[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (M&M Edition):

Remember this kid. LW Miguel Marques is the main straw stirring the drink for the Lethbride Hurricanes, with 23 goals and 60 points, in 53 games to date- which aren't small numbers when you consider that the 'Canes sit 14th overall in the WHL, and 19th overall in goals-for. Marques was drafted 10th overall by Lethbridge in the 2021 WHL Draft, and actually played 10 games (with 6 points) for that franchise as a 15-year-old, which was followed by a rather disappointing draft-minus-one season, with 20 points in 59 games. They've been patient with this young man, and it's paid off this season.

Marques is a 5'11",170 lb high-end playmaker with a power-forward mentality, who flashes glimpes of being a special player. He drives play, and controls the pace of the game like few can- he will transport the puck quickly into the offensive zone, but then slows the play down while he patiently and methodically picks the opposing defense apart. There's never a wasted play, as he doesn't throw the puck away or waste time on a low-percentage pass, and instead slows up to either regroup, hit the trailer, or play keep-away until a higher danger opportunity becomes available, or a teammate in scoring position becomes open. In the same vein, he will pass up an easy shot on net in favor of waiting for a more dangerous play to develop, unless he sees a teammate with a possible rebound opportunity. He will simply hold on to the puck to wait for the best play to unfold. Marques is supremely skilled, confident and composed, and is one most talented players in this draft in terms of vision and IQ- he's that good. He could stickhandle in a broom closet, with his ability to deke through defenders and their sticks, and is gifted in the art of deception and spatial manipulation- he has every fake-out in his arsenal to make room for himself, from using false angles in his body, stick, and head, to toe-drags, look-offs, and dekes.

Creativity and playmaking is where he makes his biggest mark, and he can pass over and under sticks, between legs, through layers of traffic, and into the smallest holes. He's very inside-driven, and gets the puck to the slot for high-danger opportunities with great success- he's top-5 in the league for assists on slot shots. Marques will also cut inside to the middle to shoot from the slot, or to create rebound and tip opportunities for his teammates- another layer to his playmaking. His shot isn't elite as far as it's velocity, but he's an expert in using defenders as screens, and he has a lightning-quick release that can stun goalies, even from a distance. He has soft, slick hands in-tight, and can find the smallest holes in coverage around the net. Marques' skating is above-average, but he uses his edges well in moving around quickly in small areas, and is hard to knock off the puck with his balance. He's a highly effective transporter through the transition, and causes havok on the forecheck, putting defenders on their heels, while dislodging pucks. Marques is a mean, edgy player, as his 47 penalty-minutes would attest, and he plays with a swagger- he's quite physical, battles for possession in the hard areas, and dishes out some big hits to wear down opponents.

Marques has many translatable skills when the puck is moving north, but his effort and effectiveness in the defensive zone is lacklustre. His awareness is there, as he demonstrates an ability to identify his man, and then stick to that player, but he's often spotted coasting back into the zone without much urgency. He sometimes cheats for offense, and can leave the zone early- but I find it hard to blame him much for this, as I imagine there's a lot of pressure on him to create offense on a team that's starved for goals. There has to be a lot more effort and compete in winning pucks and preventing offense in this area of the ice. Marques can play all 3 forward positions, and is a righty, but he looks to be a candidate for top-6 LW duty in the NHL someday, if he can iron out his deficiencies in the defensive zone, get faster, and work on his shot. He's been climbing the rankings lately, and I'm seeing him in the first round more often, so I'm thinking late first/early second.