CHL notebook: Capitals prospect Hofer gearing up for Memorial Cup

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

Ryan Hofer
knows the Memorial Cup is three months away, but the Washington Capitals forward prospect realizes just how important getting the opportunity to play in the CHL championship tournament will be for his development.
Hofer got his ticket to the Memorial Cup when he was traded to Kamloops of the Western Hockey League by Everett on Jan. 8. As the host team, Kamloops is guaranteed a berth in the four-team tournament, along with the champions of the OHL, QMJHL and WHL. It will be held May 25-June 4.
"It's going to be huge," the 20-year-old said. "Playing the best of the best there. Every game, you've got to bring your all. It'll be great for the development, playing there and playing against the top-notch players and having to bring your all because if you don't, there's lots of teams that'll take advantage of it. It's something everybody wants to play in and we're fortunate enough to be there."
Kamloops is 9-2-0 since Hofer made his debut Jan. 13. He has 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 11 games, including a season-high four points (three goals, one assist) in a 6-4 win against Prince Albert on Feb. 3. In addition to his second hat trick of the season, he also scored the game-winning goal.
He has 50 points (32 goals, 18 assists) in 47 games this season after having 58 (25 goals, 33 assists) in 67 games last season.

The Capitals selected Hofer in the sixth round (No. 181) of the 2022 NHL Draft with the hope he could use his size (6-foot-3, 184 pounds) to develop into a power forward who can contribute offensively.
"He's relentless in his puck pursuit and he's a physical player," Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said. "And I would say that he's got a good shot. He's probably been working on his skill, even more this year, because he's always had kind of a physical aspect to his game. And he plays hard; he's a pretty intense guy. He seems like a physical player, but he's probably working more on his skill level, on his hands and his shot.
"He's playing a lot of big minutes, a lot of responsibility and more of an offensive role. Last year was more of a two-way checking, hardworking guy, and I think it's been really good for him as far as his development. We're really pleased with how he's doing."
The Capitals also are excited to know that Hofer will have the Memorial Cup experience to further his growth.
"I think anytime you play in a high level of competition, like the World Juniors or Memorial Cup, NCAA Final Four, that sort of thing, I think it's just a really good experience for them because of the pressure and the intensity," Mahoney said. "I think that really helps speed up your development because you're able to play in that very intense and high-level atmosphere."
Beyond the Memorial Cup, Hofer knows there are things he still needs to work on to reach the NHL, including adding strength and improving his skating. But after being passed over in the 2021 NHL Draft, he's motivated to reward the Capitals for their faith while showing 31 other teams what they missed.
"There's always that kind of thought in your head," he said. "I'm really thankful Washington took the chance and drafted me, so I'm thankful for that. But I also still feel I have something to prove too. I feel like I'm a really good player and kind of just go out every night and work my hardest and try to prove people wrong."
OTHERS TO WATCH
Matthew Maggio, RW, Windsor (New York Islanders):Maggio became the first OHL player to reach 40 goals this season when he scored the first goal in Windsor's 8-1 win against Owen Sound on Feb. 5. He scored No. 41 and also had an assist four nights later to extend his point streak to 14 games (13 goals, 20 assists). The 20-year-old also has six straight multipoint games. Selected by the Islanders in the fifth round (No. 142) of the 2022 draft, Maggio has an OHL-high 84 points (41 goals, 43 assists) in 48 games.
Jacob Melanson, RW, Sherbrooke (Seattle Kraken):The 19-year-old has been a huge addition since he joined Sherbrooke in a trade with Acadie-Bathurst on Jan. 2. He has a point in all 15 games (13 goals, 13 assists), including eight multipoint games. Selected by the Kraken in the fifth round (No. 131) of the 2021 draft, Melanson has 70 points (38 goals, 32 assists) in 42 games this season.
Ben Hemmerling, RW, Everett (Vegas Golden Knights): The 18-year-old has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) during a six-game point streak, including two three-point games. He scored in overtime and had two assists against Swift Current on Jan. 28 to start his streak, and had three assists, including one on a game-tying third-period goal, in a 6-5 overtime loss to Seattle on Feb. 3. Selected by the Golden Knights in the sixth round (No. 177) of the 2022 draft, Hemmerling has 50 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 45 games, three more than the 47 (10 goals, 37 assists) he had in 57 games last season.
Photos: Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers