OWEN PICKERING

2024-08-15

Scout: Chris Collier

Skating:

Great

+Good skater, especially for his size. Very agile and quick to accelerate and decelerate. Good on his edges and has an impressive head fake that routinely beats/ tricks his opponent.

-Backwards skating could still use a little work, as his speed and agility are slightly lacking.

Passing/Handling:

Elite

+Excellent passing, especially for a defensemen. Really excels at handling the puck when regrouping behind the net and starting the breakout.

+Smart use of size to protect the puck from oncoming forecheckers and often exploits the weakness of a team when sending too many forecheckers by making stretch passes through the neutral zone.

+Pickering does a great job stickhandling around his offensive blueline. Always managing to keep the play alive while staying onside and shielding the puck with his length from defenders.

Shooting:

Average

Owen has an average shot for a defenseman, shooting only ~6% in juniors. Maybe we could hope for more because of his height, but that has yet to be seen.

+He does have a quick release for his size, but he’s often just shooting for tips/ rebounds.

-Inaccurate shooter, even when closer to the net.

IQ (Vision, Anticipation, Panic/Poise):

Great

+Very good under pressure, always poised to make a breakout pass or a smart dump-off pass to his d-partner. Something that has gotten much better since his draft season.

+Great at anticipating shots. Can often put his body or stick in front of the shot to make timely blocks. Especially good at the type of stick block that ramps the shot off his stick and out of play.

Forechecking:

Owen plays as a stay-at-home defender most of the time, so forechecking isn’t applicable. Often, he’s already to his blueline before any breakout has been made.

Defense:

Good

+Great at using his size to win puck battles. Often boxes out opponents and uses his length advantage to take control of the puck. Also, Owen will defer to tying up his opponent if teammate is near and in better position.

+Good positioning while on D and in transition. Knows how to use his length to make stickhandling near him uncomfortable

-Will need to get stronger for the NHL. Despite being 6’5, he brings very little physicality to his game.

-Can see him being bullied in the pros until he bulks up. I think his height kept him from getting exposed, especially on the boards and in net front battles, but that won’t last at the pro level.

Best Asset:

Passing. His ability to setup and read a breakout from behind the net will help him in the transition game at a pro level.

Biggest Concern:

Lack of physicality. He will need to get stronger, or he’ll be a completely ineffective pro on the defensive end.

Top Tier/Role Potential:

Tier 2 Defensemen. Top pair PP1 QB. 10g-35a low hit totals but upside for blocks

Justification for Top Tier Assessment:

If he adds physicality to his game, he could become a team’s foundational 2-way defender. His passing and skating ability open up the possibility of becoming a PP1 QB on a team without a strong offensive scoring defenseman.

50th Percentile Tier/Role:

Tier 3 Defensemen. 2nd-3rd pair PP2 QB. 5g-25a low hit totals but with upside for blocks

Justification for 50th Percentile Tier Assessment:

His playmaking will keep him relevant on the powerplay, keeping him as a PP2 QB. If he could learn to be serviceable as a non-physical defender who uses his length as a separator, he would still be valuable as a 2nd-3rd pairing defensemen, depending on how much his two-way game develops.

Stylistic Comparable:

Damon Severson

Scouts Final Thoughts and Additional Stats/Info:

I do think Owen’s size makes him a surefire NHLer, but his lack of strength is a massive concern for me. Couple that with the fact he’s gotten injured at both Penguins rookie camps he has attended, and I worry what his durability will look like until he gets his weight up.

I think Pickering’s most likely NHL comp is Damon Severson, especially when considering his skating and passing ability. But if Owen’s development leans into his two-way abilities, I can see him becoming a Hampus Lindholm type of two way defensemen, who can be both a PPQB and a penalty killer.

Games Scouted:

December through the end of season