Photo Credit – Rena Laverty

Aidan Hreschuk, a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect, is a 17-year old defenseman currently playing for the United States National U-18 team. Hreschuk was born in Long Beach, California, and grew up playing in the Los Angeles Jr. Kings AAA program, dating back to the 10U ranks.  

Through his minor hockey career, Hreschuk was more than a point-per-game player, recording his best AAA season in 2017-18, in which he tallied 19 goals and 41 assists for 60 points in 49 games. He completed his first season with the USNTDP in 2019-20, scoring four times and registering 20 assists in 49 games. In addition, Hreschuk managed another two goals and nine assists for eleven points in 29 games played in USNTDP USHL play. 

So far this season, Hreschuk has totaled zero goals and six assists for six points in nine games for the U18 program. While the U18 program has had some games cancelled as of late, most likely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they are still slated to continue USHL play on November 27th, versus the Green Bay Gamblers.

For the 2021-22 season, Hreschuk is committed to Boston College, where he’ll play under the tutelage of Head Coach Jerry York. There should be plenty of opportunities to hone his skills alongside future teammates such as Matthew Boldy (2020 1st Round – Minnesota), Alex Newhook (2019 1st Round – Colorado) and Spencer Knight (2019 1st Round – Florida).

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 19, 2003
Nationality – United States of America
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’11
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Hreschuk’s Style Of Play

The first thing many scouts would mention about Hreschuk is the fact he can be a weapon offensively. His skating ability and smooth, long strides are quite the sight to see, but we’ll dive into that later in this report. Hreschuk isn’t afraid to jump up into the rush and generate numerous scoring chances, nor is he shy at pinching down towards the half-wall and getting a puck on net. While he may not get the love from NHL Central Scouting as his teammates Luke Hughes or Sean Behrens, (Hreschuk was given a C-rated prospect, usually meaning a fourth, fifth, or sixth round selection) it’s only a matter of time before Hreschuk starts popping up on their radar.

Skating

In watching footage of Hreshuk from last season, one thing that stood out was his impressive skating. He has a beautiful skating stride, and is capable of exiting the defensive zone and entering the neutral zone with only a couple of strides. It’s a promising sign for a prospect who’s size is something that could potentially scare a few teams in the draft. Hreschuk’s speed is another portion of his game that sort of shocked me. He was able to jump into the rush and create a scoring chance, and just as quickly back check and be in position for the opposing team’s counter attack. Hreschuk demonstrates a good crossover technique, keeping a low centre of gravity, as well as a good ability to pivot whilst pinching into the corners and behind the net in the offensive zone.Teams will fawn over his ability to play a 200 foot game, as well as he has so far in his career at the USNTDP.

Offense

If there’s one aspect of Hreschuk’s game that floors me, it has to be his offensive abilities. There aren’t too many times where he wasn’t able to wheel around the offensive zone at will and either set up a teammate with a dangerous scoring opportunity or release his wrist shot, which is quite impressive. He isn’t shy when it comes to pinching down from the point to keep the play in the offensive zone, or jumping into the rush heading down the ice. Hreschuk isn’t afraid to shoot from just about anywhere in the offensive zone either. He seems to be well versed in taking any and every opportunity presented to generate a scoring chance. His off the charts creativity should definitely turn a few scouts’ heads.

Defense

As talented and well rounded as his offensive abilities are, Hreschuk is still very adequate when it comes to his play in the defensive zone. In the film I’ve studied on his game, his transition game seems to be a strong point. He finds little difficulty in making the proper decisions while exiting his zone. Hreschuk can flow freely from behind his own net through the neutral zone with few issues. Very rarely will he make a poorly executed breakout/outlet pass. He is a very well equipped penalty killer, having served on the top PK unit for the U18’s. Hreschuk’s ability to shut down odd man rushes and block shots is comparable with the other top defensive prospects that are 2021 NHL Draft eligible. 

Improvements 

While Hreschuk seems to have a fairly rounded game from the games I’ve tracked, there are places of his game which could use some fine tuning. For example, he may look to tone down the amount of times he chooses to engage in a more offensive role. While some teams/scouts will view his offensive upside as a positive, some teams/scouts may be worried he’s mainly focused on contributing up front, as opposed to playing a more defensive-minded game. In addition to that, he may need to focus on gaining some size in the offseason ahead. While he obviously can’t control his height, he can look to add a few pounds of muscle onto his frame, as he’ll be needing it going against older players in the NCAA next season. 

