Scouting Report: Simon Edvinsson

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.

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.

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.

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!

Scouting Report: Luke Hughes

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.

Data From InStat Hockey

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.

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.

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.

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!

Interview: Jaromír Pytlík

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

The hulking Czech pivot did not get too much hype in the lead-up to the NHL draft. Why? Probably because he does not have the “flash” that many forward prospects have. But when you run down a check-list of attributes there is not really a single box that would not be ticked when it comes to the man from the small town of Dačice. He skates well, plays good defense, he physical, his shot finds corners, he has a high hockey IQ, and makes crisp tape-to-tape passes. The big centre is also used being tasked with shutting down the oppositions best players, and generally does that job with aplomb despite many being close to two years his senior. Pytlík himself considers three of his attributes as stand-outs.

“I think my skating, my work ethic, I work hard on my skills, and having a pretty good shot.”

He stood out in all those areas at the World Juniors, despite not making a major impact on the scoreboard. Though it was not just at the World Juniors he has shown his ability. He moved to the OHL mid-way through the 2018-19 season, and since then has shone while playing in the land of the Great Lakes. Pytlík outlined just why he left his home nation and crossed the pond.

“The reason (for leaving Vitkovice) was that I was not playing much, I had low ice time… I practiced with the senior team but did not play many games. And our manager, Kyle Raftis, told me that if I would go there (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), I could play with Morgan Frost and Barrett Hayton. I was really excited, I just thought that I would play more, get better, if I went to Canada.”

In his draft year he picked up 50 points in 56 games in the OHL, a solid offensive output. Combine that with his two-way game and it is easy to see why some had him ranked as a second-rounder. A good measure of his skill-set is the fact that when asked what areas he needed to improve on, he did not point to a specific attribute, but consistency.

“I want to always be good. Because sometimes I play really good, and then sometimes not so great, so consistency.”

Somewhat of a surprise given his playing style is who he grew up trying to emulate.

“There were lots of people, but like… Evgeni Malkin… probably him!”

Though it is worth stating that the young Czech forward has far more defensive acumen than his Russian idol, even if Malkin is in a different offensive stratosphere.

There is some thought that he might shift to wing at the pro level. But with his skill-set if he can stick at center he has the potential to be a versatile middle-six pivot who can contribute in all phases of the game. Maybe he can even hit 50 points in a good year if he reaches his absolute upside, albeit he is more likely to be a good third liner. He would arguably have been a good pick-up at pick #60, let alone at 99th overall.

*this interview took place at the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic*

Check out our scouting report on Pytlík for more details on his skill-set.

Interview post written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Interview: John-Jason Peterka

Photo Credit – EHC Red Bull München

John-Jason Peterka might have Czech heritage, and with his family name you might think that the Buffalo Sabres prospect grew up surrounded by hockey, but that was not the case in his formative years. Hockey had not even been a consideration in Peterka’s family before he first picked up a stick… even if he was around an ice-rink on a regular basis.

“No-one in my family had ever played hockey before me at all! When I was 3 ½ or 4, I was always skating with my parents… just skating… and then I saw the hockey players going on the ice, and I just wanted to try it! So that is how I got started.”

Despite being on many European prospect watchers radars since he was 15 years old, Peterka came into this season as a somewhat overlooked player, and was outside the top 100 in most pre-season draft rankings. Part of that is down to his unique development pathway, a pathway that may well become all the more common in the near future. Peterka will be the first high-end European player who will have come through the Red Bull hockey academy.

Red Bull are well known for pumping money into sports around the world, and hockey is no different. In 2016, they invested $60 million in a state-of-the-art facility in Salzburg that has a claim to being the best hockey development facility on earth. Peterka thinks the move there – at age 14 – was great for his development.

“I think it was a really, really good decision. But at first it was really hard for me, going away from home, not living with my parents… but yeah, it was really good. The facilities were amazing, and like you said they have so much money… so I think it was a good decision!”

Peterka, who likes to go by the moniker “JJ”, left the Academy last summer and joined hometown DEL team EHC München – also part of the Red Bull family. He has held his own in the pro league, with 7 goals and 11 points in 42 games, while playing between the third and fourth lines. At the World Juniors he showed what he could do with more ice time against the best in his age group. Three goals in his first three games made everyone sit up and take notice, with his skill, shot and ability to get to the danger areas standing out every shift. Peterka himself highlighted three areas that he feels he excels in.

