2022 NHL Draft – McKeen's Hockey

2023 NHL DRAFT: EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES SERIES WITH VIDEO – WEST – Carson Bjarnason, Kalan Lind, and Grayden Siepmann

Derek Neumeier — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 19:21:14 +0000

First Round Favourite: Carson Bjarnason, G, Brandon Wheat Kings

Carson Bjarnason. Photo by Jarret Gale.

There are few prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL draft who have seen their stock skyrocket since the start of the season as much as Carson Bjarnason has. Not only has the 17-year-old netminder been the undisputed MVP of his Brandon Wheat Kings team thus far, he has also been one of the best goalies in all of junior hockey.

Bjarnason wasn't exactly an unknown commodity beforehand. The Carberry, Manitoba, native suited up for 23 games for the Wheaties last season, and also made Canada's roster for the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup as their backup goalie, winning the only game he started as part of the gold medal-winning roster. While he flashed traces of upside previously, it was clear that there was still a lot of work that he needed to do before he could be considered a top prospect.

Fast forward a few months and it's truly impressive just how much of that work he has already accomplished, and how quickly he is improving overall.

Bjarnason checks off almost all of the main boxes that scouts look for in a goaltender. He's big, he's athletic, he's technically sound, and his mental game is quite strong. Put all those pieces together and you get a goalie who can steal games for his team and look very comfortable and methodical in the process.

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This first sequence shows Bjarnason at his best. He starts by staring down this rush from Andrew Cristall of the Kelowna Rockets, one of the most dangerous players in the WHL right now. Cristall tries to go backhand but has nothing to shoot at, as the goalie is in prime position and has his holes closed off through textbook form. The rebound dribbles loose and is quickly passed by the first trailing Kelowna forward right to the stick of the second trailing forward in the home-plate area, but Bjarnason immediately resets in his stance, pushes cleanly back to the middle, and drops back to his knees to gobble up the second shot, but this time with no rebound.

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Here is another example of Bjarnason being highly effective but making it look easy. Matt Savoie gets around a Brandon defender and creates a shot from in tight but has absolutely nowhere to go with it, as Bjarnason is completely square to the shot. He also has his skate anchored to his right post, preventing himself (and the puck) from getting pushed into the net if Savoie forces the issue.

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While Bjarnason isn't the fastest or most limber goalie, he has no trouble going post to post to challenge cross-ice scoring chances. Make note of how active his feet are in this clip, keeping himself ready for both a shot and a pass when the puck comes into the circle. The Rockets player chooses pass, but Bjarnason reacts reflexively and robs Cristall again, while also keeping the puck from squeaking out for a rebound.

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Bjarnason displays incredible composure and focus for a goaltender his age, especially with the added responsibility of being his team's starter and having to face quality scoring chances and a high volume of shots playing behind a young roster. It's not uncommon for him to face more than 30 shots per contest, and neither the quality nor the quantity seems to faze him. Having to go toe to toe with a dangerous Conor Geekie on a lengthy breakaway? No problem. Geekie elects to go to his backhand, but the bottom of the ice is sealed off and the chance is emphatically turned aside. That's a big-time save

Pushing for the Top 50: Kalan Lind, C/RW, Red Deer Rebels

Kalan Lind. Photo by Rob Wallator.

Trying to get a confident assessment of Lind is tricky, as he has worn many different hats and looked like a very different player at various points throughout the past two years. After scoring 20 goals in 61 games as a 16-year-old WHL rookie last season, he has just two goals in 19 contests thus far. After looking great for Canada and helping them win gold at this past summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup as a Bottom 6 defensive center and key penalty killer, he has been used primarily as an offense-first winger in Red Deer, including significantly more time on the powerplay than on the penalty kill.

However, when looking at all of this from a different angle, it highlights Lind's strongest attribute and what will surely be his main calling card as a potential NHLer: his versatility. While most NHL roster spots are taken up by players who excel at specific things or fit neatly into certain roles, there will always be jobs to be had for “plug and play” guys, players who can seamlessly move up or down a lineup, or transition into different roles or positions if injuries occur or if a coach wants to shake up his lines.

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Lind is at his very best when he keeps his engine revved high and is playing a professional style of blue-collar hockey, which is, coincidentally, exactly how the Rebels have been built and are coached to play. This shift highlights him at his very best, making an impact on the ice in a variety of different ways, even if it doesn't result in a goal. He lays a heavy hit in the defensive zone, goes in hard on the forecheck to apply pressure and send another hit, and then finally uses up the last of his gas by transitioning the puck out of his zone, beating a defender one on one and getting a backhand shot on net.

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Lind isn't the fastest or most physical player right now, but he's not yet fully developed physically. He's only listed at 155 pounds on the WHL website, which seems almost comically low, especially given his penchant for laying the body. However, when you watch him closely you can see the athletic foundation that is in place, and can start to envision just how much more speed and power he is going to generate once he's able to add more functional muscle into his frame. Here is another nice rush of his, this one from the Hlinka, attacking a Finnish defender head on and putting the puck through his triangle, before showing nice patience to beat the second defender and feeding the puck to a trailing teammate for a prime scoring chance.

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It's a real shame that he's not killing more penalties for the Rebels right now, because that's going to be a necessary skill that he needs to bring at the professional level, as he doesn't possess enough pure skill to make it based solely on his offensive abilities. Luckily, scouts did get to watch that side of his game on full display during the high stakes of the Hlinka, and the results were encouraging. Watch how he plays through the pain of blocking a shot on the penalty kill during the gold medal game against Sweden, staying involved in the play and eventually prying the puck away from an opposing player, which leads to a zone clear.

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While there's no doubt that Lind has some amount of NHL upside and is drawing his fair share of attention from team scouts in the lead-up to the 2023 draft, just how high he gets picked will likely depend on how much progress he makes this season on the offensive side of his game, as it is currently a bit of a question mark with him. His point totals thus far aren't exactly inspiring, and he needs to become a lot more reliable with his puck management. Watch how this turnover unfolds, as he has the extra time and space of a powerplay to work with, but tries and fails to beat Jagger Firkus one-on-one, instead of trying to draw the penalty killer toward him and feeding the puck laterally to his wide open teammate.

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Here is another example of Lind's puck management and how it needs to get better. He gets a little too focused on heading north with the puck that he doesn't shoulder check or otherwise recognize just how close the backcheck pressure is behind him, leading to him getting pickpocketed. Learning to put his head on a swivel more often and better recognize peripheral activity will go a long way toward his overall effectiveness.

Notable Mid Round Candidate: Grayden Siepmann, D, Calgary Hitmen

Grayden Siepmann. Photo by Brian Liesse.

Siepmann was one of the more surprising omissions from the 2022 NHL draft, after playing his way up to the Hitmen's top defensive pairing and then making an appearance with Canada at the IIHF U18s. That said, prospect development is a marathon, not a sprint, and it's safe to say that he has used the sting of not getting picked to light a fire under himself and take notable strides as a player, putting him right back in the attention of scouts.

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One of the knocks on Siepmann last year was a tendency towards passive, lackadaisical play, which was frustrating to watch at times because he is a magnificent skater. He never seemed to take full advantage of his strongest attribute to be a serious play-driver difference-maker. That criticism must have eventually found its way to him at some point, however, because he has become a significantly more engaged and assertive player than he was previously. He is taking advantage of many more opportunities to activate in transition, and as a result he has been consistently driving play up the ice for his team and putting up numbers on the score sheet, averaging just over a point per game thus far.

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Whether with the puck or without, his quickness and agility navigating up ice are creating odd-man rushes and spreading out opposing defenses. He starts this clip off by carrying the puck for a zone exit, but the real genius is how he then passes it off and heads directly to the Swift Current net without it, which draws the attention of a Broncos defender, freeing up a wide-open shot for a teammate in a high-danger area.

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Siepmann doesn't have to rely solely on his feet to move the puck, either. He does a very good job of keeping his head up and his senses on high alert, processing the play as it unfolds around him, and he is adept at making tape-to-tape passes across long distances. Watch here how he correctly identifies a teammate who has some space and is looking to break into the offensive zone, before sending a perfect pass that leads to a breakaway goal.

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Another reason that likely hurt his draft stock last season is his size, as not only does he stand about 5-foot-10, but he’s also pretty light and scrawny, and it doesn't look like there is a whole ton of room left on his frame that can be filled out over time. While that is an undeniable disadvantage to a degree, he is still able to use his skating and conditioning to be an effective defender. Players don't always need to overpower speedy forwards when defending the rush in the NHL, they primarily just need to stick with them and disrupt them. The more Siepmann continues to learn how to maximize his skating to minimize the weaknesses of his stature and strength, the better it bodes for his future at the upper levels of hockey.

2022 NHL DRAFT: Let’s Have a Conversation about Lane Hutson ..

Sam McGilligan — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 18:47:31 +0000

Welcome back to “Let’s Have a Conversation”, a series that focuses on divisive draft eligible prospects by diving into the details surrounding their draft campaign. The subjective nature of scouting means that there are few players every year that everyone can agree on for various reasons -- failure to meet pre-season expectations, unique play-styles, interesting case studies and a myriad of other scenarios. Whatever the case may be, there will always be players that the scouting community cannot form consensus on, and the conversations surrounding those players fascinate me. The driving force that created this series is an innate desire to understand these players to the best of my ability. Properly understanding these cases means understanding that there is no one view or philosophy that truly encaptures the nuanced analysis required for a fair analysis.

My intentions are not to create flawless scouting reports, but instead create an expansive guide that covers all of the major discussion points surrounding the player in question. Regardless of accuracy, objective analysis is never enough to fully grasp who these players are and why they do what they do on the ice. Subjectivity reigns supreme in order to truly understand. This means these pieces are, by default, subject to a level of bias from myself. This bias may conflict with the analysis of other scouts and that is okay. The purpose is not to belittle or downplay the work of others, only to bring up conversational topics that challenge the brain of a scout. Disagreements are great as they only dive further into these conversations, hopefully resulting in viewing these players in a more complete way.

I believe there are four core aspects that allow us to cover these discussions in a fair manner, such as:

An overview of the player’s pre-draft expectations, their draft campaign and the common talking points surrounding each player and their respective narrative(s).
A detailed look into the player’s game that will look into the objective side of analysis -- strengths, weaknesses, brief video breakdowns and, if relevant, event data.
Jumping two feet first into the subjective “grey area” of player analysis to cover the driving forces both for and against the prospect in question.
An in-depth look into the major talking point(s) I view as necessary in order to understand why the player does what they do.

The next player in question is my personal favourite player in the entire draft class, USNTDP defender Lane Hutson.

The Overview

The spectrum that encompasses Lane Hutson’s expectations coming into the season is as wide as one can reasonably find in a prospect. The reason is obvious, he’s a 5’8 defender fighting for high draft status in a league where defenders of his height are a rarity. It’s worth stating right away that his height is by far the largest factor that made him such a divisive prospect and that division has only grown larger as the year went by.

Nevertheless, as a D-1 Lane Hutson had every scout on the edge of their seat. His scoring totals (19 points in 39 games with the U17 team, 8 points in 10 games with the U18 team) were notably impressive but still managed to not fully capture the sheer amount of offense that was being generated on a near nightly basis. Hutson’s facilitation and offensive activation stood above his peers with only Seamus Casey earning mention alongside Lane when entering this season. There were still bouts of hesitancy from scouts, due to the middling size and curiosity if this would be exposed as a larger problem than expected at a best-on-best tournament like the U18's.

That hesitancy stopped once the U18’s last year concluded. Once more, Hutson showed off what he could do and made as definitive a statement as one possibly could have. He generated offense with nearly every puck touch, finding plays that really drove results for Team USA no matter if they were big or small. He also showed that, while his defensive abilities needed refinement, he had enough of a foundation in his own zone that belief in his ability to eventually defend at an NHL level was now more than blind optimism.

There were very few defenders that I was as excited to jump into when the season started this year. Admittedly, he earned a top ten spot on my preliminary list due to offensive manipulation that just wasn't found in the vast majority of blue liners in this draft, and I was beyond excited to see what he would do. Unfortunately, Hutson had a bit of a slow start and was showing everyone what he can be if things don't work out -- inefficient, problematic and arguably a net-negative asset. While I'm sure this start was a humbling experience for Hutson, it also humbled myself and allowed me to be more aware of my biases when watching him going forward. After all, it's easy to ignore the bad of a good Junior player with projection issues if you never see what this bad side can look like. This may sound like a bit of an exaggeration as Hutson was still a good player for stretches during the early stages of the year, but for the standards that the NHL demands he was far from where he needed to be.

Fortunately, this did not last long whatsoever and ended up being a bump in the long road that is known as the DY season. Not only did Hutson regain form, he took the next level. Lane's scoring totals this year turned out to be 63 points in 60 games, which is remarkable production for a player of his magnitude. Better yet, the event data tracked tells the tale of a player who borders on hyper-efficiency levels of value in terms of driving play up ice and generating chances all over the offensive zone.

Yet this does not seem to have bridged the divide between those two opposing extremes I mentioned earlier. If anything, I think the divide has grown even larger. I will state right away that I believe in Lane Hutson and have him ranked pretty high considering the risk that is baked into selecting him; however, the root cause of the issue that made scouts hesitant before has not improved to the extent that they wanted, meaning it is completely understandable that scouts simply do not want to take on such risk with a high pick.

Why is this? What are these risks that make Hutson so volatile for both public and private scouts alike? What is the best-case scenario for Hutson, and what is the worst case? We'll be going through all of this and more throughout the final installment to this series before the draft, so without further ado: Let’s Have a Conversation about Lane Hutson.

Strengths and Weaknesses

In the matter of transparency: the original video used for this section, as well as its write up was unfortunately lost as that hard drive went goodbye. These are the reserve clips being used which aren’t as specific as I’d like them to be, but still capture the overall gist of what I’m saying. If possible, new clips will be added in after. Apologies to all.

Hutson's largest weakness is the clear and obvious one: size. At 5'8", Lane Hutson instantly projects as one of the smallest players in the NHL across all positions, not just defenders. The list of high-end rearguards that match his height is extremely miniscule across the entire history of the NHL. We'll be talking more about this later, but it was mentioned here because it is something that must be kept in the back of your mind when reading about his strengths.

