BEAU AKEY

2024-07-17

Scout: Patrick Ploch

Skating:

Akey is a smooth skater who has good speed as well as turning and pivoting well.

Passing/Handling:

He is an excellent passer and handler. He makes accurate and timely passes to facilitate breakouts and setup scoring opportunities in the offensive zone. He handles the puck well on the rush and in the zones.

Shooting:

Akey is more of a passer than a shooter. His shot can use some work. There are times when he shoots right into defenders rather finding a lane and getting it on net.

IQ (Vision, Anticipation, Panic/Poise):

Beau has a high hockey IQ. He has a low panic threshold showing poise with the puck. He exhibits good vision on the rush and when distributing the puck.

Forechecking:

He will often venture down to the faceoff dot or further into the offensive zone to help keep the forecheck and cycle going.

Defense:

In my viewings, his defense didn't look great. There were several times when he lost board battles or coughed up the puck in the defensive zone. He had some poke checks but others that missed the mark.

Best Asset:

Akey's best asset is his passing and handling.

Biggest Concern:

From my viewings, his biggest concern is his defense. In the limited sample size, this was easily his biggest weakness.

Top Tier/Role Potential:

Perhaps, if everything goes right he can be a second pair defensemen.

Justification for Top Tier Assessment:

Akey will have to stay healthy and sufficiently develop his weaknesses in order to reach his top tier.

50th Percentile Tier/Role:

It's probably more likely that he tops out as a third pairing defenseman or a tweener who gets some NHL games but isn't full time.

Justification for 50th Percentile Tier Assessment:

His offense game isn't enough to boost him higher and his defense isn't good enough.

Stylistic Comparable:

Mackenzie Weegar might be a comparable defenseman who is better defensively.

Scouts Final Thoughts and Additional Stats/Info:

Akey got injured relatively early in the season which hurts his development. Hopefully, he can stay healthy this coming season.

Games Scouted:

09/29/2023 Barrie Colts v Brampton Battalion, 10/19/2023 Barrie Colts v Flint Firebirds, 11/09/2023 Barrie Colts v Kingston Frontenacs, all goals and assists

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2023-08-18

Scout: Brandon

Skating

Akey is a powerful and smooth skater whose hallmark is his spring-like agility and transition.

Akey is incredibly directionally versatile and shows great control and capability with his edgework.

He has the capacity to generate great force out of routine postures and seemingly off one or two strides exploding laterally off his lead outside edge.

While not overly flashy, he can easily evade attackers at times by punching into a wide, graceful spin-o-rama into open ice around him.

Displays deep ankle mobility when transitioning from tracking and gliding backwards against a zone entry to thrusting into a forward attack at an opponent caught unawares.

Passing/Handling

Akey’s passes are confident and consistent with very few errant passes.

His style leans to more of a Russian or Football style where he is opting to launch lateral passes up to rink-width that hit more open teammates in a better strategic position.

Rarely will you see Beau coup up behind the net to set up a long breakout pass as he is usually involved in marching the puck up the ice.

Akey displays soft,steady, and quiet hands when carrying the puck up the ice. He is not looking to deke opponents out but rather slalom his way into their open and undefended ice.

He often makes passes while his body is in motion so as to not give a static target to attack or lane to cover.

There are usually one or two times a game where he is able to save a play by almost effortlessly corralling a loose puck due to his reach and anticipation.

This same skill is used when picking off passes.

Shooting

Akey often puts some extra gusto on his shots, even those taken from low danger areas on the ice.

He has a penchant for letting a shot go when it is least expected and will do so while not being set himself so as to avoid detection that the shot is coming. It seems his go to use of this tool is snapping a shot of his right outside edge.

One of the goals observed didn’t so much beat the goaltender cleanly as he forced the shot through the goaltender.

His one timer is heavy and fast and lead to an OT GWG.

IQ (Vision, off/def anticipation, panic meter)

One of the first things that was noticed about Akey is a Pro-esque level of poise and control.

He is dynamically active in the play from an overwatch position that allows him to jump into great effect.

He has a keen eye for when and where plays are developing on both ends of the ice.

Forechecking

While not the leading edge on textbook forechecks, he will capitalize on his vision of play development and drive to the slot on a rush to either draw attention or hopefully reap reward.

Defense (Rush and in-zone)

Disruptive and diverse display of in-zone defense.

Akey’s first layer of coverage is his gap and positional control as he is solid at protecting his ice and the ice around him by ushering the puck carrier to the outside.

If the puck carrier pursues taking more of the middle of the ice, Akey is sure to keep square between the puck and the net and will generate multiple shot blocks per game in this fashion alone.

If the puck carrier gets into Akey’s reach, the play is then usually broken up via an accurate and pesky stick check.

Finally, if in close quarters, Akey isn’t looking to physically punish opponents but to disrupt attention or knock off-kilter by utilizing a strong two-armed shove that often breaks blade-to-puck connection.

Best Asset

Skating, but particularly his agility and acceleration.

Biggest Concern

Though not a massive, glaring concern, Akey could serve to improve his general stability and ability to stay on his feet, especially around the defensive net. Adding 20+ pounds to his frame ought to help give confidence to engage more physically.

Also developing his power-endurance will allow him to take advantage of his skating under heavy icetime conditions.

Top Tier/Role Potential (and why)

Incredibly solid and higher end number 3D (2RHD) with a shot at being a number 2D (1RHD) with the right development and chemistry.

40+ points, even strength minute muncher, PK specialist, likely 2nd unit PP.

Upper echelon for blocks, mid-high of the pack for shots from defenders, mid-low ranks for hits.

50th percentile Tier/Role (and why)

Number 4 or 5 defender. Heavy PK and d-zone deployment. High floor, coach favourite. 25ish points.

Stylistic Comparable

Skating has shades of big-man power and coverage (Pronger, Ekholm) with modern edge dexterity and tools.

Positioning, disruption, and transition game reminiscent of Brady Skjei or Shea Theodore.

Scout’s Note:

Pre Brandt Clarke Returning: 24 Pts in 26 GP with 24:06 TOI

ES=18:05, PP=5:11, PK=4:29

Post Brandt Clarke Returning: 21 Pts in 41 GP with 21:57 TOI

ES=17:20, PP=2:15, PK=2:21

Game Reports:

2022-10-27

Barrie Colts (5) vs. Owen Sound (6)

Notable Stats: 1 G, 2 A, 5 SOG, [COUNTED 2] HIT, 4 BLK, 30:05 TOI

2022-12-30

Barrie Colts (5) vs. Owen Sound (4)

Notable Stats: 1 G, 2 A, 7 SOG, [COUNTED 1] HIT, 1 BLK, 25:45 TOI

2023-04-20

Barrie Colts (3) vs. North Bay Battalion (4) [2OT]

Notable Stats: 1 G, 0 A, 5 SOG, 2 HIT, 4 BLK, 30:33 TOI