[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol.10):

LW Jakob Ihs-Wozniak (6'3",179lbs)
Lulea (J20): 31gp/ 16g/ 29a/ 45pts, +20, 12 PIM

Considering how Jakob Ihs-Wozniak tore apart the J20 league in 2023-24 with 50 points in 36 games, his production this season may not truly represent his true capabilities, even though he is tied for 8th in scoring. He has represented his country in the Hlinka (4 goals in 5 games), the 2024 U-18's (1 goal in 7 games), and this past December's World Junior A Challenge (3 goals and 6 points in 5 games). In the current season, he started slow, but has racked up 18 points in the last 8 games, and has played 10 games in the nation's top men's league (the SHL) with 1 goal. Ihs-Wozniak is a power-forward with skill, compete, and grit, who does a lot of the dirty work for his linemates that goes unnoticed by fans. He's reliable, with a solid two-way game and contributes well in the defensive zone, using his body and wingspan to be disruptive.

Though he possesses a long, smooth stride with sound mechanics, Ihs-Wozniak needs to upgrade his mobility, as he's a rather average skater. As he further strengthens his lower body, his speed could become a strength, but he has to add another gear or two, and could use some explosiveness. Playmaking is his best weapon, and he displays creativity as well as spatial awareness- which is a very important quality here; together with his high-level vision and hockey sense, he can locate spot spots in coverage to present himself as a passing option, draw pressure to create open space, and manipulate defenders to open seams. His shot is fairly hard and heavy, but could perhaps use a touch more power. He offers good positioning in danger areas to catch and release, and he can score from any angle, but he will also cut to the net or drive inside to the slot to exploit his superb hand-eye coordination and timing to convert tips and rebounds. Ihs-Wozniak wins battles aplenty along the boards, leans into defenders to push his way around, and is a load to handle in front of the net. He's physical, and forechecks hard to disrupt plays and steal pucks. His handling may not be anything special, but he protects the puck well, outside of the reach of attackers with his extra-long wingspan, and his deception skills are well-developed to aid him in getting around.

Ihs-Wozniak exhibits sound hockey sense with, and without the puck, always knowing where to be to best support the action, and to make himself a playable option for teammates. He seems to get mixed reviews in transition though; he incorporates delays and deception tactics to go with his stickhandling and protection, and he can make some high-value passes, but he can be a bit sloppy and inefficient at times. There are questions about his intensity and pace, as he likes to slow the play down in junior, but he probably won't be able to do the same in the pros- he has to learn how to make faster decisions. Like a lot of kids his age, he can disappear for stretches, and can be wildly inconsistent game-to-game. Skating is a concern, and projections have been all over the place, with some suggesting that he will be no better than a bottom-6 power-winger at the NHL-level, but I think he's a second-line winger all day, with the potential for more. Look for him in the first round of this summer's draft.