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Brandon Halverson relishing a healthy NHL Prospect Tournament experience

MiHockey Staff
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(Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)

 

By @StefanKubus –

TRAVERSE CITY – This time around, it’s a much different homecoming for Brandon Halverson.

The Traverse City native and New York Rangers goaltending prospect saw his experience with the annual NHL Prospect Tournament spoiled with an injury last year, forcing him to sit out the full week of competition.

Halverson, a 20-year-old former second-round pick of the Rangers in 2014, has returned home to Centre Ice Arena a healthy netminder and is prepared to join the professional ranks.

“It feels really good,” Halverson said of getting a proper tournament start this time. “Really excited to be home and not be injured this time coming in.

“I came back my first year here and it was unbelievable. Missing out on last year was pretty tough to watch, but glad I’m here, glad I’m skating out here and it feels really good.”

Halverson, a Soo Greyhounds product, saw his first taste of preseason action Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, a game that saw the Blueshirts fall 4-3 in extra time. Though he wasn’t thrilled with his first game, he was glad to shake off the rust, get back into the swing of things and use that experience moving forward.

“Not so much,” Halverson said when asked if he was pleased with his performance. “The team played really well in front of me. I think I let a couple goals in I probably shouldn’t have, but it’s a learning experience and it’s my first game in a long time, so I’m gonna take in the parts I did good tonight, take in the parts I did bad, come back tomorrow and play better.”

The next day, Halverson held to that, as he helped the Rangers top the Dallas Stars prospects, 5-4. That included stopping both Dallas attempts in the shootout.

As it is with most young players, another Prospect Tournament is a learning experience for the former Soo Greyhounds goaltender. The quicker pace and shifts in momentum are the biggest things he said he has noticed just in the first day.

“It’s unbelievable; it’s amazing how back and forth it goes, and how a team can just lay on the pressure for just minutes and minutes and suddenly in one shift, one bad play and it’s going back the other way for another five more minutes. It’s really intense.”

No matter where the Rangers prospect ends up this season, he said it’s about taking things day-by-day, especially considering he’s in the midst of his first true Prospects Tournament.

“It’s tough, it’s all about being prepared mentally and realizing what’s coming up and I knew going into this it’s going to be a tough camp. Nothing’s gonna be easy from here on out. That’s just how it is. I’ve just got to play better.”