January 25th, 2024
Meridian Centre, St. Catharines, ON
In the battle of the dogs, the Brantford Bulldogs took down the Niagara IceDogs 5-2. Most of the way, it was a tight game, but in a game of first versus last, the better team came out on top. The matchup was filled with draft talent for not only 2024 but also 2025 and 2026, and there was plenty to talk about post-game.
Niagara – Kevin He (LW)
April 30, 2006 (2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
He has been an interesting player to watch this season, which continued tonight. He obviously possesses a wicked shot, especially in motion off the rush, but I sometimes struggle to see his play-driving abilities. He seems like he would benefit from a setup man on his line, which has been a struggle to get consistently on a below-average IceDogs team.
I did enjoy his aggressiveness and instincts throughout the game. He is a hard worker every single shift, which will benefit him in the long run as he continues to develop, and this is helped by his agility and overall straight-line skating speed. If the decision-making in his game can become a bit quicker, there are qualities of an effective bottom-six scorer at the NHL level. He’s progression the next couple of seasons as Niagara hopefully builds a better team around him will help to build a better projection for him in the long run.
Brantford – Marek Vanacker (LW)
April 12, 2006 (2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
After tonight’s game, I will definitely be watching more of Vanacker. The Bulldogs winger had an outstanding game, which started on his first shift with a goal to open the scoring. His chemistry with rookie Jake O’Brien was evident as the duo, alongside Zak Lavoie, dominated Niagara the entire night.
Vanacker has an excellent level of hockey IQ, which is noticeable both on and off the puck. In the cycle, he could anticipate plays well, leading to scoring chances in tight built off the back of his patience. He is able to find the soft spots of the ice during the cycle in the offensive zone, which directly resulted in his second goal of the night after keeping the IceDogs under heavy pressure. I would like to see him work on his passing, as he sometimes seemed to force plays through the middle of the ice. Overall, I was very impressed with Vanacker.
Niagara – Ryan Roobroeck (LW)
September 25, 2007 (2026 NHL Draft Eligible)
It is going to be a long wait until 2026, when an NHL team can finally call Roobroeck’s name. However, if he stays on the path he is currently on, the wait will be worth it. He was, without a doubt, Niagara’s best player tonight, basically giving them a chance to win on his own.
Roobroeck has impressive puck skills. His ability to control the puck under pressure, weaving through tight spaces, is evident. Even on his breakaway goal tonight, his reaction time with his hands was electric to watch. Mix the puck skills with his already good (but definitely still developing) shot, and he is going to post huge numbers in his OHL career. One area for improvement I would like to see is his shooting selection. Roobroeck tends to shoot as soon as he steps inside the blueline instead of driving further toward the net for a higher-quality chance. If he can adjust that part of his game, it is going to be even harder to shut him down.
Quick Notes
Niagara – Callum Cheynowski (LHD)
August 4, 2006 (2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
One of the newest IceDogs showed solid defensive instincts, even in a loss. Cheynowski has a good stick, which was active in breaking up plays both off the rush and the cycle. His skating was sometimes a bit suspect, especially moving backwards, so improving his edgework will go a long way.
Brantford – Luca Testa (LW)
April 10, 2006 (2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
Every time I watch Testa live, I leave the rink wanting more. I think he has raw skill, yet nothing about his game stands out. It seems unlikely that he will get drafted this year, both due to his production and what the eye test tells me.
Brantford – Owen Protz (LHD)
February 7, 2006 (2024 NHL Draft Eligible)
Protz was the best defenseman on the ice in this game. I think the offensive side of his game needs some work, but he holds the blueline well, especially with his lateral movement. He has outstanding edgework, which he displayed both in his own end and while creating plays up the ice. If he can clean up some poor turnovers inside the opposition’s blueline, his production will jump immensely next season.
Brantford – Jake O’Brien (C)
June 16, 2007 (2025 NHL Draft Eligible)
As mentioned with Vanacker, the duo of him and O’Brien demonstrated outstanding chemistry the entire game. O’Brien’s ability to pass through traffic and create plays off of one-touch passes was exciting to watch. He showed good speed in transition, being utilized as the primary puck carrier on his line, which will only get better as his game matures. O’Brien’s shot needs some work, which would go a long way in rounding out his game.
Niagara – Ethan Czata (C)
May 29, 2007 (2025 NHL Draft Eligible)
Although the production hasn’t been there in Czata’s rookie season, he showed the abilities of a player ready to breakout. He is a smart player, especially on the defensive side of the puck tonight, where he supported the puck well and consistently had an active stick breaking up plays. Czata had a stupid penalty where he kicked an opponent’s stick away in the third period, but hopefully, it was a rare lapse in judgment.