The reason for that is simple -- Lane Hutson's strengths are near-fantastical. A dynamic rearguard that is offensive in the truest sense of the word, in a way that transcends just being useful on the powerplay or showing some flash while beating opposing players in isolation plays. He is capable of efficiently driving play all the way up the ice, starting from a defensive retrieval and ending behind the opposition's goal line. There are so many details that I don't even know where to start, so I guess the easiest place to start with Hutson is as deep into his defensive zone as possible.

Defensive retrievals are a mixed bag for Hutson. On one hand, he is susceptible to overly aggressive players initiating contact to knock him off the puck. On the other hand, a significant strength of his (that will be mentioned time and time again throughout this piece) is his ability to anticipate and efficiently manage incoming pressure. Hutson's pre-scanning habits prior to every touch allows him to accurately map out all the immediate threats and possible outlet options, decide on what play he wants to execute, devise a plan to execute on that play and then follow through with it. This is a process that most defenders should already have a strong grasp on at this point in their career, but very few they display such mastery multiple times a game. As of now, this is a skill that lacks consistency because Hutson’s aforementioned weakness to physical play means almost all of his solutions to problems will require beating F1 in ways that prevent physicality, especially against the boards. If Hutson is able to beat F1 and bypass any other physical barriers in a close proximity, then he is able to immediately build off of his advantage due to his expertise in starting defensive breakouts.

Whether it’s bypass or carry, Hutson is simply one of the best transitional defenders the 2022 class has to offer. Part of this is due to how he curates’ solutions for defensive retrievals that reward him with the time and space required to execute efficient up-ice attacks, and the other part is his ability to make complex, yet quick reads that account for multiple defensive layers at once. He identifies whoever isn’t being accounted for in coverage, whether it’s himself or a teammate, and exploits that gap in coverage until a defensive shift takes place.

These shifts are where Hutson's transitional game takes an even larger step forward, as his macro-sense for high-level hockey elevates him alongside the very best playdrivers in the class, regardless of position. Hutson’s not only masterful at identifying soft spots prior to defensive shifts but is also capable of accurately reading the shift and seeing where new weak spots develop -- both during and after the shift is finished. From there, they’re exploited with a wide range of plays, ranging from simple passes and carries through space that the defense has neglected, to complex reads made two to three plays in advance to bait the defensive shift one way before striking them the other. This is where Hutson's brain really starts to shine amongst his peers, as his manipulation game extends beyond just one player in an isolated encounter -- he is capable of being a puppet master, manipulating multiple defenders at once to focus on a faux threat, waiting to strike the weak joints when they're least expecting it. This level of calculated, team-affecting deception is what makes Lane Hutson superior to the majority of players that share his height. It's his bread and butter, and likely the development focus of any team that drafts him.

To avoid this becoming a puff piece, it's worth mentioning that there are still some level of consistency issues with this macro-manipulation. There are some decisions Hutson makes that tend to work out at this level but simply will not work in the NHL, calling the overall efficiency within his game into question when projecting him from his current level of competition to the best league in the world. Efficiency and consistency are topics that are examined in more detail later on but this was worth mentioning now considering these are most of the fundamental weaknesses in his game as it currently exists.

As a puck carrier in transition, Hutson adheres to every fundamental you're looking for in order to make a clean NHL projection. He understands the value of driving forward along the dotted lines, a useful technique that forces defenders to avoid overcommitting to guarding the middle or perimeter lanes as this route provides easy access to both. Players like Hutson exploit this by baiting defenders to either the perimeter or middle before attacking their ankles the other way. Lane also prioritizes gaining the zone with control, preferably through the middle, and is extremely apt with understanding what space he has to operate in as he enters the zone. He's comfortable making any play necessary within these conditions, whether it's driving forward to the net, curling back into more space and passing towards a trailer or setting up a complex, first pass that forces a defensive shift.

Hutson's transitional strengths aren't only bolstered as the puck carrier. In fact, I think many would argue that he functions better as a distributor in transition. Once again, Hutson combines his micro and macro manipulation to shift foes at his will, opening up space for his linemates to work with. Unsurprisingly, Lane Hutson in open space is able to inflict massive damage to defenders if they choose to overly-pressure him as the carrier. The same sense that is used to create carrying lanes for himself can now be applied in ways that manipulate complex passing lanes that he can distribute through with ease.

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Hutson’s transitional game is all focused around quick-fire attacks through gaps in coverage. The above plays demonstrate a variety of defensive coverages, ranging from fully set active defenders that need to be baited and carried/passed around, to broken down structures that are quickly shifting as fast as possible into a set formation that Hutson takes advantage of. The key is how fast he processes the information, the range of attacks he chooses from, the efficiency of the plays and how attune he is with the space surrounding him. While his preference is to turn these attacks into quickfire weapons, there are plays he makes by altering the pace and slowing down -- the result of recognizing the space he already is in is more valuable than where he can go and he benefits more from drawing them out and/or changing speeds.

I think it's important to distinguish between passing and playmaking as they aren't always the same thing -- passing is simply the act of passing to another teammate, while playmaking (for one's self and their linemates) is the result of manipulating defenders in a way that sets up a macro-driving play. I think it's clear at this point that I really believe in the brain powering Hutson's playmaking ability. What may not be as clear is just how good Hutson's passes themselves are, and how simple he makes receptions for his teammates. Every type of pass exists in Lane's arsenal, and every single one is fired with pristine levels of accuracy -- regardless of how complex the lane is or how many defenders he has to manipulate prior to the actual pass. A good, clean pass is often underappreciated by fans but any half decent player can tell you how big of a boost it is to play with someone where you know you won't need to contort your current body positioning or overextend your reach to catch the puck. Regardless of whether the recipient is in-motion or not, Hutson fires laser beams that land right on their blade. This accuracy gives them the chance to make a play without bobbling the puck for two tenths of a second. That may not seem like a tremendous amount of time, but it is often an advantage so significant that it ends up distinguishing NHL top six forwards from fourth liners. While a lot of the onus is on the recipient themselves to intelligently position themselves and skillfully corral the puck, having a defender that can send picturesque passes at this frequency is a huge advantage for any team. This will allow for extremely versatile passing in the NHL, ranging from clever short-range give-and-go’s with linemates to bypass numerous defensive threats at once, as well as difficult long-distance area passes where Hutson targets open-space that a teammate is skating towards and times the pass so that the recipient doesn’t have to break stride for a clean reception.

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These are just some of Hutson’s assists in the offensive zone but show how willing he is to get into the play and manipulate the game to his will for these lanes to exist. Some are through tight traffic, finding the near-impossible seam that through multiple opponents to teammates stick without them having to move a muscle for a catch and release shot, others are his ability to challenge defenders as the carrier himself and apply lateral mobility and skill-moves together in order to become truly manipulative and create lanes from nothing.

Hutson's playmaking as a whole extends beyond just his transitional game, as it is unsurprisingly just as strong an element within the offensive zone. This is where the skill shines more than ever, equally complimenting his game sense and passing ability to become one of the most dangerous players you can find in the draft. Anyone who has seen him play even one game has likely seen the patented side-step, weight transfer move he does to pressuring forwards. It is arguably the most overused aspect of his game, one that could stand to be used a little less frequently, but is still extremely effective, nonetheless. The threat is in his posture before the move is even executed, as his posture allows him to threaten a carry, shot or pass to somewhere else in the zone at any point prior to the weight-shift. The pressure comes towards him and Hutson invites it, knowing his gravitational pull creates space to operate in behind the opposition. As soon as they commit their momentum to defending any specific threat Hutson fakes, he then transfers his weight and drags the puck around the opposition, allowing him to burst into this newly opened space where he has the time to start deconstructing defensive layers to make a big play.

This is just one skill in his arsenal, and while its overuse resulted in it being the obvious example to use for this section, I should be empathetic that Hutson's skill is not only limited to the mastery of this one trick. He has extremely deceptive hands that become a much more dangerous problem when you realize that every touch of the puck is done with the purpose of not only solving the immediate problem, but creating solutions that bolster his team's advantage after the fact -- offering more macro-driving possibilities.

His goal scoring tendencies are worthy of praise as well. Hutson absolutely loves driving into the OZ to try and create a shooting opportunity as deep into the OZ as possible, maximizing the efficiency of every scoring chance he can get.

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These are some of Hutson’s more impressive net-drives of the year. Notice his posture and how he never fully commits to shooting, keeping other play-options alive. He navigates traffic and understands what direction and what time incoming pressure will come from. He consistently manages to protect the puck with either reach or a skill-move without breaking stride. The speed itself is enough to get the job done here and that will be a limit at the next level (more below on that) but the process from his first touch to the shot itself is projectable in terms of how Hutson is reading the ice.

Something that is a little more debatable is his shot. Fortunately, Hutson is far from a point-shot spammer, and will almost always prefer to drive down the offensive funnel before releasing a shot. Unfortunately, the only goals Hutson will likely score as of now are up close because his shot lacks power and is not a reliable threat in the offensive zone from afar. There is room for optimism here, as there are weight transfer inefficiencies within his shot that can be addressed to improve his shot from a form perspective. General strength training will help as well. Both are likely required to make his shot at least a threat that needs to be respected from the blue line at the next level. While point shots themselves are often deemed inefficient, the threat of a point shot is still very useful. If defenders do not see much of a threat, they won’t play as far out in an attempt to stop the shot and this creates more bodies in middle ice for the offense to break down. It also means there is less reason for Hutson to draw opponents to the blue line to use his patented side-steps in the first place. He can circumvent this with impeccable timing, but I don’t think it’s going to be an issue that timing alone can solve in the NHL. Fortunately, with years of training I think the shot itself can become more than respectable enough to demand the attention that Hutson wants it to, and that attention from a distance is what will provide Lane more space to work with after beating the first layer of pressure. I’d rather see him stepping into this space to shoot anyways, so anything that can make this an easier process is a win in my books.

If it isn't obvious by now, Hutson's capabilities as an on-puck attacker are extremely high end and he stands as one of, if not arguably the most sophisticated defenders in this draft. Fortunately for him, these strengths continue when he doesn't have the puck either. Hutson's player mapping and accurate macro reads extend his already laudy skillset, now including the ability to time his routes and position himself accordingly off-puck to offer his linemates as much as possible. This is most evident in the offensive zone, as he has some of the best sense of timing regarding offensive activations as you can find. Hutson does not shy from playing deeper in the offensive zone, but he does not do so with unnecessary risk either -- usually positioning himself in a zone where he is capable of playing defense if his team loses possession while also allowing lines to drive forward into space and catch unsuspecting defenders off guard. There are few things more dangerous than an unimpeded Lane Hutson deep in the zone as he identifies, targets and manipulates dangerous lanes to pass into or shoot from. This is offensive generation that is significantly more efficient than most blue liners that just fire pucks from distance and attempt their dangerous passes from beyond the faceoff circles, and while there are specific flaws that need to be refined (overreliance on specific skill moves, finding a bit more separation on inside drives, etc) the core essence here is highly projectable in terms of generating consistent results at the NHL level.

This same off-puck play serves Hutson well in both transitional and defensive zone play. His routes when transitioning up ice not only allow for Hutson to make quickfire plays if he was to receive a pass, but it also draws additional coverage and provides ample space for linemates to work with. Defensively, Hutson is on top of dangerous lanes and zones as they form and doesn't find himself lagging behind the play too frequently. The bulk of his work is done through proper positioning and timing his stick checks with near perfection. Of course, this is how he has to achieve positive results defensively considering any physical approach opens up the possibility of being heavily overpowered, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t highly skilled in doing so. I don’t think anyone who has spent considerable time watching Hutson is in fear of his ability to track play defensively and make the right reads but are more concerned about how much of a disadvantage he will have in the NHL and how perfect his defensive play will have to be to circumvent that issue. Some may disagree and I don't blame them, his defensive play doesn't boast the same consistency or efficiency that the rest of his play does, but I do think there is enough of a strong pattern in his off-puck reads defensively to believe that there is enough to work with to bring the weak points up to par.

All aspects of his game come together to form what I believe is to be the highest-level offensive rearguard this draft has to offer. Some of the individual traits mentioned above can be found in other top prospects, but I do not believe any of them have this level of macro-comprehension and manipulation while reading the game at an NHL pace. His lead isn’t so significant that there isn’t an argument for others, but in terms of what I am specifically looking for when evaluating players? I think it’s fair to see that Hutson sits at the very top.

There are still two physical flaws that exist within his game that may limit this game sense from truly becoming the weapon it should be: mobility and size. Let’s start with mobility.

Make no mistake, Lane Hutson is not an immobile player by any stretch of the imagination. He uses lateral mobility to constantly redirect the angle of attack, uses side-steps and shifty footwork to alter momentum in close-range and has reasonable speed to attack lanes of open space as a carrier. His game is already built to incorporate high-level mobility, which is a good thing because assuming improvements are made then the advantages become a near instantaneous payoff. It’s not all good though, as this situation creates a flaw as well: he is still far from being mobile enough to play his game as it currently exists at the NHL level. There is very little room for error here -- he simply must achieve a higher top end speed, first step acceleration, refined edgework and sharper lateral cuts. The only other option is to fundamentally change how Hutson impacts the game and force him to play a more reliable game, greatly limiting his potential. Considering the whole allure of selecting Hutson is potentially finding such a high-end talent outside of the first, altering his game to this extent feels like setting a pick on fire. With Hutson, the mobility has to be brought to a near-elite level by NHL standards or he doesn’t play. It’s as simple as that.

If you've read my previous work, this section may feel a bit out of sorts to you. I normally mention strengths and talk about how they are applied, but in lieu of that I've focused a lot more on his game sense and decision making from the defensive zone to the offensive zone. The reason being is that so much of what makes Hutson amazing isn't just how great his tools are, but how well he consistently uses them across all three zones, and nothing makes this more evident than talking about each facet of his game individually. Regardless, there isn’t much more that can be said about Hutson that doesn’t involve the critical flaws, otherwise we stray from an honest analysis. There is a significantly large elephant in the room that needs to be addressed that might make projecting all of this impossible to the NHL -- his size.

Size

I often hear about Lane Hutson's 5'8 stature viewed as a lethal endeavor or not a big deal due to his efficient game processing. Both views are understandable -- the former for obvious reasons, the latter for less obvious but somewhat understandable reasons. After all, we have 5'9 forwards finding success in the NHL, and we have 5'9 defenders finding success in the NHL. What's the significance of one final inch? Why is that extra teensiest bit of length such a difference maker? Do we think this way because some level of pre-existing bias exists? After all, we were told the "height limit" of defenders was 6' for years. Then one exceptional defender came and broke the barrier, showing it can be done at smaller heights. One by one, this notion of a "minimum height requirement" lowers just a bit more over the years as more defenders come through and show that they can be effective in the NHL even though “they're shorter than they should be".

I am a part of a new generation of talent evaluators, one that grew up watching these smaller players become more and more viable across the league. It is a lot easier for me to look at Hutson and his talent while thinking "it's been done before, why can’t Hutson be an exception as well” because it’s hard to watch Hutson and see anything but an exceptional hockey player. Still, this older bias that often stands against players of his ilk in favour of bigger, stronger, taller players exists for a reason and it’s important we remember why when trying to go even smaller with our defenders.

Before, defensive strategies weren't complex because attacking systems weren't complex themselves. Physical prowess was enough to make the required plays and win games, often because grit and tenacity were the defining attributes of key players (even though their success still came from understanding the game better and knowing how to use their tools). The advantages of mobility and skill had not been fully realized.

Fast forward to the modern era, where team tactics are so advanced that the sport has become almost unrecognizable, and where players have become so remarkably talented that the idea of them going up against 50's and 60's skaters has you wondering what would stop them from scoring 15 goals a game against a standup goalie and a grizzled player group that were chain smoking cigarettes before the game. Size is no longer a prerequisite to perform well, and this bias is being removed a little bit more each year.

This shouldn’t ever take away from a core principle that exists in our beloved game -- every aspect of the game is easier with reach, size and strength, so long that the excess reach doesn't impact handling ability to an extent where their skill level drops off. These players have an easier time denying lanes with extended sticks, engaging physically against puck carriers, overcoming physical defensive pressure upon retrievals, denying power forwards and just about every other aspect of the game where physicality is present. Smaller players have to solve these problems just as much. If they are unable to physically match their foes then they have to account for them in different ways, removing potential solutions and possibly increasing predictability.

All of this goes back to "it's just an inch". Yes, it is just an inch, and it really was not a big deal when the bias was lowered from 6' to 5'11. Then it was lowered once more to 5'10 and as it turns out, if you're good enough you can still play. Once it became 5'9 then we realized that the exceptionally talented, regardless of size, are able to play and make a notable impact in the NHL. This now leaves us saying "5'8 Lane Hutson has the possibility to play in the NHL", a statement that I do agree with wholeheartedly; however, the margin of difficulty increases exponentially with every inch that's removed as we get closer and closer to discovering what the true height limit of the NHL is.

Are we eventually going to reach a point in time where 5'5 players are demonstrating inconceivable levels of skill to make it in the show? Are we eventually going to reach a point where we realize okay, at a certain point, too small does exist outside of the most extreme of exceptions? Are we currently at that limit where the smallest players that can play are 5'8/5'9 and still require absurd levels of skill to make it? If so, are the concerns about Hutson's projection in the NHL legitimate considering that, despite his overwhelming strengths, he has just enough flaws to land just shy of that talent/height barrier?

I don't have the answers to these questions, but I think it's extremely important for those in the pro-Hutson camp to consider the tall mountain ahead of him to make the NHL. Saying "it's just an inch" is only infallible if, at the time of the draft, it is overwhelmingly clear that the player has every means they will need to play their game at an NHL level. Otherwise, that inch really is a monstrous difference maker considering the thin margins that define NHL stardom and a draft bust can often be found by how well someone operates within that inch of space on the ice.

Regardless, I am still sticking to my guns here with Hutson even though I fully acknowledge the above statement to be true. In terms of processing ability, passing arsenal and the rest of his elite skills, Hutson stands near a tier of his own amongst defenders in this class -- so much so that I have zero hesitation claiming him as a potential top five challenger if he was 5'11 and not 5'8. It is really difficult to still be so high on him knowing the skating deficiencies and how significant they can be down the line, yet I will acknowledge that risk as I ranked him within the top 20 for my final list (and took him for my own Samuel Canadiens where I make a selection every time the Habs do). The skating must be fixed, and there are public reports from extremely respectable scouts who have detailed analysis stating why this is a tough task due to mechanical inefficiencies within his stride.

This is where my own personal philosophy comes into play. I view everything I do as if I'm a member of an NHL team, who will communicate with the development staff with regards to certain issues. In the hypothetical situation that I was working with a team, I would not be as high on Hutson if I knew for a fact that the very development team that would be working with him did not share faith they could address the issues at hand. On the flip side, if I was bestowed a vote of confidence that Hutson's mobility issues were no problem and they can do enough to get his mobility to the required level, then I would raise Hutson on my list even higher. But this is strictly a hypothetical and I don't have this luxury, so I make an educated guess that kind of ends up in the middle -- acknowledging the severity of the issues at hand, as well as the difficulty in addressing them, but also understanding that a significant percentage of NHL players have wonky mechanics detailed in their strengths and that these quirks stop mattering the second the player shows they can still get the job done in the show. Hutson may not get the perfect fix to be mechanically flawless and that's okay, so long as he is able to move at the minimal level required to translate his game to the pros.

Efficiency

There are some who may disagree with the idea that increased mobility is all Hutson needs to overcome this size deficit, and they may have been disagreeing with the notion that Hutson is the epitome of an efficient, rearguard attacker all along. This has been a particularly interesting topic of debate amongst scouts and some of the most engaging conversations I’ve had this year were focused on this very topic.

Is Hutson truly as efficient as I initially claimed? This is an extremely nuanced area of conversation where I don’t really think someone can be objectively right or wrong.

There are general patterns that can be picked up when watching Hutson that I think shows his focus is on efficiently performing the most impactful play he can make. Sometimes this is a simple pass through an unguarded lane. Sometimes it’s a deceptive no-look backhand pass off the boards that an aggressive teammate can easily pick off. Sometimes it’s drawing in pressure to skillfully escape into the space the opposition leaves behind to start a 3 on 2 rush up the ice. The key here is that there is no limit to the versatility that Hutson exhibits when looking for the next play to make.

While I fully believe in the above statement, this doesn’t mean that Hutson doesn’t overly rely on a few specific plays that will almost assuredly have issues against better players. As mentioned before, Hutson is way too comfortable with the side-step weight transfer to escape incoming defenders. NHL defenders will not fall for it to the extent that USHL/NCAA defenders will, and even those that do will have the means to take that space back and present more problems for Hutson to deal with due to the additional mobility and physical strength the average NHLer has. The jump in competition really cannot be overstated enough -- it is absolutely massive. This side-step is not the only aspect of his game that is currently overused, and it does speak to a bit of a worrying idea that he struggles more to break these patterns that he has grown accustomed to using than I’m anticipating. After all, at his current level, these weapons are finding success on a near shift-to-shift basis, and prospects only tend to start altering these aspects after they begin to be exposed. These patterns may become too entrenched in his game, causing a sudden yet significant disruption in his intended development path. Many prospects don’t get past it.

I think Hutson will reach a point where he struggles with his usual bag of tricks, but I also cannot ignore the many unique solutions I’ve seen over the year. I do have faith in his ability to correct these patterns.

His overreliance on skill moves feels like the obvious response to the fact that he is a shorter player without an explosive stride. You can almost feel the years of coaches saying, “you aren’t going to find space elsewhere”, slowly developing an over-dependence on his skill with every season that passed. Depending on how an interview process would go, it’s entirely possible that Hutson is aware of this overreliance on individual moves but is currently using them as they are an efficient means of consistently solving individual problems over the ice in ways that allow him to control and contribute to macro-play afterwards.

This kind of summarizes my entire perspective on Hutson’s efficiency in terms of projection as well. The way he leverages his solutions to various micro-encounters to also impact the macro-game is utterly brilliant, and I believe this is a strength that will only become more and more pronounced as he cuts the bad habits that exist in his game. It’s rare to find a player who is this skilled at reading play that is unable to trim the fat in their own playstyle.

This is where the additional mobility really comes into play when talking about the rest of Hutson’s game in detail. Assuming Hutson can generate more separation off of his first step, then these skill moves will become significantly more dangerous. Considering he already uses skill so well, his projection becomes much more positive when you picture what he can achieve with the additional mobility. Combine this with strengths that already exist, like laser-beam passes from contorted body positions, and his deceptive potential truly transcends past what the other 2022 defenders have to offer.

However, not everyone concerned with Hutson’s inefficiency is thinking about offense. There are undeniable issues with projecting his defense in its current form. Everyone makes defensive mistakes at some point but very few are given as little leeway as Hutson likely will have due to his size.

Hutson’s defensive positioning, ability to read developing plays and his usage of the stick to close valuable defensive lanes are all strengths that you can build an effective defensive player out of; however one can question how much that really matters considering his body does not take up a lot of space, his stick does not take up a lot of space and his feet don’t allow him to cover the amount of space necessary if his body and/or stick are mispositioned at the wrong time. His defensive fundamentals have to be perfect to overcome being 5’8 with a smaller wingspan. There are a multitude of ways attackers can punish him for simply not taking up as much space as other NHL defenders can. He isn’t in control of these situations as the majority of the time he’s forced to play defense under the conditions set by the attacker. It is unreasonable to expect a defender to be perfectly positioned at all times, so there is only so much one can do to overcome this outside of developing a longer reach. That solution is taken out of the hands of humans as we sit idly by waiting to see how kind biology wants to be.

It’s unclear how much extra mobility really gets to come into play and fix things here. It does alleviate the situation to some extent as being able to change directions more sharply and cover more ground with the same number of steps has obvious advantages. While being perfectly positioned at all times is an unreasonable ask, he can still be positioned well the vast majority of the time to create as much of an advantage in defensive situations as possible. This advantage may not last long, and it may be easier for attackers to turn this advantage for Hutson into a disadvantage, but it’s still an advantage. Theoretically, an advantage state in any sport can be snowballed into a larger and larger advantage if utilized properly without faults. That’s where this additional mobility can really help Hutson out as it provides him with a larger margin for error to maintain/grow his positional advantage over attackers. It’s not perfect because well-executed attacks can rob Hutson of the luxury of always having perfect positioning, but it does make a large enough difference where Hutson’s defensive game becomes more projectable to the NHL.

The question is just how often Hutson can play in this perfect defensive spot and honestly, there are just too many complicated unknown variables to come up with a definitive answer at this moment. Additional mobility will change his approach for the better, but to what extent is just too hard to discern as of now. While this may seem like a cop out answer, no one really knows how this part of his game will truly change except for the personnel involved with developing it. I lean towards a more positive outlook myself because once again, I trust the intelligence of the player.

Regardless of a positive or a negative outlook, something to consider when projecting Hutson’s defending is that “perfect positioning” is a near-impossibility considering the speed of the modern NHL and even Nick Lidstrom would struggle to maintain such a monumental impression defensively on the ice (well, he would be fine, he’d just need to change a few things). Hockey moves extremely fast and the high-level systems of today are built to provide multiple options for attackers, meaning that a defender can’t account for all of them. Our beloved game may be a game of controlled chaos, but chaos is chaos -- no player can account for it all at once and anything can happen on any given play. Adaptability is what will help Hutson the most and I trust his sense for the game to help him in this area, but expecting tangible defensive results that shut down the other team may just be an impossibility given his size.

Fortunately, the best defending is not letting the other team have the puck and this is where we go full circle to where we started -- Hutson’s ability to help macro-play from DZ to OZ when his team has the puck. Assuming mobility comes into play as needed and the inefficient tendencies are worked out, Hutson will be an extremely useful player in terms of possession and finding results that better his team. His decision making is not often wasteful, and he tries to make the most out of every play he attempts out there. If it all comes together in the right way, then Hutson’s team is very likely to outpossess the opposition, meaning less defensive zone time to begin with. As long as there is enough there defensively to ensure a zone entry against him isn’t a guaranteed goal against, then I think Hutson really can turn all of these flaws into strengths and become a true impact player at the NHL level.

The Habs

This is the first time I get to release a piece on a player while knowing their inevitable destination due to the draft and I have to say, I’m ecstatic that he is a Montreal Canadien. It’s not often my favourite team and player in the draft get to intersect, but here we are.

Player development was arguably the greatest weakness of the Bergevin-era Habs and had that regime been in charge, we very likely would not have selected Hutson at 62nd. Even if we had, there is a lot of work to be done along the next few years to ensure Hutson’s development path does address the biggest weaknesses in his game and it’s really tricky picturing the old guard addressing those concerns properly.

The new-era Habs managed by Kent Hughes have put a severe emphasis on skill, mobility and intelligence. Dangerous in-motion players who are adaptable problem solvers will thrive amidst the new identity the Canadiens are building for themselves, and it’s far from surprising that it was the Canadiens who saw Hutson still available in the late second and took the swing on his upside. Management has already overhauled the developmental side of the organization, specifically for players like Lane Hutson that offer overwhelming potential under the right circumstances, and you don’t need to look further than the early development camp that Hutson is rocking out at to see the early investment from all parties involved.

I may be biased, but I do believe there are few spots as beneficial for both parties involved than the Habs and Hutson working together. The Canadiens are already well aware of everything I have mentioned throughout this piece and are actively working from day one to make sure they’re as little a problem as possible. I am ecstatic to see where it comes and cannot wait to see how Hutson develops over the next few years.

2022 NHL DRAFT: SWITZERLAND – Lian Bichsel, D, Leksands IF (SHL – Sweden)

Brock Otten — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 16:58:02 +0000

A slightly polarizing player available this year, how high you rank or value Bichsel depends on how you view his offensive potential. The gigantic Swiss defender is an extremely valuable presence in the defensive end with his combination of mobility, reach, and physicality. There seems to be little doubt that he can be an effective NHL player. However, the “rawness” of his offensive tools, (decision making, puck skill, vision), makes his projection a bit of a mystery.

Adding to that mystique was the season ending concussion that he suffered in March that kept him out of the U18’s, where he would have captained team Switzerland. The event would have given Bichsel an opportunity to truly showcase his abilities as an all situations, number one defender, and it would have allowed him to show the growth in his game compared to his preseason performance at the Hlinka/Gretzky. Alas, it was not meant to be.

We felt Bichsel seemed to be a good bet to be a first-round selection, despite our 41st overall ranking of him, and reflected that in our mock drafts recently. He was indeed taken by Dallas at #18, attracted to the allure of his upside as a physical top four defender in the Brandon Carlo mold.

