[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 21):

LW Kristian Epperson (6'0",185lbs)
Saginaw (OHL): 36gp/ 17g/ 34a/ 51pts, +33, 64 PIM

I liked him last year, and I love him this year. Epperson is a draft re-entry this season, and in his D+1, he's 21st in OHL scoring, 15th in ppg, and tied for 4th in plus/minus on a Saginaw squad that sits in 11th-place out of 20 teams, and is home to one of the best players available in the 2025 draft in C Michael Misa- which benefits Epperson greatly. The young winger was considered to be one of the USA's best talents for his age group in his time at Shattuck-St.Mary's school between 2020 and 2022, and solidified that status by placing 6th in scoring for the NTDP Juniors against USHL competition in 2022-23 with 29 points in 39 games, eclipsing fellow 2024 draft-eligibles such as Christian Humphreys, Max Plante, Austin Baker, Lucas Van Vliet, and Teddy Stiga. In his DY however, he not only failed to show progression, but his ppg dropped significantly with only 16 points in 42 NTDP games, playing behind some elite talent. Some say that the NTDP was trying to turn him into a checker, and that's where I think the program fails some kids- the players lower in the lineup would often be better off in a starring role on a USHL team, or playing more important minutes in the CHL. I made mention in my 2024 profile of Epperson that he was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit and should have played the season there, but he made the right move in coming up to Canada this season, albeit one year too late. Right now, he's projected to end up with 90 points in 63 games, with 112 PIM- not too shabby.

Epperson is full of grit and sandpaper, but he's got plenty of finesse too, with a full array of tools. The first main pillar of his game is his superb skating, that enables him to overwhelm his opponents with speed off the rush, beating defenders wide while cutting his way inside to the middle of the ice. He's a high value contributor in transition, slashing his way across wide swaths of neutral zone real-estate on the strength of his quick feet, backing opponents off and making clean entries. His work-ethic is another staple of his game, and he enhances his mobility by playing with menacing pace and boundless energy, along with being hard-nosed and fearless. I would have said last year that his shot was his main weapon of choice, but he's leaning a bit more towards his playmaking these days- and who can blame him, he's playing with Michael Misa! Epperson owns a laser of a wrister with pinpoint accuracy and a quick, deceptive release, as well as a bullet of a one-timer, but also possesses a goal-scorer's instinctive ability to find or create open space to shoot. He will drive the net to pick up garbage, and has silky mitts to beat goalies 1-on-1. This season with the Spirit, he's showing just how well he sees the ice, and he has the passing skill to connect on the ideas that his high IQ grants him. He can connect with teammates through traffic, as well as over and under sticks, or through triangles, finding his targets often in high-danger. Epperson has well-developed puck-skill and protection ability, and with how hard he is on pucks, he can barge through checks, even when he is being pinned to the boards.

The eighteen year-old Epperson (he turns 19 in May) is unrelentingly physical, throwing his weight around and taking the body whenever he can. He seems to have upped his intensity this year in regards to his physical game, landing some crushing hits and unapologetically making himself a target in post-whistle scrums- it seems like he's in the middle of every dogpile. 64 PIM in 36 games shows he's not Mr. Nice Guy when he takes to the ice. There's also plenty of little things he does for his team that don't show up on the scoresheet, mainly his stellar defensive work that shows his keen awareness and smart, proactive positioning. He breaks up plays with his top-notch anticipation, pressuring puck-carriers and eliminating threats, then turns the backcheck into the breakout by moving the puck out of the zone quickly and efficiently. I believed last season that he deserved to be drafted (I thought he would be a mid-round pick) but I think his play will be rewarded this time around with a selection in the top-3 rounds. Epperson needs to bulk up and get stronger, and perhaps work on his skill game, but he's a pretty complete player- I think he might be a future candidate for middle-6 duty in the NHL, but his floor is as a physical, bottom-6 defensive player who can chip in some offense.