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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Scouting Report: Dovar Tinling

Photo Credit: UVM Athletics

There hasn’t been a player as young as Dovar Tinling in college hockey since Jonathan Toews all the way back in the 2005-06 season. Toews didn’t turn 18 until the end of April of his freshman year at North Dakota, and Tinling turned 18 in early March with just one game left in his freshman season at Vermont.

It wasn’t until last June that rumors began to swirl that Tinling would accelerate and start with the Catamounts early, rather than joining Des Moines in the USHL which drafted him in the second round in 2019. In July, Vermont announced its incoming class, which included both Tinling and his older brother, Azzaro, and made Dovar the youngest player in college hockey.

The 2020-21 season turned out to be a tough year for the Catamounts, who won only one game. They paused team activities due to positive COVID-19 tests twice and only ended up playing 13 games as a result, finishing with a 1-10-2 record. It was a tough year for Tinling, too, as he put up just two points — a goal and a secondary assist — in 12 games while playing limited minutes in a bottom-six role.  

Player Profile

D.O.B – March 3, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height – 5’11
Weight – 185 lbs.
Position – Left Wing/Center
Handedness – Left

Tinling’s Style of Play

Let’s start with a disclaimer: Vermont was bad, and Tinling averaged about 11 minutes of ice time per game. He was also the youngest player in college hockey and the youngest player on his team by over a year. The Catamounts had a first-year head coach in Todd Woodcroft and scored just 20 goals in 13 games — the fewest in all of college hockey.

All of that to say, it’s more of a challenge to get a read on Tinling’s true talent level given the situation around him — and given the small sample size of just 12 games. Regardless, some elements of Tinling’s game, like his skating and his playmaking potential, pop when you watch him and paint the picture of an intriguing prospect.

Tinling describes himself as a pass-first player and says his hockey IQ is his best asset, both of which ring true after watching the games he played at Vermont.

Offense

Tinling can play both center and the wing, but he played wing in every game for the Catamounts this year. He probably projects as a winger moving forward, but it would be interesting to see him get a look at center in college to see if that’s a possibility down the line.

Tinling’s hockey sense stands out when he has the puck on his stick. The quality of his linemates didn’t always allow his playmaking ability to be executed as well as you’d like, but it’s hard to fault Tinling for that. Once again, the context around Tinling’s season has to stay top of mind when evaluating his play.

It took Tinling some time to settle into the NCAA level, which is to be expected for such a young player. In his first few games, he looked tentative and uncertain, but as the season went along, you could see him grow in confidence. While not the most physical of players, as he got more settled in college hockey, Tinling regularly demonstrated a willingness to play the body and get involved in puck battles, despite not being the largest of players.

In February, he scored his first — and only — goal. The sequence highlighted all the good qualities of his game as he used his skating ability to cut through a lane in the neutral zone, get behind the defense and finish from distance. Though he’s more of a playmaker than a shooter, the shot is good as is and could improve further with added strength.

At times, Tinling could look lost in the offensive zone and was a little all over the place positionally. It’s hard to say if that’s indicative of long-term concerns or more a reflection of a young player in a league that’s a big step up from the CCHL, but the latter seems much more likely.

For such a young player making a massive step in league caliber, Tinling looked less out of place than I expected throughout the season and clearly gained confidence as the season went along. Hopefully in future seasons, the Catamounts will have stronger offensive talent across their lineup and Tinling will be able to really put his playmaking potential on display.

Defense

Much like in the offensive zone, Tinling’s positioning in the defensive zone can be a little all over the place. He looked lost at times this year and, for lack of a better phrase, sometimes gave off the vibe of being unsure of what he was supposed to do. Tinling also displayed a tendency to cheat for offense, but on such a weak offensive team, any opportunities taken to try to produce a goal are hard to view too negatively.

In Vermont’s system, Tinling was often responsible for pressuring the point — a job that he clearly committed himself to, sometimes to the point of overcommitting and taking himself out of the play. It happens often enough, though, that you start to wonder if it’s just the system and what he’s being asked to do and not a repeated flaw in Tinling’s game.

His skating and instincts should allow him to be a capable defender as he settles into his role and gains strength. He probably won’t develop into a Selke candidate, but all the pieces are there for him to be a competent defender that’s functional in his own end.

Skating

Tinling is a fluid, efficient skater with a good burst of speed. He recovers well through his stride and his edgework allows him to be elusive. He regularly looked at least a step quicker, if not more, than others on the ice, even when Vermont played higher-end competition like Boston University. His skating enhances his playmaking with his ability to get into the soft areas of the ice and find lanes through the defense.

