In his first season of professional hockey, Brock McGinn faced the adversity that most rookies come up against as they make the jump from the amateur ranks. But after battling through the ups and downs, he has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in the Carolina system.
The Checkers have been careful to not place too heavy of expectations on their rookies, particularly on defense. So it’s pretty safe to say that Trevor Carrick exceeded any expectations in year one.
Greg Nemisz’s 2014-15 season was plagued by a disheartening case of déjà vu. For the second year in a row, the forward’s hot start was cut short by a season-ending injury.
It isn’t always the case that a player ends up being exactly as advertised, but that’s more or less what happened with Kyle Hagel in his first season with the Checkers.