“One-on-one situations, my vision and my passing ability.”

His answer though to what he wants to improve on going forward was somewhat of a surprise though.

“I think my skating”.

Given that he routinely blows past defenseman even at the pro level, and always keeps his feet moving, if his skating keeps improving he will be able to win a race with anyone. Given his penchant for high-light reel rushes it is no surprise to see the player who he tries to model his game on.

“Patrick Kane was my favourite player for so many years, so Patrick Kane!”

That being said at #34 overall it feels like the Buffalo Sabres set themselves up for a potential “home-run” type pick down the line given the combination of skill, speed, and natural inclination to try and make big plays. There is a risk with Peterka, but it is one that was certainly worth taking, as it is easy to see a future first liner with 60 point potential inside the young German.

*this interview took place at the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic*

Check out our scouting report on Peterka for more details on his skill-set.

Interview post written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Interview: Lukas Reichel

Photo Credit: Jan Malte Diekmann

While no-one would mistake Germany for a hockey powerhouse, hockey is simply in Lukas Reichel’s blood. His father Martin played 20 years of pro hockey, including playing for his adopted homeland of Germany at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. His uncle Robert played over 800 NHL games and took home Olympic Gold in 1998. His cousin Kristian is a Winnipeg Jets prospect currently in the AHL, while Lukas’s brother Thomas plays alongside him in the DEL. Growing up he saw this as a massive positive.

“(Growing up) we talked so much with Robert and Kristian. That’s been so good for me and they have helped me a lot.”

With the family now having split allegiances between Czech Republic and Germany there are added bragging rights on the line when the two sides meet, and Lukas beamed as he recounted the German victory over the Czechs at the World Juniors.

“After the Czech game… Kristian, he messaged me on Instagram asking why we are beating Czech Republic! But it is just fun between us!”

But Lukas is not just living off his famous family name. Coming into his draft year he was a relative unknown, having only played in the German junior divisions and at the second tier u-18 World Juniors. However, he forced his way into a starting role on Eisbären Berlin to begin the season, and over the last course of the 2019-20 season his play in a high-level professional league helped him force his way from unranked in some draft rankings to the 17th overall pick for the Blackhawks. Twenty-four points in 42 games in a league made up of ex-NHLers, AHLers and the top talent central Europe has on offer is extremely impressive. Berlin alone last season had eight players who suited up in the world’s best league. The Nürnberg native turned heads not just with his production though, but with his well-rounded offensive skill-set making him dangerous in all areas of the ice.

“My playmaking and vision (are my best attributes). I like to make my teammates better. I am always looking for a pass, and my skating (is good). In Berlin I am more of a scorer! But I don’t know why… but that is okay, I like to score too!”

He can beat opponents with skill or speed, and is not afraid of the danger areas despite needing time to physically mature. Reichel himself noted that is an area he is working on, alongside his defensive game.

“My defending is a bit of a weakness, and my physical play, I have to work on that… but in Berlin we have a really good fitness coach, and going there I hope that in two years or three years that area is a lot better.”

Many who have watched him may feel he is being harsh on himself by calling his play in his own zone a weakness, as while no stalwart he seems to hold his own against men. While not as flashy offensively as fellow high-end German prospects Tim Stützle and John-Jason Peterka he has good hands, just like the man he grew up idolising, a potential future team-mate.

“My favourite player was – and is – Patrick Kane. I like his skill, his playmaking vision. He is my hockey idol.”

Given his skill-set it is easy to envisage the affable German becoming a good top six winger in the not so distant future for the Chicago Blackhawks. While he may be a pass first player, he can shoot the puck too, and has scored at a good clip at every level he has played at. If he hits, he will also surely be a fan favourite at the United Center.

*this interview took place at the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic*

Check out our scouting report on Reichel for more details on his skill-set.

Interview post written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Scouting Report: Brandt Clarke

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.

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.

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.

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!

Interview: Jan Myšák

Photo Credit – Brandon Taylor / ProAm Images

Jan Myšák was somewhat of a wildcard in regards to the NHL draft. Many people saw him as a top 15 talent, while due to his size and concerns about upside some saw him falling into the second round.

As it turned out, Montréal picked up the talented forward at #48 overall. Perhaps if he had played all season in North America his stock would have been higher. The young Czech flashed his great hands and speed at the World Juniors and in the OHL, and also cleared up unfounded concerns with an intelligent two-way game, showing that his diligence and commitment to defense is not be a problem in the slightest, despite reports earlier in the year from the Czech media that this could be an issue. The Litvinov native had the option to cross the pond and head to the OHL with Hamilton Bulldogs to start last season season, but chose to stay in his hometown, mainly due to his coach, triple gold club member Jiří Šlégr, and only came to North America after the World Juniors.

