EliteProspects posted an excellent story in which Sean Shapiro, Helena Hsieh and Jacob Titus attended 3 big prospect tournaments, discussing the standout players from each tournament. Shapiro liked what he saw from Carter Bear and Theo Rochette:
Carter Bear, LW, Detroit Red Wings
Carter Bear is one of the quietest hockey players around. In fact, off the ice, former teammate Landon DuPont has jokingly said that he’s had to make sure Bear was awake before the game started. But when he’s not hibernating away from the rink, Bear is a menace on it, and he turned into a one-man play-driving force through the neutral zone and attacking down the wing, constantly pushing back defenders and then changing the pace for either shot or passing opportunities. He deserves a shot at playing NHL games this season; it might be a bit rushed, but he’s the type of player Detroit needs in this awkward time period.
Théo Rochette, C, Detroit Red Wings
Théo Rochette should have been a dominant force at this tournament as a 24-year-old with three years of NL experience, and he was. When Detroit sat Nate Danielson in the second game, Rochette seized the opportunity as the Red Wings’ No. 1 centre. He’s coming off a pretty strong pro season in Switzerland, and in an otherwise underwhelming offseason for the Red Wings, his signing and potential could be one of the underrated bright spots. He will likely spend most of the season in the AHL, but if or when Detroit has to shuffle its centre depth, maybe related to a certain captain trade, Rochette could be ready for an NHL job.
Continued (unlocked), with honorable mentions for Trey Augustine, Noah Dower-Nilsson and Grand Rapids Griffins-contracted Kienan Draper earning “honorable mentions.”
