cccsberg Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Just watching the late Frozen 4 game, BU vs North Dakota. Hickey Flames 3rd round draft pick in 2014, now a Freshman with BU. Hickey playing very well, fast, good positioning and D and a great shot. Just scored a PP one-timer for BU's 2-0 goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross16 Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm a pretty big Brandon Hickey fan actually and I would say he is turning into one of my favorite prospects. I haven't had a chance to watch the last two BU games, have them recorded, but I watched 2 games this year and came away impressed. He is a great natural skater who can really skate himself out of trouble. Reminds me of a bigger Kris Rusell who I also loved to watch in Junior. Hickey is a really smart player too and he reads the play very well in his own zone. In each game, one specific read always seemed to jump out at me. While he is good positionally he's also very raw. He is such a good skater that I think too often he thinks his skating can recover from his mistakes so he will need refinement there but the Flames have something positive to work with here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
420since1974 Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks for the updates! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccsberg Posted May 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Anyone heard any comments or commentary about Hickey post-Frozen Four? I've been assuming he's heading back to school next year but is that confirmed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s4xon Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Anyone heard any comments or commentary about Hickey post-Frozen Four? I've been assuming he's heading back to school next year but is that confirmed? I highly doubt a kid coming from the AJHL and killing it in his freshman NCAA year decides to quit school, nor is directed by the Flames to do so. He'll return, as he should and continue to develop those stud-man skills the Flames desperately need on the backend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccsberg Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 I highly doubt a kid coming from the AJHL and killing it in his freshman NCAA year decides to quit school, nor is directed by the Flames to do so. He'll return, as he should and continue to develop those stud-man skills the Flames desperately need on the backend. I don't disagree that staying is the normal/likely thing to happen, I was just wondering if its confirmed? Stranger things have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccsberg Posted July 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Hickey has had a very good camp, along with about 4-5 other D prospects. In 2-3 years we could be looking at a substantially different defence on the Flames. I'm thinking Hickey might be ready for the pros after this next year. I guess we'll see in due time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrippinVdUb Posted July 12, 2015 Report Share Posted July 12, 2015 I highly doubt a kid coming from the AJHL and killing it in his freshman NCAA year decides to quit school, nor is directed by the Flames to do so. He'll return, as he should and continue to develop those stud-man skills the Flames desperately need on the backend. Ya I see know reason they would pull him from Boston, The Collegiate route seems to be a good way to let some of these kids ripen, most kids are not ready to play D in the NHL till there 22-23 anyways and there are some very good defensive coaches down there. Hickey looks like hes in good hands and his development is on the right course, we have a log jam at almost every position, let em sit tight another year or two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zima Posted August 2, 2015 Report Share Posted August 2, 2015 Here is a good read on Hickey as usual 80FT is the bomb http://flamesfrom80feet.blogspot.ca/2015/07/smiling-brandon-hickey-genuinely-enjoys.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zima Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Looks like Hicky did pretty good last night a goal and an assist looked like he played on both sides of the ice as well seen him on the right on a face off in the Canadian zone thought from what I saw he did his job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travel_dude Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Looks like Hicky did pretty good last night a goal and an assist looked like he played on both sides of the ice as well seen him on the right on a face off in the Canadian zone thought from what I saw he did his job. He looks like he knows how to move the puck quickly. Breakout passes and skating the puck up on transition. These two aspects are critical to make Team Canada. You can't just be a shutdown or all offense guy. I liked what I saw of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross16 Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hickey's WHL rights were traded today to the Red Deer Rebels. http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776373. Previous were held by Tri City Americans. Might end up being nothing becuase not sure he would leave BU and not sure he really needs to. Good program in BU and they looked like they did a nice job with him last year. However, with the Rebels hosting the Memorial Cup next year playing in a big trounament like that would certainly boost development becuase I don't suspect you will see BU in the Frozen four this year. I think