[Sandman]

More Draft Thoughts (Late Rounds Edition):

-Joey Willis is a 5'10",165lb LHC playing for Saginaw of the OHL, a team on the rise after finishing 7th overall this year, and second-last the year prior. The team that drafts Willis is not picking him on the strength of his numbers this year, 15 goals and 44 points in 68 games, but rather because of his defensive game and smarts. He will surely have much greater point totals in the next 2 years as he grows with the team, and gets a bigger role with the talent around him there. Willis doesn't have too many standout traits, but his greatest qualities are his brain and his motor. It is believed that his mediocre point totals are more the result of his unwavering attention to defense, than anything related to his offensive skills, but he does seem to lack high-end passing skill, and he's not a big shooter. In spite of this, he has good puck skills and a top-notch off-puck game that both helps facilitate offense, and puts him ahead of the play defensively. He gets a lot of "third assists", as he plays a checking role even in the offensive zone, taking opponents sticks and manipulating them into giving up space for his teammates. He will cover the point for pinching D-men, as well. Defensively, he makes life hard for opponents carrying the puck the other way, having the anticipation to constantly thwart their efforts, often killing the rush in the neutral zone. There's a small splash of physicality in his game over the course of performing his checking duties, and he's a good pick-pocket as well. Willis is neither big, nor particularly fast, but his motor and vision make up for most of his deficiencies. He is pretty highly rated on some lists, but look for him in the later rounds.

-LHC Isac Hedqvist could be a high-value pick in the later rounds. 14 goals and 34 points in 41 games for Lulea- the second-best team in Sweden's J20 Norra Division, which was good enough to earn him a 6-game cup of coffee in the SHL, along with 4 playoff games with the big club. Hedqvist loves to have the puck on his stick, and is smart with good IQ and vision in all 3 zones. He handles the puck at a high level, and has an array of slick 1-on-1 moves. Hedqvist is a quality playmaker with oodles of deception and manipulation in his game, and his off-puck routes draw defenders to him, thus opening up space for teammates and facilitating chances. He's definitely not the most prolific goal-scorer, and he needs work on his shot, but won't hesitate to shoot when it's the right play. Despite standing only 5'11", and 170 lbs, he is not afraid to attack the middle lanes, either by passing or shooting, and he will go the net. He never backs down from puck battles in any area of the ice, even against much larger opponents, and can play a physical game. Defensively, he has the skating and anticipation to kill play after play, and is usually on the right side of the puck, although his consistency in this area is up-and-down on a game-to-game basis. If Hedqvist can get his skating up a notch, and add strength, he could be a late-round steal.

-Only 2 teams fail to qualify for the playoffs on a yearly basis in the Q, as there's only 18 teams in the league. The Saint John Sea Dogs made it to the postseason, finishing 15th overall, but were out in 5 games against Gatineau. LW/C Cole Burbidge was the second-leading scorer on the team, with 19 goals and 50 points in 68 games- behind overager Brady Burns. Burbidge is pretty polarizing, with more than his share of detractors, but he has a solid base of skill and sense to work with- and while he's far from a guaranteed NHL player, most of his problems will clear up as he adds strength to his 6'1",161lb body, and cleans up his skating stride. He's also one of the youngest players in the draft, with an August 26th birthday, and he's still raw. The best part of his game is his inside-driven offense, with his ability to cut to the slot for shot opportunities, or deploy his high-danger passes- and despite his slim build, he's a load to handle in front of the net. CB shows some ability below the goal line as well, coming away with the puck, and finding teammates in front of the net. There's plenty of deception in his playmaking, and he can complete a no-look pass across the ice, or draw defenders away from coverage. His puck-movement and distribution skills are above average. but his shot and release need refinement, both in power and quickness. Transitionally, he makes good, heads-up reads through the neutral zone, whether he's carrying the puck or making himself open. Defensively, he's somewhere around average, though the Sea Dogs are dead-last in goals against by 17. This is a kid who might be a top scorer in the Q over the next few years, whether he's taken with a late pick or not. Burbidge is already 20th in scoring for players 18-and-under in the Q.

-Italian-born, Swiss-bred C/LW Tommaso De Luca was the second-leading under-18 player in scoring for Switzerland's J20 league in 2021-22, earning 1 game in the men's league. He looks to be headed back to Ambri-Piotta for the 2023-24 season, but he went on a journey this year to come across the pond and play for Spokane of the WHL, with 16 goals and 49 points in 65 games. The Chiefs were the second-worst team in the league, with the third-worst goals-for, which may be the reason he's going back home next year. De Luca, from all reports, got better and better in all facets of his game as the season wore on. Early in the year, he wasn't holding on to pucks very long, opting for short possessions, but he was driving play by season's end. De Luca is an excellent skater, but needs a better top gear- still, he can sometimes separate from opponents, and beat defenders wide. According to Elite Prospects, TDL scored in the 80th percentile-and-above in the 'Dub in both scoring chances, and scoring chance passes per-60, and had high-end transition numbers- amazing, considering the team he played for. He's obviously more of a passer, but he has an ok shot with a nice release, and is good around the net. In the neutral zone, he uses deception to get the puck around, or through opponents with fakes, changes of direction, and slowing down to wait for the right play. His off-puck game is a real strength, and he understands how to open space, and then work within it, but he can also eliminate off-puck threats, and is good at anticipating the next move. Defensively, he's efficient and keeps his stick active to disrupt plays, and start the play going the opposite direction. He is generally a hard worker who plays with pace, but scouts would like him to use his body more to separate his man from the puck. He also needs work on his shot, and needs to further upgrade his skating, strength, and physicality. It's hard to tell how his game will translate to the NHL, but he might have the ceiling of a bottom-6 NHLer. Later rounds.