[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Old Man Logan Edition):

Normally, I would preface a profile of a Junior A player by disclaiming that projections of their game should be tempered because of the lower level of competition they face each game. That's still the case with 6'1",175lb LW Logan Sawyer of the Brooks Bandits, but he proved himself (and raised his draft-stock significantly) in December's World U19 Junior A Challenge, where he was tied for 14th in tournament scoring with 6 points (3 goals) in 6 games for Canada West. What makes that significant is that the event featured players like Trevor Connelly, Mac Swanson, Alex Zetterberg, and Lucas Pettersen, with Sawyer outscoring the likes of Melvin Fernstrom, Linus Eriksson, Bruins' draftees Chris Pelosi and Beckett Hendrickson, Pens' draftee Zam Plante, and Alex Blais, among others. Sawyer was arguably Canada West's best player against Team Sweden, who sent their "A" team to compete, with a goal in a 4-2 loss. Sawyer and his teammates in Brooks were caught up in the controversy that saw several teams in the AJHL defect to the BCHL in mid-season, so his season was split between the two leagues with 59 points (26 goals) in 39 games. Sawyer was top-20 in scoring in the GTHL U16 in 2021-22, a league that featured several top prospects for the 2024 Draft, and outscored Jack Pridham and Dean Letourneau in Prep school scoring last season, at Stanstead College.

Sawyer's main asset is his shot, which is good enough for any league, and it comes with a deceptive release. It's hard and heavy, and he can pick corners with it. He can change the angle and the release point of the shot to stun goalies, and has some nice moves and deception to slice his way inside for shot opportunities. He's also a net-front presence, able to convert rebounds, and cash in on scrappy goals- he has the hands to beat goalies in-tight, and seems to like to target water bottles by roofing pucks. In Junior A, Sawyer is an excellent skater who can separate in open ice, beat defenders wide, and even go end-to-end; against better competition however, his speed is exposed somewhat. In reality, he's a little above average in the quickness department, far from a burner, and needs work on his edges as he takes wide turns and loses speed in doing so. His first few steps are sluggish and in need of more explosiveness, and his acceleration needs work. Fortunately, he keeps his legs pumping hard and is always in motion, which masks any deficiencies in his mobility to an extent. Another thing that helps is his quick hands and superb 1-on-1 moves that help him to stickhandle through traffic, and the way he uses deception to manipulate his way through tight spaces. He's highly elusive, hard on the puck, and protects well, making it difficult to strip him of possession.

Sawyer is a pest on the forecheck, and causes havok- he uses well-timed pokechecks to dislodge pucks, and turn it into offensive chances. He's equally a playmaker as he is a scorer, and he sees the ice well with high-end anticipation. In transition, he's a solid contributor and can carry from one end to the other, making clean entries with control, and he creates well off the rush. He has a relentless motor, stays active, and plays with tons of energy. He attacks the middle on both sides of the puck, and is considered to be a good 200-ft player who supports his D down low and is able to angle attackers to the outside. Sawyer is quite skilled, but raw, and has the ceiling of a middle-6 complimentary winger. He was drafted into the OHL in the second round, 41st overall, by the Erie Otters, but decided to take the path to the NCAA, beginning in Junior A. He is committed to Providence College in 2025-26, taking a fairly similar route to Mark Jankowski, who was drafted out of Stanstead College and played for Providence. Look for Sawyer in the 3rd, or 4th round.