We’ve written quite a bit on PHT about all the good, young talent GM Ron Francis has stockpiled in Carolina -- see here, here and here.
And now, right here.
The ‘Canes captured Detroit’s Traverse City prospects tourney on Tuesday night, beating the host Red Wings 6-4 to capture the Matthew Wuest Memorial Cup for the first time since 2009.
“It’s a really good group of guys,” head coach Ulf Samuelsson said, per the ‘Canes website. “A lot of talent. It was a high-scoring team. A lot of fun to be a part of.”
Julien Gauthier and Jake Bean -- Carolina’s two first-round picks at June’s draft -- combined to score three goals in the second period, with Gauthier finishing with two markers on the night.
The win capped off a highly successful week. The ‘Canes ran the table at the event, beating the Rangers, Wild and Stars prior to toppling the Wings.
Bean and Gauthier starred in the final, but Carolina had other quality talent going in this tourney as well. Haydn Fleury, the seventh overall pick in 2014, manned the blueline while Alex Nedeljkovic, the prized goaltending prospect that started for the U.S. at the World Juniors, held things down in goal.
Other Carolina prospects featured in Traverse City included Roland McKeown, Nicolas Roy and Sergey Tolchinsky.
Related: With Peters re-signed, ‘Canes ready to snap playoff drought