[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 49):

LW Carter Klippenstein (6'3",181lbs)
Brandon (WHL): 58gp/ 14g/ 14a/ 28pts, +20, 50 PIM

Big-bodied winger Carter Klippenstein (ranked # 88 NA Skaters) was 11th in scoring and 4th in plus/minus over the regular season for the Wheaties, but he had a disastrous post-season- putting in 3 games with no points and a -5, before succumbing to injury as Brandon was eliminated in 5 games by the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He seemed to struggle with various injuries all year, and while I can't say for sure, I think he may have been playing through some of them. With 21 points in 66 games in his rookie year in 2023-24, I would've expected more from him than his 28 points in 58 games this season, and I believe there may be more in terms of offensive ability in his toolkit. Though he may never be a top-line scorer, he remains a hard-nosed power-forward with top-shelf defensive awareness, the versatility to play either C or W, and of course, a massive frame with a ton of room to fill out. A gym rat, he performed admirably in fitness testing in training camp this year, and set a team record on the versa-climber. Klipper plays a heavy game, and uses his frame to win battles along the boards, and can dish out some bone-rattling hits, but he will also play through contact. His play often draws the ire of opposing players, who make him the centerpiece of many post-whistle scrums, and he has to drop the gloves once in a while- but he's a pretty good scrapper. He exerts an ultra-high compete level, with the willingness to roll his sleeves up to outwork the opposition, and he provides his team with energy; he can swing the momentum of a game with one of his big bodychecks, and does a lot of the dirty work for his linemates in digging out pucks and gaining possession. In puck-battles, he gives second, and third-efforts to win pucks.

Klipper exhibits a modicum of hockey sense and awareness to be well-positioned in all three zones, but lacks dynamism; he plays more of a north-south style, and keeps things as simple and efficient as possible. One of his best physical traits is his skating- he moves very well for a big man, with surprisingly effortless edgework in his cuts, pivots, and changes of direction, and his speed is augmented by his high-end workrate. He employs a quick short-burst in tight areas when needed, to sprint to loose pucks, launch himself into battle, and create a bit of separation in open-ice. Klippenstein forechecks with purpose to push the pace and put supreme pressure on defenders, cause turnovers, and wreak havoc on the other team's breakout- he is relentless in puck-pursuit, and tenacious in battle. Offensively, he is a powerful net-front presence with fairly soft hands in-tight, as well as good hand-eye coordination for tipping pucks, and is almost impossible to move while serving up a big screen in front of the goalie. He can often be spotted attacking through the middle and crashing the crease, but he also has a quick, whippy release on his wrister from the slot- still, he could use more power and deception if he wants to score more often from distance. With the footspeed to outrace defenders to the puck, he excels at the chip-and-chase for entries, but he has sneaky puck-skill and protection ability that enables him to beat opponents one-on-one on occasion; he can carry through the neutral zone for clean entries at times, and can both stickhandle and shoot in tight-areas. Though he'll never be compared to Adam Oates, he's an underrated playmaker as well, with the competence to pull off some dynamic passes, including cross-ice, low-to-high from behind the net, and from off the wall to the slot. He flashes some playmaking vision too, with an eye for spotting teammates through traffic once in a while.

Klipper plays a very dependable two-way game, and is trusted by the coaching staff to kill penalties. He's highly disruptive with an active, well-timed stick, and the physicality to separate man from puck. With his mobility and solid edges, he gets into lanes, pokes away passes to the slot, and is active in all four corners of the zone. Upon recovery of the puck, he is able to make calm, poised plays to start the breakout going the other direction. With a November 26th birthday, age might be working against him, but he employs a very translatable game- and when he fills out, he's going to be a force. I think he has a better offensive game than he's shown this season, and I also believe he might be a big producer for the Wheat Kings over the next two seasons, but he still looks to be more suited for bottom-six duty in the pros, with his defensive acumen and physicality- and there's nothing wrong with that. Going forward, I hope he keeps growing his offense, while working on his decision-making, and his shot. I also hope that he keeps building his lower-body strength, in order to get faster. Look for him in later rounds, but don't be surprised if he's taken more in the middle.