Overall Outlook

In conclusion, Aidan Hreschuk looks like a promising prospect for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He’s an offensive-minded defenceman with a beautiful skating stride and a deadly wrist shot. Based off the coverage I’ve seen of the player, I project he’ll be selected at some point in the mid to late second round.

Comparison

Torey Krug – Left Handed Defenseman, St. Louis Blues

In watching a decent sample size of his games the past couple of seasons, Hreschuk reminds me of a Torey Krug style of defenseman. Both players have similar offensive ability and possess excellent positioning and puck-moving ability. Krug and Hreschuk also share a likeness when it comes to size, as both are on the smaller scale when it comes to defenseman.

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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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Photo Credit – Frölunda HC

Frölunda, the Gothenburg based club, have been the pre-eminent force in Swedish hockey for the last 20 years. Since 2003 they have won four Le Mat Trophies, the most of any SHL club over that time-span. They have also been a breeding ground for NHL talent. Henrik Lundqvist, Erik Karlsson, Rasmus Dahlin, John Klingberg, Loui Eriksson, Fredrik Andersen, Robin Lehner, Alexander Steen and Lars Eller are just some of the names that were developed at the Scandinavium Arena. In the last 10 drafts no less than 34 players have been drafted from their pipe-line.

Yet the current crop of Gothenburg talent might be the deepest ever. Their J-20 team right now has potential first round picks on the third line. But when you tune in to watch the lavish riches of talent that take the ice each game one player stands out. While Red Wings prospect Theodor Niederbach dissects a game clinically, Winnipeg Jets winger Daniel Torgersson over-powers all in his wake, and potential top five pick Simon Edvinsson effortlessly breezes up and down ice, a diminutive winger is the one who is hard to direct your gaze away from.

Fabian Lysell is Frölunda through and through. He has played for three teams since he first put on skates. His youth teams Bäcken HC and Hovås HC are within 10 miles of the Scandinavium, and at 14 years old Lysell made the move every Gothenburg hockey acolyte dreams of, and donned the famous red jersey.

His ascension since then has been meteoric. He played u-18 level at 14 years old, and u-20 level at 16 years old. Lysell also made mincemeat of international competition with 32 points in just 22 junior international games. And saying he is fun to watch while he does that is an understatement.

Player Profile

D.O.B – January 19, 2003
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’10
Weight –176 lbs
Position – Left Wing/Right Wing
Handedness – Right

Lysell’s Style Of Play

Dynamic is an understatement when it comes to Lysell. His combination of hands and speed are breath-taking. It is rare for even an experienced, skilled, NHL player to have the puck control, poise and confidence to make the moves Lysell does with ease in full-stride. Puck-on-a-string comes to mind. His feel make it seems like he was born with a stick in his hands, or simply that it is an extension of his body itself. Even good defensemen at the u-18 international level get a deer-in-headlights look when Lysell picks their side of ice to attack. For good reason. He often makes them look like pee-wee players as they end up a foot-note in an ever expanding highlight reel.

Then there is his finishing. Not only can he carve through a whole team, but when he gets to the slot or goal-mouth he is clinical. He has a good release that is deceptive. It seems at times as though he is only half-way through a move when he turns his hands back over and flicks a puck past a statue-esque goalie. His wrist-shot is lethal, and his back-hand is amongst the best of any draft eligible. What is scary is that he could improve his technique on his shooting as well. He overbalances at times and the velocity is reduced as a result.

But he is not just a speedy sharp-shooter with silky hands. His beautiful touch extends to his passing. That combined with a natural lane-finding ability that Nicklas Bäckström would not be disappointed with means he is a threat from everywhere. He can find his team-mates anywhere on ice, and shred defenses who manage to keep his speed and shot on the rush in check on the cycle.

So, you ask, what are the downsides to his game? With his all-around explosive offensive tools there has to be a down-side? Well… yes. But maybe not where you would expect.

Defensively he works hard, and is great at picking off passes, disrupting lanes, and turning defense into offense. While no stalwart I would argue that he is at very worst “average” defensively for a winger his age. He is not physical in the slightest, which may draw some into the conclusion he does not commit enough in his own end… but when you key in on him he hustles hard inside his half of ice, and can cover for his center when they get caught up ice. With increased size and strength he could be a positive in his own zone even in the NHL. He has a broad frame for his height, and should be able to add weight going forward without losing any dynamism.

The area he does need to improve in though is, well, to play a more mature game at times. It might simply be that at the u-18, and even u-20, level the level of competition is simply too easy for him, but he can over-do things in terms of trying one move too many and play going the other way when there were better options. At times it appears as though he has to have seen a good passing opportunity, or a high percentage cycle play, but simply decides to take on three or four players anyway. Puck-management being more consistent is a must.