At times, Tinling’s upper body can be a little busy, but it isn’t a major flaw for an overall strong skater. In every game he played this year, Tinling’s skating stood out as a real asset.

Other Notes

Allow me to use this space to say that the more I watched Tinling, the more I liked him. There’s a talented player there, and I hope the dust settles at Vermont in a way that allows him to break out. Coming into a rebuilding program, with a first-year coach, as the youngest player in the league, in the middle of a pandemic, is such a dramatic confluence of challenging factors that if I had to bet on it, I’d say this year’s performance from Tinling is a significant outlier from his true talent level.

Projection

Middle-six NHL winger, if everything breaks the right way.

Comparison

Zach Hyman, Left Wing, Toronto Maple Leafs

stats from InStat and EliteProspects

Prospect report written by Bailey Johnson. If you would like to follow Bailey on Twitter, her handle is @BaileyAJohnson_.

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Scouting Report: Dylan Duke

Photo Credit: Rena Laverty

The son of former Western Michigan University standout Steve Duke, USNTDP center Dylan Duke is a talented prospect for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Duke is a solid, goal-scoring center/winger who despite his size, can certainly bring a physical, net-front presence night in and night out.

A USA/Canada dual citizen, Duke hails from Strongsville, Ohio, and grew up playing his minor hockey for highly regarded Detroit-area programs, in Belle Tire (13U) and Compuware (14U, 16U). While at Compuware, Duke made somewhat of a name for himself, scoring 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in only 20 games during his 14U season.
While serving as team captain for Compuware in his 16U season, Duke continued his noteworthy all-around play, potting 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points in 19 games. The following season, Duke began play with the USNTDP, seeing time with both the U17 and U18 squads, where he was just shy of averaging a point per game.

Thus far in 2020/21, Duke’s game has made great strides improvement wise, as he’s racked up 25 goals and 19 assists for 44 points in 43 games. Not only has his point production been a joy to follow, he’s also added a decent amount of size to his frame, aiding his gritty style of play in all zones on the ice.

For the 2022/23 season, Duke committed to the University of Michigan, where he’ll suit up for a very talented Wolverines squad. In Ann Arbor, he’ll hone his game under Head Coach Mel Pearson, who will have an abundance of talent at his disposal over the next couple of seasons. Duke could potentially join the likes of Matthew Beniers, Owen Power, Kent Johnson, Luke Hughes, Mackie Samoskevich, Thomas Bordeleau (San Jose Sharks prospect), Brendan Brisson (Vegas Golden Knights prospect), Ethan Edwards (New Jersey Devils prospect) and Johnny Beecher (Boston Bruins prospect), which will certainly benefit him in his development.

Player Profile

D.O.B – March 4, 2003
Nationality – USA
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height – 5’10”
Weight – 181 lbs.
Position – Center
Handedness – Left

Duke’s Style Of Play

Dylan Duke plays a versatile, hard-nosed game which will more than likely translate quite well at the next level. He’s just as reliable standing in the opposing team’s crease looking for a loose puck as he is pinching down in the defensive zone, to lend his defensemen a helping hand. Duke’s 200ft game is hard not to appreciate, considering he is an absolute workhorse all over the ice.

While Duke doesn’t necessarily excel at any specific aspect of the game, he is slightly above-average at almost everything. His never-quit attitude and his relentlessness whilst hounding opponents in all three zones arguably stand out the most when looking at his game.

Duke can be counted upon to do his job every shift, whether it be in a penalty killing role, on the power-play, or simply just generating offense at even strength. His offensive output is very strong for a forward who sees a hearty amount of his points come from the low slot/crease area.

Duke is also quite good in transition, as he possesses the required agility and speed to effectively change direction and engage into the forecheck/backcheck depending on the situation.

Let’s take a more in-depth look:

Skating

Duke’s skating is perhaps the most notable aspect of his game that could use a little polishing. He tends to have more of an upright skating stance, but it isn’t a huge area of concern, as he possesses the agility and edgework needed to escape opponents when required. Duke also doesn’t boast an abundance of explosiveness, but once again, he has enough to get by. Duke’s stride has definitely progressed as this season’s gone on, as he has shown a much more wider stride, allowing him to generate more speed and balance.

His best attribute skating wise is his durability/balance on his skates. Duke can take a beating infront of the net and still manage to keep his balance relatively easy, which bodes well for how he projects at the next level.

