Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 17):
C/LW Mason Moe (6'1",186lbs)
Madison (USHL): 19gp/ 6g/ 9a/ 15pts, +4, 8 PIM
Speedy forward Mason Moe was awarded the rather lofty grade of "B" by Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings, anointing him as a potential 2nd, or 3rd-round pick, and I think they're right on the money. Part of the buzz around Moe might be coming from his performance in the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, where his skating and defensive chops were on full display, but he also finished in a 5-way tie for 3rd in scoring (4 points in 5 games) on a Team USA that didn't bring a lot of their top-end talent, and subsequently finished 4th in the tournament. The Madison Capitols, his team in the USHL, are in 8th-place out of 16 teams, but 5th in goals-for, and he's a frequent linemate of Ryker Lee's.
Moe is a swift-skating forward with a good two-way game who specializes in being a solid defensive performer. He owns high-end speed and plays with blistering pace, keeping his feet in constant motion and staying active, often tilting the ice in Madison's favor. His hands manage to keep up with his feet, as he's an outstanding stickhandler with well-developed protection skill, making it a real challenge to take the puck from him. Adding to that is his one-on-one skill, combined with his deception ability and patient delay game, that give him the capacity to either dangle around defenders, or to open space to pass into. Moe is not a true playmaker though, as his shot and finishing skill are his main offensive weapons; he has a deep repertoire of shots, as well as soft hands in-tight, and will slice inside to the slot or park himself in front of the net for opportunities. He owns sound shot mechanics that give him a bullet of a wrister, with a lethal release. Moe is solid around the net and makes some nice plays off of small-area passing around, and through, the crease- showing some passing skill as well as good vision and anticipation. He is highly disruptive on the forecheck, using his speed and stick to overwhelm defenders, and he regularly beats opponents to loose pucks.
Moe is a highly valuable player in transition, often rushing the puck out of the zone on the breakout, and he can go end-to-end after completing a retrieval, backing up the other team's D. He's also fully capable of making smart give-and-go passes through the neutral zone to open up space on the rush. With his speed, he's often the first forward back on defense and is proficient at removing time and space from attackers with his skating and stickwork. He expertly angles his adversaries away from the middle and out of high-danger, taking their sticks and tying them up when necessary. Defensive play is his true standout strength, exuding high-end awareness and anticipation in his own end of the ice. Moe has a good-sized frame, but he could be a lot more physical and use his size more as leverage. He does play through contact, takes hits to make plays, and will take abuse in front of the net, but prefers to use his stick to dislodge pucks and keep attackers at bay. Still, if he were to play with more power and use his body more, it might be a huge advantage-creator and open more space for teammates. Right now, he looks much more suited to bottom-6 defensive duty, and there's nothing wrong with that when you're as good on the backcheck as Moe is, but scouts say there's plenty of potential for more. He is committed to the University of Minnesota for 2026-27, so there's time.
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