Scouting Report: Liam Gilmartin

Photo Credit: Rena Laverty

Up next for Smaht Scouting’s USHL prospect coverage is USNTDP forward Liam Gilmartin.

Gilmartin was born in Falls Church, Virginia (suburb of Washington D.C.) and played his minor hockey in the AYHL for the Washington Little Caps, up until the 14U ranks. The following seasons saw Gilmartin join renowned prep school Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota for two years (14U and 16U), where he was teammates with Chicago Steel defenseman David Ma, and 2021 Biosteel All-American Game standout, Shai Buium.

Gilmartin took his talents to the USNTDP U17 program in 2019-20, where he racked up ten goals and five assists for 15 points in 48 games. He also added six goals and three assists for nine points in 29 games in USHL play. After a successful first season with the USNTDP, Gilmartin made the jump to the U18’s for this season, where he’s seen his game and point totals really take off. So far this season, Gilmartin has amassed 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 50 games. He’s also added seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 23 games in USHL competition.

For the 2021-22 season, Gilmartin is committed to Providence College, where he’ll join a highly successful Friars program, led by Head Coach Nate Leaman. Gilmartin will look to develop his game much like previous Friars left-wingers Brandon Tanev and Mark Jankowski.


Player Profile

D.O.B – January 7, 2003
Nationality – USA
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height – 6’2″
Weight – 190 lbs
Position – Left Wing/Center
Handedness – Left

Gilmartin’s Style Of Play

Liam Gilmartin is your modern day power forward. He succeeds by using his size and strength to play a physical, yet talented “in-your-face” style of game. He’s a versatile player, and has success in both the offensive and defensive zones. When it comes to the offensive zone, Gilmartin is quite effective with the puck on his stick, and loves to work the puck around the zone.

Quite often watching film of the U18’s this season, Gilmartin has been the start of a beautiful offensive sequence. However, there are 4 other players on that line that also love to snap the puck around, and Gilmartin sometimes doesn’t get rewarded with points for his playmaking ability.

Gilmartin is average in transition, however he has found success using his frame to divert defenders on to his person to generate space for teammates to exploit. I’ll touch a little more on Gilmartin’s transitional game later on in the report.

Defensively, Gilmartin is a force to be reckoned with. He can shut down the opponent’s top line quite often, and punish them with his physical game play. Gilmartin is also a fairly good penalty killer, and can be trusted in every defensive role. He’s seen his penalty kill ice time almost double from last season with the U17’s.

Liam Gilmartin is definitely one of the more underrated prospects suiting up for the USNTDP U18’s. Let’s take a deeper look:

Skating

Gilmartin’s skating is definitely not the highlight of his skillset, but it doesn’t necessarily hinder him, either. He has a good, strong skating stride, and can generate speed and power rather quickly for his size.

Once Gilmartin generates speed, he’s quite a nuisance to stop. His unique combination of size, strength and speed allows him to work his way through the neutral zone and wreak havoc on defenders.

His edgework seems to be around average of draft-eligible prospects on the NDTP, although he isn’t considered as one of the more stronger skaters on the roster.
Gilmartin’s overall skating ability seems to have some kinks to work out, as his mechanics aren’t the most synthesized. That being said, he definitely has the tools in his belt to work on it, and with his never-quit work ethic, Gilmartin is definitely on the right track.

Offense

Gilmartin’s offense is one of the most noticeable improvements in his game, compared to last season with the U17’s. He passes the puck at short and medium range with little difficulty, and has quite a fair bit of success hitting teammates with long, stretch passes. He is also very useful at being that net-front presence on a sustained forecheck, and can capitalize in the crease, using his size and strength to rack up the points. Gilmartin’s shot is also an underrated aspect of his game, one he should look to exploit far more often than he currently is.

Speaking in more general terms, Gilmartin has a nifty set of hands that he can utilize anywhere on the ice, which is somewhat surprising for a 6’2, 190lbs checking-line winger. He’s also an excellent forechecker, and has little trouble chasing down puck-retrieving defensemen and punishing them with a clean body check. Gilmartin also finds success in the offensive zone along the half-wall, and is creative in keeping the puck trapped down low, using pretty much any body part to keep it from exiting the zone.

As mentioned above, he’s seen his point totals increase by almost double from a season ago, and still, there’s good reason to believe there’s untapped potential for even more.
Gilmartin sees the game quite well, and his vision in the offensive zone does not leave much to be desired. The majority of the pieces are there for him to become a true force in the attacking third of the ice, he just has to work on putting them all together.

Defense

Gilmartin’s defensive game can pretty much be summed up in one word: reliable. There aren’t many moments where he’s out of position, and knows his role each and every time he steps foot on the ice.

In watching film on Gilmartin, it’s easy to tell that his defensive zone game is transferrable to an NHL level. He thrives in that shutdown role, a la a James van Riemsdyk. Gilmartin is definitely a carbon copy of the physical, power forward type that has made JVR such a talented forward at the NHL level, and Gilmartin can effectively neutralize opponent’s chances in the defensive zone just like him.

When he’s on the ice, it’s noticeable that he is the hardest working player out there. Teams looking to select a defensive-minded forward who causes them little to no headaches, look no further than Liam Gilmartin.

Improvements

There’s a few aspects of Gilmartin’s all-around game that could use some work. While he exceeds in a checking/defensive shutdown-style role, he does possess a little bit of offensive upside.

As mentioned above, Gilmartin is a good passer of the puck, but sometimes has difficulty receiving passes. For example, he will receive a pass from a teammate that stretches the neutral zone, that takes a deflection off his stick into the corner, rather than taking the pass in stride and setting up an offensive zone chance. It almost seems like a mechanics issue, but it’s something that can definitely be fixed with some skill work and coaching.

The biggest aspect of Gilmartin’s game that could use some TLC, is his effectiveness in transition. That’s not to say he’s bad at it, but his playing style definitely excels more in a dump-and-chase schemed offense. Watching film on Gilmartin, it’s noticeable that with a little more work on his skating, coupled with some slight mechanical adjustments, will allow Gilmartin to be able to effectively execute more controlled zone entries, and should lead to more offensive production, as mentioned above.

Overall Outlook

Overall, Gilmartin is your “blue collar, hard hat, lunch pail” style of forward. Perhaps what makes him such a likeable prospect is the fact USNTDP coach Dan Muse never has to worry about much when he’s on the ice. Gilmartin knows his assignments and knows where to be and what to do basically every shift.

Offensively, Gilmartin’s production is adequate, but there is definitely much more room for improvement, especially if he can put together his game as mentioned above.

Defensively, Gilmartin is counted upon to bring a challenging, shut-down style game, and he doesn’t disappoint. His overall drive to compete should take him a long way when it comes to cracking the professional ranks.

Look for Liam Gilmartin to be selected somewhere in the late second to early third round. There’s bound to be a team or two picking in the latter half of the second round who sees his compete level, consistent defensive zone play, and potential for larger offensive numbers, and takes a chance on him.

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Paul Zuk. If you would like to follow Paul on Twitter, his handle is @paulzuk_81.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Jack Matier

Photo Credit: Val Wutti

Jack Matier is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible defenseman, who hails from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. His father, Mark Matier, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft and played for the 1993 Memorial Cup champion Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Matier’s mother, Stacey Matier and Mark still reside in the Sault Ste. Marie area.

Prior to his time in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Matier played youth hockey for Soo Greyhounds U14 AAA, Soo Thunder U15 AAA and the Soo Thunderbirds U16 AAA. Matier was drafted 21st overall by the Ottawa 67’s in the 2019 OHL Priority Draft and made his OHL debut in 2019. In his first season with the 67’s, he tallied nine points in 56 games played. Throughout the season, his defensive partners shifted around and thus he spent time with Noel Hofenmayer, Alec Bélanger, Kevin Bahl and Merrick Rippon on his left side.

Due to COVID-19, Matier didn’t play in the OHL this year. But, was named to Canada’s U18 roster at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships in Frisco, Texas and Plano, Texas. Matier recorded one point in the tournament. He had recorded an assist when he fired a stretch pass to Shane Wright. Wright was at the blue-line in the neutral zone, collected the pass and scored a snap shot goal from the perimeter.

At this point, the next time that Matier is scheduled to play again is when the 2021-2022 OHL season kicks off. Potentially, we could see Matier play at the PBHH Invitational tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania, but the rosters are not finalized yet.

Player Profile

D.O.B – April 8, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’4
Weight –205 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Right

Matier’s Style Of Play

Before I go through Matier’s play in all three zones and provide color on his skating and decision-making, I want to explain that Matier is a defensive defenseman. He is not a two-way defenseman, but has shown that he is a capable of delivering a breakout pass to key up a rush. In addition, I haven’t seen many offensive defenseman traits in his game. Matier truly shines when defending in the neutral zone and his own zone.

Defense

When in his own zone, Matier displays good positioning. When his defensive partner switches sides with Matier behind the red line, Matier who traditionally plays on the right side, stays to the left side of the net to keep watch incase something comes up and the puck wanders towards the left side of the net.

