[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (U-18 Edition, Vol. 10):

C/LW Jamiro Reber was enjoyable to watch at the U-18's, and though he didn't produce any points, it sure wasn't for a lack of trying. The 5'10",172lb pivot was awarded a one-game suspension for a cross-checking incident in the opener against Czechia, so he finished with no points and minus-6 in 4 games, with 27 penalty-minutes for the Swiss. Though he hails from Switzerland, Reber wisely played this season for HV71 J20 in Sweden, picking up 11 goals and 39 points in 46 games to go with 33 PIM, and added another 2 points in 2 playoff games. Those regular-season numbers put him in a tie for 40th overall in scoring, but he was 18th in assists. He also participated in the World Junior Championship for the Swiss, with 1 point in 5 games, and chalked up 3 points in 4 games at last summer's Hlinka Gretzky. JR is one of the youngest prospects in the draft, with a September 4th birthday.

Reber is a highly creative playmaker with swagger, and he was conjuring up high-danger plays aplenty to teammates at the U-18's who simply couldn't finish them. He sees seams that few can, and has the passing skill to exploit them, connecting through traffic, often across the ice. He is blessed with high-end IQ and intelligence, and displays sharp awareness in all 3 zones. JR is poised and confident with the puck on his blade, and knows how to manufacture space for himself and his teammates, while moving around with his head up to study his surroundings. In order to traverse the ice unscathed, he uses advanced deception in the form of head fakes, dekes, feints, and changes in speed and direction to go with his quick hands and smooth stickhandling. He exerts uncommon puck-control, and boasts plenty of small-area skill and quickness to shake off attackers. To augment his elusiveness, he is an excellent skater with quick acceleration who can beat defenders wide or separate in open ice, and he owns strong edges and agility to turn on a dime, or pivot away from checks. On the forecheck, he's like a dog on a bone, hounding puck-carriers with stick slashes and poke-checks, picking pockets and playing with intensity to win pucks. Right now, he's not a big shooting threat, but he will go to the net to create chances, or cut inside to the slot without fear. On the powerplay, he quarterbacks the offense from the half-wall, prying open lanes to connect with teammates in high-danger.

Despite his lack of size, Reber looks tailor-made to play down the middle and understands the duties of a centerman, applying disruptive defense in all 3 zones. He takes away the middle by intercepting passes and causing turnovers, and makes it hard for the opposing team to cross the blueline, with an effort to kill the rush in the neutral zone. In the defensive zone, he's highly aware and hard-working, switching off with his D to keep the net covered, and helping them out down low and in the corners with an active stick and superb positioning. He gets time on the ice in man-down situations, and is a heads-up penalty-killer. Reber is competitive with high motor, even in times when the game has gotten out of hand, and out of reach for the Swiss- which is a lot of the time. Though he isn't really a physical player, he's pretty chippy as his penalty-minutes would attest, and will make his presence known with some little slashes and a crosscheck or two here and there. For the next level, there's the obvious work needed on his strength, as he can be overpowered, but it's a must that he gets better in the finishing department and further develop his shot to diversify his attack, making him less predictable and giving him another way to contribute. There are times when he fades into the background and becomes invisible, so he has to make sure he keeps his feet moving at all times, and stays in pursuit of the puck. Look for him in the late rounds, but he could be a steal.