Comments / New

Winnipeg Jets NCAA Prospect Tracker: Jacob Trouba brings the pain

As the NHL lockout continues, Arctic Ice Hockey will continue to focus on how the Winnipeg Jets‘ prospects are performing this season. In this feature, we will track the performance of the Winnipeg Jets’ prospects throughout the past few weeks of the 2012-2013 NCAA hockey season. Enjoy!

Goaltenders

Connor Hellebuyck (UMass-Lowell) – After a rough start to his NCAA career, Hellebuyck hasn’t had a whiff of ice time since allowing five goals on 28 shots in a 5-1 loss to Denver University on October 19. Meanwhile, starter Doug Carr has posted a 2.25 GAA and .911 SV% so far this season. With numbers like that, it might be a while until Hellebuyck gets another chance. According to one completely made up extremely reliable report, head coach Norm Bazin was so irate at Hellebuyck’s play that he even demanded the freshman remove the rocks from his scotch. According to one witness, Coach Bazin muttered “something about ice being earned” as he was leaving.

Jamie Phillips (Michigan Tech) – Phillips saw his first game action of the season since we last convened, allowing one goal on seven shots in relief of starter Phoenix Copley during a 5-1 loss to the University of Denver. With Copley, who has started six of Michigan Tech’s eight games, sporting a 1-5-0 record, 4.30 GAA, and .854 SV%, and head coach Mel Pearson’s apparent hatred for Kevin Genoe (who has posted a .913 SV% yet starts 1/3 of the games Copley does), Phillips may soon be known as more than simply “the best-looking kid in warm-ups”.

Jason Kasdorf (RPI) – Everyone's favourite goalie/forward also saw his first game action recently, making eight saves on eight shots in the final period of RPI's 4-2 loss to powerhouse (ha!) Union College. With RPI allowing at least four goals in five straight games (all losses), that might be all it takes for Kasdorf to earn more time between the pipes.

Defensemen

Peter Stoykewych (Colorado College) – Stoykewych has continued his solid-yet-unspectacular play for Colorado College thus far. In the six games since our last update, he added one more assist to his name (against Wisconsin) and played to a +2 rating against some tough competition from Cornell, Wisconsin, and Bemidji State.

Aaron Harstad (Colorado College) – After a bit of a rocky start to the season, Harstad appears to have settled down a bit. Harstad is now up to four points on the season (in 10 games) and played to a +1 in the games since our last update.

Brennan Serville (Michigan) – After a so-so start to his sophomore season, Serville missed both of Michigan’s games against #20 Northern Michigan in early November. Never known for his offense to begin with, Serville has yet to record a point this season, despite playing on a team that has averaged 4.8 goals/game with him in the lineup.

Jacob Trouba (Michigan) – Jacoub Trouba has been everything we’ve expected and more to start the season. Thus far he’s amassed seven points in seven games. He’s also brought his physical game, recording a team high 27 PIMs and nearly taking Reed Seckel’s head off with a vicious hit. That hit that earned him a game misconduct and an additional night off, but despite missing time he still ranks 4th on the Wolverines in points and shots. He’s also blocked eight shots in just seven games. Not bad for the freshman defenseman.

Forwards

Vinny Saponari (Northeastern University) – Saponari, Northeastern's captain, has scored five points in six games since our last update, including two multi-point games. His seven points rank second on the team. Perhaps most impressively, all seven of his points this season have come at even strength. When Northeastern's power play gets going (they're just 5-43 right now), Saponari could put up some solid numbers.

Yasin Cisse (Boston University) – Eight games, no points, and -2 on a team that’s outscored its opponents 24-21. Nothing to see here, folks.

Tanner Lane (Nebraska-Omaha) – Like Cisse, Tanner Lane has been held scoreless thus far this season. Unlike Cisse, Tanner Lane is a freshman who was expected to struggle this season. On the bright side, Lane is averaging more than a shot per game and the Mavericks cracked the NCAA rankings for the first time this season, coming in at #18.

Jordan Samuels-Thomas (Quinnipac University) – After scoring the game winning goal with just 1:26 remaining in the third period of Quinnipac's 2-1 season-opening win over the No. 15 ranked University of Maine on October 6, Jordan Samuels-Thomas has been pretty quiet, failing to register a point in the next six straight games. If it's any consolation though, the whole Quinnipac team scored a combined three goals in five of those six games. Things may be looking up for JST though, as he's picked up an assist in two of his last three games. Incredibly, JST's three points place him in a tie for fourth on the team. Quinnipac is in desperate need of some goal scoring, and a larger contribution from Samuels-Thomas would certainly be welcome.

Note: Click the headings to sort the table by any category you choose.

Name School GP G A P PIM
Jacob Trouba U. of Michigan 8 3 5 8 42
Yasin Cisse Boston University 8 0 0 0 6
Peter Stoykewych Colorado College 10 0 2 2 6
Vinny Saponari Northeastern University 9 2 5 7 10
Jordan Samuels-Thomas Quinnipiac University 9 1 2 3 10
Tanner Lane U. of Nebraska-Omaha 7 0 0 0 2
Aaron Harstad Colorado College 10 1 3 4 6
Brennan Serville U. of Michigan 7 0 0 0 4

Looking for an easy way to support Arctic Ice Hockey?
Use our Affiliate Link when shopping hockey merch this holiday season!

Talking Points