Category Archives: Boston Bruins prospects

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Reed Duthie, Victor Berglund , , , , 2 Comments

Reed Duthie- Off the top of the head: Victor Berglund

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Reed Duthie gives us a superb breakdown on Bruins prospect/Swedish defenseman Victor Berglund. Reed has extensive knowledge of the Swedish pro and junior circuit, so there aren’t many better at bringing you the insights he does here. Enjoy this latest contribution from one of the Amigos- KL

In the 2017 NHL Entry Draft the Boston Bruins used their 7th round pick (195th overall) to select defensemen Victor Berglund from the MoDo system in Sweden. A “project” type selection Berglund showed immediate promise while rising through his hometown MoDo system where he was excellent with in the SuperElit (top junior league in Sweden) ranking 2nd on his team in defensive scoring, as a 17-year old in an under-20 league, in his NHL draft season before posting 18 points across 23 games at the SuperElit level the following year earning a callup that season to the Allsvenskan where he’s since played in 151 games while scoring 15 goals & 28 assists for 43 points. The Ornskoldsvik, Sweden native will leave his hometown club for the first time in his career for the 2020-21 season moving to Lulea in the SHL where he will look to take the next steps forward.

Assets:

Skating – A tremendous skater, Berglund has an all-around approach to that part of his game with a strong ability to start from a dead stop, quick and powerful acceleration and a strong stride leading to a top speed that will put Berglund near recent Bruins signee Jack Ahcan. As Berglund’s game grows at the senior level, he is consistently able to take more chances in the rush or striding down from the point because he is able to use his skating ability to recover quickly.

Hockey IQ – The element that makes Berglund a prospect with NHL potential is his ability to mix his strength as a skater with his ability to see and read the game. A very heady player, Berglund has an innate to be in the right place at the right time in all three zones and rarely makes mistakes with or without the puck. When in the defensive zone, watch for Berglund’s body positioning and quick stick as he is able to keep attackers from his own goal.

First Pass – When exiting the zone, Berglund uses his advanced vision to make a hard, accurate pass to begin transition or just take pressure off his own team.

Shot – Perhaps the biggest area of improvement for Berglund since he arrived at the senior level has been the ability to use his shot. Now able to better navigate shooting lanes and utilizing a heavy shot saw Berglund more than double his goal total from 4 in the 2018-19 season to 10 in the 2019-20 season.

Weaknesses:

Strength – The next element that Berglund will have to improve to continue his rise up prospect ranks will be his overall strength. Listed at 6’0’’ 165lbs, Berglund has room to add size to his frame which will help the strength factor. Not an overly physical player, Berglund is able to use his body position to trap attackers, force attackers away from goal and force turnovers but in board battles Berglund can be bested and moved away from the puck.

Strength of Competition – Berglund’s move to Lulea in the SHL will make a big difference beginning in 2020-21 but all of his 151 games at the senior professional level have come with MoDo in the Allsvenskan (a level comparable to, or just below, the AHL) which has been a tremendous step for young players in Sweden to take before jumping to the SHL or North America. A jump from the Allsvenskan to the NHL or even AHL would take more time to create comfort than one from the SHL, which is something the Bruins have had patience for in the past (Carl Soderberg).

Future:

If Victor Berglund is able to translate his skills from the Allsvenskan to the SHL and be the same type of impactful talent on the backend for Lulea as he was for MoDo while improving his strength it will go a long way to proving that he can play at the NHL level. Berglund did appear with the Providence Bruins for 4 games at the end of the 2018-19 AHL season, so with the North American game a known quantity for him it stands to reason he would look for another shot to excel in the Bruins organization. Berglund projects as #4-5 offensive minded defensemen with strong abilities in his own zone who would do best with a more defensive minded partner to be able to pair up with. Berglund has already proven worthy of a roll of the dice in the 7th round although a breakthrough to the NHL could still be 2-3 years off, he has the talent to be another home run selection for P.J. Axelsson and the Bruins staff.

Berglund (#33) makes a nice seam pass through traffic- primary assist to Kim Rosdahl for the redirect to pull his club to within 1 goal at a little over 2 min into the video. Gets burned right after on the goal to make it 4-2 against, but uses his speed on the rush to gain the zone and gets a secondary helper on the goal that makes it 4-4 at the 3-min mark of the video.