Some question if his hockey IQ matches his skill as a result, but I don’t believe there is any real cause for concern there long-term. He will soon be playing pro-level hockey in Sweden, and learn what he can and cannot get away with vs hardened professionals. At the junior levels he has no cause to alter how he approaches the game right now due to his overwhelming success.

Lysell’s draft position might be tempered simply by the fact he is in a very deep junior set-up where he does not get the ice-time he would elsewhere, and his lack of SHL minutes as well. He also might not get to show what he can do at the international level with the global situation right now. But make no mistake. Lysell is certainly a top 10 talent, and a player who could develop into a true game-breaker down the line. With the opulence of ability in the 2021 draft it may well be that Lysell falls into the 11-15 range. If he does the team who snaps him up will be laughing all the way to his first 30 goal season.

Comparison

Artemi Panarin, Left Wing, New York Rangers

It might seem a lofty comparable. But squint when you watch them play and you could mistake them for each other. Both righties who can bomb down the wing. Both similar in stature. Both love to embarrass opponents with feats of magical stick-handling. Both with very similar wrist-shots technique-wise. Both see the ice and can thread a pass. And both work hard in their own zone and excel at lane disruption. Will Lysell ever be the player the Russian dynamo is? It is doubtful. But a Panarin-redux can still be a special player.

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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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Photo Credit – Daniel St. Louis

Zachary L’Heureux is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect, who hails from Mercier, Quebec (a stone’s throw from the Honoré Mercier Bridge, which connects Châteauguay/Mercier with Lasalle). L’Heureux played midget and bantam hockey for Lac St-Louis Grenadiers and the Châteauguay Grenadiers.

L’Heureux was initially drafted by the Moncton Wildcats in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft at pick #3. His 2019-2020 season was his QMJHL rookie season and he lead the league in rookie scoring with 53 points (20 goals and 33 assists). At the 2019-2020 QMJHL Trade Deadline, the Halifax Mooseheads and the Moncton Wildcats struck a deal in which Benoit-Olivier Groulx (Anaheim Ducks prospect) and Jared McIssac (Detroit Red Wings prospect) joined Moncton. But, the deal was not completely finalized until after the QMJHL season when Elliot Desnoyers (Philadelphia Flyers prospect) and L’Heureux was dealt to Halifax.

So far this season, L’Heureux has tallied six goals and six assists in 11 games played. He has been featured on the top line for the Mooseheads and typically plays alongside Robert Orr (2021 NHL Draft prospect, no relation to Boston Bruins great Bobby Orr) and Desnoyers.

Recently, he was given a four game suspension after engaging in a fight after a blind side hit. The suspension was likely longer than usual because the play had been blown dead and the referee had already raised his arm to indicate that there was a penalty on the play.

Player Profile

D.O.B – May 15, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –5’11
Weight –196 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Left

L’Heureux’s Style Of Play

To kick things off, I wanted to first take a look at some statistics. In the first chart, you will see a list of QMJHLers and their goals per 60, primary assists per 60 and scoring chances per 60. The data includes all 2020-2021 regular season games and pre-season games. In addition, there are other QMJHLers that we could add like Zachary Bolduc from the Rimouski Oceanic, but the sample size for Bolduc is not big enough. The issue is that many QMJHL clubs had to shut down and postpone games due to COVID-19, so there are more QMJHL talent that we could not compare L’Heureux’s data to at this time. But, with that being said, the chart indicates that L’Heureux has the highest goals per 60 and the highest scoring chances per 60 of the draft eligibles on this list. But, his primary assists per 60 is on the lower end of the scale.

In the second chart, you will find a comparison chart. The chart is comparing Alexis Lafreniére (New York Rangers prospect)’s first 11 regular season games in his draft year to L’Heureux’s first 11 games in his draft year. Since L’Heureux is the premier QMJHL draft eligible forward for the 2021 NHL Draft, we wanted to show you a data comparison. L’Heureux has been less effective in his first 11 regular season games, but he is registering a higher scoring chances per 60 (at even strength as well).

But, let’s move away from the statistics and hone in on his playing style. What I love about L’Heureux is his transitional play. In the neutral zone, L’Heureux is constantly finding open lanes and gaps that he can exploit. He will find open lanes to provide his teammates with a low trafficked avenue to pass the puck through. Given how dangerous L’Heureux is at driving to the net and pilling up high danger scoring chances, his transitional play allows him to start his magic from the blueline.