Ideally, I’d like Matier to be faster on his feet when trying to pick up a loose puck defensive recovery. There have been a few instances in which Matier got beat out by an attacker and he didn’t seem to generate quite a bit of speed to counteract the attacker. Speaking of quickness and explosiveness, you will also see Matier struggle to keep pace when defending a two-on-one attack. When one attacker passes to the other, Matier will have some challenges keeping pace and will have difficulty reacting quickly to the puck movement.

From a gap control perspective, Matier has displayed quality gap control in low danger situations. He will loosen up slightly when defending an attacker who is wrapping the net, but will tighten back up quickly. Matier has shown that he can hold his own and will continue to implement pressure when his opponents attempt to pivot out in an effort to dodge the back-check. In terms of when he tends to tighten, he will tighten up his gap control around the perimeter. When defending the rush, he will look to apply more pressure before the perimeter, but if the attack is running the cycle, he will opt to wait till the perimeter to tighten the gap.

Ultimately, Matier needs to work on following through with his checks. You will notice that he has similar physicality issues that Nikita Chibrikov has. He will go in for a check, but doesn’t follow through with the check. While he does struggle at asserting enough force to shut down the cycle, he will use his upper body strength to put pressure on his opponents’ arms in puck battles which makes it a challenge for puck carriers to retain control of the puck.

Transitional Play

When defending the rush in the neutral zone, he will lower and widen his body to take up as much space as possible and limit the attacker’s puck movement lanes. Matier will use an active stick in the neutral zone to trap his opponent and force him to dump the puck into the defensive zone. In addition, you will also notice that when an attacker isn’t facing Matier’s defensive zone and focused on a teammate who possesses the puck, Matier will skate up when he notices that the attacker will be receiving the puck off of a pass. He skates up to trap the attacker, so that when the attacker turns and heads up ice, Matier is waiting for him and limits the amount of room that the attacker has.

When Matier is in control of the puck in the defensive zone but looking to move the puck up the ice, most of the time he is looking to execute zone exit passes. Matier tends to prefer short zone exit passes, but you will see him complete stretch passes and saucer passes to get the puck moving into the offensive zone. Ideally, I would like Matier to further develop his stretch passes as there are passing attempts which aren’t clean and lead to rolling pucks instead of a smooth tape-to-tape feed.

Matier will also dump the puck into the neutral zone when dealing with a heavy forecheck. While there are instances in which he will dump the puck out when dealing with pressure, he has also shown that when pinned against the boards that he will keep his balance and throw the puck along the boards to his defensive partner if he can’t find a way to get the puck into the neutral zone.

Skating

Skating is an area which needs further development for Matier. Matier isn’t a consistent straight-line skater. There are situations in which his skates aren’t pin-pointed towards his intended destination. His ankle flexion needs some adjustment as well. In my viewings, I didn’t see Matier’s knees sit in line with the toe of his skate when he is in full stride. In addition to the ankle flexion, you will notice that his skate extensions aren’t always synchronized and the left skate will have a longer extension than his right skate.

When looking to accelerate, Matier will use his crossovers to pick up speed. Matier has shown that he can get his feet moving at a quality pace with well-placed lateral crossovers that allow him to catch up to puck carriers. Sometimes, he struggles to generate enough speed, but there are plenty of situations where he does generate the speed that he needs to catch up to the puck.

But, there are situations where he prefers not to use crossovers for acceleration. Those situations pop up when he is looking to skate backwards to combat a rush. Matier will go with two forward stride extensions and then flip backwards to gather enough speed to handle the rush. But, that’s not the ideal technique to gain enough acceleration when skating backwards. Crossovers are your best friend when looking to gain momentum while skating backwards. Taking two forward stride extensions will give you speed, but flipping around afterwards will put you in a vulnerable spot.

From an extension perspective, as I mentioned earlier, I would like Matier to work on a lengthier stride extension when going after loose pucks in the defensive zone.

Stick-Handling

When in control of the puck, Matier will play the puck out in front of him to draw attackers in when he is on pace to complete a controlled zone exit and then will swing the puck to his left to move the puck around the attacker. Also, he deploys good reach when moving the puck towards the net, he will position the puck to the right of the defender, stretch out his stick to avoid the poke-check and the move the puck to the net with ease.

While he does possess good stick-handling traits, he will struggle at times when moving the puck around tight pressure in the neutral zone.

Decision Making

Occasionally, you will see Matier struggle with his decision making. He will attempt break out passes with an attacker right in front of him in the defensive zone. Sometimes he will play the puck from behind his own net into oncoming traffic instead of passing the puck to a forward. There are moments where he will attempt to dump the puck in the neutral zone with the attack bearing down on him and he will dump the puck right to the attacker.

While there are times that Matier struggles with his decision making when in control of the puck, you have to remember that Matier is a defensive defenseman and will need further development with puck control.

Offense

In the offensive zone, Matier possesses good positioning. He will stick to the point, but will pinch up to medium danger if the offensive cycle is behind the red line and multiple teammates are in a puck battle. If he gains control of the puck from the puck battle, he will routinely skate back to the point with the puck and re-group.

If he is the first attacker in the offensive zone with the puck, you can expect him to dump the puck down the boards to set up a dump and chase for his forwards.

As we mentioned earlier, Matier is a defensive defenseman, so he doesn’t net a lot of points, but when he does he will often net assists for himself on re-directed shots.

If Matier’s goal is to evolve into more of two-way defender, he will need to hone in on his offensive development. His shot will need to improve as his accuracy can be a little rusty at times and he will need to work on enhancing his puck distribution.

Projection

Third Pairing Defender/Shut Down Role (NHL)

Matier has proven that he can be reliable defensive defenseman and I could see him being a solid fit on a shut down/third pairing defensive group in the NHL down the road.

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

2021 IIHF U18 World Championship Scouting Reports

Are you gearing up to watch the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships from Frisco, Texas and Plano, Texas? If yes, check out our scouting reports on several 2021 NHL Draft eligibles playing in the tournament. The reports are hyperlinked in the chart below.

Player Nation Position Scout
Brandt Clarke CAN RHD Josh
Simon Edvinsson SWE LHD Alex
Isak Rosén SWE LW/RW Alex
Stanislav Svozil CZE LHD Alex
Fabian Lysell SWE RW Alex
Simon Robertsson SWE RW Alex
Corson Ceulemans CAN RHD Sam
Dylan Guenther CAN LW/RW Josh
Mason McTavish CAN C Josh
Dylan Duke USA C Paul
Anton Olsson SWE LHD Alex
Sasha Pastujov USA LW Paul
Aidan Hreschuk USA LHD Paul
Nikita Chibrikov RUS RW Josh
Prokhor Poltapov RUS RW Josh
Logan Stankoven CAN C Josh
Aleksi Heimosalmi FIN RHD Josh
Fyodor Svechkov RUS W/C Josh
Sean Behrens USA LHD Paul
Brett Harrison CAN C Jordan
Brennan Othmann CAN LW Josh
Samu Tuomaala FIN RW Josh
Francesco Pinelli CAN C Josh
Liam Gilmartin USA LW/C Paul
Jack Matier CAN RHD Josh
Ville Koivunen FIN RW Josh
Dmitri Kuzmin BLR LHD Josh

Scouting Report: Francesco Pinelli

Photo Credit: Terry Wilson / OHL Images

Francesco Pinelli is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect, who hails from Hamilton, Ontario. Pinelli plays for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, but spent this season playing Slovenia for HDD Jesenice since the OHL did not return to play.

Pinelli played youth hockey for the Toronto Red Wings and in the year of his OHL Draft eligibility, he managed to total 114 points (49 goals and 65 assists) in 71 games of GTHL U16 play. His production in the GTHL led to him being selected in the first round of the 2019 OHL Priority Draft by the Kitchener Rangers.

In his OHL debut season (2019-2020), he tallied 18 goals and 23 assists in 59 games played. He had the second highest point totals for a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect in the OHL.

As mentioned above, for this past season, Pinelli played overseas in Slovenia. His parents, Daniela and Frank Pinelli spoke to Emily Kaplan of ESPN on the decision to send their son to Slovenia and mentioned some of the obstacles that Francesco had faced. It’s an excellent read and I highly recommend that you check it out. For Pinelli to travel halfway across the globe to play hockey in a foreign country speaks a lot about his character. He had to get used to living by himself and not knowing one word of Slovenian.

Pinelli was not the only CHLer that played hockey overseas this season. Brandt Clarke, Brett Harrison, Mason McTavish, Brennan Othmann, Chase Stillman, Carson Lambos and Ethan Cardwell all played in Europe this year due to the situation in Canada with COVID-19.

While he didn’t play in that many games in Slovenia, he did record five goals and six assists in 13 games.

