[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems, Vol. 5):

LHC Jimmy Lombardi (6'0",179lbs)
Flint (OHL): 61gp/ 13g/ 28a/ 41pts, -2, 42 PIM

Speedy pivot Jimmy Lombardi (ranked # 64 NA Skaters, # 74 by McKenzie) has earned more and more attention as the season has progressed, toiling for the 13th-place (out of 20 teams) Flint Firebirds, as a speedy, two-way center with skill and high motor. He plays a pacey, up-tempo game, with his skating being his most prominent physical asset. He holds tremendous value with his contributions to transition- one of his best selling-points, and a main pillar of his game. He owns some slick, highlight-reel quality stickhandling moves to deke and dangle around defenders, and wields deception quite well as a manipulation tool, but it's his composure under duress that helps him the most when transporting the puck. He can make a fool of opponents when skating with possession through the neutral zone, turning would-be checkers inside-out, and protecting the puck from their reach while leading the rush; he can also flex his passing skills while staying linked to teammates in give-and-go sequences, or by connecting plays to stretch the ice. He keeps his feet moving through contact, and fights through checks.

Lombardi has good hockey sense, standout playmaking vision, and advanced distribution skill to get the puck to teammates under and over sticks with saucer, or slip passes, and can make some dynamic plays at times. He displays good spatial awareness, and understands how to draw pressure in order to open seams to pass into, using button-hooks, cut-backs, and delays. His shot is also a strength, with a quick, accurate release, and the ability to score from seemingly any angle with pinpoint accuracy, but he will also shoot for second-chance opportunities for teammates. Despite not being the biggest player on the ice, he will sometimes bust out a power move and lean into a defender to barge his way inside to the net, and does the same to make room for himself along the wall. He owns silky mitts in-tight to deke out goalies, goes to the net hard to pick up garbage, and is most effective around the net; he seems to like passing low-to-high from below the goal-line for dangerous chances from the slot. Lombardi moves very well, with superb edges for pivoting away from checks, and changing speeds on a dime- he can beat defenders wide, blow through traffic, separate in open-ice, and win races to loose pucks. On the forecheck, he pushes pace and causes disruption as well as uncontrolled plays, stops breakouts in their early stages with pokechecks, and strips pucks aplenty. Defensively, he is focused and hard-working on the backcheck, and reads the play well, exerting smart positioning. He supports his D in battles, picks off passes, and is a general nuisance to puck-carriers- he is often tasked with penalty-killing duties, and performs well in this area. I wouldn't say he's a big hitter, but he's quite scrappy and competes hard for pucks in all three zones.

It's difficult to say what Lombardi's ceiling looks like, but he would have much better stats on a higher-scoring team with more talent to work with. He has a good base of translatable skills, showing ability in the defensive zone, and acumen in transition- and I believe he will be a big offensive contributor as early as next year. I think he has a decent shot at middle-six NHL duty in the future. For the next level, he has to bulk up and get stronger, and work on puck-control, as he sometimes has an issue holding on to the puck at top-speed. Look for him in the third, or fourth-round.