From a defensive and forechecking perspective, L’Heureux’s game has evolved quite a bit from his midget and bantam days. Back then, L’Heureux’s primary position was center and he tended to be a bit more aggressive with his defensive and forechecking. In fact, he was still pretty aggressive with his play last year in Moncton even though he was on the wing at the time. While his play has relaxed slightly, he is still a robust defender, who opts to play zone defense. Like most wingers, his zone is from the blueline to the perimeter. When he is in his zone, he will still show aggression even though it is less than what it was previously. With that being said, L’Heureux will deliver open ice hits in an effort to silence the cycle and regain possession of the puck. Below, you will find an example of L’Heureux’s willingness to get gritty and deliver open ice hits to shut down the rush.

Zachary L'Heureux (#2021NHLDraft) is an intriguing player.

L'Heureux is a strong forward who has good puck skills and isn't afraid to get physical. Here he lays a big hip check and then generates a nice offensive chance. Not bad for a rookie (who led the #QMJHL in rookie points) pic.twitter.com/o7DoKttlZE

— Tony Ferrari (@theTonyFerrari) May 10, 2020

When it comes to his hands, L’Heureux is an efficient stickhandler, especially when he is driving to the net. Sometimes, his stickhandling might seem a bit slow and sluggish, but keep in mind that L’Heureux logs quite a bit of time on ice and his shifts can be quite long especially on the powerplay. In the below clip, you will see an instance where he L’Heureux had a long shift and still stickhandled efficiently when driving to the net. Due to the length of the shift, his glide was a bit wide but that is to be expected when you are on the ice for 80 seconds (as François Brosseau pointed out in his tweet). Even though L’Heureux was tired, he still drove hard to the net and managed to navigate around the Moncton attack.

Here's a couple clips of Zachary L'Heureux stickhandling. He's a minute and 20 seconds in to a power-play shift, so he's a little tired, but same goes for the Moncton penalty killers. #NHLDraft #NHLDraft2021 pic.twitter.com/dy8xqo75HU

— François Brosseau (@HockeyScribe) November 3, 2020

In the offensive zone, L’Heureux thrives in the low slot/doorstep. Most of his primary assists and goals come down low. When you sift through quite a bit of his primary assists, you will notice that quite a few of them are a result of rebound shots. L’Heureux is deceptive. He knows exactly how to generate a quality rebound chances when his teammates have stormed the crease.

While he generates quite a bit of primary assists in the slot, I have noticed that when he is further out and past the perimeter that he struggles with long range passing. Instead of delivering a crisp tape-to-tape feed, his passes tend to be placed a bit further up. It appears that his Halifax teammates are well-aware of his passing struggles, so they will often assume where the puck is headed and quickly skate up to that spot to ensure that the pass is completed.

The only other attribute that needs further development is his puck control. In some instances, L’Heureux struggles with puck possession when facing quite a bit of pressure. In addition, I would like to see L’Heureux use his stickhandling more often when facing traffic. When L’Heureux is facing pressure on the half-wall and in the corners, he doesn’t use his stickhandling like he does when he drives to the net. I would like to see L’Heureux pivot and puck-handle away from the attack.

While L’Heureux has some attributes that needs to be ironed out, I want to talk about how lethal his wrist shot is. He has solid range with his wrist shot and will use it quite a bit in the mid to high slot. The Montreal-based prospect can go top shelf with his wrist shot and the accuracy is quite strong. With his open stick blade, L’Heureux has more control of where the puck goes and constantly uses it to his advantage to get the puck over the net-minder’s glove.

Paging all @NHL teams. This guy is officially on your radar.
Zachary L'Heureux (5) 17:12 1st period
Assist: Jordan Dumais #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/JlYUUUqZmE

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) October 24, 2020

Last, but not least, let’s address L’Heureux’s skating. His stride extension is not too long and the recovery is not too wide. But, as we saw earlier, when L’Heureux is tired due to a longer shift, his glide becomes a bit wider. A wider glide can hurt your mobility, but we did not see any mobility issues in that particular shift because the penalty kill unit was also on the ice for a long period of time. In terms of L’Heureux’s speed, he can generate decent speed in transition. With his ability to pick up speed, he becomes a threat when driving from the blueline to the net. Also, his edge work allows him to shift at a moment’s notice away from an attacker when driving to the net. To be blunt, I do not see any concerns with his skating.

Discipline

*new section as of April 14, 2021*

As mentioned earlier, there have been issues of discipline. Unfortunately, L’Heureux has racked up quite a few suspensions throughout his 2020-2021 campaign.

