[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 18):

RW Shamar Moses (6'1",203lbs)
North Bay (OHL): 61gp/ 12g/ 36a/ 48pts, -20, 33 PIM

RW Shamar Moses (ranked # 71 NA Skaters) was a first-round selection of the Barrie Colts, 19th-overall, in the 2023 OHL Draft- but was used mostly as a depth option in his time there. After a 2023-24 season that saw him post a respectable 25 points in 66 games for the Colts as an OHL rookie, he was traded to North Bay just five games in to the current season after posting no points. The move to the Battalion may have sent him to a team who were low in the standings (finishing 15th out of 20 teams), and offensively challenged (19th in goals-for), but it gave him more ice-time and responsibility to showcase his capabilities- and he took off, with 15 points in his first 12 games. Moses is a skilled power-winger, and though he's quite raw, he employs a pro-style game with few dynamic elements. Skating and pace are weaknesses; he is victimized by wonky mechanics in short, choppy stride that limit him to an average top-speed, with a need to improve his agility and balance.

Though his intensity has ebbs and flows, he owns a daunting physical presence; winning battles along the walls, dominating down-low, using his frame to make room for himself, and finishing his checks- putting mustard on his hits. When he's on, he displays high-motor, but his effort and engagement can be inconsistent- not only game-to-game, but shift-to-shift. He flashes higher-end play creation at times, and shows plenty of good ideas that go unrequited by teammates, but he consistently funnels pucks to the slot with deft feeds off of the wall, and is able to draw defenders in order to open passing seams, and to manufacture space for his teammates. With his sharp offensive awareness and keen play-reading abilities, he always seems to be well-positioned in all areas. He wields well-honed passing skills to connect on feeds over and under sticks with saucer passes or slip passes, and will drive the middle off the rush with the intent of dragging a defender or two with him, in order to open space for a drop-pass. Moses doesn't need much room to load up on his blistering shot that he can snipe corners with, and he has a nose for the net; he is not at all afraid to cut inside, or attack the crease. He's an effective and aggravating net-front presence who is very hard to move, and has a soft-touch in-tight for garbage goals, tap-ins, tips, and second-chance opportunities. As a playmaking device, he will fire at the net with the intent of creating chances for teammates as well.

Moses' handling skill is a plus, and he has some surprising 1-on-1 skills and deception to deke through traffic, dangle under triangles, and curl-and-drag around sticks, with the added benefit of having puck-protection skills that are well-developed. He can gain quick control of unstable passes sent his way, while in full-stride, and he exhibits tight puck-control in transit. In the defensive zone, he is very reliable, with sublime anticipation to sense oncoming plays, and the hustle to head them off- suffocating puck-carriers, intercepting passes, and throwing his weight around to dislodge pucks. He is a smart off-puck player, who supports the play well in all three zones, and skates intelligent routes to always remain a playable option for teammates. Fixing his speed will be very important going forward, and he must learn how to make decisions while playing at a higher pace. There are times when he tries to do too much, thus running out of space or hitting a wall, and he gets in trouble when he gets too fancy, or overcomplicates things. Inconsistency of effort is a big hindrance to his game right now as well, but I do think he may be underperforming his stats with the Battalion this season. If all works out, Moses could potentially make a good two-way power-winger in an NHL-team's middle-six. Look for him in the third-round.