Originally Posted by Sandman
-The Kingston Frontenacs finished 17th out of 20 teams in the OHL, and they finished second-last in goals-for. That's one reason why I believe 5th-overall OHL Draft selection, 5'11" RW Matthew Soto is being severely underrated. As one of the youngest players in the Draft, with an August.31st birthday, 17 year-old Soto, and fellow draft-eligible Owen Outwater, were 1 and 2 respectfully in scoring for the Fronts- not exactly the blueprint for success in junior hockey, or a breeding ground for offense. Despite the adversity, Soto put up some numbers- 15 goals and 42 points in 54 games. Obviously, with numbers like that, you can easily tell that Soto is primarily a playmaker, and he is just that, with top-tier IQ, vision, and smarts. He is adept at manipulating checkers into opening seams for him to get the puck to open teammates, and often he can pull off passes that nobody would see coming, or think possible- but most of the time, he doesn't need to be flashy and just keeps it simple and efficient. There's a decent shot in his arsenal, but he chooses to defer to his passing. Soto isn't just a one-dimensional offensive player though, as he exudes awareness defensively, with good positioning and a smart stick. He has some bad habits in this area though, as he can be guilty of puck-watching, and not being fully engaged. Soto is a good skater, light on his feet with good edges and agility, but he still has room to make upgrades to his acceleration and top-speed. At only 168lbs, he has a ton of bulking up to do, and he needs to get stronger. If he learns to shoot more, and rounds out his game, he has a shot at being a middle-six NHL player. Getting traded to another team would help, too. I'm thinking 3rd/4th round.
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