[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Babyface Edition):

Back in the day, the term "power forward" was normally reserved for the larger players, like 6'2"or bigger- but lately there's been a number of stocky, beefy six-footers that have been adorned with that term, players like Brennan Othmann, Koehn Ziemmer, and Ryan Leonard. 6'0",205 lb RW Jacob Battaglia is a member of that group, although I would hesitate to compare him to those players talent-wise. Battaglia (no relation to former NHLer Bates Battaglia) was the Kingston Frontenacs' second-round pick, 27th overall, in the 2022 OHL Draft, and is currently second in scoring for that club, with 25 goals, 25 assists, and 50 points in 50 games.

As stated, Battaglia (who looks like an eight year-old) is a power-forward who uses his size and strength well, and plays a hard, heavy game, with goal-scoring being his main forte. He's a load to handle on the forecheck, is hard along the wall, and is often seen fighting for pucks in the greasy areas. He's an above-average skater, with excellent puck-protection skills, and soft hands around the crease- he goes to the net hard, with and without the puck, looking for rebounds, tap-ins, and tips. He's a stubborn net-front presence, and is very hard to move or put off balance- especially with a lower center of gravity. Off the puck, he knows where to be to maximize his chances of recieving a high-danger pass, and he can score from anywhere in the offensive zone. The thing that may get him noticed the most is his hard, heavy shot, and the lightning-quick release that goes with it. He has a strong wrister with plenty of whip, as well as a strong slapper, and one-timer- he might be the most talented shooter coming out of the OHL in this Draft. Though he leans to shooting, he's quite skilled, and he has the smarts and vision to make plays, and hook up with teammates on some nice passes. He's a smooth puckhandler, and an elusive enough skater to be able to carry the puck north through the neutral zone, and make clean entries with control. Defensively, he might not be a stalwart at this point, but he works hard and competes all over the ice- he supports teammates on the backcheck, and has the awareness to contribute.

I like this kid very much, he's a gamer, and a fairly complete player. He has work to do on his strength and skating, but I believe he has middle-six upside. Look for him to be picked as early as the 2nd/3rd round.