Offense

Pretty much everywhere Dylan Duke has laced up the skates, the offensive production has followed. He’s produced at, or very near to, a point-per-game average dating back to his days with Belle Tire 13U, right up to this season with the U18’s.

As mentioned above, Duke scores the vast majority of his points in front of the net. In fact, only five of his 44 points this season are secondary assists, meaning he’s usually the one banging home the spare change, or passing it to someone who buries it.

Duke’s shot is probably the thing to love the most about his offensive talent. He seems to have little issue in putting his wrist shot wherever he desires, with an above average amount of accuracy.

Duke’s also not afraid to put a puck on net from pretty much anywhere in the offensive zone. He can also distance himself from the defender when needed, and often can force opponents into a penalty trying to keep him from getting on goal.

Defense

Duke’s defensive game is arguably one of the most NHL-ready as far as forwards are concerned, in the entire 2021 class. He demonstrates an excellent ability to back-check, and has zero issue digging deep in the corners to create defensive zone turnovers. Duke’s active stick in the corners allows him to poke-check attackers and regain control of the puck quite often. Duke’s also not afraid to take a hit in order for his teammate to pick up the puck and engage a breakout, which I’m sure many NHL scouts would appreciate.

An underrated aspect of Dylan Duke’s game is his ability to effectively kill penalties. He’s quite capable of winning faceoffs, obtaining possession of the puck and ragging it to kill time. Not only can he do those tasks quite well, he often forces turnovers in the neutral zone while defending opposing team zone entries, and those usually lead to quality shorthanded chances.

Improvements

As previously mentioned, Duke isn’t necessarily a master of any specific trait, however, he is above average at almost every aspect. That being said, there are a few areas of his game which could use some work. For starters, Duke’s shot release is a tad slow, which could prove to be a drawback at the next level. As players get more talented and larger in size, Duke will need that quicker release to get the most out of his accurate wrist shot. He could look to develop this trait in the coming seasons, and should see his goal output increase alongside.

Another aspect of Duke’s game that he may look to improve on is his patience when it comes to shooting the puck from anywhere in the offensive zone. While it’s an awesome trait to have, some of his game film had him missing the net completely from angles that were either impossible to hit, or had a large amount of bodies along the trajectory of the shot. Duke could look to put himself in more open space to release a shot, or could look to seek out a teammate for a better opportunity to get a puck on net.

Lastly, Duke could use some improvement when it comes to his explosiveness with the puck on his stick. As it stands now, his skating is at an average level. However, if Duke is looking to translate his game as best as possible at the next level, it will require that explosiveness to help beat defenders out wide. Not only will it help him in terms of offensive production, it will make Duke more difficult to shut down and defend against when forechecking.

There is a lot to like about Dylan Duke’s game, and if he can continue to work on the little things as he progresses in his development, there’s a real strong opportunity for him to become a solid NHL player who can be relied upon anywhere on the ice.

Overall Outlook

Dylan Duke projects as a top 9 forward, best suited on the wing, who can provide a dominant net-front presence, and can probably net 45-50 points per season at the NHL level. That being said, there’s a little bit of his game that can use some fine tuning, which will definitely come as he transitions to the NCAA with the Michigan Wolverines. Teams should absolutely fawn at how developed his defensive zone game is at just 18 years old, and his offensive production has been constant at every level he’s played at.

The 2021 NHL Draft has a few “diamond in the rough”-caliber prospects in the late First, early Second round range, and Duke is certainly at the top of that list. Teams that are selecting in the 20-35 range, and are looking for that scrappy, “jack of all trades”-style forward, look no further than Dylan Duke.

Comparison

Brendan Gallagher – RW, Montreal Canadiens

Watching film on Dylan Duke, it’s almost as if you’re watching footage on Brendan Gallagher from his Vancouver Giants days. Both Duke and Gallagher are a pain to play against, and have zero issues standing in front of the opposing goalie, trying to knock loose pucks home.

Both Duke and Gallagher have a similar story, as both were relatively undersized forwards who play the game of a much larger player. Duke and Gallagher are also very capable defenders, and obtain the majority of their offense in the low slot. When it comes to forechecking, Duke and Gallagher are relentless and have no problem sacrificing themselves to make a play.

If the team who chooses to select Duke at this summer’s Entry Draft can develop his game into the same style of player Brendan Gallagher is, there’s no doubt that team will be grinning from ear to ear with their selection.