220224 Leksands Lian Bichsel under uppvärmningen inför ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan Rögle och Leksand den 24 februari 2022 i Ängelholm.
Foto: Niclas Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN / COP 273 / NO0090

Lian Bichsel	Date of Birth: 2004-05-18
Position: D, Shoots: L	H/W: 6'5", 225lbs
Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS)	Leksands IF, SHL (29-1-2-3)

Skating

If you were to grade Bichsel’s skating without taking into account his size, it would likely be a below average grade. However, Bichsel does move fairly well given his massive frame and this needs to be taken into account. A player with his size and reach does not need to be an elite level mover like Cale Makar. The biggest strength of Bichsel’s mobility profile is his transitional movement. He recovers quickly from forward to backwards stride and there is a fluidity to his ability to shift his focus to help him defend counter attacks or recover dump ins. This is a good thing because as a player with a stay-at-home type of projection, his ability to recover needs to be above average.

Bichsel also skates backwards well and looks comfortable defending in transition, moving quickly laterally to close off lanes. He is aggressive in defending attackers, stepping up on them early to force dump ins or pivots. In essence, he is very good at forcing forwards to alter their pace. Moving forward, his stride has improved over the course of the year to allow him to be involved more offensively in transition. The stride doesn’t have the kind of length or power you would consider to be ideal, however it should improve as his conditioning does.

Where Bichsel struggles currently is going from a stop to a start in any direction. His four-way quickness is lacking, and this should not come as a surprise given his massive frame. Bichsel can be slow to react in the defensive end as he tries to pick up speed to get to loose pucks, he can fail to clear forecheckers as he tries to advance up ice, and he can be slow to push to close down shooting lanes and apply pressure. This will need to improve if Bichsel wants to truly be a shutdown, top four defender at the NHL level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-1-lian_bichsel_-_1st_period_23_55_-_24_7.mp4

A nice defensive play by Bichsel as he closes down the counter attack following the offensive zone turnover. He showcases that strong transitional agility and maintains a strong gap before forcing the dump in.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-2-lian_bichsel_-_1st_period_19_24_-_19_36.mp4

Bichsel moves quickly to prevent a truly clean entry, preventing any sort of sustained pressure by the opposition.

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Another nice defensive play by Bichsel as he stays with the oncoming attacker, angling him off to the wall where he can separate him from the puck. Although Bichsel does bungle the breakout attempt, the play does showcase how he can swallow up space in the defensive end.

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Yes, Bichsel comes up with the turnover here, but he’s extremely fortunate. Notice how he stops moving his feet and then can’t recover to get out to defend the shot from the wing. Instead of trying to push off his edges to extend quickly, he crosses over and can not cover the ground efficiently. Luckily the opposing player fans on the shot attempt.

Grade: 50

Shot

When Bichsel keeps things simple, his shot shows the potential to be a weapon for him. He is a big guy, and he generates a ton of velocity on his wrist shot, which he generally keeps low and does a good job of getting on net for redirections or rebounds. However, Bichsel does not seem to have a great feel for one timing pucks, as he often fires his attempts wide or fans on them. This may improve, but in all likelihood, his ability to get pucks on net and generate from the point will be tied to the improvement of his wrist shot and ability to get pucks on net quickly. Ultimately, I don’t see Bichsel developing into a significant scoring option from the point.

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This is a great example of Bichsel’s shooting abilities. First, he uses a hard and low wrist shot to get a puck on net. This is a strength. Then he opts for the one timer, which he heels and puts a mile off the net. Unless his shooting mechanics and coordination improve, he will need to learn to keep things simple at the NHL level by using his wrist shot primarily.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-2-lian_bichsel_-_1st_period_14_14_-_14_26.mp4

Another failed one timer attempt. Lots of clips like this could have been used.

Grade: 45

Skills

This is the area of Bichsel’s game that has seen the most growth over the last calendar year. It still has a way to go, but he has shown marked improvement in his ability to handle the puck and make plays. On his forehand, Bichsel shows an ability to clear the forecheck or make defenders miss to help him exit the zone, gain the zone, or hold pucks in the zone. His confidence as a transporter really seemed to be taking off just before the injury that kept him out of the U18’s. However, there are still some concerns about whether he is truly skilled enough to be able to handle the pace of the NHL game at either end. Bichsel still struggles to make plays on his backhand and when pressured and forced to play to his backhand, turnovers can occur. This is especially true when he is trying to hold the offensive blueline and trying to start the breakout.

Additionally, Bichsel can struggle to handle imperfect passes. There is a lack of creativity there from him that suggests he might not be able to work his way out of pressure if his coordination and puck control does not improve. Let us not forget that the pace of play at the NHL level is insanely high. He can already struggle to make skilled plays under pressure at the U20 and Swedish men’s league level on the larger ice surface. As the surface decreases and the speed of players increases, Bichsel’s time and space will be taken away even quicker. That said, you have to applaud the late season growth and it is why he has rocketed up some draft boards heading into Montreal.

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From over a year ago at the U18’s, we see some of the limitations to Bichsel’s skill set previously. The pass to his feet is not great, but Bichsel also did not get himself in a good position to receive the pass back. He recovers, but then struggles to fight off the Swedish forechecker to help the Swiss maintain possession.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-2-ian_bichsel_-_1st_period_7_50_-_8_2.mp4

Another bad play by Bichsel from that same U18 game against Sweden. He simply can not get the clearance he needs on his backhand to make a pass and then gets his pocket picked, resulting in a significant scoring chance against.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-3-lian_bichsel_-_2nd_period_15_26_-_15_38.mp4

Another bad turnover by Bichsel from earlier this season in Champions league action. He can not corral the puck and loses it on his backhand. You will notice a trend here about Bichsel struggling to make plays on his backhand.

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It is moments like this later in the season that have NHL scouts salivating. Can Bichsel do this sort of thing on the regular as he gains confidence in his transporting ability?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-5-lian_bichsel_-_1st_period_18_35_-_18_471.mp4

Or how about this rush attempt? Over the year, Bichsel has improved his confidence playing on his backhand and is able to cut through traffic to help gain the offensive zone.

Grade: 50

Smarts

Despite some skill limitations, Bichsel is fairly effective at both ends because of a strong processing ability. His defensive positioning and awareness has improved considerably over the last year. He is now confident and assertive in the defensive end, showcasing great gap control and an aggressive mentality when it comes to defending. Sure, this can lead to him being taken out of position at times, but with his size and length, you want him to be assertive and take chances to quickly shutdown attacks.

In the defensive end, playing in the SHL, Bichsel generally understands his current limitations offensively and opts to keep things simple. His game is currently predicated on quick touches and quick movement, even if he’s not the one connecting on stretch passes or evading forecheckers. He separates his man from the puck, has his head up and quickly finds his defensive partner or a supporting forward to help start the breakout.

Offensively, Bichsel holds the offensive blueline well and actually moves around the offensive zone well, even playing deep in the zone to help make a play to hold the wall or draw attention from defenders. He is not content to remain stagnant near the blueline. Because of this, he does earn himself clean looks for his shot. Unfortunately, as mentioned, the shot is just not a big weapon for him currently. Bichsel’s attention to detail in all three zones is what has some scouts excited about his potential in hopes that his coordination can improve.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-1-lian_bichsel_-_3rd_period_18_40_-_18_52.mp4

From last year’s U18’s, Bichsel makes a poor read defending the odd man advantage for Russia. He either needs to step up earlier and quicker to take away that drop option, or pick up the far side attacker and hope that his teammate picks up the drop pass option on the backcheck. He gets caught in no man’s land in the slot, which given his size and reach is hard to do. However, these types of defensive reads in transition have improved greatly.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-2-lian_bichsel_-_1st_period_24_55_-_25_12.mp4

Strong play in the offensive zone by Bichsel as he pinches down low to help sustain pressure, then makes a skilled play to come out of the corner before finding his defensive partner for the shot attempt and subsequent goal. As mentioned, Bichsel has the confidence to play down low and with his size and ability to shield the puck, he can be difficult to contain.

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Let us ignore the gaffe on the backhand (again) at the end of this clip. Let’s focus on the positives here. He makes a great defensive play and then does not force the exit attempt, showing poise under pressure. If he executes that backhand pass, he starts a clean breakout and Leksand is off and running. The sense is there for him to be a larger contributor if the finer skill elements can improve.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

Bichsel is already a very difficult player to match up against in the defensive end because of how strong and physical he is along the wall. He rarely seems to lose a 50/50 battle for the puck and is terrific at pinning his check, always looking to use his size and strength as leverage. However, Bichsel is not the type to go chasing for the big hit. He is not Noah Warren in that sense, or, for example, a Scott Stevens type. In the open ice, he much prefers to use his reach and feet to maintain his gap to help push puck carriers to the wall. It is there we see him finishing his checks hard. In a lot of ways, this is a good thing. Without above average quickness, Bichsel understands that he will be most effective if he can keep the game in front of him, so he forces the opposition to play to his strengths. If we are nitpicking, it would be great to see Bichsel become just a little more tenacious when defending the crease. For a larger player, he does not always win battles for position near the blue paint. This will need to be a mentality shift for him if he wants to be in the upper echelon of defensive defenders at the NHL level.

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This is the strength of Bichsel. Defending along the wall. Not only does he lean on the opposing forward to take him out, but he maintains contact to pin him to the wall to help Leksand recover possession.

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From the Hlinka/Gretzky, this is another strong play along the wall by Bichsel. He closes down the lane quickly and eliminates the German player hard along the wall.

Grade: 60

OFP: 52.25

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity

2022 NHL DRAFT: Slovakia – Filip Mesar, C, HK Poprad, Tipos Extraliga – Scouting Report and Video Review

Matej Deraj — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:56:12 +0000

The Slovak main prospects trio for the 2022 NHL Draft wouldn´t be complete without Filip Mešár. Even though Juraj Slafkovský and Šimon Nemec have established themselves as almost sure top five selections, Mešár is more of a late first round candidate. He had a great run in the Slovak top tier league play-offs until his season ended early due to an injury.

Mešár has a unique offensive ceiling. As a great skater, playmaker or shooter and also a highly smart and effective player, there is not much more you could ask for in a high end forward prospect. The main weakness remains his lack of physical play, mainly due to his playing style and size (5´10“, 174 lbs). However, his recent improvement in this area indicates his high potential.

Mešár prefers the center position, but he is mainly seen as a winger at the NHL level. His fast, agile style of hockey is reminiscent of players like Kevin Fiala or Johnny Gaudreau to a certain level. He is not a lock to make the NHL, but there is a solid chance of him becoming a top-six forward, if he continues in improving his physical play and robustness. It depends on the NHL club that will draft him, but it´s most likely Mešár will continue his career in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers and adapts his style to the North American ice.

RED DEER, ALBERTA - DECEMBER 27: Sweden vs Slovakia preliminary round action a the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at WP Centrium on December 27, 2021 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Filip Mešár D

Date of Birth: 2004-01-03

Position: RW/C, Shoots: R H/W: 5´10“, 174 lbs

Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS): HK Poprad, Tipos Extraliga (37-8-8-16)

Skating

Skating is one of Mešár´s biggest assets. As a smaller forward, he´s very mobile and agile. Mešár possess a great skating style with an advanced four-way mobility. Moreover, his top speed is also on a high level. He has a very good acceleration in his first few steps and quickly gets to the max speed, but doesn´t do it unnecessarily.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_skating_clip1.mp4

Mešár is a very mobile and agile forward who uses his smaller frame very well. He won the Slovak top tier league Goal of the Month award for this goal. Mešár goes coast-to-coast, quickly reaches a fast speed and goes to the left side. The confused defense doesn´t catch up. Mešár then quickly cuts it to the middle, holds the puck a little more and then scores. A real beauty.

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Mešár has a pleasant and smooth skating style, he tries to be effective and doesn´t take too many steps. He is able to beat defensemen using only his feet and creates scoring chances for himself when the traffic is light, such as in this clip from a 3-on-3 overtime.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_skating_clip3.mp4

This is another very good video of him using the quickness of his first few steps to lose the defenseman, create some space for himself and finish the scoring chance, although he didn´t manage to score a goal. Mešár can attack the net very well. It´s so difficult to stop him in full speed.

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His skating helps him to be a forechecking beast. In this clip, Mešár shows his acceleration and applies pressure on the defenseman who thought he was already safe. As the defenseman grabs the loose puck and takes it behind the net, Mešár immediately speeds up, wins the puck and sends it to the front of the net, creating a dangerous chance.

Grade: 60

Shot

Mešár is a dangerous forward who shouldn’t be given time and space. He is not a well-known sniper, but his shot is sneakily very good and praised. A big virtue of his is the fast release he has on his shot, he doesn´t need much time to finish.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_shot_clip1.mp4

Mešár doesn´t hesitate when he´s open. He waits for an opportunity in a good position, receives the pass from his teammate and quickly beats the goalie with a sick wrister. This is a guy you don´t want to leave open.

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The Slovak forward has the ability to appear out of nowhere and score until the defense realize what´s going on. Such as in this clip. Mešár notices the shaky formation of the defending players, he calls for a pass and shoots. He doesn´t need much time to release and quickly sends the puck to the top corner.

Even though he mostly relies on his wrist shot, Filip Mešár also has a hard slapshot, making him a useful power play option at the face-off circle or the blue line. Nevertheless, the accuracy is not at the same level as the wrister.

Grade: 55

Skills

Mešár is an immensely skilled stickhandler, his puck skills are on a high level and he controls the puck very well. He is not afraid to get flashy, but doesn´t do it very often. He is an effective puck handler who usually goes for the best option. His advanced skills help him to beat defensemen one on one and be quite effective in creating chances for himself and his teammates.

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Mešár is a tremendously skilled player, he uses his body to complement his stickhandling well and loses the defensemen. In this clip, he is able to make two defensemen look silly, he loses them with almost zero effort and gets himself to a good scoring chance, although he doesn´t capitalize.

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This is a fantastic highlight play from Mešár´s first game in Slovak Men´s National Team. He receives the pass in the offensive zone, gets between two defensemen, loses them with a beautiful move and uses his hands to confuse the goalie, but unfortunately for him, the stood up puck doesn´t allow him to score.

