[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Uncut Gems Edition, Vol.2)

-I would almost draft C/RW Hugo Lejon for his name alone. Lejon tallied 9 goals and 38 points in 46 games for Vasteras of the J20, which puts him 5th in points for draft-eligibles coming out of the J20. That could be mostly due to the fact that Lejon didn't get much of a promotion to upper leagues, just 2 games in the Allsvenskan, which speaks to his raw game. According to tracking data from EP however, Lejon set up more scoring chances in the J20 than any other draft-eligible forward, when adjusted for ice-time. Obviously, Lejon is a crafty playmaker with all the deception and manipulation that comes with it- he draws attackers towards him, then passes to teammates in the space left open. It has also been said that he owns a quick shot with a nice release. He has vision, and top-tier passing and puck skills. Though he has an above average off-puck game, he's guilty of playing far too much on the perimeter, and puck-watching too much. His physical game is virtually non-existent, and he's not the best skater, although he's active, and even disruptive, on both the forecheck and backcheck. He's still extremely raw, and might not even be picked until he fixes his overall game, gets stronger and faster, and learns to use his exceptional skills to drive play.

-Here's one for those who love the little bulldogs on skates: 5'9",161lb RW Calem Mangone, who compiled 47 points in 67 games, with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. Nobody told Mangone that players his size couldn't play a power-forward game. A lot of his game is built around his physicality, which he uses to separate opponents from the puck, and to secure possession for his team, and he's in every battle fighting hard. He's not afraid to drive the middle, or attack the net, and he owns a relentless motor. Despite only recieving 18 PIMs on the season, he's a constant pest, hounding puck-carriers and challenging them for possession. He's skilled, has good vision and a fine off-puck game, and usually executes the right play. Mobility-wise, he's somewhere around average, and in need of improvement, and a separation gear. I noticed that his .70 ppg were a bit of a downgrade from his production of 0.72 ppg in 2021-22 (34 points in 47). In 2021-22, the Spirit were the second-worst team in the league, but improved to 7th best this year, so I would have expected much better numbers from Mangone this season. I have a hunch that he's a better player than his numbers indicate, and I think he'll grow with his team in the next few years, with much better offensive totals.

-C Cooper Foster may have been lost a bit, playing on a deep, powerhouse team like the Ottawa 67's, with 36 points in 63 games. The 5'11"176lb Foster already displays a well-developed defensive game, having the hockey sense, anticipation, and work ethic to be a constant disruptor of incoming plays to his zone. His active stick and exemplary positioning are big assets, and he's said to be an excellent off-puck player- he nullifies passing plays by taking opponents' sticks proactively, and does the same in the offensive zone to create room for teammates. He finds the seams to make himself an option, and has tons of energy, compete, and motor. Right now, he doesn't create a lot of high-danger opportunities, but there are signs of more to come- he already uses a large amount of deception in his game, and he can draw pressure in order to flash his crafty passing ability. His speed is an area of concern, and limits his potential right now. He can hide a lot of his speed issues in junior, on the strength of his anticipation and proactive awareness, but he'll need to get faster before he turns pro. Some of these issues will improve as he gets bigger and stronger. There's going to be opportunity for Foster going forward, as the 67's have some older players departing this off-season, so hopefully he takes advantage.

C Ryan Fine is a fire hydrant, at 5'9", and 183lbs, who compiled 42 points in 63 NTDP games, playing mostly a support role. In the U-18's, he seemed to be playing mostly RW. Fine seems to be a volume-shooter, and enjoys a wide array of quality shots, along with a "Fine" release, but he is no slouch in the playmaking department- and he knows how to pry open, and exploit, open space. He can shoot or dish at full speed, and he has quick feet with just enough agility and balance to be slippery and hard to catch. There's no backing down here, and when his team loses the puck, Fine will battle anywhere on the ice to get it back. He likes shooting from the slot, but he has no fear in going to the net, and screening the goalie to pick up some garbage, or capitalize on tips or rebounds. Scouts like his off-puck play, and he shows compete, awareness, and positioning in the defensive zone- although his presence will always be felt more in the other two zones. 4 assists in 7 games at the U-18's, but many doubt his offense due to his less-than-stellar numbers back home, however- he will have plenty of time to work on his game, as he's committed to Harvard in the fall. Hopefully, he will get more ice-time and responsibility as well.

RW Will Vote is short in stature, at 5'7" and only 159lbs, but he's not short on motor. Vote did a little better than teammate Ryan Fine in the offensive department, with 45 points in 61 games in the NTDP, and he impressed in the U-18's with 7 points in 7 games, but that doesn't necessarily make him a better prospect. Vote is a fairly well-rounded player, leaning towards his playmaking as his main offensive weapon- he is a deft passer in transition, as well as in the offensive zone, and he can pass through layers of traffic. As a playmaker, he comes with all the built-in deceptiveness and manipulation one would expect, and he can make plays in full flight, or off the rush. He's not afraid of the middle lanes, or going to the front of the net. As a small player though, Vote can struggle in board battles, and he will need to learn to manage contact going forward. Vote is pretty valuable in the defensive zone though, and is more polished in this area than his teammate, Ryan Fine, even forming a formidable penalty-killing duo with another teammate, Danny Nelson. Vote has the proactivity, and positioning, along with the work-ethic to disrupt attackers, both in the neutral zone, and defensive zone. Vote's mobility is a bit lacklustre, especially for a player of his size, but he has runway to improve as he's headed to Boston College in the fall.