Projected as a prototypical NHL two-way rearguard who has excellent feet, and offensive gifts. He is far from a polished, ready for prime-time NHL player. He is big kid who is filling out, attempting to be a strong two-way defenseman and carrier, playing for the University of North Dakota. If some team is looking for a fine down the road piece, may come off the board very high. At 15, he gained notoriety as a flashy handler whose high end thinking out-matched his peers disquiseing his intentions, pacing around them. He stands lanky at his current size, the Alberta native does has ample size, skate, and skill. What his resume lacks is a stronger management of the attack from his defenseman position. He needs scouts to project past raw, disjointed backline play, his hurrying in his possessions, and lack of controlled assertiveness, and understand at whichever draft slot you call his name, you may wait more than a couple seasons, until pro hockey slows down to hmm, and his skating mechanics need work. Will he feel unrushed in his handles, and defensively show up under defense pressure in the bigs? You see the size, mobility (that becomes escapability), hands that produce looks, hands that make your power play quicker, a big tall attacker who makes sure he battles game in and out. Although I have not mentioned him as a right-shooting rearguard, there will plenty of interested NHL teams if he starts lingering on the draft board. —Bill Placzek—