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Mešár has a lot of moves in his repertoire, including the pump fakes, turnarounds, one-handed skills, between-the-legs and so on. He shows a couple of them in this clip.

The young Slovak usually knows very well when to stop, but sometimes he gets overconfident, goes to too many one-on-one challenges and pushes himself out to a less preferable position, near the boards or to the corner. These situations also tend to end up in a turnover.

Grade: 60

Smarts

Mešár has a great vision, he is an exceptionally smart player who keeps his head up and looks for the best option. He knows when to slow down or speed up the pace of the play. Not just a shooter, he´s also a skilled playmaker who is able to find his teammates in dangerous areas.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_smarts_clip1.mp4

Mešár is a very smart player with a great vision and passing game. In this clip, he controls the puck well in a crowded space, does a little fake and entries the offensive zone. Even though he´s attacked by two opposing players, he sends the puck across the whole zone to a teammate´s stick with a fantastic accuracy and contributes to holding the possession and creating a future scoring chance that later ended up in a goal.

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Mešár is very useful on zone entries, mainly but not only due to his skating. He doesn´t necessarily reach the maximum speed and sprints to the offensive zone like a headless horse, he rather slows down a little, observes the surroundings and tries to find a teammate. When breaking into the offensive zone from the wing, just like in this clip, he looks for an open teammate in the center.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_smarts_clip3.mp4

On the other hand, Mešár´s defensive awareness is sometimes questionable. In the defensive zone, he is nowhere near as useful as in the offense. He looks a bit lost from time to time and doesn´t excel at defending at all. In this clip, he loses the face-off and doesn´t step up to the

defenseman, who gets the puck, but uses his stick to break the potential pass to a place where is no opponent. The defenseman gets the puck and scores.

At this point, Mešár is regarded as a pure offensive forward. He didn´t spend much time on penalty kill throughout the years and that probably won´t change anytime soon.

Grade: 60

Physicality

Mešár used to play an almost contactless style of hockey, due to his lower size and limited strength. I must admit he did improve his physicality, but it was mainly on display at the very end of the 2021-2022 season. Mešár played his best hockey in play-offs with Poprad until the injury. That was the reason I bettered his grade; I had never seen him play so physical and lay so many bodychecks before. The improvement in his physical game was big enough to have faith in his potential in this area of his game, but there is still a long way to go.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_physicality_clip1.mp4

This is a rare, but very smart play by Mešár, who uses his body well to cut the attacking player and strip him of the puck by pushing him to the boards. Mešár immediately gets the puck for himself and starts the play.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_physicality_clip2.mp4

In this clip, Mešár shows his forechecking ability. His speed helps him to catch the defenseman quickly and he finishes his check, but his limited physique doesn´t allow him to throw a big hit. Mešár is competitive enough and likes an aggressive style of hockey, but he is not physical enough yet to engage in board battles and succeed, such as seen in this clip and the one below. His lower physique (5´10“, 174 lbs) makes him an easy target in board and corner batt

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/filip_mesar_physicality_clip3.mp4

Grade: 50

OFP: 57.75

2022 NHL DRAFT: AUSTRIA – Marco Kasper, C, Rogle BK (Sweden) – Detailed report with Video

Sam Happi — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:38:07 +0000

Marco Kasper joins Marco Rossi as another high-level prospect out of Austria. There are similarities beyond their first names and home countries: both are responsible, two-way centres with impressive playmaking attributes, and both players are the sons of long-time Austrian professional players. Whereas Rossi played most of his youth hockey in Switzerland, Kasper played up to the U18 level in Klagenfurt, a city in Southern Austria, before moving to Sweden to represent Rogle. Playing all his youth hockey in Austria did not seem to limit Kasper at all, as he played ten games in the pro-level Swedish Hockey League in his very first season in Sweden, only a season removed from the Austrian U18 level. He expanded his SHL role this season, his second in Sweden, as he played 46 regular season games for Rogle’s professional team and 13 more in the playoffs. He represented Austria at the World Championships, where he was one of the youngest players in the tournament, and tallied two assists in seven games.

Kasper’s intelligent playmaking and effective pro-style game seem to have endeared him to NHL scouts and he has a chance to go quite high at the draft after coming in at tenth overall on Bob McKenzie’s final scout poll. He was not a major offensive contributor for Rogle, but impressed in a two-way role as a seventeen year old, a demonstration that NHL teams will understandably appreciate. It’s been quite the rise for a player only two years removed from the Austrian junior circuit, but Kasper has earned his way to a high draft selection and will be one of the most interesting prospects to follow in this draft class.

220113 Rögles Marco Kasper under ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan Rögle och Linköping den 13 januari 2022 i Ängelholm.
Foto: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN / kod LT / LT0236

Marco Kasper	Date of Birth: 2004-04-08
Position: C, Shoots: L	H/W: 6’2", 187 lbs
Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Rogle BK, (46-7-4-11-17)

Skating

Kasper is an interesting skater– he has a bit of a hunched stride and doesn’t seem to generate a whole lot of power out of his strides. His straight-line speed is rather average, but he seems to rarely move in straight lines; Kasper has a ton of east-west in his game, often entering the offensive zone at an angle rather than straight on. There are ups and downs to that strategy: he demands a greater amount of movement and attention from the defence, who can no longer play him straight up and often have to hand him off from defender to defender, but it also means a slower pace– Kasper’s teammates frequently have to stop up at the blueline to allow Kasper time to carry the puck in. It’s a bit at odds with the NHL (and North American) style, which is heavy on north-south movement and maximum pace, and so it may be something that is coached out of him at higher levels. Regardless of what happens, those movement patterns are an intriguing part of Kasper’s current profile.

Here’s an example: Kasper cuts diagonally across the neutral zone on this entry rather than proceeding in a straight line up the boards. Notice how #7 on the near wall has to slow up and drag his foot to stay onside because of the slower pace. On the flip side, #98 is given time to join the rush and provide a net-driving option because of Kasper’s slower pace, so there are both positives and drawbacks.

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This is a pretty good look at Kasper’s mechanics. His stride is short and quick, which is almost more typical of a shorter player than the 6’2” Kasper. He accelerates effectively with crossovers, moves well laterally, and has a top speed that is quite high.

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We’ll discuss this more in the physicality section, but Kasper’s skating really enables him to make himself a nuisance on the forecheck. He gets in on defenders quickly and– as you’ll see– loves to throw a good hit, so he can really accelerate the decision-making process of a defenceman making a retrieval. He’s at his own blueline when this puck gets dumped in, but flies up ice to force the defenceman to make an immediate play.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-3-marco_kasper_-_1st_period_1_38_-_1_50.mp4

Grade: 55

Shot

Kasper scored seven times in 46 Swedish Hockey League games, which is certainly not a bad total for a seventeen year old. Tip-ins and opportunities around the net constituted the majority of his scoring punch, but Kasper has a pretty good shot and can beat goaltenders from around the slot.

This is a sweet slapper goal coming down the wall.

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I can’t see this being a role he plays in the professional game, but Kasper got work as the triggerman on the powerplay in the twelve junior games he played this year and was quite effective taking one-timers from the circle. This one is labeled for the top corner.

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His wrister is accurate and deceptive, often being released out of a toe-drag. It’s not majorly powerful– I’m not sure Kasper will threaten from much further than where he scores here, but he’s dangerous from the slot. This shot is perfectly aimed and well set up with the drag.

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He’s a good finisher from in tight, corralling pucks well and efficiently getting into a shooting position. This is a fluid, impressive play to quickly control this puck and then snap it past the goaltender.

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He isn’t a major scoring threat, but is capable from around the slot and should be a roughly average scorer.

Grade: 50

Skills

Kasper has a very good set of hands; that goal from in tight above is a good teaser for his puck skills. Here’s a long sequence of control below the goal line, beginning with a nice between the legs move to get the puck to the corner and begin the cycle and a lot of puck protection work behind the net which includes Kasper controlling the puck from his knees for a period of time. For him to come out of all that with the puck is impressive.

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Kasper likes this inside-to-outside between-the-legs move, which can create some space and sometimes give him a lane to the net. Here, he gets around the defender and is able to thread a cross-crease pass for an excellent chance.

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Like a lot of younger players, he suffers somewhat from the common problem of making an initial move without much of a plan as to what to do afterwards, which can make a play look initially promising before it dies when the puckcarrier meets the next wave of defenders. Kasper threads the puck between the legs of the first defender at the line, but the move takes him away from the support of his teammate (#12) and Kasper ends up turning the puck over on the boards after failing to make a subsequent play.

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His puck skills are very good. The primary area for development here lies in how he uses them, and that will be determined in part by what role he plays in the NHL. If he’s playing centre on a scoring line, he’ll probably be using them to generate controlled entries with puck moves at the offensive blueline. If he tops out as more of a role player, he might more commonly utilize them in short flashes like when he fluidly controlled a puck in front of the net and scored in the shooting section of this report. However he uses them, he’ll need to learn how to smoothly integrate his hands with his other skills as well as how to utilize them within the team’s offence in order to avoid turnovers and ensure that he retains support from his teammates all over the ice.

Grade: 55

Smarts

Kasper’s intelligence shines most often through his playmaking– he’s a clever passer with a knack for finding teammates around the net. He produced a pair of assists in seven games for Austria at the World Championships and four more for Rogle in SHL play, but Kasper’s seven assists in twelve games at the junior level, when he wasn’t constrained by a limited role and older competition, serves as the best demonstration of his potential as a passer. This is a terrific pass to hit his teammate cutting towards the net, with Kasper threading the puck just out of reach of one defender while another is draped all over him.

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He sees his teammate begin to sneak in backdoor and opens his hips up towards the play, allowing him to play a pass through the defenders and lead his teammate in towards the net. Opening up to the play makes this an easier pass and so it was important that Kasper recognized this play developing early, in order to create time for him to open his hips and then play the pass.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-2-marco_kasper_-_2nd_period_19_24_-_19_36.mp4

Here’s an incredibly promising display from professional gameplay. Kasper receives a pass in the netfront position on the powerplay, hesitates for a second to draw the netfront defender to him, and then plays a backhand pass right out into the slot for his teammate cutting in. It doesn’t connect cleanly, but Kasper got it into a dangerous area and #12 is able to find it and finish. That’s an impressive play, not only to recognize that #12 is filing in towards the net there but also to draw the defender to him and create a lane with the spinning backhand pass.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-3-marco_kasper_-_3rd_period_20_26_-_20_38.mp4

Kasper has a developed understanding of passing lanes and is capable of much more than hitting wide open or stationary targets. His excellent vision and anticipation allow him to capitalize on momentary missed assignments by the defence that many attackers would fail to even notice. He’s able to make difficult passes to players cutting in towards the net, hitting short passing windows and often playing the puck out in front for his teammate to skate into. The first and third clips here are wonderful examples of high-level passing intuition in high-traffic areas that can be very difficult to decipher as an attacker. The Austrian has a lot of promise as a playmaker thanks to his intelligence.

Grade: 60

Physicality/Compete

It’s difficult to hang in the SHL full-time and represent your country against men at the World Championships without having both tenacity and a physical edge to your game; Kasper, as you’d expect, has both. He isn’t particularly heavyset for his 6’2” frame, but he can throw a solid check and does not get pushed around in tough areas. He’s shown a willingness to play the body before the puck, allowing him to connect for big hits like this one.

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He’s a very aggressive physical player, sometimes teetering on the line of what’s legal. He lands this hit high on the back of the British defenceman, and was probably saved from a boarding penalty by the opponent’s last-minute turn to the side.

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Hopefully he’ll keep things on the good side of the line, but the effect of that aggressive physical play is a higher level of panic in opposing players, who may be inclined to rush the play in order to better prepare themselves for the incoming blow. This Finn sees Kasper coming and tries to quickly play the puck to a teammate and then jump out of danger, but Kasper lays him out and the puck bounces back into Austria’s possession at the point.

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Kasper finishes every check and is constantly looking for ways to land bumps on opposing players. That type of physicality requires energy expenditure that most skill players would prefer to save for offensive play, but Kasper’s high effort level encompasses all sides of the puck. The Austrian is constantly moving his feet, trying to get in as quickly as possible on the forecheck or give an opponent as little time as possible to make a play, and that compete level is what ultimately makes Kasper a difficult player to play against.

Grade: 60

OFP: 55.75

Skating 55; Shot 50; Smarts 60; Skills 55; Physicality/Compete 60

2022 NHL DRAFT: CZECHIA – David Jiricek, D, HC Plzen

Brock Otten — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:08:44 +0000

One of the most hotly debated topics in the draft this year is whether you believe David Jiricek or Simon Nemec is the top defender available. Both are possible, perhaps even likely, top five selections this year. At McKeen’s Hockey, we rated Nemec slightly higher due to his remarkable processing ability and awareness, however it could certainly be argued that Jiricek possesses the higher upside.

After missing a good chunk of the year due to a knee injury suffered at the abruptly canceled World Junior Championships, Jiricek returned at the end of the year to strong results. He managed to make the Czech team at the World Championships, and even though he was in and out of the lineup, he did look good at times, and this helped to paint a more clear picture of his profile and projection.

The physical and athletic tools that Jiricek possesses do give him a relatively safe floor as an NHL defender, especially as someone with a right shot. It seems unlikely that Jiricek will “bust” completely, with a floor likely similar to a player like Dmitri Kulikov. However, if his offensive skills, defensive intensity, and explosiveness continue to improve, he could easily be a long time first pairing defensive anchor for whatever team selects him.

EDMONTON, AB CANADA - DECEMBER 26: Czech Republic's David Jiricek #8 battles for puck possession against Sweden's Arvid Costmar #14 in preliminary round action at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 26, 2020 in Edmonton, AB Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating

One of the best parts to Jiricek’s game is his strong four-way mobility when you factor in his 6’3 frame. His backwards and lateral movement are excellent. He looks so comfortable using his edges to walk the offensive blueline and this certainly gives him the projection of a future powerplay quarterback when combined with his excellent point shot. Defensively, because of his smooth four-way stride, Jiricek is able to maintain strong gap control in transition and it gives him the mark of someone who is very difficult to beat one on one.

The one area that Jiricek could still improve upon is his linear explosiveness. He can impact the game as a puck mover, however there are times where he is not able to clear forecheckers or create the kind of separation he needs because his first few strides lack power and are a little sluggish. This is especially noticeable out of pivots. Additionally, his transitional agility could stand to improve. There are times where he loses balance or struggles to build speed when transitioning from backwards to forwards stride. This prevents him from getting to retrievals earlier.