Pinelli is part of Canada’s U18 squad for the 2021 U18 World Championships in Plano, Texas and Frisco, Texas. The tournament begins today (April 26th) and lasts through May 6th. He will be part of a stellar forward group that includes Othmann, McTavish, Harrison, Shane Wright (2022 NHL Draft eligible prospect) and Connor Bedard (2023 NHL Draft eligible prospect).

Player Profile

D.O.B – April 11, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’0
Weight –176 lbs
Position – Center
Handedness – Left

Pinelli’s Style Of Play

If you like fun and flashy hockey players, you will appreciate Francesco Pinelli. Pinelli has shown throughout his time with the Kitchener Rangers and HDD Jesenice that he can be a dominant force in all three zones. He is a defensively responsible forward with a quality shot in medium danger.

Stick-Handling

Stick-handling is one attribute of Pinelli’s game that lacks consistency. For instance, we will see Pinelli stick-handle one-handed around an attacker and score a blocker side goal. But, then in some instances, we will see Pinelli struggle to stick-handle around attackers.

While there are a few examples of Pinelli stick-handling one-handed to get around attackers, when he stick-handling in a non-flashy manner we see him struggle. He will have difficulty going from backhand to forehand in an attempt to swing the puck around the defender.

There are also many instances where Pinelli tries to be overly flashy with the puck and that seems to burn him.

Ultimately, consistency is an issue for Pinelli. It’s awesome to see him use his non-dominant hand to stick-handle around opponents, but stick-handling is more than that.

Skating

Pinelli is a straight-line skater and has good ankle flexion. His knees are constantly above his toes when in full stride, which is right where you want them to be. Aside from his ankle flexion, Pinelli gets excellent acceleration from his crossovers and two power strides. It just takes two power extensions for Pinelli to get the speed that he desires. The only slight adjustment that I would want to see Pinelli make is when he is skating from the defensive zone to the offensive zone without stopping. Pinelli will use two power strides in the defensive zone, which generates plenty of acceleration, but he needs to do the same in the offensive zone to keep pace. If Pinelli can adjust how he skates from the defensive zone to the offensive zone, he will be a pain for opponents.

While there are many positives around Pinelli’s skating, there are some areas that need attention. His edges seem to be rather inconsistent. There are moments where you will see Pinelli complete intricate edge work and complete lovely turns. However, there are also moments where you will see Pinelli struggle with his inside edges. You will see Pinelli’s skate toe facing the ice and without the blade to land on, he will fall. In addition, sometimes when trying to complete a tight turn, he will look to utilize his outside edges. Unfortunately, that will sometimes lead to Pinelli losing his balance. Instead, I would like to see him use tight crossovers to facilitate the tight turn.

Offense

Pinelli’s offensive play is where he truly shines. He’s got the ultimate offensive package. On the forecheck, he’s aggressive. You can fully expect him to use the body and lay down some dominant checks along the boards.

Not only will he be aggressive on the forecheck, but he will also play an insurance role at times and wait for the right moment in which his wingers are aggressively looking to secure possession of the puck. When the puck breaks free, Pinelli will jump on it like a hot potato.

He also has an active stick, which can be used to psychologically trap attackers. It’s mind control. By waving his stick, he can deceptively control where the puck goes even though he doesn’t have control of the puck himself. In addition, he will also use his active stick to intercept outlet passes in the offensive zone.

Speaking of deceptive play in the offensive zone, there are multiple instances in which Pinelli will look dead on at the attackers while he is on the move and at the same time complete a lateral pass to a teammate. He will also utilize t-stops on 2-on-1s to fool the defender into thinking that he will be passing to his teammate.

When it comes to creating scoring chances, there is a lot to like about Pinelli. He has proven that he can be a dynamic playmaker as he will find tight lanes to utilize when passing. It reminds me of Mavrik Bourque‘s (Dallas Stars prospect) ability to feather passes through tight lanes. From a shooting perspective, Pinelli is outstanding in medium danger and can fire home wrist shots and snap shots for goals with ease. He loves going blocker side on his wrist shots. Pinelli doesn’t have a big wind-up and he doesn’t need it. His wrists are powerful and he uses that to his advantage consistently.

Defense

When you look at Pinelli’s defensive play, you realize how smart he is at reading situations and adapting on the fly. He will drop back for his out of position defensemen and will pick up defensive recoveries when supervising play in an insurance role. Speaking of defensive recoveries, Pinelli will turn on the jets and pick up acceleration for loose pucks in the defensive zone.

From a positioning perspective, he plays very much like your typical center. He tries to maintain a presence all over the defensive zone. He will maintain a presence along the boards and will use a similar active stick to the one that he uses in the offensive zone to control puck movement. Pinelli will implement quality gap control to keep opponents in low danger and struggling to find open ice. He has also shown that he will drop back behind the red line to lend a hand on the back-check. Additionally, Pinelli has a physical gritty edge (similar to his physical play in the offensive zone) and will lay down body checks at open ice and along the boards.

Decision-Making

While there is a lot to like about Pinelli, sometimes I find myself questioning his decision making. He will misread routes/trajectories that the attacker will be on and he will skate right to the attacker with the puck. As we mentioned before, given some of his issues when stick-handling, skating towards the attacker isn’t the best strategy.

In addition, there are instances in which Pinelli struggles under pressure. He will draw an attacker in and either not pivot out or pass the puck right to the attacker.

With all of this being said, if you watch fellow 2021 NHL Draft eligible, Matthew Beniers, he is quite similar to Pinelli. But, Pinelli doesn’t have the problem solver instincts that Beniers has. I would love for Pinelli to be a problem solver. But, he seems to struggle with identifying solutions to overcome problems that arise.

Transitional Play

Pinelli is incredibly effective in transition. He maintains a good presence in the neutral zone from a defensive transitional standpoint. Pinelli doesn’t play too tight to the boards but keeps a watchful eye on them from center ice. You can also expect Pinelli to utilize his active stick when he is defending in transition. He will play his stick further out to shut down play and secure the puck or to trap attackers on the rush. His active stick is incredible, but what I truly like in Pinelli’s game is his desire to drop back and take over for a defender who was caught up in the upper neutral zone and has left his team vulnerable.

Comparison

A combination of Johnny Gaudreau, Left Wing, Calgary Flames and Joe Pavelski, Center, San Jose Sharks.

If you are fans of Johnny Gaudreau and Joe Pavelski, you will notice that Pinelli possesses a very similar game to both of them. With Gaudreau, you will notice that Pinelli has a similar shot in medium danger situations and sometimes struggles with consistency when it comes to stick-handling and decision-making. When you compare Pinelli to Pavelski, you will see how both forwards have an excellent active stick and can be very deceptive when in control of the puck.

Projection

Top 6 Center, but could potentially be utilized on the wing as well (NHL).

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Samu Tuomaala

Photo Credit: Oulun Kärpät / Iikka Pirttikoski

Samu Tuomaala is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect, who hails from Oulu, Finland. For those who are unfamiliar with Oulu, it’s one of the northernmost cities in Finland and is roughly a two hour drive to the Swedish border.

Tuomaala plays in the Kärpät system and spent the majority of this past season playing U20 hockey for Kärpät’s U20 club. He played with a very talented team which featured Topi Niemelä (Toronto Maple Leafs prospect), Kalle Loponen (Toronto Maple Leafs prospect), Ville Koivunen (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect), Joonas Lohisalo (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect) and Aatu Räty (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect).

He isn’t the only one in his family who is part of the Kärpät organization. Tuomaala’s father, Pasi is an equipment manager for Kärpät U18.

This past season, Tuomaala played in 30 games at the U20 level and recorded 31 points (15 goals and 16 assists). His goal totals were equal to his goal numbers from the 2018-2019 season. In addition to his U20 play, he played in five games at the Liiga level.

Tuomaala participated at the 2021 U18 World Championships in Plano, Texas and Frisco, Texas. He suited up for Finland alongside a great group including Brad Lambert (2022 NHL Draft eligible prospect), Samu Salminen (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect), Aleksi Heimosalmi (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect), Koivunen, Jimi Suomi (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect), Kalle Välsänen (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect), Verner Miettinen (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect) and Oliver Kapanen (2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect). Tuomaala was a key contributor for Finland and was named to the Media All-Star Team.

Player Profile

D.O.B – January 8, 2003
Nationality – Finland
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’10
Weight –165 lbs
Position – Right Wing
Handedness – Right

Tuomaala’s Style Of Play

When you watch Samu Tuomaala, right away you will notice how he will remind you of Carolina Hurricanes forward prospect Noel Gunler. Similar to Gunler, Tuomaala loves to drive the rush and be active in the neutral zone offensively. Both forwards have great shot from range and have shown to occasionally struggle on the forecheck.

While Tuomaala has shown similar traits to his Swedish counterpart, if you watch them side-by-side, you will see that Tuomaala’s defensive play is slightly better.

Defense

In the defensive zone, Tuomaala does a great job of psychologically trapping you. At the blue-line, the Finnish winger widens and lowers his body to take up more space defensively. By doing so, you feel as if you have far less space to work with the puck and often times you find yourself drifting in low danger situations.