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: Aleksi Heimosalmi

Photo Credit: Tomi Vastamäki

Aleksi Heimosalmi is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible right handed defenseman, who plays in the Ässät farm system.

Heimosalmi hails from Pori, Finland. For those unfamiliar with Pori, it’s a coastal city and sits on the Gulf of Bothnia. The city is roughly 110 kilometers from Tampere. Pori is also home for a few NHLers including Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Montréal Canadiens), Joel Armia (Montréal Canadiens), Erik Haula (Nashville Predators) and Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus Blue Jackets).

This past season (2020-2021), Heimosalmi played at the U20 level for Ässät and lead in points when you compare his total to other 2021 NHL Draft eligibles playing in the U20 SM-sarja. Heimosalmi totaled four goals and 17 assists in 35 games.

In addition to his league play this season, he played a pivotal role for Finland at the 2021 U18 IIHF World Championships in Texas. In seven games played at the tournament, he recorded two goals and six assists. Heimosalmi, Ville Koivunen, Samu Tuomaala and Samu Salminen were the leading point producers for Finland. The IIHF named Heimosalmi the best defenseman of the tournament and he was also honored by the media as well as he was listed on the Media All-Star Team alongside Brandt Clarke, Sergei Ivanov, Connor Bedard, Matvei Michkov and Samu Tuomaala.

While the tournament was underway, his club, Ässät had announced that Heimosalmi had signed a contract extension for three seasons.

Player Profile

D.O.B – May 8, 2003
Nationality – Finland
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’11
Weight –154 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Right

Heimosalmi’s Style Of Play

Defense

At the blue-line, Heimosalmi is very strong at moving attackers that are rushing the zone towards the boards. He will trap puck carrying attackers and eliminate lanes to the net. Instead, he will push them to low danger. He will lock his arms and push. After pushing the attacker to the boards, he will follow the attacker closely and find the precise moment to deploy a back-check. But, that doesn’t mean that he won’t also utilize his stick and find a moment where he can catch the attacker off-guard and deliver a poke-check. You can also expect Heimosalmi to limit the gap in medium danger and execute poke-checks to shut down the cycle.

When mid-cycle and not defending the rush, he tends to exert more pressure starting at the perimeter. Instead of going in for a poke-check when defending mid-cycle, you will see Heimosalmi use his stick deceptively as he will swerve his stick at the puck to manipulate the attacker’s puck movement. More than often, the intention is push the attacker to low danger.

In high danger situations, Heimosalmi deploys strong defensive positioning. He will press and play man-on-man defense in tight to eliminate open targets. While Heimosalmi is far from the biggest player on the ice, his ability to push attackers away from his net is noteworthy.

Heimosalmi is quite athletic. Even though he does not possess a wide stride, if he is defending an attacker and deploying quality gap control, he will quickly adjust and chase after a loose puck to net a defensive recovery if the attacker looks to flip the puck around him. I will touch on his stride a bit later on, but it is something that needs further development. If he is facing a fast skater, I question whether or not he would be able to recover the puck.

Offense

Heimosalmi’s offensive play has its highs and lows. From a shot selection perspective, he tends to take quite a few ill-advised shots from the point. There are situations where I would prefer him to work the cycle a bit more, pinch up and try to find a teammate in medium or high danger. But, instead, he will take ill-advised shots when facing tough pressure with an attacker glued on him.

Even though his shot selection does need some maturity, you can expect Heimosalmi to play the puck along the boards in low danger and work in the trenches to find an open teammate (who is closer to the net) to pass to. So, while I said that I would like to see some growth in pinching up and playing the cycle, I didn’t mean that he has not been doing so to date.

Ässät U20 often utilizes Heimosalmi on the power play at the point as a quarterback. From the point, you can expect crisp tape-to-tape feeds to help key up goals. Even though I mentioned earlier that his shot selection needs to be rounded out, he uses his shot to generate rebound opportunities and deflection goals on the power play.

Earlier in the report, we touched upon Heimosalmi’s deceptive stick work in the defensive zone, but he can also be quite illusive in the offensive zone. For instance, Heimosalmi will hold out his stick as if he’s ready to fire a slap shot, but then on a dime, he will divert, pivot out and confuse the attacker. This allows Heimosalmi to grab open space.

Transitional Play

Heimosalmi is an excellent puck moving defenseman. Before I dive into more details around his transitional play, I wanted to start off this section with a bang.