As of April 14, 2021, the QMJHL has suspended Zachary L’Heureux for the fourth time this season. Not many players have been suspended multiple times across the QMJHL this season aside from Liam Leonard of the Saint John Sea Dogs and Nicholas Blagden of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. L’Heureux’s discipline is concerning. While his offensive production is very strong, his on-ice discipline has raised eyebrows at times. The NHL club who selects him on draft night will need to be patient and work with him on discipline.

Comparison

Jakub Voracek, Right Wing, Philadelphia Flyers

L’Heureux’s ability to fire quality wrist shots in the slot and generate quite a few high danger scoring chances reminds me of former Halifax Mooseheads winger Jakub Voracek. Voracek like L’Heureux does his dirty work down low and is highly efficient at driving towards the net.

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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!

Photo Credit – Frölunda HC

The towering blue-liner is from a small town outside Gothenburg with an interesting history. A history that is fitting of Edvinsson for two separate reasons.

Onsala – located in a pristine fjord on the west coast of Sweden – means “The Halls of Odin”. When you look at Edvinsson that seems appropriate. The young, hulking, defenseman looks like he is straight out of a Viking saga. In the towns later history it was home to pirates and privateers who raided Danish and Russian fleets. On ice Edvinsson lives up to this with his swashbuckling style that is sure to turn heads.

The Frölunda product has been turning heads in Sweden since he was 14 years old, being the youngest defenseman selected for Dalarna county in the prestigious “TV-pucken” in 2017. The next year he made his debut for the Swedish junior national teams at u-16 level, and immediately was their “go-to” defenseman in a talented age-group. In his career so far he has played 19 games for the junior national team at u-16 and u-17 level. 21 points have come in those 19 games. But it is not just his offensive game that will ensure Edvinsson will be a first rounder in the 2021 draft.

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 5, 2003
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’4
Weight –185 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Edvinsson’s Style Of Play

His game is built around his physical skill-set. Edvinsson skates so smoothly that he appears languid on ice, yet still blazes past players six inches smaller than him on a regular basis. This translates beautifully when it comes to rushing up ice. His transition game really is something to behold. When he gets the puck on his stick in the defensive zone opposition forwards stomachs go into their throats. And that is understandable. In stride he can scythe through a neutral zone trap as though it is simply beneath him. There really is an air of condescension at times from Edvinsson when he has the puck on his stick, and who can blame him? There are not many players in Swedish juniors who have the ability to stop him fairly once he decides to go.

Edvinsson also has beautiful hands. He can deke as well as most high-skilled forwards, and has the confidence to take on multiple players either through the neutral zone, or once established in the offensive zone.

Lets start this journey towards the 2021 NHL Draft with this clip of 6'4 defenseman Simon Edvinsson doing Simon Edvinsson stuff. pic.twitter.com/BuwQPNzMbq

— Mikael Holm (@carlmikaelholm) October 25, 2020

When set up he prefers to try and create high-danger chances instead of fire away from the point, usually trying to get past a man or walk into the circles before unleashing. He cycles the puck well, but his confidence in his ability can border on arrogance at times and lead to turnovers without much support behind him.

Ya know, this Simon Edvinsson guy might just be a guy. pic.twitter.com/946wsP8x0e

— Will Scouch (@Scouching) September 8, 2020

He is a deceptive and creative passer who puts many play-making centres to shame with his vision. Often he finds forwards all alone in-front after walking in from the point and drawing players out of position. As would be expected, his outletting is also impressive. This, combined with his puck-rushing, means his team rarely get stuck in the defensive zone with him on ice.

The worst aspect of his offensive game is – easily – his shot. For a big, strong, man he does not get much velocity on his shots. He creates great positions for wrist-shots especially on a regular basis, but often the goalie has time to see it and deal with it. On the slap-shot front he generally only takes them on the power-play, but would still prefer to walk in and wrist or snap the puck. He will never be Shea Weber in the shot department, and he needs to improve in that area before he reaches the NHL. If he can develop a bigger shot it will simply amplify how dangerous he is, and help create even more lanes for him.

Defensively Edvinsson is solid if unspectacular. He has good defensive IQ and usually positions himself well. Despite his size he is not that physical, though he does not shy away from contact. He has a very active stick that he utilises regularly to reach in and break up play to send the puck up ice. The biggest downside to his defensive game generally comes with getting caught up ice at times, and therefore unable to make a play.

Edvinsson is one of the best defensemen who will be available in the 2021 draft, which is saying something considering there may well be six defensemen who have the talent to go top ten. It is easy to see NHL scouts falling in love with him. Down the line it would be a shock to see him not becoming a good top four NHL blue-liner, and he has the potential to be a 40+ point, top pairing guy.

