When Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton rejoined his Hamilton Bulldogs for game play mid-January, a primary goal was helping his team make a run at winning the Ontario Hockey League title and play for the Memorial Cup.
So far, so good. Hamilton is 12-3 with Winterton in the lineup, scoring 11 goals and adding 14 assists in 15 games.
The Bulldogs are 9-1 in their last 10 games and on a four-game winning streak, the most recent a Monday home victory in which Winterton scored his 11th goal since returning from a long shoulder rehab. Weekend wins featured a two-goal, one-assist night for the 2021 third-round draft pick in a road win, then a goal and two assists in an 8-2 home win. Winterton's plus/minus rating (goals scored by his team minus goals by opponents when the player is on the ice) is plus-17.
The coveted Memorial Cup is a juniors trophy awarded to the winner of an annual postseason round-robin tournament that invites winners of the aforementioned OHL, Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League plus a host team from one of the three leagues. The 2022 Memorial Cup will be in Saint John, N.B., in June.
Winterton's intent for Hamilton going deep into June is looking entirely feasible. Since Winterton's return, the Bulldogs have moved up from a lower spot in the eight-team Eastern Conference playoffs to second place, two standings points behind Mississauga with four games in hand to earn additional standings points.
After a strong individual performance in the Olympics - impressing fans and scouts and competitors alike - Kraken top prospect Matty Beniers returns to his No. 2-ranked University of Michigan squad (25-7-1) for a weekend series against No. 9-ranked Notre Dame (23-9) and Kraken 2021 seventh-round prospect Justin Janicke. The freshman Fighting Irish forward scored his second goal of the season Saturday and added an assist.
Second-rounder Ryker Evans assisted on his WHL Regina Pats' overtime-winning goal last Friday and notched his 37th assist of the season in a close loss Monday. He has 11 goals and 48 points overall in 44 games-placing him top 5 in scoring among all WHL defensemen.
The Kraken's developing pros assigned to American Hockey League affiliate Charlotte have been key in helping the Checkers earn nine of a possible 10 standings points in the last five games, going 4-0-1. Forward Kole Lind has a seven-game point streak (4 G, 5 A), the longest for a Charlotte player this season.
Defenseman Connor Carrick picked up four assists in a Sunday win and now has a goal and five assists during a three-game point streak. NHL-tested forward Scott Wilson is tied for the team lead with 19 points, including eight goals in his last eight games.
