Top NCAA Prospect Ben Meyers is Catching NHL’s Attention
George Walker IV-United states of america Nowadays Sports activities
When United states of america elected to bring a college-hefty roster to Beijing, a single word came to mind: opportunity.
Imagine again to 1980, when USA’s school team shocked the hockey earth by beating the Soviets in the semifinal and Sweden in the last to win an unlikely gold. To a place, that emotion was renewed in China, with Usa putting a massive target on younger talent compared to the more mature, far more skilled crew that struggled in South Korea four a long time in the past.
On paper, Usa appeared like underdogs, but they managed to be the only crew to have a best round-robin record with three regulation wins.
So possibility is a major topic with this American lineup, and nobody is familiar with that greater than Ben Meyers.
Meyers, a 23-year-outdated university student at the University of Michigan, had never represented Usa Hockey in an international occasion. He was a forceful superior school player in the Minnesota spot and experienced a few of good seasons with the USHL’s Fargo Corse, but he was a little bit more mature at that issue. Meyers was undrafted, but like numerous prospects who took a little bit of a extended advancement path, the NCAA provided an option for Meyers to set himself on NHL radars.
Meyers’ name was mentioned in NHL totally free agent circles a small bit very last period soon after recording 28 factors in 31 game titles as a sophomore. In 26 games this year, the Gophers captain has a issue-for every-game regular and sits just 1 level behind Anaheim Ducks prospect Blake McLaughlin for the workforce lead despite missing game titles because of to getting in Beijing.
And talking of options, Meyers has utilised his time at the Olympics to seriously bolster his benefit to NHL teams. By three video games, Meyers has 4 points for United states of america, like ambitions from China and Canada. His line with Sean Farrell and Brian O’Neill has been tremendous for the United States with 13 points involving them, good for No. 1, 2 and 4 in team scoring. Much of that injury came in an 8- gain around China, but the general enjoy of Meyers with and with no the puck has been outstanding.
In contrast to prime prospective clients like Matty Beniers and Jake Sanderson, Meyers has hardly ever had a ton of buzz all over him. But alongside with fellow U.S. Olympian Marc McLaughlin, Meyers is finding consideration from NHL scouts, with Meyers looking like 1 of the a lot more nicely-rounded potential customers on the NCAA absolutely free agent pool. Meyers, standing 5-foot-11 and 200 lbs ., joined the Boston Bruins’ progress camp in August and turned some heads but ultimately returned again to school.
And he can do that once again for 2022-23, which may possibly not be the worst factor for his improvement. Meyers has added about 10 lbs . to his frame about the previous two seasons and has improved his play absent from the puck while however showcasing his fast launch and fast skating qualities.
“In phrases of the NCAA, he’s an everyman,” a scout said. “Minnesota can just toss him into any matchup and he’ll be successful. Meyers can choose around shifts. The ideal NHL group could make use of him in the course of the lineup.”
All over the place Meyers has performed, he is been a standout. And although his figures have not accurately blown away the competitors in the NCAA this year, NHL teams will not likely be ready to disregard just how fantastic he is in opposition to competition his have age. The reality that he is been section of USA’s most impactful line, irrespective of not actually currently being the team’s prime trio, states how very good Meyers has been and how substantially the staff will have to have him to step up as the stakes get greater.
College or university totally free brokers will not usually function out, and there is no promise Meyers will, possibly. But if Meyers decides to go professional this summer, never expect a deficiency of suitors for the reigning Major Ten champion.