Comparison

Oliver Ekman Larsson, left handed defenseman, Arizona Coyotes

Edvinsson and his fellow Swede share a lot of attributes. Both are good skaters with sweet mitts and an abundance of confidence. They also share a high offensive IQ, great ability to rush the puck, and high-level passing. Neither are defensive zone stand-outs, but are solid in their own end. Though Ekman Larsson might “stand-out” more due to being more physical there. The one area though where the Arizona captain has a clear advantage is his shot. Don’t expect Edvinsson to ever put 20+ goals up at the highest level.

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stats from InStat and EliteProspects

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

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!

Photo Credit – Rena Laverty

Luke Hughes is one of the youngest 2021 NHL Draft prospects. The NHL Draft cut-off date for the 2021 NHL Draft is September 15, 2003 and that means that any player born after the 15th is not eligible for the 2021 draft. Instead, they will be eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft which is headlined by Kingston Frontenacs forward Shane Wright, Winnipeg Ice forward Matthew Savoie and JYP forward Brad Lambert.

Hughes is in his second season with the US National Team Development program (USNTDP) and is following in the foot-steps of his brothers, Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks). All three Hughes siblings have suited up for the USNTDP. Once the season concluded, Luke Hughes will be going 30 minutes west of the USA Hockey facilities in Plymouth and will be headed to the University of Michigan. His brother, Quinn also played for the Michigan Wolverines and head coach Mel Pearson.

So far this season, Hughes has played in nine games for the USNTDP and has tallied five assists to date. While there is a lot of uncertainty with the 2020-2021 season given then pandemic, Hughes has proven to be a dominant offensive force and should find himself on the scoresheet quite a bit during the campaign.

Player Profile

D.O.B – September 9, 2003
Nationality – USA
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’2
Weight –176 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left

Hughes’ Style Of Play

Throughout the rest of 2020 and 2021, you will be constantly seeing analysts compare Brandt Clarke, Simon Edvinsson, Owen Power, Luke Hughes and Carson Lambos. One of these defensemen will be selected before the others. So, it is inevitable that there will be plenty of discussion and debate around which defenseman is the ultimate prize.

In the below dataset, you will have the opportunity to compare the five defensemen. The dataset looks at shots on goal percentage, high danger shots on goal percentage, medium danger shots on goal percentage, low danger shots on goal percentage and the percentage of puck battles won. For most, they would argue that Brandt Clarke and Carson Lambos are the most well-rounded of the five defensemen. I would also argue the same, but the gap between Clarke and Hughes is not astronomical. In fact, it’s quite close. I would have Clarke and Lambos in my top tier for defensemen and Hughes would be in the second tier.

The major difference between Clarke versus Hughes has more to do with upside in all three zones. Clarke is stronger at defending the rush, more robust puck movement skills and his playmaking is more valuable than Hughes. But, Hughes is still a dominant force to be reckoned with.

Hughes is most known for his skating. Almost every game that I tune in to, the first comment that I hear from the play by play and color guys is how dominant Hughes’ stride is. The young defenseman has a silky smooth stride and possesses elite edges. I know that “silky smooth” can be overused quite a bit in scouting reports, but Hughes does have a silky smooth stride. Every glide is well-timed. The extension is not too long and the recovery is exactly where you want it. Not too far out from the torso. With Hughes’ edge work, it allows him to be more spontaneous and quick with the puck than most. We see that quite a bit with his transitional play and defensive zone puck possession. Instead of forcing the puck into tight spots and well-defended lanes, Hughes will opt to re-group and drop back. Sometimes the final decision is to try that same lane once more as the defenders have backed off and abandoned the pressure and/or sometimes it provides Hughes with the ability to pivot, shift gears and find a different lane/avenue to utilize. In order to be that decisive with the puck, you need strong edges to shift or turn away from danger. It also is an indicator of how robust his transitional play is. Players don’t get rewarded for transitional fails. They get rewarded for successful transitions. With the ability to drop back and re-define the plan of attack, the probability of a successful transition is much higher than trying to push through danger.

You can definitely see some of Quinn in the young Luke Hughes. His stride may not be as smooth as the eldest Hughes, but he is definitely a top tier skater.

