[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Who Wants Felicio? Edition):

Expectations were high for LHD Will Felicio coming in to the current season, after a 2022-23 season with the USHL's Madison Capitols that saw him set a record for points by a U-17 defenseman in that league, with 28 in just 55 games. He further cemented himself as a player to watch for the 2024 NHL Draft in the summer, turning heads at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he scored 5 points in 5 games- 2nd in scoring by defense in the tourney, and 3rd in goals (3) and points overall for Team USA. Unfortunately, his scoring in the USHL hasn't shown any progression this season, with 25 points in 50 games, split between the Capitols and the Waterloo Blackhawks, his new team after an early January trade. The change of scenery was actually detrimental to his numbers, with 13 points coming in 23 games with Madison (where he was reportedly playing under 18 minutes per game), and 12 points in 27 games with Waterloo. The numbers are still not that bad though, as his 25 points puts him 20th overall in scoring by defense in the USHL, and second for U-18 defensemen.

Felicio is not your typical fly-by-night defenseman, as he's a puck-moving, offensive rearguard, but still plays a responsible 200-ft game. He's a bit diminutive, at 5'10",161lbs, and has made some adjustments to his game that help him compensate somewhat. He mostly plays simple, risk-free hockey, but will pinch into the play as another forward if the coast is clear. In the offensive zone, he's fairly active, making room for himself and teammates with his agility and stickhandling, and opening seams to pass through. He exhibits quick processing speed, and can change the course of a game with his offensive play. He's smart with the puck, confident and poised, and has high IQ- he makes a high number of difficult, dangerous plays to teammates in the slot. Felicio runs the offense effectively from the point, walking the line to spot openings, and loves to sneak in on the weak side to get better looks. He's an excellent distributor from the line on the PP, and has the patience to hold on to the puck while the optimum play develops. His shot is accurate, with precision and a quick release, but it has been said that his mechanics need to be refined in order to strengthen it's power and velocity. Felicio's off-puck game is sound as well, as he's usually in position to support his teammates, and can sneak in and out of holes in high-danger while making himself playable.

Felicio has excellent footspeed, perhaps not elite, and his strong edges give him quick lateral mobility, making him hard to catch and giving him the ability to stop and start quickly. Analytics show that he's a top-notch puck-moving defenseman, with play-driving capabilities- he's excellent in transition, making a high number of exits and entries, and can pass in full flight. Despite his size, he's tenacious in puck-battles and doesn't shy away from the rough stuff, although he has to rely primarily on his active stick and smarts, as he gets outmatched physically. Defensively, he keeps tight gap control, and has solid positional awareness, with the ability to close on puck-carriers quickly. Felicio gets a lot of takeaways, and has the anticipation to intercept passes, and cause turnovers- he also shows a proficiency against the rush. Time will tell if his two-way game will be enough to offset his size issues, and he doesn't put up the kind of offensive numbers that make smaller defensemen enticing to scouts in the higher rounds of the draft. He needs to get stronger and faster for the next level, and round out his offense. The good news is that Felicio is committed to the University of Denver for the 2025-26 season, with one more year of USHL competition- meaning the team who picks him will get him for the long haul, while he develops his game. I think Felicio goes in the fourth round, but there's a possibility a team takes a shot at him in the third, as his puck-movement capability has value.