in terms of learning and growing his game i would actually prefer he didn't play for Brent Sutter but chance to play in a Memorial cup could be huge. either way, would be very surprised to see him leave BU. Every interview i've read he seems very happy there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travel_dude Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hickey's WHL rights were traded today to the Red Deer Rebels. http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776373. Previous were held by Tri City Americans. Might end up being nothing becuase not sure he would leave BU and not sure he really needs to. Good program in BU and they looked like they did a nice job with him last year. However, with the Rebels hosting the Memorial Cup next year playing in a big trounament like that would certainly boost development becuase I don't suspect you will see BU in the Frozen four this year. I think in terms of learning and growing his game i would actually prefer he didn't play for Brent Sutter but chance to play in a Memorial cup could be huge. either way, would be very surprised to see him leave BU. Every interview i've read he seems very happy there. It doesn't hurt him to stay in college and play hockey on the weekends. He will be a dominant player for the team this year. If he goes to the WHL, he plays hockey most of the time without really anything else in his life. He had a taste of college life with the ability to play hockey, and have a backup plan in case anything bad happens. When he ius ready to play in the NHL, he will leave school. I don't see the benefit in him going to the WHL at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketdoctor Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 seems a weird trade Why would Rebels do it if they didn't feel there was a possibility that Hickey would go the dub? Conspiracy theorists might suggest that the Flames want Hickey local and in the WHL............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrippinVdUb Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 It doesn't hurt him to stay in college and play hockey on the weekends. He will be a dominant player for the team this year. If he goes to the WHL, he plays hockey most of the time without really anything else in his life. He had a taste of college life with the ability to play hockey, and have a backup plan in case anything bad happens. When he ius ready to play in the NHL, he will leave school. I don't see the benefit in him going to the WHL at this point. Especially when you consider he can sit there and ripen until hes 21 with out having to burn any years off his ELC. Its in everyone's best interest for him to stay pat and continue the course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross16 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 seems a weird trade Why would Rebels do it if they didn't feel there was a possibility that Hickey would go the dub? Conspiracy theorists might suggest that the Flames want Hickey local and in the WHL............... Wouldn't be surprised if the flames did want hickey in the WHL especially in red deer, I don't think it takes much of a conspiracy theory to suggest that to be true. But why do the Rebels do this? Pretty simple, low risk for a potentially high reward. They gave up something like a 5 rounder which in the bantam draft is basically nothing, for the chance that they could land a top pairing dman which is what I think hickey would be on the rebels. If he doesn't play for them, so what they don't really lose anything. You see these trades often in the WHL because the reward can be big. Last year the Hitmen traded for thatcher demko knowing the likelihood they were going to see him was small. However, they also traded for adam tambellini even though it was thought he was going to stay in school and he came up here. Can work out both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crzydrvr Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I think he stays in BU. Team will be competitive again with another strong recruiting class coming in this season (recent 2nd round pick Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and potential top 15 defender in 2016's draft Charlie McAvoy chief among them). Losing Eichel hurts, but the added development of a really young group combined with the newcomers and remaining elderstatesmen like Matt Grzelcyk means that Hickey will get a chance to be the big dog on a championship-caliber squad. This is a guy who earned top 3 minutes as a freshman on a team that ended up in the NCAA Frozen Four finals. I think a lot of people are realizing just how good a player he is. He's the prototypical modern defenseman; mobile, rangy, and smart two-way player. He's not a physical beast, nor is he a freakish ball of skills that wow you, but he's so good at moving the puck up the ice and overall finding the lanes that it doesn't matter because his reliability is a skill in and of itself. He's my dark horse candidate for the Hobey Baker this year. I say dark horse because I am unsure of whether he can put up the numbers to really push himself into that conversation (the Hobey is for all intents and purposes a popularity contest, and it's hard to be popular by being steady). Still at least 2 full years of development from a shot at a full-time NHL gig, but there is some real potential there and I'm intrigued by how far he can go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travel_dude Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I think he stays in BU. Team will be competitive again