Prospect Pulse: Review of Jets Game One of the Young Stars Rookie Tournament

I think I speak for all the Illegal Curve staff when I say it was certainly a thrill to see the Jets (even the rookies) back on the ice last night. Despite the fact that they were wearing practice sweaters with those awful high numbers, it was a treat to watch.

The game itself wasn’t pretty, which is basically what you would expect given the fact that these kids were thrown together and have only practiced together twice. Still, there was a lot of skill (individual and otherwise) on display and the Jets acquitted themselves quite well against a San Jose team playing with one game under their belt.

My thoughts on a few selected players after the jump.

Jason Gregoire– Started the game very tentatively, but soon found a comfort level and showed his maturity and all-around game. Was very good on the fore-check with Lowry, meshed well with Klingberg and Scheifele and showed calm feet on the PK. Was rewarded with a goal on the nice feed from Scheifele and also hit the post on another chance. I still think he makes the team out of camp.

Carl Klingberg– My personal favourite prospect was doing what he does best. Making room for teammates and playing an aggressive game. Took a penalty with a dangerous hit in the 2^nd, but looked good on the “top” line with Scheifele and Gregoire. Klingberg made a nice play early in the game to take the puck from the corner to the front of the net. Has an edge to his game that I hope translates well to the next level.

Michael Kirkpatrick– I thought he looked very dangerous early on and faded somewhat as the game wore on. His compete level is very high and had a good battle with a 6’5 San Jose defender early in the game.

Ivan Telegin– He displayed a nice range of skills and was quite good on the boards. Not afraid to mix it up or take a chance to make a play.

Zach Yuen– I was impressed with the skill Yuen displayed. I knew he was a solid defender, but he has an upside I was previously unaware of. Moves very well and closes gaps effectively.

Julian Melchiori– Despite the fact that he looked a little uncomfortable with the speed of the game and rushed a few plays, he seemed to calm down later in the game and seemed to gain confidence with the puck.

Zach Redmond– As was the case with Gregoire, Redmond showed his age and poise all night. Wearing the captain’s C, he was able to control the pace of the game when needed and served as a calming influence at both ends of the ice.

Adam Lowry– I thought Lowry was very impressive in his debut, with a motor that just keeps running. He supplied energy every time he stepped on the ice.

Mark Scheifele– I would say his performance erased any doubts people had about using the 7^th overall pick to get him. He was the best player on the ice and showed very smooth hands to go with great speed. Scheifele displayed a level of patience and calm feet on the PK not often seen in players his age.

Watch for another Prospect Pulse tomorrow following the Oilers-Jets tilt tonight. Follow me on Twitter @ICKylek or leave your comments below.