However, you also need to factor in the knee injury he suffered and how that limited his development and progression as a skater this year. Jiricek’s power and mechanical deficits are very fixable and he should project as an above average mover at the NHL level, even with his 6’3 frame and an eventual higher playing weight.

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An example of those transitional skating deficiencies mentioned. This was at the World Championships. Jiricek had a ton of ground to make up in this occurrence, so it was likely unrealistic for him to be able to catch the Swedish player. But you can see how he struggles to pick up speed when transitioning out of his backwards stride and he gets beat cleanly to the middle of the ice. At the very least, a quality recovery there could have kept the Swedish player to the perimeter and applied some stick pressure.

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This clip paints a pretty good picture of Jiricek’s inability to build speed moving North/South with the puck. He just doesn’t build up the speed necessary to truly apply pressure on the defense, even if he successfully gains the offensive zone. He gets angled off to the wall and the backchecker (who kept pace with him) helps force the turnover.

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Here we see his strength as a four-way mover. This transitional attack is shut down by Jiricek as he closes off all lanes for the attacking opposing player. Notice how he actually takes a step forward thinking of trying to play him early and aggressively but alters his plan quickly and shifts to a backwards glide without giving up his positional advantage.

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Good work by Jiricek here on the powerplay. You can see that he is not the most dynamic skater in the world but that he does have good footwork and good habits when controlling the point. He can quickly move laterally and pivot to escape pressure at the blueline and he does a great job using his feet to get himself in shooting position to be able to use his one timer.

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Subtle change of direction at the point gives Jiricek the space he needs to get a shot on net. What I would love to see is for him to be more aggressive in working down low with the puck. He gets clearance there, but then puts a low percentage shot on net. If he held the puck and cycled down low after beating the high defender, he could have caused a breakdown as the defender in the left spot of the diamond would have had to leave his man in the slot to make a play, giving Jiricek a possible passing option in a more dangerous scoring position.

Grade: 55

Shot

Jiricek’s shot is another standout quality of his game, perhaps the one quality of his game that has a chance to be truly elite. Not only is his one timer hard, but he is so good at using his feet to open himself up for a pass that he can hammer. As a result, he is a tremendous triggerman and would be a very intriguing powerplay option for an NHL team in the future. As for his wrist shot, well that’s more of a work in progress. It’s not nearly as hard or as accurate as his one timer and he essentially uses it to try to generate rebounds or redirections. But he can fire it into shin pads or miss the net completely. Given how well he holds the line, improving his release and the overall quality of his wrist shot would really help him to become a bigger offensive weapon at five on five.

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An example of that big Jiricek point shot. Beats the goaltender cleanly with the one timer from the point.

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Rinse and repeat. Most of Jiricek’s goals on the year looked like these two. His one timer is a major weapon.

Grade: 55

Skills

Jiricek is kind of a complicated player as it pertains to his skill and potential as an offensive defender. He is at his best when he can support the rush, working his way up into the play. He receives passes seamlessly without breaking stride and shows an ability to catch defenders flat footed with quick directional changes that help to earn him great looks to use his shot.

When he is the one leading the rush, he can be less effective as some of his power deficiencies limit the kind of separation he can achieve and the kind of speed that he can build up. This was mentioned earlier. Jiricek’s ability to problem solve or create with his hands when pressured at a standstill is extremely inconsistent. There are times where he struggles to coral or control the puck and fails to maintain control through attempts to cut or pivot. There are other times where he keeps things simple and makes a subtle move to beat initial pressure, before using his size to shield the puck to help him make a pass off or get a shot off. This leads me to believe that there is further room for growth in his small area skill.

Another skill of Jiricek’s that is worth mentioning is his breakout pass. Even though there are some issues with his routing and ability to recover dump ins due to flaws in his transitional agility, he manages to usually gain the clearance he needs to effectively start the breakout with a clean exit pass. He has his head up and connects with his target most times, even in the face of pressure. Sometimes that even includes having to make a move to help him protect the puck from forecheckers, forcing him to make that pass on his backhand. At the end of the day, what you have is a 6’3 defender who flashes skill with the puck in a lot of different situations, but whose skill application is wildly inconsistent.

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Here we have a play which may show some of the skill limitations that Jiricek has at times. He can often struggle to create with only his hands when boxed in, or when he tries to blend his feet and hands together when he comes out of a pivot or from a standstill. There is a tendency to over handle or overskate the puck just like this.

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But then there are instances like this where Jiricek looks the part of a dynamic and skilled attacker. I actually find him to be at his best when he can operate in support of the attack and not as the primary focal point. He picks his spots well to jump up into the rush and he can accept passes in full stride to break in. With his big point shot, he could score his share of goals at the NHL level by jumping up just like this.

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Here is a similar kind of play. Jiricek starts the breakout and then supports it. He takes the pass back and makes a charge into the offensive zone, helping the Czech’s establish possession, while nearly creating a scoring chance.

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It looks like Jiricek might be in trouble here a few times, but he manages to find his way out of it. The play at the end to protect the puck and make the pass on his backhand is really impressive. Even at a young age, Jiricek can be difficult to pin down in the defensive end.

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Ignore that Jiricek misses the mark on the stretch pass at the end. Focus on the skilled and creative play to escape the forecheck with the self-pass. It is plays like this that have scouts excited about his potential as an offensive defender.

Grade: 55

Smarts

The trend continues. There are times and situations where Jiricek looks a step ahead of the competition as a processor. There are other times where he struggles with his decision making with, and without the puck. Personally, I see a player who is still trying to figure out what kind of player he wants to be and one who is working to gain the confidence he needs to be an impact player at both ends.

In the defensive end, Jiricek is a tough player to win battles against. I spent a lot of time trying to find a clip of Jiricek making a real positive play when defending the slot, but I just couldn’t find it. The reason? Opposing teams rarely get to the point of being able to cleanly set up their offense against Jiricek at even strength. He does a great job of winning battles along the wall and starting the breakout, or simply alleviating pressure with a clear. While he may not consistently be the first to a dump in, he seals his man well and closes off passing lanes coming off the wall. When he is first to the puck, he makes quick decisions to help exit the zone, rarely succumbing to the pressure of the forecheck.

In the offensive end, he holds the blueline so well and makes great reads of when to jump up or pinch to keep plays alive. As a passer, he shows poise and patience and is more than just the triggerman we explained above. While his preference is clearly to use his big point shot, he will not force it. The one area of Jiricek’s that I do think needs the most work is his decision making when defending counter attacks in transition. At times he just seems very unsure of what to do. He can be too aggressive when he shouldn’t be. He can be too passive when he needs to be aggressive. I think that this should improve with experience and coaching.

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As stated, the one area of his defense that Jiricek does need to work on is his timing and decision making when defending pace. He can get burned when overcommitting too early or picking the wrong time to be aggressive. This is a great example of that as Jiricek charges the oncoming attacker with all of his momentum, making him susceptible to a quick directional change.

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The previous example showed how his over aggressiveness can hurt him. This example shows the opposite, his indecisiveness. Jiricek does not identify the streaking opponent taking the middle lane and opts to try to shut down the attack early to the outside. Unfortunately, he also does not play him aggressive enough in order to take away his options as a passer, especially since he has the support of his backchecker taking away a possible cut back to the middle. This causes him to leave his defensive partner out to dry.

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But then we have such a positive and aggressive defensive play here. Jiricek makes a great read to jump the breakout pass and the result is a prime scoring opportunity for the Czechs at the World Juniors (before he got hurt from the knee on knee later in that game). The consistency of his decision making must frustrate his coaches and scouts.

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Love this play at the offensive blueline by Jiricek. Head up as he holds the line and makes a quick read and pass to get it to a teammate in the slot, who then makes a great pass to set up the (somewhat weak) goal.

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This is such a good, but subtle play, that points to Jiricek’s strong awareness. He takes the time to shoulder check to see his options, knowing full well that means that he is going to take the hit to help Czechia escape pressure.

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Similar play to the one we showed earlier. Another great read by Jiricek to jump a clearing attempt. He follows that up by making a heck of a pass into the slot. Unfortunately his teammate cannot convert, but the play was terrific.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

I have seen some say that Jiricek is among the most physically aggressive defenders in this draft class. That’s not something I can get on board with. I think there is a lot of room for him to develop a bit more snarl, especially when defending the net front area and when trying to deny entry into his zone. Kind of similar to Lian Bichsel, he is not a huge open ice hitter. He will step up on attackers at the blueline, but it is not a consistent part of his game. Additionally, there are times where he makes himself very difficult to play against along the wall and other times where he does not pin his man quickly enough and they escape pressure.

Obviously as Jiricek grows stronger, the expectation is that he will become more physically dominant. I could certainly see that, and I do think that his physical tools grade out above average in all likelihood. However, I also believe that his game is predicated around quick touches and quick decisions to help prevent the opposition from setting up in the offensive end. And that means Jiricek does not have to be a true physical force. If we are expecting Jiricek to be Radko Gudas or Chris Pronger, that is unrealistic.

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Earlier we discussed Jiricek’s issues with how to defend in transition. Here is an example of a very positive play. He reads the pass early and moves quickly to take away time and space, identifying that a backchecker has the forward driving the middle. Then he finishes his check and helps force a dump in.

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Much like many other parts to his game, Jiricek’s ability to neutralize players along the wall is inconsistent. But, here we see what he is capable of doing on a regular basis. Shows off his mobility to take away space and then pins his man aggressively to take him out of the play. As he gets stronger, he will need to develop the mentality to play this intensely in the defensive end at all times.

Grade: 55

OFP: 55

2022 NHL DRAFT: USA – Rutger McGroarty, C/LW, U.S. NTDP

Zack Szweras — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:46:48 +0000

After making a strong impression in his draft-1 season playing 19 games with the USNTDP U18 team as a 17-year-old, Rutger McGroarty was named team captain of the USNTDP U18 team for this season. The National Team Development Program thought McGroarty was not only a really talented player but a strong leader both on and off the ice, who was respected by all teammates. As Captain, McGroarty had a tremendous season finishing the year with 35 goals and 69 points in just 54 games. McGroarty also led the US team at the U18 tournament this year to a silver medal, finishing the tournament with eight goals in six games. While the US team dominated the majority of the tournament, they fell short in the finals against Sweden, even with McGroarty scoring two goals in that gold-medal game.

McGroarty is one of the most intelligent players in this draft class, with strong offensive and defensive awareness. On top of his intelligence, he is a strong playmaker and goal scorer often finding success near the front of the net. While McGroarty has most of the tools to succeed at the next level, there is a concern that his skating ability won’t be enough for him to unlock his full potential. If he improves on his skating, there is no doubt that he will make an impact at the NHL level as a middle-six all situations winger.

Rutget McGroarty. Photo by Rena Laverty.

Rutger McGroarty	Date of Birth: 2004-03-30
Position: C/LW, Shoots: L	H/W: 6'1", 205lbs
Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	U.S. National U18 Team, (54-35-34-69-26)

Skating

When looking at McGroarty’s skating, this is the area of his game which could use the most improvement. While examining his skating stride, his body is hunched over, his knees barely bend over his ankles, and the extension of his back leg is limited, all of which affects his ability to generate speed and agility. On top of this, his crossovers are another area which need work. In viewings, when he crosses over, he barely puts his front foot over his back foot, which limits the amount of power generated. His poor skating is most noticeable in transition. When McGroarty takes the puck from his own end, he is not always able to get past the defender and ultimately gets stopped, due to his lack of speed and ability to alter angles at which he enters the offensive zone with.

There are times where his skating is not a complete liability in transition and that is usually due to the fact, he is facing teams in the USHL, where it won’t translate to the NHL. He covers for his lack of skating with a combination of puck skills and intelligence for the game. He is aware that his skating is not his greatest strength and has relied on his strong ability to read plays, draw defenders and utilize teammates to mask his skating woes. Overall, the team that drafts McGroarty will be hoping their skating coaches can fix his stride in order to generate more power and speed.

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McGroarty receives the pass in his own end and transitions it to the offensive end. As he makes his way from his end to the neutral zone, he uses crossovers, but doesn’t cross his feet over enough to generate much power. When he comes out of the crossover, he barely extends his back leg, another reason why he does not generate power. Both line mates are able to keep up with him on this possession showing his lack of speed.

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On this breakout he carries the puck through the neutral zone. But because of his lack of speed is stopped by the defender who easily pokes the puck from him then lays the body.

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In this clip, McGroarty is to the left of Isaac Howard. As Howard transitions the puck from his own end into the offensive zone, he is clearly able to generate much more speed than McGroarty, but ends up crossing the blue line at the same time due to being slowed down by a body check.

Grade: 50

Shot

McGroarty’s scoring ability is one of the more underrated attributes of his game. Whether it is a shot from the hash marks or a tip from the crease, McGroarty has a knack for scoring goals. When he is in the offensive zone, McGroarty likes to hover around the front of the net, often battling for position to screen the goalie and clean up any loose rebounds.

When looking at his shot, McGroarty has a quick release and a powerful shot, thanks to his ability to shift weight from his back to front foot. When McGroarty’s line is on the ice, usually paired with Devin Kaplan, they like to cycle the puck, often pulling defenders from their position in front of the net, to help support the player protecting the puck. This is when McGroarty shines, sneaking into position in front of the net to receive a quick pass or rebound off a shot from the half wall. McGroarty uses a combination of physicality and ability to scan the ice and sense where the puck is going next to position himself in a high-danger scoring area.

On the powerplay, McGroarty tends to be positioned at the bumper. This position suits McGroarty well as he is able to tip a shot from the point, receive a one-timer from the half-wall, as well as position himself in the slot for a quick pass from a teammate down low. All in all, McGroarty has been a grade A scorer all season and will continue to find the scoring areas next year playing at Michigan.

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On this play, once McGroarty sees possession is starting to change, he crosses over and books it towards the offensive end. His defenceman makes a stretch pass giving McGroarty a 1-on-1 which he takes down the left side before sending the puck to the back of the net.

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McGroarty enters the zone as the trailing forward. When he sees his defenceman pinching in to save possession he circles to the point to cover for him. After the puck is saved, McGroarty walks to the slot where he receives the puck and rifles it to the net.