Here he does something Quinn could trademark, the one-man entry on the power play. #NTDP #GoBlue #Canucks pic.twitter.com/JYz2fb1zxD

— Stars n’ Stripes Hockey (@StarsStripesHKY) October 30, 2019

Aside from Hughes’ skating, my second favorite attribute about the left-handed defenseman is his soft hands. Soft hands are always a great thing to have when you are distributing the puck, shifting around an attacker with the puck or trying to deliver a cross ice feed. While there are certainly moments where Hughes is more jumpy and a bit rough with his feeds, most of the time Hughes is delivering smooth feeds to teammates. In addition, his handy work also pays off when he takes the outside lane and shifts around an attacker while he is rushing up the ice. Hughes loves showing the leather when he is racing towards the slot, but has a man on him. He will shift the puck from left to right, evade the attacker and set up a pass to the slot. But, don’t forget how elite his passing ability is. Hughes can truly thread the needle with his smooth feeds.

LUKE HUGHES. Spin and pass to Jack Hughes (no relation) and Jack scores. pic.twitter.com/pjlLJOiMlv

— Josh Tessler (@JoshTessler_) February 16, 2020

In the defensive zone, like Clarke, Hughes will trap his attackers on the rush. Sometimes he will move to the corners, but a decent amount of the time, he plays them close to the vest as they skate up on the right side. Hughes will use his body to push in, cut in front and knock the puck off the attackers’ stick. His poke-checking ability reminds me of former USNTDP defenseman Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators prospect), who has shown that he has the ability to swipe the puck away from an attacker with ease.

In addition, Hughes thrives at choosing which lane to eliminate. From the blue line to the red line, the defenseman looks to place himself in the center-left, which forces his attackers to work the outside lane. Instead of opening up lanes and causing a ton of high danger scoring chances, Hughes’ movements eliminate scoring chances and leads to back-checks in the corner.

The only major gap in Hughes’ game is his ability to get his shot on target. Hughes struggles from range and most of his shots end up getting deflected. As we noticed in the dataset earlier, his SOG% is the lowest of the five defensemen and struggles in lower danger shots. The problem with Hughes’ shot is not the mechanics of his shot. It has more to do with pin-pointing the exact lane or the exact moment to shoot.

Comparison

Quinn Hughes, LHD, Vancouver Canucks

Luke plays a very similar game to his older brother, Quinn. Both defensemen are elite puck-movers with robust skating ability. In addition, both defensemen are highly efficient at drawing the attack to the corners and silencing the rush in a vulnerable spot for the attacker. Quinn and Luke both have proven to be lethal play-makers and possess impressive puck distribution skills.

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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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Photo Credit: Terry Wilson, OHL Images/Aaron Bell, CHL Images

The Barrie Colts defenseman is a 2021 NHL Draft eligible prospect. Brandt Clarke is the brother of New Jersey Devils prospect and Ottawa 67’s forward, Graeme Clarke. Clarke grew up in the Ottawa, Ontario area and played youth hockey for Nepean MHA.

Clarke ended up moving across the province to Toronto, Ontario and suited up for one of the most prestigious youth hockey development programs in the area, the Don Mills Flyers. He played U15 and U16 hockey with Don Mills and was on two championship teams (GTHL U15 Champion and OHF Bantam AAA Champion). Following a 113 point season with Don Mills, he was selected fourth overall in the OHL Draft by the Barrie Colts.

Clarke’s 2019-2020 was his first season in the OHL and he tallied six goals and 32 assists in 57 games played. After a stellar debut season, he was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team and recorded the most assists by rookie in the OHL.

Unfortunately, the 2020-2021 OHL season was cancelled due to COVID-19. With that said, Clarke and his brother, Graeme were loaned out to the Slovakian club, HC Nove Zamky. In 26 games played for HC Nove Zamky, Clarke recorded 15 points (five goals and ten assists).

Once his time in Slovakia came to an end, Clarke represented Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championships in Texas and was a point per game player during the tournament.

Player Profile

D.O.B – February 9, 2003
Nationality – Canada
Draft Eligibility – 2021
Height –6’1
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Right

Clarke’s Style Of Play

Defense

With Brandt Clarke, you can expect a defender that plays the rush extremely well, blocks lanes and pushes the attack to the corners. Clarke gets in your face, gives you as little room as possible and looks for the best moment to pounce on the puck. But, what I really like about Clarke is that you can’t read him like an open book. With every situation, there is a different strategy with Clarke. You can not predict when Clarke will pounce and there is no way of telling how Clarke will try to strip the puck away from you. I have seen instances where Clarke becomes Sergio Ramos or Dani Alves and slide tackles for the puck. Before I go on, I just want to clarify that those instances were not slew foots. Clarke was playing the puck and there was no evidence that he was going to for the skates or legs.

