Originally Posted by Sandman
Draft Thoughts (Winterhawk Edition):
The Moose Jaw Warriors won their first-ever WHL Championship tonight, sweeping the high-powered Portland Winterhawks in the process, and a few draft-eligibles on the losing side caught my eye- one of them being LW/C Diego Buttazzoni. The 5'9",183lb Buttazzoni had a bit of a disappointing playoff, finishing 11th on the team in post-season scoring with 3 goals and 9 points in 18 games, after a regular season where he was 6th in points with 53 in 67 games. I wouldn't say that's an indictment of his play necessarily, as the Winterhawks are a deep, veteran team, and every player ahead of him was older, with 6 of them being NHL draftees. Buttazzoni was originally drafted by Medicine Hat, 37th-overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, but was traded to Portland in the summer of 2022. He had originally spurned the WHL to go the college route, and had even played a few games with the BCHL's Coquitlam Express in 2021-22, but he changed his mind when he got the call from the Winterhawks. In his rookie year in the WHL, he played a third-line center role for the 'Hawks, putting up 15 points in 56 games, and went 56% in faceoffs. This season, he was reportedly cast mostly in a top-6 winger role, scoring 29 goals and 53 points in 67 games on a talent-laden Portland team that was 3rd-best in the league, and scored the most goals.
Buttazzoni is one of those players who seems to have the puck following him all night, he's fun to watch. He's an excellent skater with long, powerful strides who can make sharp cuts to change direction instantly to get past defenders and deke goalies out of their jockstraps. He's a nightmare for opposing defensemen with his superb footwork, and his ability to separate in open ice. He's shifty and slippery, and can spin away from checks with apparent ease. On the forecheck, he's the ultimate pest, hounding puck-carriers with an active stick, and the speed to smother them of time and space. He wins battles in the greasy areas with impeccable positioning and doggedness, and while he isn't very physical, he plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, and never shies away from the rough stuff. As a dual-threat performer, he flaunts high IQ and vision, and can find passing lanes to the middle of the ice; but it's his dazzling arsenal of hard, heavy shots that are the greater of his offensive contributions, with 29 of his 53 points being goals. He can shoot in full flight without losing speed in his stride, or power in his shot, and every blast comes with power and velocity, as well as an explosive release. His one-timer is a bomb, his wrister is a laser, and he can shoot it backhand faster than some can shoot forehand- in short, he can really rip the puck. He materializes at the right place at the right time in danger areas to unleash, sneaking in-and-out of soft spots with immaculate timing, and finds holes in coverage to beat defenders to the inside- all with the purpose of having a split-second of time and space to fire at an opportune time. He can also score the ugly ones, and is good around the net with the patience to score on tips and rebound opportunities.
In transition, Buttazzoni shows his value, as he can carry through the neutral zone with his speed, combined with deception in the form of fakes, feints, and dekes to make a clean entry. He owns quick hands and feet, and can work the give-and-go to get from one zone to the other as well. He's an expert stickhandler with high-end 1-on-1 skill, mostly relying on quick touches in carries, and doesn't often hold on to the puck for too long- but when he does, he appears confident and poised. In the defensive end, he has worked to become trustworthy defensively, and the coaches will give him defensive-zone starts and faceoffs. He's a fairly responsible two-way player, but is not quite a stalwart yet- he keeps one eye on his duties at all times, but he's still developing his own-zone game to it's fullest. While he seems to know his limitations as a smaller player, he is considered to be a character player with intangibles that won't appear on any scoresheet- he works hard in practice, hustles hard on the ice, and stays active, keeping his feet moving at all times. Buttazzoni will get an opportunity in the coming two seasons to be more of a go-to guy for the Winterhawks, and may be seen at that time as a bit of a steal, but right now- I can see him getting picked anywhere from the 5th, to the 7th round. He needs work on his strength, and his defensive game going forward, but the best upgrade he could make would be growing another few inches, sadly.
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