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This play is a good example of McGroarty positioning himself in a good shooting lane, loading up while waiting for Cooley to send him the puck. Then when he receives the puck, he slaps it on net for the goal to put them within one in the gold-medal match.

Grade: 55

Skills

While McGroarty finished the season with more goals than assists, his puck skill and playmaking ability are areas of his game which he will need to rely on as he works on making it to the NHL. Although McGroarty isn’t a magician with the puck like some of his teammates (Logan Cooley and Frank Nazar), he has good hands which he uses in combination with his large frame to protect the puck from defenders in tight. When McGroarty is being pressured, he is often able to use his playmaking ability to find an open teammate to advance play. Whether it is his hockey sense, his playmaking skills or a combination of both, McGroarty is able to scan the ice, understand where his teammates are planning on going and send one of many passes (a trajectory pass, saucer pass, cross-seam pass) their direction. He also has above-average puck handling ability to fake the direction he is planning on going as well as deke around a defenceman in tight. His small area skills will be one of the factors that leads him to having success at the NHL level.

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On this play, McGroarty is hovering near the opponent’s blue line, where he recognizes his teammate is grabbing the puck and looking to break out. He receives the stretch pass and bolts for a breakaway chance. He tries a nice deke, but is stopped by Hugo Havelid.

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McGroarty used his active stick to poke the puck free and start a transition. He bursts down the ice receiving possession in the neutral zone. With three defenders closing in on him, McGroarty undresses one to get by him, before getting tripped by the trailing defender, which wasn’t called.

Grade: 55

Smarts

This is the area in which McGroarty excels in; his hockey sense. To start off, McGroarty was named captain of the USNTDP at the start of the season and the US U18 team in part due to his intelligence on and off the ice. Both with and without the puck, McGroarty is constantly scanning the ice reading where play will be next and how he can be in position to advance it. His ability to anticipate play is noticeable, especially in transition. As mentioned in the skating area, McGroarty is aware that his skating is average at best and uses his intelligence and playmaking ability to transition the puck. In many viewings, McGroarty carries the puck through the neutral zone often attempting to draw in the opposing defenders before sending the puck to the teammate with an open lane to exploit.

On top of his ability to anticipate play, McGroarty has shown tremendous offensive and defensive zone awareness, putting himself in the right position in both zones. In the defensive end, he is able to read where the opposition is attempting to move the puck and blocks the lane, usually resulting in turning over possession. In the offensive area, McGroarty has shown his awareness both on and off the puck. When McGroarty is on the puck he uses feints and puck handling to manipulate passing lanes allowing his teammates to be open for scoring chances. When McGroarty doesn’t have the puck, he often is able to sneak into the soft areas of the ice, putting himself in position to either accept a pass, tip the puck in, get a rebound or screen the goaltender. His intelligence alone will be a large reason why NHL teams will covet him.

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McGroarty picks up the puck and breaks out of his own end, skates up the neutral zone and scans the ice for passing lanes. As he reaches the opponent's blueline, he sees the Green Bay forward responsible for covering the boards pinch to the middle, opening up the passing lane for the zone entry, which McGroarty executes.

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McGroarty capitalizes on a fanned shot transitioning the puck from his end into the offensive end. He brings the puck to the left half wall, delays the puck knowing that Lane Hutson was trailing into the offensive zone, quickly passes him the puck, which he fires on net for a goal.

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On the penalty kill, McGroarty is chasing after the loose puck, anticipates the Swedish player sending the puck to the blueline and intercepts it. As he is pressured by the Swedish blueliner, he curls the puck around the defender and slides it up ahead to his teammate for a short-handed breakaway.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

Rutger McGroarty plays a fairly physical game and has benefited from it. Standing at 6’1, 205Ibs, McGroarty has used his frame in both the offensive and defensive ends to impact play. In the offensive end, McGroarty uses his body to protect the puck from defenders in the cycle as well as pressure players in board battles. He is also a force in front of the net, using his physicality to challenge players for inside positioning, often winning and creating scoring chances from it. McGroarty isn’t afraid to lay the body out either, at times finishing off his pursuit of a player with a hard check. His compete level is also a positive in his game; whenever he is on the ice he is giving 100% and never takes a shift off. In the offensive end, he is an incredible forechecker, using his body and stick to pressure the puck carrier, which sometimes results in the puck carrier panicking and turning over the puck. When he turns over the puck he is always rushing back to the defensive end to cover his mistake. Another reason he was named captain of the USNTDP team is for his ability to give his all on the ice and act as a leader for his team.

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On this play, the BU player is attempting to breakout, McGroarty recognizes this, puts his stick in the lane, angling him to send the puck to his teammate, before laying a big hit.

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For this entire clip, McGroarty is stationed in front of the net. He spends most of the 20 seconds battling with a bigger defenceman for inside position. In the end, he gains the position and is in the perfect place to bang at the rebound.

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This clip shows McGroarty’s strong ability to forecheck. He starts this play by using his stick to block the passing lane, then commits to hitting the opposition. After he lays the hit, he sprints up ice to attempt to break up Swedish possession.

Grade: 55

OFP: 53.75

2022 NHL DRAFT: QMJHL – Tristan Luneau, D, Gatineau Olympiques

Eloi Biondo — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 15:15:32 +0000

The expectations were high for Tristan Luneau coming into his draft year. Last season, the 2020 QMJHL Draft first overall pick was viewed by many as an early contender for a top 10 selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Unfortunately, Tristan's off-season development was ruined by a lingering minor knee injury (bothering him since he was 12 years old) that required surgery. As a result, Luneau returned to play at the beginning of this season far from being in his best form, which inevitably reflected on his play and made his draft stock drop within the scouting world.

However, I remain a firm believer in Luneau's potential. The right-handed, 6'2'' rearguard is a smooth-skating defenceman that can lead a rush with his elusiveness and puck skills or defend his zone effectively using his well-developed defensive acumen. I think Luneau possesses the work ethic and determination necessary to overcome the obstacles he has faced in his young career to become an effective middle-pairing NHL defenceman.

Tristan Luneau photo by Jean Lavasseur

Tristan Luneau	Date of Birth: 2004-01-12
Position: D Shoots: R	H / W: 6'2'', 190lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS)	Gatineau Olympiques(63-12-31-43-20)

Skating

The first thing that stands out with Luneau is his mobility. He possesses terrific edges and graceful four-way mobility, allowing him to move around the three zones quickly. Luneau loves to be involved in transitions as he’ll often join the rush or carry the puck himself using crossovers and heel-to-heel moves to make his way deep in the offensive zone to find a passing option for a dangerous chance in the middle. However, the same can not be said about Luneau’s forward and backward skating. His strides can be pretty heavy, and his back is too straight. Those mechanical problems made his speed and acceleration less desirable and left him frequently beaten from the wing by more speedy opponents. Yet, I believe these problems can be fixed quite easily for Luneau. Coming back from his knee surgery, he didn’t have much time to train in the offseason, making his development (especially skating) somewhat stalled. But with now more time to work in the offseason, I am confident that Luneau can improve on that and develop a more efficient stride.

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Luneau’s edges here are on full display. He fakes a shot by shifting his weight, then immediately cuts to the middle with a c-cut, leaving the opposing player thoroughly beaten, giving Luneau a great scoring chance.

Grade: 55

Shot

Luneau is more of a pass-first type of player rather than a shooter. However, he can still generate some decent offensive chances with his shooting. His go-to is mainly low shots from the point; he likes to use quick wristers aiming for the goalies' pads to create rebounds for his teammates. However, Luneau can be a very creative player who can mask his shot intention. He can deceive with his eyes looking to make a pass and then directly shoot it towards the goal. He sometimes shifts his weight on his skates to create shooting lanes and will often activate from the blue line and get lower in the offensive zone to take shots from more dangerous areas. His slapshot can also be a weapon, and he often places himself in one-timers positions. A knock about his shooting would be that sometimes he can shoot a bit without purpose, from non-dangerous positions or just by trying to escape pressure but trapping himself close to the boards leaving him no choice but to take a low danger shot. I still think that paired with his incredible mobility, he has the potential to create offense with his shooting at higher levels.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SHOT-tristan_luneau_-_wrist_shots_-_3rd_period_19_25_-_19_32.mp4

Here is a good example of Luneau's skating ability paired with his shot. He skates around the forechecker using his wonderful edges. With his head always up, he directs the puck towards the net for a teammate to deflect it, resulting in a goal.

Grade: 55

Skills

Luneau may not be the flashiest player, as he plays a relatively simple game, but he has soft hands and can occasionally embarrass defenders with one on one moves. Luneau combines his puck skills with some impressive elusiveness and deception to weave his way through opponents and make controlled zone entries. He is a very confident puck carrier and won’t hesitate to be patient with the puck to find the best options possible. He also possesses great hands in tight and doesn’t get intimidated by pressure. Defensively, Luneau might not be the most aggressive defender on the ice, but he shuts down the opposition with very well-timed poke checks and remains calm when retrieving the puck under pressure. Overall, I think Luneau has the skills to become a decent puck carrier at the NHL level and an option on a team’s power-play.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SKILLS-tristan_luneau_-_3rd_period_20_41_-_20_53.mp4

In this clip, Luneau demonstrates his puck-carrying abilities and his confidence. He can hold on to the puck for prolonged periods and doesn’t lack the skills to do so.

Grade: 55

Smarts

Luneau is also a very intelligent defender. He rarely makes a bad play under pressure and always keeps his head up while carrying the puck. His attention to small details characterizes his game; He won’t be the type to crush opponents like Noah Warren or Maveric Lamoureux, but he’ll angle opponents very well and steal the puck from them using smart poke-checks and well-timed interventions. Tristan can also execute on breakouts like few other defensemen in this draft class; he is a terrific passer and has the confidence and poise to make the right play at the right time or execute on a more complicated play.

He does a good job defending in his zone by breaking down cycles using his physicality and brain to break plays. Luneau’s reliability in all three zones of the ice makes him an easy option on both the power-play; where he fills the role of quarterback and does a fantastic job manipulating time and space at the blue line to distribute well-timed passes for teammates on the half-wall for scoring chances; and the penalty kill, where he is always aware of the play and ready to anticipate passes and clean the crease effectively without succumbing to pressure. Overall, Luneau is already comporting himself like a real pro on the ice, and I do not doubt that NHL teams will love that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2YcmXPUPdU&t=42s

Here is a video demonstrating Luneau’s play and awareness in all three zones.

Grade: 60

Physicality

Luneau is not an overly physical player that throws booming hits all the time, but he uses his decent frame well enough to shield the puck and battle in his slot or the corner for the puck. Being 6’2 and 190 pounds, he is already physically mature. If his coach wants him to be more aggressive physically, it’s not going to be a problem for the Trois-Rivières native, as he’s still proven a couple of times that he's able to deliver big hits when needed.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PHYSICAL-tristan_luneau.mp4

Grade: 55

OFP: 56

2022 NHL DRAFT: FINLAND – Jani Nyman, LW, Koovee (Liiga)

Sam Happi — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 11:55:16 +0000

Jani Nyman is a big, powerful scoring winger who managed slightly more than a point per game across 34 appearances in the Mestis, which is Finland’s second-tier professional game. That profile makes Nyman a near clone of Roby Jarventie, the 33rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and current Ottawa Senators prospect. The parallels between them are all over the place: to add another, both were born towards the end of their draft windows– Nyman, like Jarventie in 2020, won’t turn 18 until after he is drafted into the NHL. Jarventie was commonly perceived as a second-round pick entering his draft, and it appears that Nyman will be drafted in the earlier stages of Day Two as well. Jarventie is tracking reasonably well as a prospect for his draft position, enjoying a solid season as a Liiga rookie in 2020-21 before crossing to North America and tallying 35 points in 70 games as a 19-year-old AHL rookie. Most nineteen-year-olds who record AHL time are just squeezing a few games in after their junior or European season has concluded, so a full season of work with a solid level of offensive output is a strong arrow for Jarventie.

Nyman’s lack of exceptional skill is what will likely keep him from first round consideration, but he has several strengths that play well off each other. The combination of a plus shot, a large frame, and decent instincts tends to be enough to form a solid middle-six scorer and role player, which would be good value for a second-round pick. Nyman could bring some energy on the forecheck, play on the powerplay, and maybe put a few twenty goal seasons together, which makes him the type of player that every NHL team will be searching for in free agency this summer.

Jani Nyman of KOOVEE. Photo by Samuli Huikuri

Jani Nyman Date of Birth: 2004-08-30

Position: LW, Shoots: L H/W: 6'3", 216lbs

Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS) KOOVEE, (34-18-17-35-20)

Skating

Jani Nyman	Date of Birth: 2004-08-30
Position: LW, Shoots: L	H/W: 6'3", 216lbs
Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	KOOVEE, (34-18-17-35-20)

Nyman’s skating reflects his 6’3” frame: he’s reasonably fast once he reaches top speed, can be rather sluggish to get going. As a result, his skating doesn’t feel like something that either improves or detracts from his overall game. He’s able to make plays on the rush when he gets the puck with speed but is less capable when starting from a standstill.