In the clip below from Mathis Desjardins (@m_desjardins00), you can check out Clarke defending a Quinton Byfield rush. Instead of playing tight from the neutral zone, Clarke will give you room, but as soon as you pass the perimeter, he tightens up on you and will not allow you to swing the puck around.

1v1 Rush: Quinton Byfield vs Brandt Clarke#2020NHLDraft#2021NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/ISUh7bMTlO

— Mathis Desjardins (@m_desjardins00) April 28, 2020

In the defensive zone when defending the cycle, Clarke tends to either sit net-front or play a tight game along the corners. By sitting net-front, Clarke uses his elite gap control to limit the amount of high danger opportunities. He sits right at the crease to minimize lanes for his opponents and adds a secondary shield for his goaltender. As I said, he will alternate from net-front to the corners and when he is on the corners, he plays you man-on-man and puts pressure on you. The pressure that he puts on you is overwhelming and in most cases leads to the cycle dying.

Skating

While Clarke has shown that he possesses a strong defensive game, I’ve noticed that Clarke’s skating needs further improvement in order to become NHL ready. For instance, he will have difficulty keeping his balance when deploying outside edges. When defending a puck carrier who is looking to find a gap and can be rather shifty, Clarke will have to deploy outside edges to keep pace, but don’t be surprised if he puts his hand directly on the ice surface to try to keep his balance.

When it comes to skating in transition, Clarke’s extension and placement is exactly where you want it to be. He does not take long extensions and his skates are not too wide apart. However, you will see that Clarke can struggle with his ankle flexion. His ankle won’t line up with the toes of his skates. But, he also will struggle with a knocked knee extension as Josh Mallory of McKeen’s Hockey mentioned in a post on his substack. If you aren’t familiar with a knocked knee, the Hospital for Special Surgery describes it as “a condition in which the knees bend inward and touch or “knock” against one another, even when a person is standing with their ankles apart. This places excessive force on the outer side of the knee, which can cause pain and damage over time.”

Below, you can find a screenshots of Clarke’s right skate extension and you will see that his knee bends down at an odd angle. Immediately after Clarke tries to complete a skate recovery, he loses balance and has to rely on his left leg for support.

When in transition, Clarke is constantly using crossovers for acceleration. Clarke has good speed, but sometimes you forget how speedy he is because he will zig-zag in the neutral zone. It’s rare that you will find Clarke go straight and not pivot or turn. Since the defensive measures that his opponents are taking are changing each second, Clarke adjusts on the fly.

Transitional Play

Given how strong he is at puck movement, he will often find himself forced to handle heavy pressure when isolated in the neutral zone. Given his adaptability, he reacts quickly and can weave around traffic with the puck on his stick with ease. He stick-handles around traffic and he is a sneaky stick-handler. Clarke is not a flashy stick-handler, but he embodies soft hands that allows him to swerve the puck around an attacker quickly.

When Clarke is not controlling the transition, he is constantly reading the play and will adjust his movement on the fly. If his teammates are looking to skate the puck up on the left side and drawing traffic to them, he will skate up on the right and provide his teammates with an outlet incase they are trapped.

Offense

In the offensive zone, Clarke does not just stick to playing the point. Instead, he prefers to be all over the offensive zone. Clarke will pinch and shuffle between the low slot, perimeter and blue-line. On the power play, his puck distribution as a power play quarterback is on point. The delivery is quick and accurate. From a shooting perspective, Clarke does not just fire low danger shots as mentioned in the chart. He gets involved in high danger, medium danger and low danger situations. In fact, Clarke had 16 high danger shots in his 2019-2020 season. Lambos, Hughes, Power and Edvinsson did not come close to that at all. Lambos had the second highest high danger shots with six. Not only does Clarke get involved all over the offensive zone, but he will use his stick-handling to get him in position to succeed.

In the clip below, you can see Clarke dangle around attackers, open up ice and score. Clarke is not your prototypical defenseman. He gets involved at every inch of the offensive zone. Do not expect him to sit back on the blue-line. That is not his game at all. He is crafty and a robust playmaker.

Brandt Clarke's sixth goal of the season. The 2021 draft prospect weaves around traffic and buries the puck top shelf.#2021NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/AtoIWKNAhc

— Josh Tessler (@JoshTessler_) March 6, 2020

Comparison

Dougie Hamilton, RHD, Carolina Hurricanes

Brandt Clarke reminds me of Dougie Hamilton. Hamilton is a bit bigger in size, but his game is quite similar to Clarke. Elite puck mover with high offensive upside. Like the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman, he thrives in the defensive zone and is highly effective at trapping attackers and taking away lanes.

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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!