WBS defenseman turns heads with improved performances
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Ethan Prow’s decorated college career, punctuated with a conference championship for the St. Cloud State Huskies in his senior year, was a dream come true for the kid from Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Growing up in that tight-knit town across the Mississippi River from St. Cloud, Prow idolized past Huskies stars, often made the 10minute drive with his parents to attend games and envisioned skating for St. Cloud State during the countless hours he spent on the outdoor rink down the street.
Prow said attending St. Cloud State “was a no-brainer once they showed interest in me.” The twotime team captain established himself as one of the top-scoring defensemen in program history and, before being named a finalist
for the Hobey Baker Award as a senior, one of the finest players in college hockey.
But after Prow arrived in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after going undrafted then signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins, the talented right-handed defenseman got crunched by a reality check.
“When you’re thrown into the fire, you really don’t know what the pro game is like,” he said.
The schedule was longer and more grueling. The pace of the game was faster and space on the ice more fleeting. And the grown men he battled were stronger, smarter and more desperate.
In his first two full seasons as a pro, Prow was often a healthy scratch and twice got sent down for brief appearances with the Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League.
“I think going down there was good,” he said last week. “You kind of reach inside and see what you got and how bad you want it. You come back up here and you’ve got to keep working to stay up.”
Things started to click for Prow in the second half of last season. He finished with 17 points in 40 games at the American Hockey League level and the Penguins kept him around with a one-year deal.
Prow turned some heads this past summer in training camp, his second invitation to skate with the big boys. Upon returning to the AHL club, he was a transformed player.
Prow scored in the season opener, added three more goals and five assists over the next 10 games and, suddenly thriving as the point man on the power play, had five goals on the man advantage entering Monday. With 30 points and a plus-15 rating through 42 games, he was named an AHL All-Star.
“You can see every time you watch him play that his confidence is growing,” said former teammate Tom Kostopoulos, now a Penguins development coach. “His confidence was low the first couple years, but you knew the skill was there and the hockey sense was there. And now it’s all coming together.”
Added fellow blue liner Kevin Czuczman: “He’s taken a big step forward. It’s been fun to watch.”
So what has been the difference for Prow, a lateblooming prospect who turned 26 in November?
“A big part for me was gaining consistency day in and day out, not allowing my game to drop a little bit and bringing it every night,” the 6-foot defender said. “Once you have that confidence, too, you’re able to make some more plays and jump up on offense a little bit like I’m kind of used to.”
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Clark Donatelli sees the growing swagger, too, especially on the power play, where Prow has a knack for avoiding sticks and shin guards to get point shots on net.
While not the quickest skater, Prow has made strides with his puck retrieval and decision-making in the defensive end. Even at 26, he feels “there’s definitely room to grow,” saying he wants to play with more physicality — not throwing “huge bone-crushers,” but finishing hits and “boxing guys out.”
Asked how close he thinks Prow is to hitting his ceiling as a prospect, Donatelli momentarily mulled the question and his answer.
“He made a big jump this year, so we’re going to see,” the coach said. “He’s definitely smart. He has a good hockey IQ and can make plays. He’s got a really good stick. He’s done very well. He’s just a good, solid defenseman in this league and has some elite offensive abilities at this level.”
Donatelli, now in his fourth season, added: “If you compare him to some of the players that have been here and have gone up and done well, whether it’s in Pittsburgh or elsewhere, he’s right there.”
Given the depth on the NHL club’s now, it might have to happen elsewhere.
The Penguins believe they will have nine NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster once Justin Schultz returns in the coming weeks and will be looking to ship one out, not bring in another this spring. But considering that you can’t have too many puck-moving defensemen, particularly ones who move the puck with a right-handed stick, somebody is probably going to give Prow an NHL shot next season.
“You just have to stick to the process. You can’t change up what you’re doing,” said Prow, who isn’t sweating his uncertain future. “You just have to stick to it and kind of let the cards fall. You can’t think about it too much or you’ll go crazy.”