One of hockey’s most high-profile summer leagues is gearing up for its playoffs next week.
Based in Minnesota, Da Beauty League attracts some top names from the college, minor-league and NHL ranks. It’s back this year after a pause in 2020 due to Covid-19 and the NHL’s summer playoff bubble.
In 2021, five players affiliated with the Flyers have taken part: roster players James van Riemsdyk and Justin Braun and prospects Bobby Brink and brothers Noah and Jackson Cates.
Beauties putting in work in @DaBeautyLeague.
📸 : @TeMoPhoto pic.twitter.com/Wp8g7O16S5
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) August 17, 2021
Here’s how they’ve fared.
James van Riemsdyk – Team TRIA
The 32-year-old skated in just four of nine games for TRIA, but put up six goals and four assists in that short time span. With just nine shots on goal, his summer shooting percentage comes in at an astonishing 66.7 percent.
Van Riemsdyk lit it up in TRIA’s final regular-season game of the summer, notching three goals and two assists in an 8-7 loss to Nor-Son.
A beauty of a hatty from @JVReemer21 in @DaBeautyLeague. 🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/6di4ySye1L
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) August 20, 2021
Justin Braun – Team Jimmy John’s
There’s nothing easy about carrying the load defensively in a wide-open shinny-style summer league. Veteran defenseman Justin Braun stood in for seven games with Team Jimmy John’s, skating away with seven points.
Under contract for one more year at a cap hit of $1.8 million, the 34-year-old Braun looks like he’ll slot into the Flyers’ third pairing next season. Most likely, he’ll be behind new arrivals Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen on the right side. He could find himself partnered up with offensive dynamo Keith Yandle. The two played against each other as Pacific Division rivals for years in the early to mid-2010s, when Yandle was with the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes and Braun was with the San Jose Sharks.
Bobby Brink – Team Walser
If you think JVR’s 2.5 points per game is impressive, Bobby Brink would like to have a word.
The 20-year-old, who’s headed into his junior season at the University of Denver, averaged 2.56 points per game over nine games with Team Walser, and tied for second place in regular-season league scoring with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points. That’s six back of overall leader Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders (16-13-29 in eight games), and tied with Anaheim Ducks farmhand Vinni Lettieri.
Yes, it’s only summer hockey. But it’s nice to see the Flyers’ second-round pick from 2019 wrapping up his offseason on a high note before heading back to Denver. Brink did win gold with Team USA at the World Junior Championship in January. But he saw his college production dip to just two goals and nine assists in 15 games this year, and the Pioneers failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.
With the college season looming, Brink and the Flyers’ other NCAA prospects will not be able to attend the team’s development camp, which kicks off on August 28 at the Flyers’ Training Center.
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Noah Cates and Jackson Cates – Team Nor-Son
They skated together in college and in summer hockey. Will they do the same for the Flyers someday?
Both Cates brothers are Flyers property, although they’re currently in different places in their development paths.
Noah, 22, was drafted by Philadelphia in the fifth round in 2017. He’s a 6’2″, 190-pound left-winger who is heading into his senior year at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. In 2019, he won a national championship. Last season, he served as team captain. The Bulldogs reached the Frozen Four semifinals before falling to the eventual champions from Massachusetts.
Jackson, 23, is a center who went undrafted. Listed at 6’0″ and 190 pounds, he also spent three years at Minnesota-Duluth. But after the Bulldogs’ Frozen Four loss in April, Jackson elected to sign a two-year, two-way contract with Philadelphia as a college free agent. He bypassed the AHL and was added directly to the Flyers’ lineup, where he got into four NHL games and recorded one assist.
This summer, both Cates brothers have been productive for Team Nor-Son. Noah holds a slight edge on the stat sheet, with seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in seven games. Jackson has five goals and nine assists for 14 points.
Jackson is expected at development camp at the end of the month, while Noah will be headed back to school.
John Scott Cup Playoff Format
With the regular season now complete, Brink’s Team Walser holds bragging rights in first place, with a record of 5-2-2. Jimmy John’s and Nor-Son are tied for second with 10 points. Tria sits fifth in the six-team league with eight points.
The semifinals go Monday at Braemar Arena in Edina, Minnesota.
Monday’s Semifinals 👇
6PM @WalserAutoGroup vs.@TRIAOrthopedics
650PM @MNSpecialHockey
715PM @norsoninc vs. @jimmyjohns #daBL // 📸 @temophoto pic.twitter.com/XVNVOV9QtO— Da Beauty League (@DaBeautyLeague) August 20, 2021
The John Scott Cup will be awarded after the Final on Wednesday.
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