From his own red line, he uses his deception to fool attackers and generate open space for him to exploit before he crosses into the neutral zone. He will use his illusive stick-handling to play the puck to his left. This draws the attacker to the left, but on a dime, he will pivot out to his right, shift the puck to his right. Ultimately, it confuses the attacker and he is stunned. Below is clip of Heimosalmi doing just that, but “breaking the attacker’s ankles” at the same time.

Once he acquires open ice, it’s a smooth ride to the neutral zone. When he gets to the neutral, he will either weave around traffic in the neutral zone or execute a tape-to-tape feed to a forward to instill a rush. When Heimosalmi carries the puck from zone to zone, he does not necessarily focus on playing the puck up the middle versus along the boards. He is versatile with his puck movement.

If Heimosalmi draws opposition and can’t avoid it, he will not force it. Instead, he will button hook and pass to his defensive partner.

Stick-Handling

From a stick-handling perspective, Heimosalmi has quality puck manipulation. He does an excellent job of drawing attackers to him, slowing down the pace, turning to the right, deploying a quick pivot and then moving to the left (and vice-versa). Heimosalmi’s puck movement is normally rather tight. He does not hold the puck too far out in front of his body. Heimosalmi will play the puck out towards attackers to entice them and lure them in close. When he does, he takes them away from where they were initially and thus open up lanes when in transition.

If and when he is facing tough pressure from his opposition on the forecheck, he will implement one-handed stick handling to control the puck while using his other arm to push off the attacker.

Passing

Heimosalmi has a plethora of passes that he can utilize to instill puck movement and scoring. Throughout my viewings of the Finnish defenseman, I’ve seen him complete backhand outlet passes, several one touch passes (including one touch backhand passes), stretch passes, diagonal saucer passes and more.

While he has quite a few assets in his passing tool-belt, he has an affinity for one touch passes. He loves to make a quick pass as soon as he gains control of the puck. Even though, he loves one touch passing, he does not overuse it or implement it in situations where it does not make sense to complete one touch passes.

Yet, there are some areas in which Heimosalmi needs some further development. When in transition, there are sequences where he has already crossed the blue-line in a controlled zone exit and instead of passing to a forward in the neutral zone who is open, he will pass behind him to a target in the defensive zone. It’s those passing attempts that remind me a little bit of Colorado Avalanche prospect Jean-Luc Foudy, who has a tendency to pass behind him or further out instead of going to battle one-on-one with the goaltender when he has acquired open ice in the offensive zone.

Additionally, there are sequences in which Heimosalmi uses a bit too much force on his passing. Sometimes his teammate can still capture possession of the puck off of the pass, but sometimes Heimosalmi will miss the mark completely. I’ve seen a few instances in which that happens on stretch passes.

Skating

Skating is the area that arguably needs the most development. Heimosalmi struggles at generating speed and a lot of that can be attributed to a lack of a power stride. When extending his skates, he does not possess a wide extension. Instead his extensions tend to be very tight. Thus, we see plenty of sequences where he is a tad slow to loose pucks, but when he uses his upper body strength to push off attackers, he can still recover the puck. However, I question whether he will be able to utilize his strength in the same manner at the NHL level. Playing U20 hockey in Finland is very different than facing elite power forwards in the NHL. With that being said, I would love to see Heimosalmi widen his extensions for his first few steps to garner speed. If he can work on his acceleration, his transitional game will only become stronger.

Aside from his stride/extensions, there are times where he struggles with his balance when deploying outside edges. He will struggle with keeping balance and fall over. But, we hardly see those issues amount when in transition. It tends to happen more so when battling in the trenches against the attack.

From a crossover perspective, he deploys tight crossovers especially when skating backwards and that only makes his defensive game stronger as he can generate solid acceleration and shift gears to the left or right depending on the attacker’s puck movement.

Comparison

Henri Jokiharju, RHD, Buffalo Sabres

When it comes to a comparable, I liken his game to Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju. Both, defensemen are roughly the same size and possess strong puck movement. Jokiharju’s major difference is his skating in which he has adopted a strong power stride, but the mobility that Jokiharju possesses is quite similar to Heimosalmi.

Projection

Second Pairing Defenseman (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: Isak Rosén

Photo Credit: Leksands IF

Electric. That is the word that comes to mind when you see Isak Rosén play. There are not too many 18 year olds who incite a palpable sense of anticipation when the puck finds their stick. While his name may be unfamiliar to many across the pond, the Stockholm youngster has been on the radars and lips of many in Sweden for several years.