"Then & Now" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Dominic Tiano, Dustyn McFaul, Podcasts , , , , , , 1 Comment

Dom Tiano analysis & interview with Clarkson Associate Coach Josh Hauge: Dustyn McFaul

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This is a guest post by TSP Amigo Dominic Tiano on former OJHL and current Clarkson University defenseman Dustyn McFaul, drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2018. Dom watched McFaul in junior hockey during his draft season and subsequent 2018-19 campaign with the Pickering Panthers before he headed to Potsdam.

Dom also tracked down Clarkson Associate Head Coach Josh Hauge, who runs the defense for the Golden Knights for Head Coach Casey Jones, and we’re pleased to provide you the audio from that interview.

This is a quality deep-dive on a Bruins prospect who is not a household name when it comes to discussing the team’s futures, so thanks for reading/listening, and stay safe and healthy.

Thanks again to Dom for putting this together

Dustin McFaul then:

Looking back prior to the 2018 National Hockey League Draft, there was one player that intrigued me more then any other in the sixth round prior to teams and potential picks departed for the American Airlines Center in Dallas: Dustyn McFaul.

Not many sixth-round picks make a career for themselves in the NHL. In McFaul’s case, it wasn’t the ability to play hockey that saw him being selected with the 181st pick. McFaul still had a year of hockey before he would begin his NCAA career with Clarkson University for the 2019-2020 season. It was going to require a team with a lot of depth and the patience to wait out that one year of junior, along with potentially four years in the NCAA and probably a year in the American Hockey League.

The Boston Bruins had just that, and selected McFaul. (as a Bruins fan, I was all smiles).

Flashback to the 2017-2018 season and my thoughts on McFaul prior to the draft:

What McFaul accomplished as a rookie in the OJHL came as quite a surprise. He quickly became a player who could eat up large minutes, averaging 28 minutes per game when I saw him. As a youngster, he was thrown into every situation, be it penalty killing, powerplay and 5v5 against the top players the opposition could throw out there.

 

Not only was McFaul a leader on the blue line, but he showed excellent leadership qualities on a young Panthers squad. He is very coachable and seems to absorb what the coaches are telling him. He’s also very humble and puts aside any personal achievements and goals for those of his teammates.

 

At 6’2”, McFaul has good size, but will need to put in some work to add much needed bulk to his frame, something that he is aware of. It can only help him in the defensive zone when it comes to battling in those hard areas. He has an above average wing span for a player of his size and he uses it effectively. His mobility is very good and in combination with his stick skills and size, keeps players from getting to the danger areas.

 

Offensively, McFaul is very good at joining the rush, making very good first passes and has shown he can quarterback a powerplay. He needs to improve his shot, but it can also come along when he adds some muscle.

 

Above all else, the thing that stood out to me most, and talking to those around his game, it is his work ethic. It may have been a blessing in disguise for McFaul not to make the Frontenacs and the OHL at the time, and he realized that he needed to put some work in and he did. And his attitude tells him just making it isn’t good enough, he’ll continue to put that work in to improve throughout his career.

 

McFaul isn’t one of those guys that you draft hoping he can make your squad in a couple of years. He’s a project that you will need to put in some time with and realistically, if he develops into his full potential, you’re looking at 5 or 6 years away. If you are a team with a deep prospect pool, he’s the type of player you look for in the late rounds.

 

McFaul had to make a decision on where to play for the 2018-2019 season. The Ontario Hockey League wasn’t an option so that he could keep his NCAA eligibility. He could return to the Pickering Panthers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League or join the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders of the United States Hockey League, where he was a third-round pick, 37th overall, at the 2018 USHL Draft.

McFaul chose to return to the Panthers. It was a tough season for them but we were able to see McFaul take on an even bigger role on and off the ice. He took on an expanded leadership role and there were improvements all around on the ice for him personally. But he is so humble that any questions about personal achievements quickly turn to talking about the team.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Clarkson Assistant Coach Josh Hauge who works with Clarkson’s blueliners about the season that was and what we can expect moving forward. Have a listen:

McFaul

Clarkson University Athletics photo

 

 

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Curtis Hall , , 1 Comment

Off the top of the head: Curtis Hall

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Curtis Hall, C

6-3/196

Boston’s 3rd choice (4th round), 119th overall in 2018 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: Yale Bulldogs (ECAC)

Previous team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

Strengths: Right-shot center has excellent height and length. Very good skater who shows off impressive burst and agility for his size; has a powerful, fluid stride that allows him to separate in open ice, but he can also make quick turns and cuts to adjust his angles and instantly change routes. His shot is a strength: Sneaky release that he effectively uses in traffic and space to find the back of the net. Hides his release point well on a powerful snap that is heavy and accurate.  Above average puck skills and is developing into a scoring threat into the NCAA after leading the Bulldogs offensively at just a hair under a point-per-game (17 goals, 27 points in 28 games as a sophomore).  Intelligent pivot who is able to slip in behind defenders but also tracks back on plays headed to his own end. Developing into an all-around player with the blossoming offense.

