When the Penguins selected defenseman Ryan McCleary in the seventh round of this past summer's draft, director of player personnel Chris Pryor called him "a very raw, young, kid."
"If you look at birth year, he's almost close to next year's draft which is intriguing to say the least because there's a lot from a projection standpoint," Pryor said. "There's a lot to project, but there's also a lot to like here. You think next year at this time where he's going to be, he just started to get into his own body and feel for the game. Big (6-2, 180), right shot defenseman. He's got a lot of attributes there to like, we just need some time and patience."
McCleary, 18, joined the WHL's Portland Winterhawks during last season, and played 18 games to finish the year.
Leading up to the draft, Winterhawks assistant general manager and associate coach Kyle Gustafson, who coaches the team's defensemen, spoke with PNW Hockey Talk about McCleary's game.
“The things I like about Ryan are his offensive instincts,” Gustafson said. “He anticipates the play well, willing to jump up ice and contribute offensively. He is doing a lot of things that are smart with the puck and makes a lot of nice plays in the middle of the ice.”
McCleary has spent this season moving between the left and right sides of Portland's second and third defense pairings. He hasn't picked up many points, entering this week with two goals and 10 assists in 30 games.
Portland had a three-in-three weekend this week, and McCleary doubled his goal total from earlier in the season in those three games.
Portland defeated the Tri-City Americans in Friday's contest, and McCleary scored the game's opening goal with this shot from the slot
The Winterhawks finished the weekend with a game against the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday. McCleary was the overtime hero for Portland in a 5-4 win:
The Penguins seemed encouraged by McCleary's potential after he was drafted. With McCleary at least a couple of years away from even turning pro, he has awhile to develop and live up to that potential.
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Here's how the Penguins' prospects in junior, college, and Europe did this week:
FORWARDS
Raivis Ansons
Position: Right wing/left wing
Size: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Season totals: 19 games, 6 goals, 18 assists
The QMJHL extended its pause until Feb. 1.
Tristan Broz
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-0/179
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, second round
Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 21 games, 1 goal, 2 assists
Broz was scoreless in two games. He played third-line left wing.
Judd Caulfield
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-3/207
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, fifth round
Team: University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Season totals: 23 games, 4 goal, 5 assists
Caulfield scored a goal in two games this week, snapping a 12-game pointless streak:
Caulfield skated on the right wing of the second line in both games.
Liam Gorman
Position: Center
Size: 6-3/199
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Team: Princeton University (NCAA)
Season totals: 16 games, 2 goal, 2 assist
Princeton returned from holiday break and played three games. Gorman scored one goal, picking up a rebound:
Gorman was third-line left wing for the first game this week, then was elevated to the second line for the next two games.
Lukas Svejkovsky
Position: Center/right wing
Size: 5-9/170
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2020, fourth round
Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Season totals: 26 games, 13 goals, 18 assists
Svejkovsky played his first games with the Thunderbirds since his trade there four weeks ago. He picked up an assist in two games.
He did a fun interview with his new team:
It's Bird Bios featuring the homegrown new guy Lukas Svejkovsky!
— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) January 21, 2022
You can see Lukas and the rest of the Birds tomorrow night!
Get your 🎫 here: https://t.co/5KwC47uHWI pic.twitter.com/OfEhhryMue
Pineapple on pizza? Might have to drop him a few spots in the prospect rankings for that.
Kirill Tankov
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-2/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: SKA-Neva (VHL)
Season totals: 30 games, 8 goals, 6 assists
Tankov played one game and was scoreless. SKA-Neva dressed 13 forwards and five defensemen in the game, Tankov was the extra forward.
Chase Yoder
Position: Center
Size: 5-11/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, sixth round
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 27 games, 4 goal, 5 assists
Yoder picked up an assist in two games, centering Providence's third line. The secondary assist came with this play along the boards when he kicked the puck to a teammate:
DEFENSEMEN
Santeri Airola
Size: 5-9/163
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Team: Ilves (Liiga), KOOVEE (Mestis)
Season totals: 2 games (Mestis)
Airola missed the start of the Liiga season with a lower-body injury. His team announced on Oct. 14 that Airola underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 months.
Isaac Belliveau
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Team: Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season totals: 29 games, 1 goal, 9 assists
The QMJHL extended its pause until Feb. 1.
Daniel Laatsch
Size: 6-5/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
Season totals: 24 games, 2 assists
Laatsch was scoreless in two games, skating on the left side of Wisconsin's top defense pairing.
Ryan McCleary
Size: 6-2/180
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 33 games, 4 goals, 10 assists
McCleary scored two goals in three games, playing on the left side of Portland's second defense pairing.
Clayton Phillips
Size: 6-0/195
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2017, third round
Team: Penn State University (NCAA)
Season totals: 24 games, 5 goal, 7 assists
Phillips played in two games and recorded one assist.
Phillips is one of three Penn State players nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, awarded annually to the top player in college hockey. Voting is here and runs through March 6.
GOALTENDERS
Joel Blomqvist
Size: 6-1/183
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, second round
Team: Karpat (Liiga), Hermes (Mestis)
Season totals: 11 games, 1.05 GAA, .952 SV% (Liiga), 3 games, 2.07 GAA, .902 SV% (Mestis)
Blomqvist dressed as backup this week.
Calle Clang
Size: 6-2/176
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, third round
Team: Rogle (SHL)
Season totals: 9 games, 2.52 GAA, .903 SV%
Clang dressed as backup this week.
The SHL's voting for the previous week's Save of the Week concluded and he was the winner:
