[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 22):

LD Edison Engle (6'2",174lbs)
Des Moines (USHL): 20gp/ 0g/ 4a/ 4pts, -4, 4 PIM
Dubuque (USHL): 6gp/ 1g/ 4a/ 5pts, +3, 2 PIM

Up until about the end of December, scouting reports on Edison Engle seemed to paint a picture of a highly active player with lofty ideas that weren't bringing him much in the way of points- sort of an offensive defenseman without any offense, if you will. I had him in the top-3 rounds of my preliminary rankings, but left him out of my top-100 in my December list, due to his poor numbers with Des Moines of the USHL- a team ranked 13th out of 16 teams in that league, and also 13th in goals-for. Additionally, he was all zeroes in the summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, as well as in the most recent edition of the World Junior A Championship in December. Things may have changed with a late December trade to the Dubuque Fighting Saints (who are the best team in the league by points, and second-overall in goals-for), showing a sharp uptick in offensive production. Perhaps his play-creation abilities are now connecting in a better environment, but we'll see- I'm keeping my excitement tethered for now, and I'll keep watching his numbers. Even if the offense fails however, he's still a solid puck-mover and two-way contributor at the end of the day, that received a "C" rating from Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings- indicating a possible 4th, or 5th-round pick.

If his newfound offense dissolves, he still holds plenty of value with his excellent defensive game, and high awareness in his own zone. In addition, he's a calm and poised puck-mover, even when he isn't piling up goals and assists. Engle shows stifling play-killing ability against the rush, angling opponents away from the middle proactively in the neutral zone, then gliding across laterally with a well-timed poke-check. He's steady and dependable, with good habits and attention to detail, and makes stops with his body and an active stick to disrupt passes as well as clog lanes; when all else fails, he removes options to force attackers to dump the puck in. Like most prototypical top-pairing defensemen, he's highly active and covers a ton of real estate on every shift, sniffing out pockets of space to move through in order to help build the rush and create chances, with or without the puck. He makes a strong first-pass, and can even stretch the ice on occasion for odd-man opportunities on breakouts, but he can also opt to get on his horse and rush the puck up-ice while beating defenders. In retrievals, he shakes off pressure while calmly scanning for options, and usually makes sound decisions; it would seem that he specializes in getting the puck out of the defensive zone quickly and efficiently. He's a smooth skater and puck-handler with NHL-grade mobility, but could use a tune-up on his top-end speed and agility as he can be beaten by some of the faster players on the ice

As with his own-zone play, he exhibits good habits and details in the offensive zone, mostly keeping things simple while skating with his head up to map out his surroundings. He joins the rush and activates from the point frequently, but only when it's safe to do so, and he will sometimes explode off the boards to the middle to make things happen. Engle walks the line efficiently, skates into passes, and exhibits generally good instincts and vision. His shot is fairly decent, perhaps nothing special, and he needs to work on his power and accuracy; he doesn't unleash it quick enough, and it can be blocked. He's not much of a threat in the goal-scoring department, and uses his shot as a playmaking device to generate rebound and tip opportunities for teammates. Engle is a workhorse defender, and a minute-muncher, but I don't get the sense that he's an overly physical player- he doesn't shy away from contact at all, but isn't a big hitter. He will use his frame as leverage to win inside position, engage in 50/50 board battles, and box opponents out from the net. If Engle can keep the offense flowing in Dubuque, his draft stock will soar- but if he can't, the default package is still fairly good. Many scouts think there's real potential here, and he will get time to develop, as he's committed to Ohio State University for the 2026-27 season. Look for him in the 3rd, or 4th-round, but he could rise if he continues to put up numbers.