From a positioning perspective, Tuomaala does a good job of staying in position. He will shift to a more centered role if and when the puck ends up going to the left side. Tuomaala will shift to the slot and look to prevent passes heading to medium danger.

Tuomaala will use his physicality in the defensive zone but it’s not consistent. When Tuomaala does implement physicality, he tends to assert dominance at the face-off circle hashmarks.

When it comes to defensive recoveries, you will notice that Tuomaala is quite strong at jumping on loose pucks after his teammates have poke-checked or body-checked to cause a takeaway. But, Tuomaala doesn’t often cause the takeaways have himself. Instead he provides insurance and picks up the loose puck for his teammate.

Decision Making

I would like to see better decision making from Tuomaala. There are shifts in which Tuomaala makes bad decisions on breakout passes. He will either fail to identify the ideal teammate to pass to and/or misread the route of his teammate.

His decision making when stick-handling also needs some improvement. For instance, when Tuomaala sees pressure coming at him, he will play the puck towards them instead of shifting the puck away from the opposition. Instead of being deceptive with the puck and drawing the attacker to one side in order to open up space, he draws the attacker in and if your stick-handling isn’t strong enough it will then lead to a takeaway.

Offense

Offensively, Tuomaala reminds me quite a bit of former Montréal Canadiens forward Michael Ryder. Like Ryder, Tuomaala has excellent shooting range especially on one-timers and looks to be physical down low in the corners. In addition, they both like an a nuisance at net-front especially when there is one forward behind the red line. Ryder and Tuomaala both have the drive to crash the net and find the smallest gaps in traffic for their teammates to pass through.

While he likes to be physical in low danger, they are far from explosive and powerful checks. They are light bodychecks. But, his physical issues aren’t the only thing that Tuomaala needs to work on from forecheck perspective. I’ve read quite a few reports that indicate that Tuomaala has blistering speed and I question that. If Tuomaala truly had blistering speed, he would be a lot faster on the forecheck. It’s clear that he wants to be more aggressive on the forecheck as he wants to exert physical play, but his speed is truly holding him back. For example, I’ve seen bodychecks from Tuomaala where he clearly didn’t possess the necessary speed to complete the check and he instead took a face-plant.

As I mentioned above, Tuomaala has shown excellent range with his shot. In the screenshot below from InStat Hockey, you will see that the majority of his goals have come in medium and low danger. Tuomaala has a wide tool-belt of shots from beyond the doorstep. He has proven that he can get quality distance on his wrist, snap and slap shots from range.

Screenshot from InStat Hockey

Tuomaala is a far better shooter than he is a playmaker. But, we have seen episodes that show that he is capable of setting up electric scoring chances. For example, I’ve seen Tuomaala shift from left to right in the neutral zone, complete a controlled zone entry, wrap the net and then complete a centered pass on the left side of the ice to the right side for an assist. Ultimately, I would like to see more consistency with Tuomaala’s play-making ability.

Transitional Play

Tuomaala’s defensive transitional play is solid. Similarly to his play in the defensive zone, he will play more at center ice if the his opponents are in possession of the puck along the left side. In addition, he seems very persistent at getting to the blue-line in order to widen/lower his stance in an effort to limit puck movement.

From an offensive transitional perspective, Tuomaala was far less involved transitionally in his five games at the Liiga level versus playing U20 hockey. When playing in U20 games, I noticed that Tuomaala will attempt to force the puck into well defended areas off of zone entries. For instance, there was one controlled zone entry in which he pulled along four attackers with him. At that point, there was not much that Tuomaala could do except dump the puck. Ultimately, I would like for Tuomaala to either be more deceptive with the puck in transition or button hook to shake off some of the attackers. Also, I noted earlier that Tuomaala does struggle to complete breakout/zone exit passes. Tuomaala will need to really hone in on his decision making when it comes to transitional play.

Skating

As mentioned earlier, Tuomaala struggles with speed and it’s quite evident on the forecheck. He doesn’t generate much explosiveness on his stride. Occasionally, we will see a power stride for the first couple of steps, but it is far from consistent.

While we do see Tuomaala struggle with acceleration, we need to point out that Tuomaala does got solid acceleration on his crossovers. His crossovers are tightly placed and thus it allows him to use inside edges to complete tight turns and ultimately get some speed right off of the hop. But, the speed isn’t consistent because he doesn’t possess a power stride.

Stick-Handling

We’ve talked quite a bit about Tuomaala’s struggles with stick-handling. Tuomaala seems to stick-handle with ease only when he isn’t facing tight pressure or when the defender struggles to read what Tuomaala intends to do with the puck. Below is an example of a situation where the defender just didn’t have a good read on Tuomaala and let him puck-handle around him.

But, in most cases, we see Tuomaala struggle to move the puck around the last defender when on the rush. He isn’t a deceptive stick-handler. So, don’t expect a Matthew Beniers like stick-handler. Additionally, he struggles at realizing how far out he has to stick-handle to beat the defender. There are situations in which he will attempt to go from forehand to backhand, but the puck never gets to his backhand. Instead, the puck gets intercepted by the defender’s skate.

If Tuomaala can truly hone in on his stick-handling, he will a reliable second line/third line winger in the NHL.

Comparison

Michael Ryder, Right Wing, Former NHLer (Played for the Montréal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils)

Projection

Third line winger with second line upside. (NHL)

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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Scouting Report: Brett Harrison

Photo Credit: Ian Goodall/Goodall Media Inc

Brett Harrison is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect from London, Ontario. He was drafted 16th overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection by the Oshawa Generals. He entered this season high on watch lists after a successful rookie season with Oshawa posting 21 goals and 16 assists in 58 games. Surpassing 20 goals as a rookie is a notable feat in the OHL. In 2019-20, only two other players shared that milestone: top 2021 NHL draft prospect Mason McTavish of the Peterborough Petes and exceptional status grantee Shane Wright (2022) of the Kingston Frontenacs.

Similar to fellow 2021 draft-eligible OHLers Brandt Clarke, Mason McTavish, Daniil Chayka, Brennan Othmann, Francesco Pinelli, Logan Mailloux, and Francesco Arcuri, Brett was among the few players who were fortunate enough to find a temporary home in Europe while the OHL season was suspended. In January, Harrison was loaned to KOOVEE in the Mestis based out of Tampere, Finland. He spent most of his time with their U20 club, which has been struggling to compete in the U20 SM-Sarja, winning only 10 of 32 games over the past two seasons. Although Brett joined a weaker team than he was used to in Oshawa, the opportunity to play hockey, after what was likely the longest pause in his career, would have been an extremely positive experience for a young player trying to showcase his talents for the 2021 NHL draft.

Player Profile

D.O.B – June 7, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’2
Weight –188 lbs
Position – Center
Handedness – Left

Harrison’s Style of Play

If you were to watch a Brett Harrison highlight reel, by the end of it, you would start to feel like you were experiencing déjà vu. His goals all follow a similar script that includes Brett in front of the net, getting a small amount of separation from defenders, and scoring with a tip, rebound, or one-timer. Brett’s offensive contributions rely on his superb ability to find open space around the net. He uses his size to battle for position in front of the net, and he consistently puts himself in favorable positions to gain an advantage on defenders. He is always hovering around the slot, looking to find a hole to give him that split second he needs to receive a pass and find the back of the net. 

The screenshots below from InStat Hockey illustrate perfectly what Brett Harrison’s playstyle offers: goals from around the net. Not only is that where he scores from, but he also rarely misses opportunities when handed them, converting on 70% of his shots from the home plate area of the ice. 

Screenshot from InStat Hockey

His style of play thrives in the North American game that focuses more on the dump and chase and operates from low in the zone. He isn’t overly physical, but Brett is an aggressive forechecker who consistently applies the first line of pressure to defenders. His relentless forecheck can be a nightmare for the opposition trying to retrieve pucks and break out of their zone. Brett works well off the cycle, using his size to protect pucks along the boards and then rotates into space in front of the net from where he is most effective. In addition to the net-front play and persistent forecheck,  Harrison has showcased that he has a set of hands that he applies practically around the net to beat goaltenders.

He has a solid shot and has shown that he can beat goaltenders from outside high danger, but he rarely is seen taking shots from the perimeter. His style of play, which prospers from in tight, doesn’t necessarily need a lethal shot to pay dividends to his team. However, to become an all-around offensive threat, especially off the rush, an improved shot is necessary. 

Transition

In Oshawa, he had a limited role in offensive transitions and was used as a target man down ice, pulling defenders to create space for his linemates to enter the zone. That tendency resurfaced in Finland. Brett would be seen stationary at the opposing blue line waiting for his team to transition into the zone, which isn’t an effective way to assist in controlling play through the neutral zone. On occasion, he showed he could enter the zone with possession and move the puck to a teammate in a better position for a scoring chance. Still, it wasn’t a frequent occurrence as often he defaulted to attempting a low percentage pass through traffic that led to a transition the other direction. Additionally, he has a habit of turning his back to the puck carrier and taking routes that don’t put him in prime positioning to be a logical passing option on offensive transitions. 