“I think the main reason (for staying) was the coach there, Jiří Šlégr, he told me he would give me a lot of opportunities, so I wanted to stay.”

As it turned out, he was arguably not afforded these opportunities. While Litvinov were sitting second to bottom in the Extraliga table at the point the talented Canadiens draftee departed across the pond, Myšák mainly played a 3rd line role, with occasional second power-play time. He should certainly have been playing more.

Some scouts criticised his skating at times in his draft year, but there is no doubting his speed, and the young Czech forward sees that area as one of his best attributes, alongside his hockey IQ.

“(The best attributes of) my game? I think I am a quick skater, and a smart player, they would be the two.”

He does note however that in terms of areas he wants to improve on the process behind his skating is important to him.

“My shooting could be better… and maybe my skating technique too.”

Considering his speed and ability to carve through the neutral zone and beat defensemen, if he can manage to make his stride cleaner while also getting more power on his release then he would be hard to contain for any NHL defenseman in a few years, just like the man he patterns his game on, and his favourite player of all time.

“I try to play like Dylan Larkin, I think he is a player like me, so I am trying to play like him… but of course I had a favourite player… Jaromír Jágr.”

The injection of electric skill Myšák bring to the Canadiens prospect pool should excite the entire fanbase. He was – frankly – a steal where he was taken. Some teams may have been put off by both his size, his inconsistency, and the fact he has not “lit it up” at any level since leaving the Czech u-19 league… but if you want a taste of what he can do go back and watch his performance vs men in the Extraliga relegation round last year. His five goals and nine points in just six games kept his home-town club in the top tier.

His future might lie at wing instead of down the middle, but not so far down the line he could foreseeably bring a serious offensive punch to Montréal as a legitimate first line, two-way forward capable of ~60 points a season with good defensive play.

*this interview took place at the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic*

Check out our scouting report on Myšak for more details on his skill-set.

Interview post written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Interview: Dawson Mercer

Photo Credit: Andre Emond

The Canadian forward might have put up 1.43 points-per-game in the QMJHL last season, but just because the Newfoundland native has some offensive chops don’t for one second think that he is an offense only player. His diligence in his own end is one of the major reasons that he found his way onto this Canadian World Juniors roster at 18, and one of the big reasons he went #18 overall to the New Jersey Devils. It is therefore no surprise as to who he patterned his game off.

“Patrice Bergeron is someone I want to model my game after. I had his jersey as a kid growing up… obviously I like the way he plays. I am sure every GM would love to have him on their team, and just a guy who works everything in the DZ first then into the OZ. He plays in all situations perfectly.”

His hockey IQ is a major reason that he is able to excel up and down the ice, but Mercer also takes pride in working as hard as possible every shift. IQ is arguably the most important attribute for a player to excel in the NHL, and the young Devils draftee, when analysing his own game, points to on ice intelligence alongside his work ethic as where he “wins”.

“I would say my (best attributes are) hockey IQ and hockey sense first of all, and then I would say my work ethic and competitiveness. I never give up on any play, always going, going, going. I like to play a three-way game, take care of the defensive zone, transition in the neutral zone, and move into the OZ to help my team win.”

While he played a limited role at the World Juniors he took it in his stride, and is a versatile, team-oriented player who can adapt to whatever comes his way, something that should help the Devils down the line. Especially given the talent they have down the middle and Mercer’s ability to play wing.

“That is just something you have to realise coming into tournaments like that. You are coming in with all the best u-20 players. I wanted to make sure I was getting my name on this roster and I made sure that I would do anything to be here. That is another positive with my game, I find, that I have a wide variety of different kind of playing styles. Being one of the more skilful guys sometimes, but other games I can be the hardest workhorse out there.”

It is easy to see how the man from Conception Bay could grow into a legitimate 1st line forward who contributes in all zones, at all strengths, potentially alongside either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes in the not so distant future. In terms of what he needs to improve on to get to that level? Mercer himself points to two areas, and even has a timeframe in mind for achieving those goals.

