Chicago - The Blackhawks have been very successful reloading each season with general manager Stan Bowman working within the NHL's salary-cap system. The Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup in six seasons in 2014-15, and there's no reason to think they won't be in the running for another despite losing some key players from that championship lineup. After winning the Cup in six games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in June, Bowman traded forwards Brandon Saad (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Patrick Sharp (Dallas Stars), and forwards Brad Richards (Detroit Red Wings) and Antoine Vermette (Coyotes) and defenseman Johnny Oduya (Stars) left as free agents. The Blackhawks acquired some good young talent and some savvy veterans during the offseason, but they will also rely on their top prospects for added support at some point in 2015-16. One player closing in on making the jump to Chicago is left wing Ryan Hartman, a first-round pick (No. 30) in the 2013 NHL Draft.
New York Rangers - Earned their first victory in the tournament despite being short one defenseman after Brady Skjei sustained an upper-body injury in the first period of a 4-0 victory against the Blue Jackets. Goaltender Jacob Smith, a free agent invite by the Rangers to Traverse City, made 38 saves, including 15 in the third period, to earn the shutout. Smith (5-foot-11, 192 pounds) went 28-18-10 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .896 save percentage in 56 games with North Bay of the Ontario Hockey League last season. Two of the five defensemen who finished the game, Petr Zamorsky, who signed a free agent contract with the Rangers on June 11, 2014, and Calle Andersson, drafted by New York in the fourth round (No. 119) of the 2012 draft, scored a goal. Rangers top-line center Adam Tambellini (2013, No. 65), the son of former NHL player Steve Tambellini, had a goal and one assist. Tambellini has spent the past two seasons with Calgary of the Western Hockey League, scoring 47 goals with 39 assists in 71 games in 2014-15.Minnesota - Mike Reilly hasn't been the only defenseman for the Wild having a solid tournament. Gustav Olofsson, a second-round pick (No. 46) in the 2013 draft, and Gustav Bouramman (2015, No. 201) have shown great potential along the blue line. John Torchetti, coach of Minnesota's AHL affiliate in Iowa, has liked what he's seen in each player.
"Olofsson is definitely a top-three defenseman in Iowa. He's a great skater, and his gap control is really good in the neutral zone. Bouramman was quite a find in the seventh round. He's very calm and cool with the puck, and that's what you like to see for the organization moving forward."
Carolina - Despite the fact Hurricanes defenseman Noah Hanifin (2015, No. 5) was ruled out of the Traverse City Tournament with an unspecified injury that occurred in August during USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., the Hurricanes remain loaded along the blue line with young prospects in Traverse City. Haydn Fleury (2014, No. 7), Brett Pesce (2013, No. 66) and Jaccob Slavin (2012, No. 120) have looked extremely poised and confident along the back end. Pesce likely will begin the season with Charlotte of the AHL. Fleury will join Hanifin in challenging for a spot on the Carolina roster out of training camp, but the acquisition of veteran James Wisniewski from the Anaheim Ducks on June 27 will make that difficult. Fleury, who had three assists in a win against the Blackhawks prospects Monday, signed his entry-level contract Aug. 7, 2014.
Detroit - Red Wings goaltender Jake Paterson, a third-round pick (No. 80) in the 2012 draft, has won all three games in Traverse City. Paterson, who made 26 saves in a 5-4 victory against the Stars on Monday, has 78 saves on 84 shots in the tournament. He has a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage, and is the expected starter in the final Tuesday. Paterson, 21, played a part in Detroit's only other Traverse City Tournament championship in 2013. He had a 2.37 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in 26 games for Kitchener of the OHL in 2014-15. Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou, a fourth-round pick (No. 110) in the 2012 draft, scored two goals in a span of 2:12 late in the third period to help the Red Wings prospects remain undefeated with a 5-4 victory against the Stars prospects Monday at Centre Ice Arena. Detroit, which won the tournament in 2013, played 2014 champion Columbus in the tournament final Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. Anthanasiou, who has been playing on the top line with center Dylan Larkin (2014, No. 15) and right wing Anthony Mantha (2013, No. 20) in Traverse City, broke a 4-4 tie on a backhand with 2:21 left in regulation. Athanasiou spent his first full season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2014-15, scoring 16 goals with 16 assists in 55 games.
Game of the Tournament
Carolina v Dallas 5-4 OT
Bouncing back from a shutout loss to Detroit, the Hurricanes erased a two-goal deficit en route to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars. Forward Sergey Tolchinsky had two goals, including the game-winner, and one assist, and defenseman Brett Pesce netted a pair of goals, including the game-tying tally, in the Canes’ first win of the tournament. Less than 24 hours after being stymied on the scoreboard, the Hurricanes came out of the gate against Dallas with a noticeably better start, winning puck battles and getting shots to the net. Tolchinsky potted the game’s first tally early, as he cut to the middle and fired one past goaltender Brent Moran. Tolchinsky cleaned up a loose puck in front in three-on-three overtime to lift the Canes to victory. Dallas twice led the game, holding a 4-2 advantage at one point during the second period. With the game even at two, the Stars scored on the power play and then on a two-on-one rush to pad their lead. The Hurricanes would get one back late in the period, as Pesce’s point shot found its way through a screen to the back of the net. It was Pesce again in the third, finishing off a nice pass from Haydn Fleury, who posted two assists.
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