He would frequently receive breakout passes on the wall, and his first instinct is to look for a stretch pass to his winger counterpart. The passes were mainly on the mark, but when his passing options were closed down, he was caught flat-footed with the puck and would force the pass into lanes that were occupied by the opposition. If he can focus on receiving the outlet pass in motion or taking a few strides before thinking pass, he would be better positioned to carry the puck when space is given to him in the neutral zone. 

In defensive transition sequences, Harrison was not effective. He was normally found stationary, waiting for the play to come to him, and would attempt a play on the puck from a standstill. To better suppress transitions, Brett will need to focus on containing and angling opposition to the boards, but to do so, he will need to be in motion.

Finally, when fulfilling the defensive responsibilities of a center, Brett did not have the foot speed to catch up to his linemates and get involved in the rush, further limiting his transition involvement. This is one of the main reasons why I came away thinking he likely projects as a winger long-term. Of course, the foot speed can always improve, but as-is, he seems best suited as a winger.

Skating

It would be inaccurate to describe Harrison as being a strong and efficient skater. He has a wider stance, is bent slightly forward, and has what is normally referred to as “heavy feet”. Once he gets to his top speed, he can keep up but lacks the acceleration to generate separation. Brett also struggles with lateral movements and maintaining his speed through turns, which results in him rarely being at his top speed. Harrison also doesn’t do himself any favors in the skating department, as he is routinely found stationary off the puck. The silver lining here is that when comparing his skating from a year ago to today, you can see that there has been a noteworthy progression. His stance is less forward flexed, and he is getting much closer to that desirable full extension through his knees and hips. Brett’s continued skating improvements will be mandatory for him to succeed as he advances to higher levels of hockey.

On skating, I’d like to add that you can make up for not having the quickest feet with strong positioning and decision-making. A quicker player is granted more leeway on their positional play as they can recover swiftly from the occasional misstep. Brett currently does not have that luxury. Overall his positional play was acceptable, but he will need to be more conscious of his location on the ice to avoid perpetually trailing the puck. In multiple instances, Brett was caught overcommitting on forechecks, which resulted in him being behind the play and unable to recover and support his team in defensive transitions. These small errors paired with slower feet resulted in many shifts where Brett was the last man back into his own zone after a questionable decision to apply pressure when the chance of retrieval was low. 

Defense

Harrison is a player who you can never question his effort and engagement levels, which is especially true in the defensive zone. He’s always actively looking for a man to mark, a stick to tie up, or a passing lane to take away. He drops down low into the slot to help protect the dangerous area in front of his net. One small tweak I’d like to see him make in his own zone is containing the puck carrier at the point better. He tends to attack the man head-on and is easily beat by an agile skater with a head fake.

The main deficiency in his defensive game has been highlighted above. He is usually the last man back into his defensive zone or not involved in suppressing transitions. This is mainly because he sets up so far down low in the zone every shift and has much more ice to travel to get back on defense. He will need to be more aware of his positioning to put himself in better positions to defend but, considering how effective he is around the net, this is likely a trade-off his coaches and teams are willing to make. Overall, on both the wing and at center, Brett has shown that he can be a positive contributor defensively.

Projection

The selling point of Brett Harrison is obvious; he has a talent for scoring goals. On top of the goal-scoring, he adds forechecking presence that is a desirable component to a successful line. However, there are valid concerns with his skating and his play away from the puck, but from the small sample of his game in Finland, it appears that those two areas have progressed nicely. If he continues to improve on the key weaknesses in his game and is paired with play driving linemates, a complimentary middle-six winger with net front utility on the power play is definitely within reach for this 2021 draft-eligible prospect.

Comparison

Jimmy Hayes, Right Wing, retired (Chicago, Florida, Boston, New Jersey)

Hayes was best known for his hands and his play around the net, which is exactly what you’re getting with Harrison. He was mainly deployed on the wing but did provide the flexibility to also fill in at center. Like Brett, Jimmy did not use his size to be a physical presence but used it to gain an advantage on defenders in the dirty areas. Neither are efficient skaters and have similar wide-stance skating styles, which is the final piece to making Jimmy Hayes a fitting comparison.

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Jordan Malette. If you would like to follow Jordan on Twitter, his handle is @jordanmalette.

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Scouting Report: Brennan Othmann

Photo Credit: Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Brennan Othmann is a 2021 NHL Draft prospect, who hails from Scarborough, Ontario. Othmann is the son of Gery Othmann, who played Swiss hockey for over ten years with multiple teams including HC Thurgau and EHC Basel. His uncle, Robert Othmann played in Switzerland as well and spent the bulk of his time with EHC Burgdorf, EHC Zunzgen-Sissach and EHC Olten.

Othmann is a dual citizen. He holds Swiss citizenship as well as Canadian citizenship, but has represented Canada in international play. In fact, he is on Canada’s U18 roster for the U18 World Championships that begin on April 26th in Frisco, Texas and Plano, Texas (just due north of Dallas).

Othmann played youth hockey in the GTHL with the Don Mills Flyers. In his 2018-2019 season, Othmann led the GTHL U16 players in goals, assists and total points. He averaged 2.03 points per games. Not only did he lead the league in points, but he had 30 points more than Francesco Pinelli (2nd in points) and Brandt Clarke (3rd in points). After his incredible season in the GTHL, he was selected second overall by the Flint Firebirds in the 2019 OHL Priority Draft. He likely would have been selected number one in the draft, but Shane Wright who was awarded CHL exceptional player status, went number one to the Kingston Frontenacs.

Othmann made his OHL debut in 2019-2020 and recorded 33 points (17 goals and 16 assists) in 55 games. His performance led to him being named to the 2019-2020 OHL All-Rookie team which also included Wright, Clarke, Chase Stillman (2021 eligible prospect), Ruben Rafkin (2021 eligible prospect, over-ager) and Brett Brochu (2021 eligible prospect, over-ager).

This season, Othmann ended up playing hockey in Switzerland since the OHL did not return to play. He appeared in 34 games and tallied 16 points (seven goals and nine assists). Othmann was not the only 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect who ended up in Olten. Mason McTavish of the Peterborough Petes, also owns a Swiss players license and ended up joining Othmann for 13 games.

After his stint with EHC Olten concluded, he joined Team Canada for the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships in Plano, Texas and Frisco, Texas. In seven games, Othmann recorded three goals and three assists.

Player Profile

D.O.B – January 5, 2003
Nationality – Canada/Switzerland
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’11
Weight –165 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Left

Othmann’s Style Of Play

Normally, I don’t jump to comparables right off the bat in my reports, but with Othmann, it’s slightly different. The Dallas Stars have been stacking up a youthful core of offensive talent in their system. Through the past few drafts, they have selected prospects like Mavrik Bourque, Yevgeni Oksentyuk, Ty Dellandrea and Daniel Ljungman. Two of the prospects mentioned played for the OHL’s Flint Firebirds. In addition to Dellandrea and Oksentyuk, they also draft Nicholas Caamano in the 2016 NHL Draft and Caamano is also a former Firebird.

With that being said, when I watched Othmann in anticipation of writing this report, I noticed just how much he reminded of former Dallas Stars winger Brenden Morrow. Morrow was not the biggest skater on the ice, but he was a strong-willed power forward that had a knack for always finding the right spot in the offensive zone.

In addition, I realized that the Stars could theoretically re-create the magic that they had in the late 2000s with Morrow and Mike Ribeiro. The way that Bourque can fire passes in such tight lanes just reminds me of how outstanding Ribeiro was with puck distribution.

While it might seem as if I really want the Stars to draft Othmann, there are many teams that could draft Othmann and develop him into their own Morrow in due time. There are many teams who could pair him with an elite playmaker. But, given the Stars’ draft history, I wanted to explain that it would be an interesting fit as the Firebirds have been on Dallas’ radar.

Puck Control/Stick-Handling

When it comes to puck control and stick-handling, Othmann has some development to do. Othmann will sometimes struggle to gain possession of the puck off of a pass. He tends to lose control of the puck immediately. This situation tends to arise when Othmann is not being presented with a traditional tape-to-tape feed.

Stick-handling alone is very much a developmental need for Othmann and it’s extremely evident when you watch Othmann on the rush and/or completing a controlled zone entry. Othmann can swing around the defender when the defender’s gap control isn’t well-rounded. But, when it comes to facing tough defensive competition, he struggles to be a deceptive puck mover and has challenges when attempting to swing the puck around the defender. Othmann has shown that he can rebound from stick-handling complications, but he will need to beef up his stick-handling to excel at the next level. He doesn’t need to be deceptive to be a strong stick-handler. Instead, his reachability needs to improve to fend off the attack and swerve the puck around the attacker.