“I feel right now – by the time I am 22 I want to be a lot stronger and faster. So I think that is the biggest thing I have to work on to get my game to the next level, as speed is the main aspect of the game these days, everything is at a higher pace, so I feel that is a major aspect for every player. But I want to get myself in a stronger position.”

If Mercer’s personal timeframe for adding strength and speed come to fruition, the Devil’s may well have as well-rounded a RW as you can find, playing at a high level in an NHL top-six by 2023-24.

*this interview took place at the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic*

Check out our Dawson Mercer scouting report for more details on his skill-set.

Interview post written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.

Scouting Report: Alexander Ljungkrantz

Photo Credit – Nathalie Andersson

Alexander Ljungkrantz is a player who has been on a lot of Swedish prospect watcher’s radars for a few years. A regular in the national team set-up since he was 15 years old, the Gävle native was only outscored in his final year at u-16 level by potential top-40 2020 pick Theodor Niederbach. However, while he has been on the radar for some time he has not quite made the leaps that some might have hoped for over the last two years. He has not “disappointed” by any means, but while he plays a game-style that makes him easy to root for his production has not stood out against his peers, and his skill-set means that his potential is capped as an NHL bottom-sixer. That being said, he should be a legitimate option for teams later in the draft.

Player Profile

D.O.B –February 27, 2002
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’1
Weight –185 lbs
Position – Left Wing
Handedness – Left

Ljungkrantz’ Style Of Play

In terms of his skill-set, Ljungkrantz fulfils many of the stereo-types for a modern-day bottom six winger. The gritty Swede likes getting to the danger areas. He also battles well along the boards and has a knack for finding seams and getting into space in and around the crease. Additionally, he is a good skater who moves up ice well. His skating is not “elite” but he uses his edges effectively when protecting the puck, when fighting for position, and to get space for himself.

While the man from Gästrikland is not an exceptionally skilled player he has some plus offensive skills. His release is good, and he shoots well in stride or stationary. But he does not have the deftest of touch or the high-end vision to create high-danger chances consistently.

On the power-play can play in either the slot or closer to the net. However, at a higher level it is unlikely he will get a consistent man-up role. Simply put, the winger is a complimentary player of the highest order. With a good, intuitive center on his line he may well be able to produce to a decent level in professional leagues.

He works very hard over all 200ft of ice, and while not an instinctive defensive player he is a plus in his own zone for his age. His work in the neutral zone at breaking up plays is a pleasure to watch. This ability extends to playing in man-down situations as well, where he has an active stick that he uses to send the puck the other way with regularity. For the Swedish national junior teams, he has been a go-to penalty-killer. For a player who likes the danger areas he is well disciplined, and rarely takes poor penalties.

Ljungkrantz could be an interesting proposition for a team in the final few rounds of the 2020 draft. He plays a mature game for his age, and it is hard to see him not becoming at worst a solid bottom six SHL player down the line. If he hits he could be a dependable bottom six winger in the NHL who is a regular penalty killer.

Comparison

Jesper Fast, RW, New York Rangers

Ljungkrantz has a lot in common with his fellow Swede. While the Rangers winger undoubtedly has more skill and a better passing touch, both play the game in a similar way. Gritty and physical without crossing the line, intense fore-checkers and good penalty killers. They also both penalty-kill well. Both have plus shots, and are good at getting space round the net. While it is doubtful the Brynäs man will consistently produce at the 30+ point level Fast does if he makes the NHL, he could turn into a slightly lesser version of the man who wears an “A” for The Broadway Blueshirts.

Stats from EliteProspects

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

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

Scouting Report: Drew Commesso

Photo Credit – Rena Laverty

Drew Commesso is a 2020 NHL Draft eligible goaltender and he hails from Boston, Massachusetts. He is coming off of his second season with the USNTDP, in which he had posted a 2.05 goals against average (GAA) and a .920 save percentage (SV%) in 27 games played with the U18 club. Commesso’s goals against average and save percentage numbers are some of the best in USNTDP history. In fact, when you compare Commesso’s stat line against other goaltenders who have suited for the USNTDP in at least 20 games, he owned a better stat line than Spencer Knight, Joseph Woll, Jake Oettinger, Thatcher Demko, John Gibson and Jack Campbell.

Prior to his time with the USNTDP in Plymouth, Michigan, Commesso played prep school hockey in Needham, Massachusetts at the St. Sebastian’s School. St. Sebastian is one of the premier prep schools for hockey in Massachusetts. Quite a few current and former NHLers played prep school hockey for St. Sebastian including Rick DiPietro, Mike Grier, Carl Corazzini, Danny O’Regan and Noah Hanifin. During his time at St. Sebastian, he played in net in 28 games, but the bulk of his playing time came during his 2017-2018 campaign, in which he recorded a 2.13 GAA and a .918 SV%.

