Here is my profile of Lipinski from 2023, his main detriment was always his skating:
-The Vancouver Giants finished 16 out of 22 teams in the WHL, but their offense was second-last in the league. That might make 6'3",198lb C Jaden Lipinski's offensive output of 51 points in 66 games look a bit more shiny. Lipinski is not fleet-of-foot, with sluggish speed and acceleration, and his agility is not great, but the good news is that he's smart, plays a physical 200-ft game, and perhaps most importantly- he has gained confidence carrying the puck by greatly developing his puck-protection skills. Lipinski will move the puck up ice by shielding the puck with his body, arms, and rear-end, and this skill helps him in all 3 zones, in traffic, and in tight spaces. He doesn't need to just put the puck off the glass, or dump it in- he has confidence in puck possession. He won't be confused with teammate Sam Honzek, but he has a reasonable offensive toolkit, and some IQ and vision in all situations to go along with it. The Giants don't hesitate to use him on both sides of special teams. He has good hands, will go to the net, and not surprisingly, he's a down-low force, and a nightmare along the boards. Some big players don't use their size, but that's not a problem with Lipinski- he throws his weight around, and uses it to win pucks for his team. Defensively, he has the anticipation to know where to position himself to limit time and space for attackers, and has that physicality plus an active stick. If Lipinski can improve his speed, suddenly you have a very good prospect with a shot at bottom-6 duty, and the potential for even more. 4th round.
|