Sometimes to avoid struggling to puck handle around defenders, he will look to dump and chase. He will use his upper body strength to beat the defender to the puck like in the clip below.

Offense

As I mentioned above, Othmann does an excellent job at finding open ice to exploit. It’s not just open ice down low in the slot. Othmann has shown that he can find open ice in low danger situations as well. But, he will also go down low when teammates are beyond the red line in low danger and identify spots in high and medium danger for them to thread passes to.

Once he finds an opening for his teammate(s) to pass to, he has proven that he silky smooth hands that pave the way for dynamic shooting ability. His hands are as smooth as butter. His shot is swift and accurate. Othmann has scored highlight goal after highlight goal and it’s a complete mixed bag when it comes down to how he put the puck in the back of the net. He will deliver five hole goals at net-front, one-timer net-front goals, silky wrist shots from range and more. Othmann constantly proves that he has one of the best shots in the 2021 NHL Draft class. Now, it doesn’t beat Dylan Guenther, Mason McTavish, Samu Tuomaala, Simon Robertsson or Chaz Lucius‘ shooting ability, but it is still one of the best.

From a passing perspective, Othmann will face challenges with his wind-up. There are situations where Othmann puts too much force into his wind-up and it makes his passes incredibly difficult to receive. Yet, he has shown that the can deliver smooth tape-to-tape feeds and well-placed centered passes to the slot from low danger to key up goals. In addition, if he needs a fail safe when struggling to stick-handle around defenders, he has shown that he can complete deceptive behind the back passes in 2-on-2 situations.

Skating

Othmann’s skating needs further development.

On a positive note, he has strong ankle flexion. Every extension and every recovery is identical and well-timed with Othmann’s knee resting above his toes. Strong ankle flexion allows Othmann to be more mobile in stride.

Aside from his ankle flexion, Othmann has shown during gameplay that there are a few issues that he needs to overcome. He has a “heavy foot stride” and that will slow him down when he is utilizing a power stride to pick up acceleration. In stride, you will also notice that there are many instances in which Othmann struggles to complete a full skate recovery.

In addition, his edges and stopping ability need improvement. Othmann will struggle to keep his balance when deploying inside edges and his edges will hurt his adaptability on the forecheck. His edges aren’t always smooth and if the attacker keeps his feet moving, it becomes a challenge for Othmann. Also, his stopping ability needs to become crisper and he can not rely on a wide glide stop consistently at the NHL level. For instance, sometimes you will see Othmann use a “pizza”, which is what most skating and skiing instructors refer to as a wide glide stop. Unfortunately, it’s a slow way to stop especially if you are skating at full speed. If Othmann is in the offensive zone and he is skating to open ice in anticipation of a one-timer scoring chance, he should look to use rotate his skates and implement crisp edges to stop the glide.

Transitional Play

In transition, when in control of the puck, Othmann has shown that he will utilize both hands and constantly shift the puck from forehand to backhand. Since his isn’t a strong stick-handler, shifting the puck back and forth with both hands is his go-to when on the rush.

Othmann has proven that he will not force the puck into well-defended situations. He is extremely conservative with the puck and will button-hook to drop back. By button-hooking and dropping back, he can re-group and identify a teammate with open ice to deliver a zone exit pass to.

From a defensive transitional perspective, Othmann seems to struggle to keep pace and has to chase the puck instead of playing preventive defense in the neutral zone. With that being said, he will attempt to stick-lift and poke-check to make up for being late when defending the rush.

Defense

In the defensive zone, Othmann has shown that he can be an efficient defender. In low danger situations, he will play the body of the puck carrier and looks to exert dominance/upper body strength to force the carrier to lose possession of the puck at the moment of impact.

From a positioning standpoint, he will defend the point well and sits up at the perimeter. But, he will adjust on the fly and the depends on the situation down low. If the puck is down low at net front or behind the net, Othmann will drop down to the hash marks in the faceoff circle to lend a hand and attempt to force the cycle to stay along the boards in low danger. Othmann will drop to his knees to block shots in more vulnerable scenarios.

Comparison

Brenden Morrow, Left Wing, Former NHLer (Played for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and the St. Louis Blues)

Projection

Top 6 Winger (NHL)

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.

Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!

Scouting Report: Sean Behrens

Photo Credit: Rena Laverty

Sean Behrens is an offensive defenseman currently lacing up the skates for the USNTDP U18 squad in Plymouth, Michigan. Behrens grew up in Barrington, Illinois and played his youth hockey for Chicago Mission in the HPHL. During his 13U and 14U seasons for the Mission, he was a childhood teammate of fellow USNTDP forward Jack Devine (2022 NHL Draft eligible prospect).

Behrens joined the U17’s in the 2019-20 season, and had instant success. He tallied six goals and 31 assists for 37 points in 45 games played. Also, he saw a handful of games with the U18’s as well, scoring one goal and adding two helpers for three points in six games. This season, Behrens made the jump to the U18’s full time, and so far this season, he’s racked up six goals and 25 assists for 31 points in 39 games played. In Behrens’ two seasons with the USNTDP, he’s also collected nine goals and 30 assists for 39 points in 54 games played in USHL competition.

On April 17th, Behrens was named an Assistant Captain for the upcoming IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championships which are slated to take place April 26th-May 6th in Frisco, Texas. Look for Behrens, Aidan Hreschuk, Red Savage and several of their USNTDP teammates to showcase their talents at one of the highest levels for draft-eligible prospects in the world.

For the 2022-23 season, Behrens has committed to the University of Denver, joining his lifelong teammate and friend, Jack Devine, in Colorado. Under the watchful eye of Head Coach David Carle, Behrens will hope to continue the trend of strong Pioneer squads in recent seasons, and strive to earn a NCAA National Championship much like the 16-17 Pioneer squad that featured talents such as Troy Terry, Henrik Borgström and former Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher.

Player Profile

D.O.B – March 31, 2003
Nationality – USA
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’9
Weight –174 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Behrens’ Style Of Play

Sean Behrens is your modern-day offensive defenseman. Although he’s undersized in some scouts eyes (5’9″), he certainly makes up for it with his amazing on-ice awareness, his hockey IQ, and willingness to play a much larger role physically than his frame shows. On top of that, Behrens is also really good in transition. He uses an impressive combination of speed, skill, and intelligence to elude defenders and set up teammates with scoring chances several times each game.

Defensively, Behrens is right on par with his other draft eligible NDTP teammates. He’s more than capable making excellent stretch passes to split the opposing team’s defense, and can separate attackers from the puck along the boards with ease.

Behrens is also quite talented at quarterbacking the power-play for the U18’s, as he’s shown all season. He has little issue taking a shot from just about any location in the offensive zone, but is more inclined to seek out one of his teammates with a perfectly placed pass.

Behrens’ hockey IQ is also ridiculously good. He thinks the game so well and is rarely caught with his head down. He can spring teammates with some pretty incredible passes, and always seems to be one step ahead of defenders when moving the puck up ice.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at some aspects of Sean Behrens game:

Skating

Behrens has one of the nicer skating strides among 2021 Draft eligible offensive defensemen. He’s able to generate a surprising amount of speed in a short section of ice, and has the capability to go end-to-end, weaving through opponents. Behrens also has a unique talent of using crossovers in the neutral zone to generate deception in opponents’ eyes.

In watching film on Behrens, his skating is arguably his best attribute. The way he can fly through the neutral zone in only a couple of strides, and draw defenders to him is a telling example of how much opponents respect his game. Behrens edge work is also very good, and his overall foot speed is a joy to watch.

When challenged, Behrens is also quite talented at shaking off defenders by utilizing his edge work and agility to make quick, sudden moves to break free from pressure. Once free, he can use some of his explosiveness to burst up ice and create an odd-man rush.

Offense

On a team loaded with high-end offensive talent, Behrens has been a bright spot this season for the U18’s. He sees a ton of ice time with the top scorers on both forward and defense, and the offense seems to flow through him as the break out. Behrens is an absolute machine in transition as mentioned above, and can regularly draw 2-3 defenders to his person as he executes controlled zone entries. That ability to tie up as many defenders while entering the offensive zone leaves the other playmakers on the U18’s ample space to set up for a potential pass, of which Behrens is also quite talented at executing.

While in the offensive zone, Behrens will take any and every opportunity to keep the play in the zone, allowing the U18’s to maximize their offensive abilities. He’s frequently pinching down off the point, and can do a variety of things once there, which makes his game so versatile. Behrens is also able to wheel the puck pretty much anywhere in the offensive zone with ease, and is prone to firing off a shot or delivering a beauty of a pass from any location.

From a points aspect, Behrens is a set-up genius. In 39 GP this season for the U18’s, he’s racked up 25 helpers. He has a pretty much even distribution of primary and secondary assists, which attests to his ability of thinking the game well and seeming to be a step ahead of opponents.

The only downside to being so offensive-minded, however, is Behrens can get caught while down deep in the offensive zone, leaving his team open for odd-man rushes. That being said, Behrens has little to no issue making up ground fast, with his above-average skating.