with another strong recruiting class coming in this season (recent 2nd round pick Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and potential top 15 defender in 2016's draft Charlie McAvoy chief among them). Losing Eichel hurts, but the added development of a really young group combined with the newcomers and remaining elderstatesmen like Matt Grzelcyk means that Hickey will get a chance to be the big dog on a championship-caliber squad. This is a guy who earned top 3 minutes as a freshman on a team that ended up in the NCAA Frozen Four finals. I think a lot of people are realizing just how good a player he is. He's the prototypical modern defenseman; mobile, rangy, and smart two-way player. He's not a physical beast, nor is he a freakish ball of skills that wow you, but he's so good at moving the puck up the ice and overall finding the lanes that it doesn't matter because his reliability is a skill in and of itself. He's my dark horse candidate for the Hobey Baker this year. I say dark horse because I am unsure of whether he can put up the numbers to really push himself into that conversation (the Hobey is for all intents and purposes a popularity contest, and it's hard to be popular by being steady). Still at least 2 full years of development from a shot at a full-time NHL gig, but there is some real potential there and I'm intrigued by how far he can go. Watching him a bit, he reminds me of Brodie. Doesn't seem to flatten guys, but he is always in a good position to defend. His rushes seem Brodie-esque, and his breakout passes are on the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrippinVdUb Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Watching him a bit, he reminds me of Brodie. Doesn't seem to flatten guys, but he is always in a good position to defend. His rushes seem Brodie-esque, and his breakout passes are on the money. Its The Lindstrom era of dmen, no real weakness and can play the game in all 3 areas of the ice. Speed, skill and excellent skating is now the benchmark for your new defencemen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zima Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Yes they did mention on his chat with Flames TV they reminded them of him being a Brodie 2.0 wouldn't that be cool but now the question is with all these D-men and I think we are pretty much set if Kyl and Anderson become the players we hope and Gio signs another 4 yr term we could have the best 4 line defence in NHL history. Ok perhaps I'm a little Bios but wow I'm pumped with the future D we have coming down the pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTech780 Posted November 14, 2015 Report Share Posted November 14, 2015 I watched the BU vs Providence game last night, so here is my scouting report on Hickey. Hickey is silky smooth on his skates, he makes skating look effortless, for me that's where the comparisons to TJ Brodie stop. Hickey doesn't carry the puck up ice as often as you would think for someone who can skate like he can, instead he has his head and is looking to make a good first pass, or will make the safe chip out of the zone. He doesn't wow you but he always makes the right play. I don't see a huge offensive upside with Hickey, but I see a guy that can skate with just about anyone out there and will play close to mistake free hockey. This is a player we have to hold onto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccsberg Posted November 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 Yeah it was a great game to watch as we saw three Flames prospects in it, also including Providence's Jankowski and Gilmour. As for Hickey I agree the skating is excellent. He also steps up in the O-zone and brings the play well into the corners, even behind the net while still being able to get back defensively most of the time. You may also notice he has a pretty good snapshot from the point, and is frequently the focus of their PP as they try to set up the shot from the point. Overall its hard to say exactly what his potential is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTech780 Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hickey has been chosen to participate in Canada's WJC selection camp. He should have a good chance to make the team as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbertaBoy12 Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hickey has been chosen to participate in Canada's WJC selection camp. He should have a good chance to make the team as well. Im left wondering what his role will be on a pretty good canada D if he does make the team. Im not saying its bad experience either way but im curious if anyone watched development camp and how he was used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross16 Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Im left wondering what his role will be on a pretty good canada D if he does make the team. Im not saying its bad experience either way but im curious if anyone watched development camp and how he was used? I think he is in a battle for the 3rd pariing/7th dman role. IMO, Sanheim, Hicketts, Fleury are locks and Chyrchn is basically a lock too. Jullseen or Mckeown are going to get a good look for their RH shot ability so that leaves Hickey in a battle with guys like Dermont, Chabot. I think he's got a good shot and could be the type of dman who works his way into a higher role, but based on the summer series they had here in Calgary I think he is one of the bubble guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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