This upcoming season, Commesso will be moving back to Boston and joining the Boston University Terriers. He will be joining a loaded Terriers team which includes David Farrance, Domenick Fensore, Dylan Peterson (USNTDP teammate), Robert Mastrosimone and Luke Tuch (USNTDP teammate).

Player Profile

D.O.B – July 19, 2002
Nationality – USA
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’2
Weight –181 lbs
Position – Goaltender
Catches – Left

Commesso’s Style Of Play

To kick things off, let’s take a look at how Commesso compares against other 2020 NHL Draft eligible goaltenders. In the data set (data sourced from InStat Hockey) below, you will find save percentages for shots directed at the five hole, above/below blocker and above/below glove. Per the data set, we gather that Commesso struggles with his five hole, his blocker work is comparable to other goaltenders in the class and his glove work could use some development especially when fielding shots that end up going below his glove.

Data Credit – InStat Hockey

In this draft class, a lot of scouts and fans will be looking to compare any goaltender to Yaroslav Askarov. Anytime that you have a premier athlete that stands out, you are always looking for the biggest differences between an athlete who is not as highly-touted but still has plenty of potential in the tank. When you compare Askarov and Commesso, I believe the biggest difference is how each goaltender utilizes their pads. Askarov is more efficient when power pushing off of his pads from side to side. He is faster with his pad work and tends to get better acceleration with each pad push. With Commesso, he still possesses the ability to push his pads to help give him the speed that he needs to move at a moment’s notice, but Askarov will beat him in a race. Also, per the data shown above, Commesso’s five hole is far less effective than Askarov’s.

While quickness and five hole work are the biggest differences between the two goaltenders, Commesso always keeps you guessing. Instead of letting you be patient with the puck, he ensures that you always have to be on your toes. Commesso has the ability to shift from standing tall to butterfly at a quick rate. Prior to writing this post, I timed Commesso’s shifting and determined that it normally takes him anywhere between .56 milliseconds to 0.8 milliseconds to shift up/down. With his ability to shift quickly, he can sell you on a gap and quickly adjust on the fly to eliminate that gap.

In terms of post work, Commesso tends to use RVH (Reverse Vertical Horizontal) over VH (Vertical Horizontal). If you are not familiar with post work, RVH and VH are commonly used when protecting the post. Commesso uses RVH to shield the post and provide little gaps for his opponent to find. In a video that Katie Greenway (retired goaltender and goaltender instructor) posted, she explains the differences between RVH and VH and notes that with RVH that goaltenders will use the leg that is not against the post as a “kickstand”. The kickstand or anchor allows the goaltender to quickly shift from the post back to the center of the crease as play moves. In the below tweet from Future Scope Hockey, you can check out an example of Commesso utilizing RVH when protecting the post.

Below is another instance of Commesso using RVH, but this time around, he quickly shifts back to the center of the crease once play alters direction. In this clip, you should take another look at Commesso defends the post. He uses his stick and blocker in an overlap position to act as a shield. While in this instance you see Commesso using his stick and blocker in the overlap, he will often position his pads in an overlap to provide some more security along the low post.

Goaltenders are also often criticized for rebounding issues. Anytime that you struggle to maintain possession of the puck after a shot in a high danger situation, you are susceptible to a quick follow-up/rebound shot. Per InStat Hockey, in 24 games tracked, Commesso had 89 uncontrolled rebounds. This means that Commesso coughed up a rebound and could not secure the puck immediately following. In addition, because of InStat’s tracking, we can decipher where the most uncontrolled rebounds are coming from. In the below goalie chart, you will see that the bulk of his uncontrolled rebounds bounced off of his pads and that is fairly normal for most goaltenders. No red flags.

Chart/Visual From InStat Hockey

Comparison

James Reimer, Goaltender, Carolina Hurricanes

Like James Reimer, Commesso has the ability to fool his attacker in providing a gap and taking it away in a quick flash. Reimer and Commesso are not flashy goaltenders by any means, but they get the job done. Both goaltenders thrive when using RVH to protect the posts. Similarly to Reimer, I project Commesso as a fringe starter in the NHL with starter upside.

stats from InStat Hockey 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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