Weaknesses: Even with the impressive height, lacks the functional strength to go with his frame- he’s lanky and prone to getting knocked off balance by shorter, stockier opponents. Has shown more of a willingness to embrace the physicality of college hockey that wasn’t always there in his junior days, but still has room to add element of grit/sandpaper to make himself a tougher opponent to play against. Need to see more tenacity and want to on the forecheck.

Overall analysis: Former Cleveland-area product and USHL tender agreement player (signed with Youngstown at age 16- guaranteed to play in minimum of 55% of games as a rookie) who spent two seasons with the Phantoms, wasn’t able to statistically provide the offensive pop that his junior team hoped for. Hall was a complementary junior player in his two years as one of the younger skaters, but the USHL is an older league, so he likely would have “popped” as an 18-19-year-old points driver had he stayed a third year with Youngstown after the B’s chose him. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Hall emerged as the most consistent and dangerous scoring threat on the Yale roster in 19-20, also making the USA World Jr. Championship team. He can use his speed to drive wide and beat defenders outside to take pucks to the front of the net. While playing a physical, gritty style of game doesn’t come natural to Hall, he’s not unwilling to play in between the dots where most of the battles are won and lost- he just needs time and patience to mature physically and gain playing experience. When he uses his speed and pace effectively, he’s tough to defend and contain, but it’s always been about a consistent application of those elements in his game than make him the most dangerous. A strong start in his draft season, followed by a tapering off in the second half and middle-of-the-road playoff production when the Phantoms reached the 2018 USHL Clark Cup championship series (losing to the Fargo Force), saw his stock fall, leading to his selection in the fourth round.

Projection: Hall is an interesting prospect who is another in a growing stable of bigger forwards who can skate and bring enough skill/talent to the table that could see positive growth into serviceable NHL contributions down the road. He’s got the potential to be a Swiss Army knife kind of center who can play an effective 200-foot game, but who also has enough snap and flash in his game to contribute offensively. When you’re talking about a fourth-round draft selection, that’s a solid return on investment- 3rd or 4th liner who can play up and down the roster. Remember- he was at one time thought of as one of the better players in his 2000-birthyear USA peer group, and he proved that trend by cracking the WJC roster last December. The best may be yet to come for Hall, especially if he continues to raise the production and can develop more grit/tenacity in his approach to every shift.

ECAC video of a 2-goal game for Hall vs Union

 

Fox Sports Ohio video on Hall prior to WJC in Dec. 2019

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Swayman wins Mike Richter Award as top NCAA goalie, Perunovich earns Hobey Baker

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Bruins prospect Jeremy Swayman capped off his sensational career at the University of Maine by winning the Mike Richter Award, given to player adjudged to be the D1 NCAA Men’s Hockey best goaltender.

The Boston fourth-round selection in 2017 led the nation in save percentage with a .939, but also had the most work of any netminder, facing 1170 shots in 34 appearances.

Swayman succeeds fellow 2017 draft class member and Hockey East goalie Cayden Primeau (Montreal- Northeastern) in winning college hockey’s top award for goalies. He is the second Bruins prospect to earn the award, following Zane Gothberg (North Dakota), who received the Richter in 2015. Additonally, Swayman was named Hockey East Player of the Year and NCAA Men’s Hockey First Team All-American to close out a tremendous individual season.

He is expected to begin his professional career with the AHL’s Providence Bruins in 2020-21.

University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich also was voted the 2019-20 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner and like Swayman, a First Team All-American. The St. Louis Blues prospect had 40 points for the Bulldogs.

 

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Quinn Olson , , , , , , 1 Comment

Off the top of the head: Quinn Olson

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Back with the B’s prospect series on this April Saturday- hope everyone is staying safe/healthy.