Defense

Speaking in terms of defense, Behrens is pretty much on par with most top-50 Draft Eligible defenseman. He’s able to execute breakouts with an exceptional focus on delivering a great pass. As mentioned above, he excels at long-range passing from his own zone.

Perhaps the most likeable trait to Behrens’ defensive game, is the fact he plays like he’s 6’4, when he’s 5’9. He’s shown this sense of physicality when defending the net front, and when he’s playing in the corners that is so amazing to watch. Behrens also excels at forcing defenders out wide when breaking into their zone, and certainly isn’t afraid of laying the body:

Behrens also possesses a very active stick when defending in his own zone, and especially when he’s killing a penalty. He’s able to utilize that trait and disrupt play quite effectively, as he sees a little over two minutes of PK time per game.

Perhaps the only drawback to Behrens defensive play, is he sometimes has lapses in judgement in the defensive zone that lead to simple mistakes and turnovers. For example, he will chase an opponent all around the defensive zone, tiring himself out and leaving him out of position, when he could simply switch off the attacker to a teammate and cover elsewhere.

Improvements

Like many of the players that rise through the ranks for the USNTDP, Behrens has a well-rounded game. That being said, there isn’t really any prospects in this draft that don’t have things to work on in their game. Behrens is no exception to that.

In watching film on Behrens, it’s noticeable he has a powerful, somewhat-accurate shot. He could definitely look to work on his shooting accuracy, especially when it comes to close-range shooting and one-timers. Behrens could also benefit from working on his puck control a little, but it’s still a net positive aspect of his game. He sometimes struggles with having the puck roll off his stick as he’s about to shoot, which could also be drawn up to bad luck.

All in all, if Behrens can fine tune some aspects of his game, there’s real promise for the player to develop into an everyday NHL defenseman.

Overall Outlook

Behrens is without a doubt a solid offensive defenseman prospect. There’s countless things to like about his game, both offensively and defensively. Behrens may benefit the best from landing with a team who views him as the perfect fit for a larger, more defensive minded partner. That potential pairing will allow Behrens to utilize his offensive abilities without hesitation. However, there are of course a few areas of his game which could use some work, if he’s to develop into a top-4 NHL defenseman at some point down the road.

As things sit now, Behrens was ranked at #57 in Bob McKenzie’s April Draft Rankings, but there’s a chance he could be selected pretty much anywhere within the second round. If a team really likes his skillset, and is willing to let him develop a few seasons in the NCAA and potentially the AHL, there’s reason to believe he could be selected early on in the second round.

Comparison

Charlie McAvoy, RHD, Boston Bruins (NHL)

In watching film of Behrens, his game translates in many of the ways that Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy’s did in his draft year (2016). Although McAvoy stands a little taller at an even 6 feet, both players have a similar style of play.

In terms of career path, Behrens and McAvoy have an eerily similar background. Both players were members of the USNTDP U17 and U18 teams. They also both represented the USA in World Championships at the U17 and U18 levels. With Behrens attending the University of Denver in the coming seasons, both players will have competed at the NCAA level as well.

In terms of production and play style, both Behrens and McAvoy are excellent skaters and possess a high hockey IQ. They are both capable of being assist machines, and can log a large amount of ice time in relatively any situation.

If the team which selects Behrens with one of their draft picks can continue to develop him at a high level, there’s a good chance they’ll be happy with their selection, and should have him in their defensive rotation for seasons to come.

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Paul Zuk. If you would like to follow Paul on Twitter, his handle is @paulzuk_81.

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Scouting Report: Simon Robertsson

Photo Credit: Idrottsfoto

For NHL fans of a certain age the name “Robertsson” might ring some bells. That is because Simon Robertsson will not be the first person in his family to play in the world’s best league. His father Bert suited up 123 times for Vancouver, Edmonton and the Rangers in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. But while Bert – a limited blue-liner – never really stood-out even at the SHL level, Simon has the skills to get fans out of their seats.

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 5, 2003
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’0
Weight –190 lbs
Position – Right Wing
Handedness – Left

Robertsson’s Style Of Play

Stand-out qualities are always something that get scouts excited. If a young players is already “NHL level” at anything before they are drafted it is guaranteed to both make them stand out, and is simply one thing less to worry about in the development process. And for Robertsson? The aspect of his game that stands out most is arguably the most coveted, and something that cannot be taught as easily as some others.

It is no exaggeration to state that the Piteå product is the best shooter in the draft. Most current NHL wingers wish they had the ability to catapult a puck of their stick like Robertsson does. He is the kind of player who can pick a corner from outside the circles, but also has the power to shoot “through” a goalie. While for most players a nick off a blocker would send the puck into the rafters, the robust winger has a habit of hurrying goalies who appear set, and often it is the case that a piece of the puck is not enough to prevent it nestling in the net.


Yet while precision and power sound a great combination they are not the only weapons Robertsson has in his shooting arsenal. There are few skaters his age who understand net-minders so well. Most players don’t have the reflexes or IQ to capitalise on momentary screens, or a goalies weaknesses when “resetting” in their crease. Yet these innocuous moments for most are scoring chances for Simon Robertsson. It is not rare for a goalie to never move on one of his shots through traffic, and you cannot save what you never see. He also has all the shots. His one-timer is lethal when set-up on the power-play, his wrist-shot can come from anywhere, his snap-shot has the power of most slap-shots, and he can gain real elevation on his back-hand.

The teenager from Norbotten county is not “just” a shot on skates though. For a young player who sees limited minutes in a pro league Robertsson does something that not many 18 year olds can say. He looks the part. Not only does he have a broad “man-sized” frame, but his grit, strength and motor mean that even if he only sees five shifts a game there is no thought of him being a junior player. It might seem like a back-handed compliment, but when tuning into Skellefteå games this season – were it not for his cage – you would think that he was a career SHL bottom-sixer who had years under his belt.

Now, that is not to say he is mistake free. Like most young players he has been inconsistent at the highest level. But what he does is always “try” to do the right thing in all three zones, and he has a well-developed two-way game. That, combined with his ability to go up against anyone on the boards and around the net, create the impression he is older than his years. As would be expected for a young player with that kind of skill-set, Robertsson is also a good penalty-killer for his age.


In regards to his “intelligence” when on ice, this is best manifested by his ability to create space for himself in the offensive zone and get into spots to unleash his howitzer or clean up the trash around the net. Like all good scorers he often manages to get into high danger areas with no opponent in sight and leave opposition coaches shaking their heads when the un-marked Robertsson picks up a puck in the slot and fires home. While he does not seem to “relish” the net-front he is adept at the edge of the crease, but will certainly need to go there more when he crossed the pond given his likely role.


Skating wise he moves well, especially for a young player who appears to have already done most of the bulking he will need for a future NHL career. Once in stride he can go toe-to-toe with almost anyone in the SHL in a straight line. From an agility perspective he is “okay” as well. He will never be someone whose short-area skating will make opponents look silly, but at the same time it is not ever going to be a problem for him either.

So we have a young player with a booming shot, a good two-way game, plus skating and good hockey IQ… but what are the issues?

The main aspect of his game that needs improvement to reach his potential is his decision making when on the puck. He has a tendency to take to much time to make a play, and on smaller ice versus better players he will not have the luxury of a long wind up for a shot, or an extra 10 yards on the cycle before picking out a man.

For a player with a seemingly good hockey IQ who both understands seams on ice as well as defensive coverages and opposition goalies it is also slightly concerning that Robertsson often misses clear high-danger passes. There can be players cross-ice who are free in prime positions yet too often it appears he recognises this too later. Or, perhaps he does see those opportunities, but does not trust his passing to make the play. This would also be understandable, as his passing needs improvement from a technical perspective too. Too often he misses a stick, or fires his pass too hard or too soft for it to be easily corralled by a team-mate.

However, these small warts should not discourage teams from taking him from the mid-first round onwards. It is rare that players with clear 30+ goal potential are available at that stage of a draft, and Robertsson certainly has that. Furthermore, even if he cannot iron out the aspects of his game that are lacking right now, his floor seems high given his physical gifts and two-way game.

Comparison

Glen Murray, Right Wing, retired (Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and LA Kings)

While Murray was a righty and Robertsson is a lefty the similarities in their release are uncanny. When you focus on how they shoot, where they shoot from and their variety of shots? You could be forgiven for thinking that the Black and Yellow Skellefteå jersey was that of the early 2000s Bruins and that the tape had simply been mirrored. But it is not just the shot that is similar. The way they play is as well. Like Murray, Robertsson is a committed two-way player who can PK, and despite being physically strong is not one for the rough and tumble. Similar to a young Glen Murray as well, Robertsson is a good straight line skater whose agility is not the same level. Both also have similar flaws. Neither are great passers, and have the habit of taking slightly too long with decisions when set up.

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alex on Twitter, his handle is @alexappleyard.

