Scout: Brandon
Arizona Coyotes
2022 NHL Entry Draft
2nd Round Pick
36th Overall Selection by the Arizona Coyotes
MAIN REPORT
Skating:
Utilizes edgework to create novel options for himself and potential play making at lower speeds by pivoting on the spot almost like a table-top hockey player.
Shows glimpses of mobility and shiftiness when carrying the puck on the breakout, though most of the work in this regard is done by his hands.
Lacks motor and drive, especially away from the play.
Inefficient sprinter with extra upper body movement that gives more of a visual impression of effort than it lends to increasing his skating speed.
Shades of Taylor Hall from a visual skating style perspective, but not in dynamics and effectiveness.
Puck handling:
Soft hands that allow for receiving passes in a fluid way that he uses to transfer the energy into another pass or shot.
Would be my bet for the quietest puck handler on the ice. “Could stick handle an egg”.
Demonstrates decent deking ability that allows him to find more open ice.
When playing with poise/confidence, he gets passes off quickly and cleanly.
Shot:
Two main tools: Wrist shot with a long drag prior to release, and a one-timer.
Shots come off his stick fast and are well placed to deceive the goaltender’s eyes.
His shot is not overly heavy as it wasn’t evident that shot blockers were punished by stepping in front of shots nor were shots pushing through the goaltender.
IQ (vision, offensive and defensive anticipation, panic meter):
There is a definite lack of passion, engagement, or IQ that leaves him on the periphery of the play and prevents him from being a player that pushes the tide.
There is real creativity and vision there that is obscured by this lack mentioned above, or perhaps a deficit of courage.
He spends more time watching the play from afar than reading it and jumping in to put his mark on it.
Defense:
Without the puck, plays like a stay at home D-man without the usual physicality that would come with that style.
Can disrupt zone entries and plays along the boards but usually opts to guard a space on the ice rather than attacking player or puck directly.
I do wonder if this is part of his innate game or a short leash deployed by the coaching staff.
Best Asset:
Puck control.
Biggest Concern:
Skating/drive.
Top Tier Potential:
At the very highest end of his potential, #3-4 D with PP deployment and 30-40 points. Has an obvious eye to throw pucks on net and can move the puck around well to generate assists.
Most Likely Tier:
If he gets to the NHL, depth D. Could become a quadruple A player that spends more time giving flashes of brilliance on the farm than making a difference in the show. If he isn’t putting up points and slinging 4-5 shots on goal per game, he isn’t going to give very much by way of hits and blocks.
Stylistic Comparable:
Torey Krug with the sprint style (not speed) of Taylor Hall.
GAME REPORTS
Date:2022-09-04
League:MHL
Team: Krasnaya Armiya
Opponent:SKA
Score:7-6 SKA
Notable Stats: 2 G, 0 A, 4 SOG, 0 HIT, 0 BLK, 22:41 TOI
Passing/Stickhandling:
Soft hands when handling the puck and receiving passes. “Could stick handle an egg”.
Paired his hands with a fast upperbody fake that opened up a break from the blueline into the slot. This allowed him to release a backhander, with traffic in front, that found the back of the net.
Shooting:
Often calls for the pass and is set up for shots (one timers).
Uses a rather large wind-up/drag on his wrist shots.
Doesn’t possess a heavy shot though it might be fast.
I would argue that his shot “looks” more impressive if isolating his movement as compared to what the puck actually does.
Skating:
Has a very pronounced arm swing when sprinting for a loose puck.
Quiet feet for the most part, subtle edgework that allows him to pivot as if a table-top hockey player.
Doesn’t seem to cover much ground or skate to give himself a better place on the ice to operate.
Defense:
Lets the puck do the work on breakouts.
Posts up with a reach that almost looks longer than it might be as a way to prevent the puck carrier from attacking his ice.
Very passive in his approach and opponent’s plays rarely are ended but an intervention of Duda’s.
Seems a bit disengaged, like he is trying to see more of the play instead of being in it.
Decision Making/Panic Meter/IQ:
When in control, he slows the game down and relies on that table-top hockey pivot to make plays in the seams that open up due to the momentum of the play away from the puck.
Panicked a couple times under pressure where he blindly swatted at the puck with his backhand. This proved to be ineffective and did not result in the zone being cleared or a lessening of pressure.
Standout skill today:
Stick handling and puck control. HM to a desire to shoot.
What was missing today?:
Mobility, though I wonder if it is a physical issue or an issue with IQ.
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Date:2022-12-01
League: MHL
Team: Krasnaya Armiya
Opponent: AKM Tula
Score: 3-1 Krasnaya Armiya
Notable Stats: 1 G, 2 A, 5 SOG, 0 HIT, 0 BLK, 28:13 TOI
Passing/Stickhandling:
Made a nifty fake drop pass breaking out of the D-zone that allowed him to break up the boards through the neutral zone, gain the zone and let off a wrist shot.
Quick one-touch pass along the blue line resulted in notching an assist on a goal that came directly off the shot just after making this pass.
Shooting:
Is willing to throw almost anything at the net, even from low percentage/danger spots on the ice.
Numerous of his shots were blocked and did not punish the shot blockers with their force.
Has shown that he can be patient with the release of his wrist shot.
Skating:
Solid foundation of edge work and control allows him to be mobile in smaller spaces under lower speed. His bread and butter is high above the circles.
Defense:
He appears to be in the right spot when on patrol of his coverage area but seems to be constantly waiting for the play to turn up ice.
Very passive defender. Easy target to identify if wanting to exploit getting closer to the crease as a puck carrier.
Almost plays like a stay at home defenceman but without the gap control and physicality.
Decision Making/Panic Meter/IQ:
Rarely moves below the top of the circles in the O-zone to pinch or activate.
The one time that he did, the team turned the puck over and he had almost zero effort in trying to backcheck. Lead to a goal against.
Standout skill today:
Hunger to shoot.
What was missing today?:
Passion.
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Date: 2023-03-11
League: MHL
Team: Krasnaya Armiya
Opponent: MHC Spartak Moskva
Score: 4-2 MHC Spartak Moskva
Notable Stats: 0 G, 1 A, 4 SOG, 0 HIT, 3 BLK, 29:14 TOI
Passing/Stickhandling:
Very quiet game. I wonder if the injury mid-season was still lingering.
Smooth puck handling allowed him to slide past the forecheck while exiting the zone. Lead to a zone entry which repaid him with a shot on goal.
Lets the puck do the work in the D-zone as he tries to get off a quick pass once it is on his stick.
Shooting:
Most, if not all shot attempts released from near the blueline.
Readily calls for and looks to unleash his one-timer.
Skating:
Seemed to spend more time on his heels and starting further back in the neutral zone if there was a threat of losing the O-zone.
There are times where I would want him to start skating sooner and keep skating longer.
Defense:
Applied pressure and forced the play to the half wall while defending the rush.
Attempted a diving sweep at a puck rolling out of the O-zone. Got a piece of the puck but it skipped over his stick.
Sacrificed puck control for the trade off of not getting involved physically when up against a forecheck on a chipped in puck.
Decision Making/Panic Meter/IQ:
Likes to spend most of his time in open space, even in front of his own goal. Yet, he doesn’t do much to physically defend or clear the space as he opts to glide out of potential contact.
Standout skill today:
Quick decisions to make passes.
What was missing today?:
Passion/motor.
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