Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 33):
LHC Matthew Lansing (6'1",181lbs)
Waterloo (USHL): 28gp/ 6g/ 6a/ 12pts, +15, 14 PIM
C Matthew Lansing first turned heads at the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup last summer, where he looked outstanding at times by buzzing all over the ice, pushing the pace with his speed, and by scoring a highlight-reel goal in the Bronze-medal game where he basically beat three defenders, as well as the goalie. He ended the tournament tied for the most goals with 4 tallies in 5 games, 2 of them coming in that Bronze-medal game against Sweden, which the US Team lost to leave them with a 4th-place finish. The scouts took notice, and Central Scouting gave him the rating of "C" in their Preliminary Rankings, and despite what I would call disappointing production in the USHL, they rated him #97 among North American Skaters in their Mid-term Rankings. As another indication of how highly thought of he is, he was 1 of 2 non-NTDP players chosen to fill in Team USA's roster for the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge (Ben Kevan was the other), though he finished with no points. Waterloo is 9th out of 16 teams in the USHL Standings, and Lansing is 11th on that team in scoring, but second in plus/minus (11th-overall in the league), seemingly playing down the lineup in a defensive role behind some older players. Lansing is a two-way pivot with a nice blend of power and finesse.
Lansing is a powerful skater who uses his speed to make room for teammates, and to push the pace- though he could use a little work on his top-speed and explosiveness. His solid edgework allows for quick turns and smooth lateral agility. His shot is hard and heavy but it can be predictable, as he needs to work on his release- he doesn't get his shot off quickly enough at times, and doesn't use enough deception to disguise his intentions. Lansing powers his way to the middle with his stick ready for the pass in the slot, and he will crash the crease to score in-tight. He is an opportunistic goal-scorer who will go to the net to sweep in rebounds, tip shots, pounce on loose pucks, and screen the goalie. Most would call him a skilled passer, but any signs of true vision or creativity come only in flashes; he can get the puck to teammates with some of the more difficult passes with crispness and accuracy, but he isn't much of a playmaker or driver. Lansing is considered to be a skilled player with sound enough stickhandling and deception to deke his way through traffic at times, but it's his puck-protection that gets him around the ice without turnovers, and he can skate through checks with this ability.
Lansing is a reliable, calming presence in the defensive zone with high awareness and anticipation to seal off plays proactively. He employs a good stick to block lanes, and poke the puck away from danger, but he also uses his physicality to separate his man from the puck. He hounds puck carriers relentlessly, suffocating them of time and space, and supports teammates in battle. Lansing gets involved in the greasy areas, wins 50/50 puck contests, and finishes his checks. He can play both sides of special teams, but specializes in killing penalties. He may be more suited to bottom-6 defensive duty in the NHL if he makes it, as he doesn't seem to read the play like an offensive player should. He is committed to Quinnipiac University, and I think he'll be picked in the 5th or 6th-round.
|