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Preseason Game One Starters Are Young And Unknown

By Chris Baker

Nov 23, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of a hockey puck and referee skate during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of a hockey puck and referee skate during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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If you are like the rest of us, and let’s face it..you are some of these names that are on the Preseason Game One roster are not all that familiar. So, here is a run down of some of these names and so general ideas of who and what these guys are.

I doubt many of these names will end up being common among Caniacs but hey, they have made the Preseason Game One roster.

Preseason Game One
Dec 16, 2021; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks left wing Jayden Halbgewachs (89) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) battle for position in front of the net during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

Jayden Halbgewachs- This 26 year old out of Regina, Canada shoots left from the left side. Halbgewachs won a SHL Championship last season with Växjö Lakers HC. In 52 regular season games he notched 10 goals and 10 assists. During the playoff run of 17 games, he nailed down 4 points.

Playing 5 season with the AHL San Jose Barracuda, he went to the postseason twice. With the Barracudas, Halbgewachs was consistently a point every other night player with his best season during the 2021-21 season. With a brief 3 game stint with the San Jose Sharks, Halbgewachs put up 41 points (17 goals) over 52 games.  The Hurricanes offered Halbgewach a professional tryout.

Preseason Game One
Apr 9, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Jakub Zboril (67) with puck against Philadelphia Flyers left wing Kieffer Bellows (20) during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

Kieffer Bellows- Bellows has NHL experience with 95 games over 5 seasons with the Islanders (4) and Flyers (1). WIth the Flyers last year Bellows posted 27 games with three cellies, including 1 GWG. His longest NHL stint was back in 2021-22 games with the Isle playing 45 games with 13 points. Last season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season, Bellows had 12 games and 3 goals and 10 points.

Bellows has been up and down between the AHL and NHL with a year at Boston University.

Cory Conachers- Conachers also has NHL experience but has also seen the world from the inside of a hockey rink. Over 8 seasons, Bellows played in Switzerland mostly with Bern.

Brendan Perlini, Cory Conacher, and Nathan Beaulieu Preseason Game One
Sep 17, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Cory Conacher (89) during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Last season Bellows spent time between the Charlotte Checkers and the Belleville Senators in the AHL. In 15 games in the Queen City, Bellows knocked in 4 goals and had 5 apples. Belleville got town games from Bellows where he had an assist.

What comes of the Preseason Game One tonight is going to be a little bit like starting a classic jazz band with a group of talented rock musicians that have never heard anything but Steely Dan. Given the status of the Hurricanes’ AHL status, we might lost track of these players as they are scattered to the winds, but we can hope that at least some of them might end up making spot starts .

Still it will be fun to see these young players get out on the ice and mix it up.  Plus it is hockey, so let’s run with it and enjoy!

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