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Scouting Report: Zachary Bolduc

Photo Credit: Katie Whitty

Zachary Bolduc is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect, who hails from Trois-Rivières, Quebec. Growing up, the Quebecer played youth hockey in the OHM Trois-Rivières Ouest organization and Panthères du Collège Marie de l’Incarnation. While playing for the Panthères, he played alongside a couple of 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospects including Guillaume Richard (Tri-City Storm, University of Maine commit) and William Rousseau (Québec Remparts).

After his time playing U16 level hockey with the Panthères, he ended up playing midget hockey with a loaded Trois-Rivières Estacades (QMAAA) team which included Tristan Luneau (Gatineau Olympiques, 2022 NHL Draft eligible), Maxime Pellerin (Victoriaville Tigres, 2021 NHL Draft eligible), Anthony Bédard (Shawinigan Cataractes, 2021 NHL Draft eligible) and Jacob Guévin (Muskegon Lumberjacks, University of Nebraska-Omaha commit, 2021 NHL Draft eligible). Once his 54 point season was completed, he caught the eye of the Rimouski Océanic, who ended up drafting him with the 14th overall selection in the 2019 QMJHL Draft.

Before joining Rimouski, he contemplated about playing in the USHL and then playing collegiate hockey in the United States. In fact at one point, he was so confident that he was going to play in the United States that he informed Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal that he was 95% sure that he would go the collegiate route. He was drafted in the second round of 2019 USHL Draft by the Sioux City Musketeers. Bolduc ended up playing in two games for the Musketeers, but ultimately changed his mind and joined Rimouski.

Last year’s campaign, 2019-2020 was his first season in the QMJHL. Bolduc recored a 52 point season in 55 games played and his point totals were one of the highest for a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect in the QMJHL. His former teammate, Isaac Belliveau, now of the Gatineau Olympiques, had a slightly higher point total. Both, Belliveau and Bolduc were unstoppable last season and provided New York Rangers prospect Alexis Lafrenière with some assets by his side.

This season, Bolduc played in 27 games for Rimouski and recorded 29 points (10 goals and 19 assists). Unfortunately, in late March, he sustained a lower body injury and thus has been out of the lineup since then. Per the Rimouski press release, Dr. Tina-Louise Gendron had estimated that Bolduc would miss six-to-eight weeks. The injury ended his season abruptly.

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 24, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’1
Weight –174 lbs
Position – Left Wing/Center
Handedness – Left

Bolduc’s Style Of Play

While Bolduc typically lined up at center throughout his youth, it is evident that Rimouski sees him as winger. In fact, they have played Bolduc at left wing many times throughout the 2020-2021 QMJHL season. But, there are still instances in which Océanic head coach Serge Beausoleil will line him up at center. This has been a consistent trend ever since Bolduc first joined the Océanic in 2019. In the 2019-2020 season, Bolduc was often deployed at right wing alongside Lafreniére and former Boston Bruins prospect Cédric Pare.

With that being said, there are plenty of situations where Bolduc seems to be confused about what the ideal positioning should be. He clearly knows that he is playing on the wing, but naturally he starts to drift over and position himself in more of a center role in the defensive zone.

Defense

While we are on the subject of his positioning in the defensive zone, let’s hone in on his defensive play.

More than often he is the last man into the defensive zone. While he has shown instincts of being a center in the defensive zone, he lacks the necessary speed in the neutral zone to hustle back into his own zone. Thus, he is often playing behind the rush and has to stick-lift in most cases to cause a turnover.

From a puck battle perspective, Bolduc is very inconsistent. His strategy seems to vary per shift and per battle. There are instances in which he takes more of a winger-like role and applies pressure at the boards and there are times in which he plays more of an insurance center-like role. When he applies pressure, he seems to struggle with exerting enough upper body strength to neutralize the attack. His opposition is able to get around him with ease.

In addition, from a positioning standpoint, there are shifts where he plays down low in the corners and shifts where he mans the point. If he is going to play in the defensive zone like a winger, he needs to be cautious of how much room he is opening up at the point because all it will take is a pass to the point for the defender to have more than enough room to get to at least the perimeter to cause havoc.

Transitional Play

When you look at his transitional play, you will see a huge difference between his offensive transitional work and his defensive transitional play. For instance, in most cases, he is playing from behind when defending the rush. As I mentioned in the defense section, he leans on his stick-lift ability to neutralize the rush, but that is not always going to work. If he is in front of the rush, I have seen glimpses where he seems to exert pressure but it simply is not enough pressure to counterattack. He will give up too much open ice. Plus, when he tries to cause a takeaway and implement a poke-check, there are many instances in which he misreads puck movement and instead of playing the puck, he will play the attacker’s skate.

Offensively, Bolduc is highly efficient when playing in transition. He uses a mixed bag of stretch passes that lead to zone exits, controlled zone-to-zone transitions and tape-to-tape feed zone entry passes. He will also look to buy space when manufacturing a zone exit pass. If he has a man on him and doesn’t want to force the puck in, you can expect him to button hook and throw the attacker off in order to buy room for himself.

Stick-Handling

Bolduc’s stick-handling is the area that concerns me the most. First of all, Bolduc is not a deceptive stick-handler. He won’t look to draw you in with how he maneuvers the puck. Bolduc doesn’t play the puck far out to his left or right to draw attackers in. He simply plays the puck in front of him and will use the classic forehand/backhand stick-handle when moving the puck up the ice. It is my belief that Bolduc knows that he struggles with puck security and his reach, so he prefers to hold the puck in front of him and not push the puck too far out. Given his issues with reachability, I don’t blame him for how he carries the puck.

Yet, I have seen many examples in which Bolduc plays the puck too far out and looses control of the puck. His puck security needs to be further developed for him to have an impact in the NHL. If he can’t improve upon his reach, he needs to be more cautious with how he is carrying the puck.

With that being said, I would be cautious about carrying the puck from the blue-line to the slot in the offensive zone. Bolduc is more than likely bound to face pressure from defenders en route to the slot. If he is not confident in his ability to swing the puck around, he should look to make a lateral pass instead.

Offense

In the offensive zone, Bolduc has proven to be a threat from medium danger. There have been a few medium danger wrist shot goals this season for Bolduc. He does an excellent job of elevating his wrist shot and going top shelf.

While he has found success with his wrist shot in medium danger, more than 50% of his goals came in high danger situations in which he grabbed control of the puck off of a rebound or a perfectly-timed pass in the slot.

Even though he has found more success in high danger opportunities, there are many times where Bolduc wants to snipe goals from medium and low danger. Unfortunately, at times, his shot selection gets the better of him as he will miss the target quite a bit. Bolduc needs to be more selective with his shot from range.

From a forechecking perspective, there are shifts where he applies the necessary pressure that leads to takeaways. But, it isn’t consistent enough. Bolduc lacks the speed in order to be a dominant forechecker. To compensate, sometimes he won’t exactly forecheck but stand his ground between the puck carrier and the carrier’s teammate to try enforce dominance and stand guard.

Bolduc’s passing ability is strong. Even though he has shown issues with puck security from a stick-handling perspective, he has shown that can counter pressure, play the puck out past his attacker’s stick and swing a pass around. He also has a quality backhand pass, which he’s utilized multiple times in the high slot to generate scoring chances. While Bolduc’s passing is well-rounded, I need to note that the bulk of his assists have been secondary not primary.

Skating

Bolduc’s skating is another area where he faces consistency issues. He doesn’t have a power stride and struggles to generate the necessary acceleration to motor up and down the ice. His stride length remains pretty consistent and he doesn’t lengthen his skate extensions too much.

While Bolduc’s acceleration is far from ideal, he displays quality ankle flexion. His knees are constantly above his toes in stride. Bolduc’s ankle flexion allows his extensions to be crisp and more mobile. The only instances where I do see Bolduc’s mobility come into question is when he tries to pounce on a loose puck and looks to slow down.

His edges aren’t always consistent. There are instances especially when he makes contact with the opposition in which his edges fail to keep him up-right as he looks to swerve around. Also, there have been some challenges with his edges when taking a shot on a dime and having to re-align himself so he is facing the net. But, he has displayed quality edge-work when going in for the forecheck and using his outside edges to round the net to play the attacker.

General

In general, Bolduc has proven to be a threat in the offensive zone and in transition when moving the puck into the offensive zone. If he can work on shot selection, puck security and adopting a power stride, you are looking at a prospect fully capable of being a second/third line asset in the NHL.

Comparison

Anthony Beauvillier, Left Wing, New York Islanders

Bolduc and Beauvillier have a lot in common when you look at how they both were deployed in the QMJHL. Beauvillier was battle tested at center with the Shawinigan Cataractes, but found his true home on the wing. Both forwards have quality shots from range and have shown to be assets in transition. Also, Beauvillier’s skating extensions at the junior level were seen as very “compact”. Bill Placzek of the DraftSite.com noted that in his report on Beauvillier. You can make the same argument for Bolduc as his extensions don’t always generate the acceleration that he needs.

Projection

Second Line/Third Line Winger (NHL)

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.

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