The higher end guys were the most impressive to me yesterday. Burakovsky and Vrana played great, but that line at times had problems with positioning, especially in the neutral zone. They bunched up a bit much, but it was their first time playing together, so it's understandable. Burakovsy didn't look overly lost playing center, and I always thought he played a good 200 foot game, so it could be a fit if they try to develop him there in Hershey this year. His first goal was a great display of sick hands.
The first scrimmage, especially the first period of it, is usually not as good hockey as the following two. Lots of guys (including some of the brighter prospects) were guilty of holding the puck too long. Boyd, Barber, Burakovsky, Vrana (what a shootout goal), and Basara stood out to me. Boyd was a puck hound and showed some hands. He was also guilty of trying to do too much at times, but usually was able to recover. Barber played smart and scored a goal in tight because of his ability to read the play. He also had multiple cycles that were the product of the play going through him. Vrana showed his speed on the forecheck, a willingness to backcheck and great hands. Basara was all over the place and was noticeable in a good way every shift.
I left after the second, but a couple quick notes:
I didn't think Walker was the best skater, and doesn't seem to have high-end speed. I will compliment his shot though, probably one of the best shots and compared to some of the others out there, it looked like a pro-level shot. Vanecek gave up a big time softy, and looked fairly tentative in net.