Here’s an example of a situation where he looks quite capable as a skater– when he has some room to build up some speed.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-1-jani_nyman_-_2nd_period_26_34_-_26_46.mp4

And here’s a scenario where it underwhelms. Nyman has a golden opportunity to blow right past this defender, but he is slow to gather speed and so the defender manages to hang around in the play. If the defender takes a better angle, Nyman likely doesn’t even get near the slot in the first place.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-2-jani_nyman_-_2nd_period_26_34_-_26_46.mp4

Nyman does possess an impressive level of agility and body control, which allows him to make some plays when attacking with a bit of speed built up. He can step around defenders and make himself a pretty difficult player to get in the way of. His large frame may have a bit of deterrence value in that process too. Nyman does really well to shrug off the defender on the wall and then cut right past the next opponent in the middle as he slices to the slot here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-3-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_5_40_-_5_52.mp4

Grade: 50

Shot

Nyman is an effective scorer, using his large frame to create opportunities around the net as well as to generate impressive power on his shot. He’s a versatile shooter, able to get shots off in a variety of situations and sustain power and accuracy regardless of the conditions. When he has plenty of time to shoot, often on the powerplay, Nyman will get pretty low to the ground and shoot with a rather pronounced weight transfer, quite literally putting his whole body into the shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-1-jani_nyman_-_2nd_period_11_36_-_11_48.mp4

He doesn’t rely upon that weight transfer though. Like a pitcher switching to the stretch, Nyman is able to shorten his motion and still get plenty of heft on his shot when he doesn’t have the time or space for the full motion.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-2-jani_nyman_-_2nd_period_26_26_-_26_38.mp4

And when he doesn’t have his feet set at all, he can revert to arm strength alone and still get enough to beat goaltenders from around the slot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-3-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_23_6_-_23_18.mp4

Here are two goals of Nyman’s from the same spot on the ice in the same game. For the first, a breakaway, Nyman has time for the weight transfer and simply rips it past the goaltender.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-4-jani_nyman_-_1st_period_4_39_-_4_51.mp4

The second comes in traffic, requiring Nyman to shorten that release and incorporate more a wrist flick action to lift the puck past the goaltender– he gives up a little bit of power, but compensates with deceptiveness.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-5-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_5_44_-_5_56.mp4

Grade: 55

Skills

Nyman isn’t a big on-puck creator; he’s more suited to the sniping power forward archetype. That said, he has a pretty good set of hands and is able to combine that trait with his large body to effectively shield the puck from defenders and drive towards dangerous areas. He does well to absorb/dodge this contact coming down the wing, then drags the puck back to improve his angle and snaps the shot off just before the other defender can slide into the lane, ultimately ringing the crossbar.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-1-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_26_38_-_26_50.mp4

He can dance a little bit against lower-level competition, but this is the type of play that works against Belarus’ U18 squad and not so much against professional competition.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-2-jani_nyman_-_1st_period_1_5_-_1_19.mp4

Realistically, Nyman isn’t a player that has the puck on a string. His hands can be a little choppy, and while he has some decent moves in his arsenal with which to attack defenders, it’s very difficult to beat NHL defenders that way. I think Nyman’s puck skills is probably an aspect of his game that will probably shrink at higher levels, with his frame and scoring remaining the main features. This is probably a more functional example of how Nyman’s puck skills, including his protection ability, will manifest themselves at the NHL level. A quick outside move gives him a small step on the defender, then he does an excellent job shielding it from the defender and starts the cycle.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-3-jani_nyman_-_1st_period_15_53_-_16_5.mp4

A reasonable NHL projection is likely about NHL average. Don’t expect Nyman to dangle anybody, but he should be able to make plays effectively at high speed and could be a difficult player to take the puck away from in the corners.

Grade: 55

Smarts

Nyman has a nice sense for the space around him, able to recognize when a lane to the net is present and take advantage. He walks right into the slot here, collecting an easy goal simply by being opportunistic. NHL defences aren’t immune from letting this type of play occur; Zach Hyman is a player who exploits it. Nyman could be as well.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-1-jani_nyman_-_1st_period_23_54_-_24_6.mp4

Nyman maintains a solid passing eye as a complement to his physical scoring game, passing up opportunities for himself when a teammate is in a better position. He’s not an extraordinarily gifted passer, technically or mentally, but he has a pretty good picture of what lanes are available and is fully capable of hitting an open teammate. This is a nice play as Nyman passes up the one-timer in order to hit a teammate in the slot and force the goaltender to really shift his positioning.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-2-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_26_46_-_26_58.mp4

This is a nice slip pass into space, it’s good to see power forwards like Nyman maintain their awareness with the puck while in proximity to defenders rather than burying their heads and trucking to the net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-3-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_8_24_-_8_36.mp4

Again, a really nice sense of awareness here in a position where you really could not blame him for trying to score himself.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-4-jani_nyman_-_1st_period_21_50_-_22_2.mp4

Grade: 50

Physicality/Compete

Nyman can combine his skating ability with his physicality in order to make sound defensive plays in transitional contexts. He tracks down the puck-carrier and seamlessly separates him from the puck here. His technique in taking away the player’s hands is top-notch; all of the coaches in my minor hockey league career would be impressed.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-1-jani_nyman_-_1st_period_10_38_-_10_50.mp4

Good skating and a large frame are a combination of traits that can make a player quite the menace on the forecheck, and Nyman seems to be trending in that direction. He’s always happy to finish his check, which can affect the mindset of a defenceman trying to start the breakout. The play gets made, but you can see how wary the defender is of Nyman’s presence here– making a play is a secondary priority to ensuring that he isn’t putting himself in a vulnerable position for this opponent.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-2-jani_nyman_-_2nd_period_18_22_-_18_34.mp4

Despite having a body that makes him fully capable, Nyman isn’t delivering any crushing blows out there. His actual ability to deliver a solid hit is lacking, and so Nyman’s intimidation factor transcends his actual physical impact. He seems to have this defenceman lined up pretty well, but ends up turning his back and lunging with only his upper body, delivering what ends up being a muffin of a hit.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-3-jani_nyman_-_2nd_period_3_20_-_3_32.mp4

When he does lower his centre of gravity and manages to connect solidly, he’s a strong enough man to put other strong men on their backsides.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-4-jani_nyman_-_3rd_period_20_53_-_21_5.mp4

Nyman has the potential to be an effective forechecker and an all-around physical menace, a potential which stems from his combination of skating and a 6’3”, well-built frame. He’s certainly strong enough and has the physical mindset necessary to be successful, but his technical hitting ability is currently limiting his actual physical impact. If he can improve at delivering solid contact to the opponents that he targets, Nyman’s physicality could become a real feature to his game.

Grade: 55

OFP: 53

Skating 50; Shot 55; Smarts 50; Skills 55; Physicality/Compete 55

2022 NHL DRAFT: USA – Tyler Duke, D, U.S. NTDP

Sam Happi — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 18:00:20 +0000

Tyler Duke has not been a major point producer on a talented NTDP blueline, but his intelligence in the transition game has made him an important piece of this year’s U18 team. His 5’9” frame is likely to detract from his draft stock, but Duke handles himself very well in physical battles and has no trouble going back to retrieve pucks. His ability to read the forecheck, find space for himself, and break the puck out effectively could make him a useful NHL defenceman, even if he never logs big minutes or handles top opposition. He could become a fixture in the lower half of a team’s top-six defensive corps, roles which are increasingly dedicated to skillful players with transition acumen rather than the physical defenders of years past.

Lane Hutson, a teammate with the NTDP, is an inch shorter than Duke and about thirty pounds lighter but is considerably more of an offensive weapon: Hutson has over a point per game for the U18s this season, compared to Duke’s 16 points in 46 games. Considering their similarity in height, Hutson may serve as a ceiling for Duke’s hopes at the draft. Hutson provides similar transitional skill and increased offensive output, so it seems unlikely that he would be drafted later than his teammate. With Hutson not tracking as a first-round calibre prospect at this point in time, we may not see Duke drafted until the third round or later in June.

Duke’s redeeming factor may just be his physicality, a surprising factor for a 5’9” defenceman. His ability to knock opposing players around in both USHL and NCAA fields has been impressive and provides hope that, despite his frame, Duke could be a very serviceable defender in the NHL. His aggressive neutral zone defence could prove to be an integral part of his overall influence during the minutes that he plays: if Duke can consistently force opponents to dump the puck in against him and then use his intelligence to go back and break that puck out of his zone, he should be able to find a role in the NHL.

Tyler Duke. Photo by Rena Laverty.

Tyler Duke Date of Birth: 2004-07-19

Position: D, Shoots: L H/W: 5'9", 179lbs

Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS) NTDP U18, (46-3-13-16-91)

Skating

Tyler Duke	Date of Birth: 2004-07-19
Position: D, Shoots: L	H/W: 5'9", 179lbs
Stats to Date: (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	NTDP U18, (46-3-13-16-91)

Duke’s skating projects to be fairly average. He’s not a poor skater, by any means, and he has some evasive ability from forecheckers, but his top speed isn’t particularly good, and it limits his ability to separate from backcheckers in the neutral zone. Duke likes to activate offensively and finds himself carrying the puck into the offensive zone quite frequently, but he poses little threat to push defenders back or beat them wide and so he generally looks to move possession to a teammate as soon as he gains the line.

He achieves a bit of separation with his first few steps here, but is unable to sustain it and gets caught by the backchecker.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-1-tyler_duke_-_1st_period_28_31_-_28_43.mp4

This one is an excellent breakout play to create a controlled entry. Duke activates into a supporting location, gets the puck, and manages to enter the zone wide. He doesn’t have the speed to continue down the wall, so he drops the puck back to a teammate.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-2-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_25_28_-_25_40.mp4

And another very similar looking play:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skating-3-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_30_38_-_31_0.mp4

Duke is mobile enough. He’s able to make the initial play, using agility and horizontal movement to wind his way through the neutral zone. He’s fairly effective at generating controlled entries at the USHL level. It is clear, though, that the threat of Duke’s skating does not extend past the entry. He won’t beat defenders wide or skate circles around the offensive zone– he’s just not fast enough.

Grade: 50

Shot

Duke doesn’t have a particularly powerful shot– no real surprise considering his stature. Going back to 2017-18, the most goals he’s scored in a season is five, so he’s not much of a scorer. Duke does deserve credit for how he employs his shot though. He’s mobile on the blueline, able to move laterally to open shooting lanes and eager to take as much space in front of him as the defence will give him. As a result, some of his “point shots” end up being much closer to the ringette line than the blue.

Duke has a nice release too, often dragging the puck into his skates to try to find that little bit of extra deception that can sufficiently compensate for his lack of power. This is a terrific goal: Duke receives a pass, walks it in about as far as he can go, and then shoots out of that stickhandling motion as he sneaks it in far side.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-1-tyler_duke_-_1st_period_29_37_-_29_49.mp4

This release was impressive. He opens up to the pass, receives it, stickhandles once as he moves around the defender, then shoots once the lane opens up.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-2-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_4_40_-_4_52.mp4

Even then, Duke struggles to beat goaltenders cleanly. This is an impressive play, going right into the core of the defending team as he takes as much space as he can, but he still requires a little bit of luck to get this one past the goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shot-3-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_4_40_-_4_52.mp4

Duke won’t score much in the NHL, but he does demonstrate intelligent techniques to maximize the utility of his shot. Additional strength could yield improvements in power, but Duke’s already built quite well for his height.

Grade: 45

Smarts

Duke is an intelligent player who employs his skills very well. We just saw an example of that in how he utilizes his shot, smartly getting as close to the net as he can before shooting to compensate for a lack of power. He carries a similarly thoughtful approach to other elements of his game. He has a strong command of the breakout game, largely due to his ability to read an opposing forecheck. Here, he sees all three forecheckers in the middle of the ice and so he reverses course and exits up the wall.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-1-tyler_duke_-_1st_period_27_46_-_27_58.mp4

Here’s the inverse: Duke recognizes that F1 and F2 are both on the wall, so he exits up the wide-open middle.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-2-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_6_54_-_7_6.mp4

He calmly draws two forecheckers to him, then distributes to his winger. When you can get multiple forecheckers to pursue you, you will more than likely have a very open pass option. Duke finds that option here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-3-tyler_duke_-_2nd_period_6_12_-_6_24.mp4

Duke plays a fast-paced game. A lot of defencemen will be quite stationary as they assess their options, which actually ends up limiting their choices as the forecheck can easily enclose them. Duke gets his feet moving as soon as he receives the puck, forcing the forecheck to respond to a moving puck carrier. Even as the last man with a forechecker on his back, Duke immediately turns up ice and gets the puck moving towards the opposing goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-4-tyler_duke_-_1st_period_13_36_-_13_48.mp4

That high pace creates counter opportunities for his team when the opposition isn’t expecting such a quick turn-around.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Smarts-5-tyler_duke_-_2nd_period_21_40_-_21_52.mp4

Grade: 60

Skills

Duke has a pretty decent set of hands; that is evident from some of the release clips in the shooting section. However, he’s not much of a dangler.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-1-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_4_55_-_5_7.mp4

There are some evasive qualities to Duke’s game though, largely powered by his deceptiveness. It’s not puck moves that he’ll use to beat you, but he’ll employ agile changes of direction, head fakes, and other misdirection to sneak past opposing players. This quick stop-and-turn loses the forechecker.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-2-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_7_44_-_7_56.mp4

This crafty pass-fake allows Duke to just barely squeeze past the defender on the boards, giving him a lane towards the slot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-3-tyler_duke_-_1st_period_20_40_-_20_52.mp4

Just a slight feint towards the middle is enough to put the forechecker on his heels and give Duke a lane on the outside.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Skills-4-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_12_20_-_12_32.mp4

It doesn’t take more than a slight misdirection to lose a forechecker or beat a defender, and that often holds true in the NHL too. With how rush-oriented today’s game is, NHL teams don’t want forecheckers getting caught deep in the offensive zone and so even the slightest fake pass can often be enough to cause a forechecker to sweep right past the defenceman carrying the puck. It’s extremely difficult to find space on the breakout without consistently employing some type of deception to counter forecheckers. Duke uses it well, and will have to continue using it if he wants to find space against bigger forecheckers at higher levels.

Grade: 50

Physicality/Compete

Duke has a surprising physical element to his game, impacting the game significantly more in that category than you would expect given his height. Duke is built quite solid and poses a fair amount of resistance to oncoming puck-carriers, especially in transition. He plays a tight gap through the neutral zone and is more interested in eliminating the puck-carrier from the play than he is in the puck, allowing him to line opponents up along the boards with impressive

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-1-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_18_44_-_18_56.mp4

He recognizes the importance of winning body position in puck battles. Duke seals his opponent into the boards here, earning himself free access to the loose puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-2-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_24_52_-_25_4.mp4

It’s quite impressive for a 5’9” player to be throwing hits like this one.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-3-tyler_duke_-_1st_period_23_5_-_23_17.mp4

This uber-aggressive rush defence mindset is really cool to see: Duke wants to stamp out opposing rush attempts before they get to dangerous areas, and he’s capable of using his body to enforce that strategy.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Physical-4-tyler_duke_-_3rd_period_7_25_-_7_37.mp4

Duke will almost undoubtedly be less active in the physical game at the NHL level, where the size and strength gap between him and the field will only widen. He is already nearly 180 pounds and there’s likely not too much additional weight that can be added without his mobility being affected. Still, the aggressive mindset is there and Duke has demonstrated that he is not one to shy away from a physical confrontation.

Grade: 50

OFP: 52.25

Skating 50; Shot 45; Smarts 60; Skills 50; Physicality/Compete 50