Nipawin Hawks (SJHL) head coach/general manager Doug Johnson has coached incoming recruit Eli Lichtenwald on two occasions.
The first was 2010-2011 in Nipawin before Lichtenwald did a season-plus with Omaha of the U.S Hockey League. The 20-year-old forward was reunited with Johnson after being re-acquired in a trade with Omaha in late December.
The coach has seen a few differences in the six-foot-six Lichtenwald compared to the player's first stint in Nipawin.
"His defensive awareness and stick positioning has greatly improved in the last two years," Johnson said. "He has realized that he has a huge advantage over other players with his reach and you can see that in his defensive play where he is always creating turnovers with his stick."
The prospect has improved elsewhere as well.
"[His] strength has also improved tremendously in the last couple years," Johnson added. "He has put a lot of time in at the gym and it has paid off with him gaining over 25 pounds in the last couple years and all of it being muscle."
Lichtenwald, who is now listed at 216 pounds, has nine goals and 13 assists in 19 games since being re-acquired. The Hawks start a playoff series with Flin Flon this weekend.
For more of Johnson's insights on Lichtenwald, check out a recent Q&A I conducted with him.
"His defensive awareness and stick positioning has greatly improved in the last two years," Johnson said. "He has realized that he has a huge advantage over other players with his reach and you can see that in his defensive play where he is always creating turnovers with his stick."
The prospect has improved elsewhere as well.
"[His] strength has also improved tremendously in the last couple years," Johnson added. "He has put a lot of time in at the gym and it has paid off with him gaining over 25 pounds in the last couple years and all of it being muscle."
Lichtenwald, who is now listed at 216 pounds, has nine goals and 13 assists in 19 games since being re-acquired. The Hawks start a playoff series with Flin Flon this weekend.
For more of Johnson's insights on Lichtenwald, check out a recent Q&A I conducted with him.
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