[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Woody's Hoodies Edition):

When LHD Carson Woodall's Grandmother died from cancer, and his other Grandmother was diagnosed Stage 4, he went to work setting up a charity to sell "Woody's Hoodies" to raise money for cancer research. "Woody" is obviously a character kid, and it's also evident in the way he went from playing most of the 2022-23 season in the GOJHL, a Junior B league, to playing a big role for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. After only three regular-season games last year with the Spits plus three playoff games, scoring no points, he got better and better as the 2023-24 season wore on- ending up playing over 24 minutes per game by the end of the campaign, and putting up 6 goals and 29 points in only 57 games (with 22 PIM) as a rookie. It was a tumultuous year in Windsor to say the least, with first-year Head Coach Jerrod Smith (who got the job after former Coach Marc Savard departed for Calgary in the summer) getting the axe in November after a 4-16-1-0 start, and Interim-Head Coach Casey Torres taking over, only to see the team deal away some of it's vets, and finishing 19th out of 20 teams in the league. The Spits punctuated their season by going winless in their final 13 games. Woodall. who measures 5'11",161lbs, was selected by Windsor in the 10th-round, 202nd-overall, in the 2022 OHL Draft.

Woodall is a Jack-of-all-Trades sort, but a master of none- he does a little bit of everything, and plays in all situations. Though he employs a very well-rounded game in junior, his tools may not be a good as his brain. Woodall is a highly skilled passer who can connect through traffic and find teammates in high-danger frequently, but any sign of real high-end creativity and playmaking comes only in flashes. He will jump into the rush, and activate off of the blueline to support the offense with a high number of passes to the slot, and a penchant for sneaking in on the weak side for opportunities. He stays in motion to open space for himself and teammates, and will draw defenders in his direction to create a void to pass into, but he's not yet a high-level manipulator- he needs to improve this area of his repertoire for better offensive success. Part of that has to do with the fact that he doesn't play with enough pace when he has the puck in the offensive zone, and tends to look as though he's coasting when delaying for options- which gives the enemy time to adjust to his movements. Without the puck, he's quite aggressive- sometimes too aggressive, not taking enough time to scan before the puck comes to him, and making the first play he sees when under pressure, with better ones available. His aggression serves him well in his physical game though, throwing plenty of hits, and winning battles with hard work and motor. Woody walks the line proficiently to find open lanes, and shows a high IQ in the way he sees the ice to set up teammates for a high number of dangerous chances- many of these plays simply couldn't be finished by his Windsor teammates. His shot is nothing really special, and he mostly uses it as a playmaking tool to create rebound chances for teammates.

Woodall is an excellent skater with fluidity, and doesn't lose many races. He displays smooth edges and can pivot on a dime, using his footwork to perform a number of slick 1-on-1 moves with a dash of deception to get around in traffic, and move through opponents. In the defensive zone, he works hard to turn defense into offense, making stops by tormenting puck-carriers with his body and stick. He's adept at identifying his man and sticking to him like glue, but runs a little hot and cold against the rush- he exhibits tight gap control, and is able to match footwork with anyone, but too often gives forecheckers too much room, looking passive in the process. His breakouts are inconsistent, as a result of not scanning nearly enough on his retrievals- he makes mistakes under pressure, and can be prone to giveaways. It's imperative that he gets stronger and bulkier as he can be overpowered at times, and he needs to inject more pace into his puck game for the next level. Woody will be a top defenseman in the OHL over the next two years, but the concern among scouts is that he may not have a standout NHL skill, and he has to decide what kind of player he'll be in the pros. Woody is a solid performer overall, and has potential- look for him in later rounds.