At 14 years old he was already one of the best players on the Swedish u-16 circuit, on a Leksands team that had very little in terms of scoring support for him, as evidenced by year-on-year of “goal-heavy” stat lines despite being a good play-maker himself. By the time he was 15 he dazzled in the TV-Pucken tournament – where all the best u-16 year olds in Sweden compete for their region – top-scoring with 21 points in just 11 games. He has also represented his nation with aplomb at both u-16 and u-17 level, albeit mainly in a depth role.

Player Profile

D.O.B – March 15, 2003
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’11
Weight –161 lbs
Position – Left Wing/Right Wing
Handedness – Left

Rosén’s Style Of Play

So what is it about Rosén’s game that makes him a first round pick in 2021? As would be expected from a man whose father and uncle were high-end players in the Swedish leagues, young Isak’s years spent around rinks and the pro game have gave him an intuitive understanding of the sport, as well as a mature playing style. His hockey IQ shines, especially against players his own age. He is rarely out of position in any of the three zones, and is excellent at getting space in the offensive zone to unleash a shot.

His shot itself is quick and accurate, and a measure of his technical proficiency is the ability he has to shoot while in full stride. Many NHLers struggle to unleash high-end wristers while moving at speed, but it comes to Rosén naturally. His shiftiness and puck-handling ability mean he can be extremely deceptive with his shot as well, leaving goalies guessing where and when he will let it go until it nestles in the net behind them.


But none of these things are what the Leksands forward does best. Simply put, when he is in a game his team-mates want the puck on his stick no matter what zone he is in. Rosén may well be the best transitional player in the draft. The ease in which he scythes up ice is mesmeric to watch. He often picks the puck up in the neutral zone, evades the first forechecker, and is then off to the races. Once in stride the only way to stop him usually involves the potential of giving away a penalty.

With ice to skate into Rosén seems to see the game in slow motion. His decision making process through the neutral zone is exemplary, to the point it is rare to see him not get into the offensive zone with possession. There are also very few players in the draft with better skating ability. Not only agile, Rosén can burn past opponents on the wing.



Once in the offensive zone, especially when against the pros in the SHL, Rosén does not quite have the same confidence or impact. He can be overly prone to making the “safe” plays, and as a result simply drift out of the game. In turn simply being “solid” but rarely getting opportunities to shoot or looks for team-mates. However, this was never a problem for him when in juniors, and it seems likely that, quite frankly, the physically under-developed winger is not quite ready for the SHL yet. However, he is effectively “forced” to play there due to COVID, as the junior leagues were closed down.

In the offensive zone at the junior level, Rosén is a dual threat. He can use his high-end shot to score, but also dissect defenses with his plus-passing. For a smaller player he also drives to the net hard, and does not mind mixing it up in the tougher areas of ice, despite not being very physical.

As would be expected from a defensively sound winger with lightning in his skates, Rosén is dangerous on the penalty-kill, and in 4v4 or 3v3 phases of play simply owns the ice. His forechecking is also relentless, and he crowds lanes using his skating, IQ and active stick.

Going forward he needs to fill out and get stronger, as while a diligent two-way player who always takes care of his duties in the defensive zone, he can often get muscled of the puck, beaten easily in a board battle, or lose position to becoming engaged in a battle of bulk and not brains. This would also enable him to be less tentative offensively at the pro level, as right now he seems scared of making mistakes in his limited ice-time, as opposed to using his game-breaking talent to actually break games.


Next year it seems likely that with another summer of growth, as well as more acclimatization to the pro game, Rosén can really start to bring what makes him special vs his peers to both the SHL and international arena. It would be no great shock to see him break-out and become a good middle six SHL forward as soon as next season.

As for the draft? The young Swede has the talent to be taken inside the top 15. However, his relative lack of production this season and inability to stand out against men at this venture may well mean he falls into the late first round. If he is available in such a spot teams will be hard-pressed to find a player with more upside after he is gone. Down the line he has the skill-set to be a high-end top six winger who can put up close to 70 points a season over his prime. His “floor” is also higher than many potential first rounders due to the combination of skating, tenacity, and two-way play he possesses.

Comparison

Nikolaj Ehlers, Left Wing, Winnipeg Jets

It may be a lofty comparable. However, while it is unlikely that the young Swede will reach the level of his Danish counter-part, their games are not dissimilar. Relentless two-way play combined with IQ are the foundations, but game-breaking speed and skill are what stand out. Both transition the puck at an elite level, and have the vision and shooting ability to be a real threat in the offensive zone.

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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