NHLPA Prospect Showcase Brought Together Tomorrow's Stars This Week
In the above photo, that's Tye Kartye, #52 in the snappy Seattle Kraken sweater, explaining to Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa all the ways he's going to score on Cossa some day.
Actually, probably not. It was all smiles, photos, and chit-chat for Kartye, Cossa, and 32 other rookies and prospects at this week's NHLPA Prospect Showcase.
Gathered together at the Arlington, VA practice facility of the Washington Capitals, "Players autographed memorabilia, took part in photo and video shoots on and off the ice for EA Sports, and posed for their first official Upper Deck trading cards." (NHL.com)
Two more notes about Kartye, who represented the Kraken along with fellow Seattle prospect Ryker Evans.
One, if you look closely at his Kraken sweater, you can see the "Muckleshoot Indian Tribe" patch (outlined in red) which the team will wear this season.
Two, the story about the Showcase on the NHLPA.com website. You'd think the reigning AHL rookie of the year, who made such an impression during a callup to the Kraken in last season's playoffs, could get his name spelled correctly.
But no. Somehow, the misspelling - part of the participating players list - manages to be irritating and adorable at the same time.
Attention, Kraken social media team: the "Tye Karate" memes are awaiting your creation.
Another of the future stars in attendance was Conor Geekie, younger brother of former Kraken Morgan Geekie, now with the Bruins.
“Seeing all the guys has been a highlight for sure,” Conor, an Arizona Coyotes 2022 first round draft choice, told NHLPA.com “Coming in, I didn’t know too many of them, so it’s nice to introduce yourself, have some laughs, and meet the guys who you are going to end up playing against one day.”
In the group photo, it's a little tough to see the two Kraken representatives in their home sweaters, so I've blown up that part of the photo, with Kartye just to the left of Evans.
If you've read about the Prospect Showcase anywhere else, the headline probably looked like this: "Connor Bedard Among Group of Prospects and Rookies Scheduled To Attend" (The Hockey Writers); "Bedard highlights NHLPA Rookie Showcase" (NHL.com); "Blackhawks' Bedard skates in uniform at rookie showcase" (ESPN.com)
This reminded me of a line from Jim Bouton's best-sports-book-ever, Ball Four. Mickey Mantle was so famous and beloved, Bouton wrote, that if the Yankees' team plane were ever to crash, the headline would read, "Mickey Mantle, 24 other players killed."