s playoffs, will share the net with 2014 second-round pick Alex Nedeljkovic in Traverse City.

5. LOCAL TIES

One player of particular interest to Checkers fans won’t be playing for the Hurricanes. Charlotte native Bryan Moore, a former Jr. Checker and Checkers stick boy who attended the New York Rangers’ development camp and that of the Hurricanes as an undrafted invite, is with the Rangers in Traverse City.

Moore, a 20-year-old winger who scored 61 points (25g, 36a) in 58 OHL games with Sarnia and Sault Ste. Marie last season, is shooting for his first NHL contract. Barring that, he could return for a final year of junior eligibility or try to sign with a lower-level professional team.

Moore and the Rangers will face off against Carolina in the teams’ final round-robin at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.