[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (U-18 Edition, Vol.2):

Future fan-favorite Brendan McMorrow is playing down the lineup for Team USA at the U-18 Tournament, but despite having no points in 5 games, he's been noticeable. It should feel familiar to the 5'11",190lb left-winger, who has been playing a similar role all season on a talented NTDP team, with 8 goals and 22 points in 58 games. I feel like he would have benefitted from playing in the USHL instead, where he would be playing more minutes in better situations with more of an opportunity to show off his offensive ability. He was chosen in the second round of the WHL US Prospects Draft, 29th overall by the Spokane Chiefs, but chose the college route.

BMM plays like a 6'2" power-forward who forechecks with ferocity, battling tooth and nail for every inch of real estate- he is able to create turnovers against top defensemen. He's a puck-hound who chases down carriers and makes their life miserable, and despite his lack of size, he's a force down low. He does more than just finish his checks, he hits everything, and plays a physical brand of hockey with amazing discipline, as he only had 16 penalty-minutes. McMorrow is gritty and hard-nosed, and a bit of an agitator, as he's constantly buzzing around in his opponents' faces- giving them fits, and getting them off their game. He wins battles along the wall, and isn't at all afraid of the greasy areas down low, in corners, and around the net. Though he plays hard, he manages to find the soft spots on the ice, and has offensive upside with passing skill- though he isn't a high-end playmaker or creator. There's also flashes of a useful deception game to manipulate defenders into giving up space. As one would suspect, he's a net-front presence who gets most of his scoring opportunities in-close, and will look for rebound chances and tips. He can also lean into his hard, heavy one-timer to get the job done.

McMorrow is an excellent skater with smoothness and agility, which makes him even more dangerous. He can spin off of checks, or make sharp cuts to the front of the net from below the goal-line- he plays with pace, and has an explosive short area burst. Of course, he plays with relentless motor and a sky-high compete level, giving 110% each and every shift. He's a high character kid, and a team-first player who accepts his role and sets an example for his teammates, playing with high energy and giving them some jump. His bread and butter is his sound defensive game, where he demonstrates keen awareness and high IQ to force even the best players to make mistakes. He doesn't cheat, and shows good attention to detail. McMorrow anticipates the play well, and makes stops proactively by intercepting passes, blocking shots, and disrupting lanes- he will also throw his body around to dislodge pucks. Wherever he goes in his career, his coaches will trust him in man-down situations, as he'a a superb penalty-killer. There's upside here, and I think scouts will recognize it, so I believe he'll be taken in the fourth, or fifth round. He's still likely to be a bottom-6 forward in the future, but he will have the opportunity to develop his offensive game at the University of Denver this fall, with a long runway.