[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems, Vol. 10):

RW Lirim Amidovski (6'1",174lbs)
North Bay (OHL): 67gp/ 19g/ 13a/ 32pts, -10, 38 PIM

RW Lirim Amidovski (ranked #85 NA Skaters) ended the OHL regular season with a bang, picking up 4 points in the final 3 games, with a +7 for the North Bay Battalion- who finished in a tie with the Greyhounds for 14th-overall in the standings, but were second-last in goals-for. Though he is outperforming his stats (he is 5th in scoring for North Bay, 2nd in goals), he is a bit older by draft standards with a Dec.22, 2006 birthday. Amidovski was one of the better players in January's OHL Top Prospects Game for Team East, picking up a goal and a primary assist on a line that also featured Owen Griffin and Aiden Young. He is a north-south power-winger with a workmanlike approach and a robust physical game, who moves the needle with his high-end workrate and relentless motor. A workhorse who rides his intensity and keeps defenders on their toes with his pace, he is highly involved and engaged, and seems to be in the middle of every play when he is on the ice. To separate man from puck, he hits hard, initiating contact early and often, and throws his weight around in all three zones. He forechecks like a heat-seeking missile, with physicality and tenacity to bring havoc to puck-carriers, and wins battles in the trenches- he is often borderline dominant along the boards and down low.

Amidovski drives the middle and attacks the net, exhibiting soft hands in-tight and keen hand-eye coordination for tipping shots. He will park himself in front of the net to provide a screen, and battle for position to pick up garbage around the crease. Like a true power-forward, he will lean into defenders to barge his way inside, and will crash the crease in search of second-chance opportunities. Though he gets most of his looks close-in, and is a very inside-driven scorer, his shot is a strength of his and he can fire it off while in-flight. He uses screens well, and can fire off the catch- both his wrister and one-timer are hard and heavy. There isn't a whole lot of flash-and-dash in his game, and though he shows glimpses of high-end playmaking at times, he doesn't look dynamic or very crafty; he has intelligence and good ideas, but lacks the skills to execute, and needs better precision in his passes. He does read the play well however, making an effort to funnel pucks to the middle, and creates advantages for teammates with his presence in the slot, and by drawing defenders off-puck with his forays up the middle. He's not a burner, but he moves well in a straight-line, and augments his speed with his high workrate- he can beat defenders wide on occasion, win races, separate in open-ice, and is able to keep up with smaller players when pursuing the puck. Going forward, his agility, balance, and edgework will need a bit of work.

There's some value in his transitional game, but he keeps it relatively safe and simple with short passes to connect plays, give-and-go patterns, and often chipping-and-chasing. He skates his routes hard off-puck with a high activity rate to open space on the rush, and there's some deception tactics in the form of shifts of weight and fakes to make his way through traffic when he has possession. Even still, though he owns tight puck-protection skills, he needs work on his puck-control as his hands have some difficulty in keeping up with his feet when in full-stride. Amidovski is often the first forward back in the defensive zone on the backcheck to force dump-ins, cause turnovers, and affect uncontrolled plays, with a heavy approach. He is an excellent penalty-killer, exhibiting high awareness, staunch positioning, and smart use of his stick to kill plays. He is engaged, disruptive, and smart defensively, and displays good details and habits. Amidovski will put up much bigger numbers in the two years to come, but even though he is quite impactful, he may never be a top-six player in the pros- there's an NHL player here though, with good potential. Look for him in the middle-rounds.