Quinn Olson, LW

5-11/175

Boston’s 2nd choice, 92nd overall (3rd round) in 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (NCHC)

Previous team: Okotoks Oilers (AJHL)

Strengths: Nifty-quick skater whose vision and top-end hockey IQ allow him to exploit time and space all over the ice. Excellent wheels and hands allow him to make plays offensively and be effective and disruptive on the forecheck. Terrific vision; sees the ice and can feather, rifle or sauce pucks to linemates for grade A scoring chances. Goes hard to the net and battles for loose pucks in the corners and along the walls- feisty. Plays with a lot of pace and energy- shows very good balance/edging with the ability to change direction instantly to shake away from defenders and maintain puck possession.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal height and strength- a work in progress who will need time to physically mature and grow his game experiences in a top NCAA program after making the jump to college from tier 2 hockey in Alberta. Has room to improve the mechanics of his shot/release going forward- more of a puck distributor/playmaker on the wing than a finisher.

Overall analysis: We thought the selection of Olson late in the 3rd round was a sneaky-good pick last June, and after watching him in one of college hockey’s best conferences, we’re even higher on him a year later. His numbers for a true freshman- 7-8-15 in 31 games- nearly .5 per game- are solid if not spectacular, but bode well for him going forward, as he will earn more ice and have an expanded role going forward. He’s a buzzsaw forward- comparable to Karson Kuhlman– in the style of hockey he plays. Because he is a product of the AJHL, Olson is far from a household name, but that league continues to become a better option for players on the NCAA path; his USHL rights were owned by Sioux City and there is absolutely no doubt that he could have spent his draft season playing in the USA’s top junior league, but Okotoks is a respected program and prepared him well for the next step.

Projection: High floor prospect…ceiling as yet TBD- he could emerge as more of an offensive threat in the NCHC. We see Olson as a solid middle-of-the-roster winger who has the ability to play up and down in the lineup and could develop into a lower-end, but serviceable 2nd-line NHL forward in time. We compared him to Kuhlman earlier, but Olson also has some Jake DeBrusk in his game, although he lacks the shot/goal-scoring skills is No. 74- he’s more of a passer who makes his linemates better. It will take some time to see Olson in a Bruins sweater- we expect him to play another two years at Duluth minimum, and then will likely need another 2 full years in the AHL (not ruling out some games in Boston on a recall basis), but the payoff for the wait should be worth it- he’s a nice fit for the Bruins and the style of hockey they play.

Quinn Olson (#11- white) opens the scoring in this AJHL highlight package from the playoffs against Brooks a year ago at about the 0:22 second mark; at 4:33 he feeds 2020 1st-round draft prospect Dylan Holloway on the PP for a goal.

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Daniel Vladar , , , , , 1 Comment

Off the top of the head: Dan Vladar

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After a couple of days away, here’s the next in the Boston Bruins prospect series. We’re not doing these in any particular pecking order, but trying to do some players who aren’t as well known. If there is anyone you want to see on here sooner rather than later, let us know in the comments section.

Dan Vladar, G

6-5/190

Boston’s 7th choice, 75th overall in 2015 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: Providence Bruins (AHL)

Previous team: Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL)

Strengths: Physical attributes are as good as it gets: He’s tall, lean and athletic. Moves fluidly with good footwork. His at-post skill set (play near and behind the net, below the circles and cross-crease movements) are very good. Length of legs and upper torso mean that he excels with the butterfly, 1-leg down vertical-horizontal and 2-skate at post techniques to deny scoring chances in close and from behind the net. Uses his hands to cover the top portion of the net well. Good worker who wants to improve and puts in the time to work on the details. Highly respected person and teammate- sunny disposition and well-liked in the room. Between the natural talent and the attitude, there’s still much to like about the 22-year-old who does a lot of things you can’t teach.

Continue reading →

Boston Bruins prospects, Daniel Vladar, Jeremy Swayman, Kyle Keyser, Uncategorized , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Jeremy Swayman: Hobey Baker award finalist

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University of Maine junior goaltender Jeremy Swayman along with with University of North Dakota forward Jordan Kawaguchi and University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich were named Hobey Hat Trick finalists for college hockey’s top award- the Hobey Baker.

Swayman, who recently turned pro, signing with the Bruins in March, edged out fellow Hockey East Hobey hopeful John Leonard of UMass for the league’s player of the year honors. Leonard, a dangerous finisher who starred at Springfield Cathedral HS and played in the USHL with Green Bay before becoming a Minuteman, will leave school to sign with the San Jose Sharks.

The last Hobey Baker winner who played for the Bruins was Boston College defenseman Mike Mottau, who took the hardware in 2000, and skated in just eight regular season and playoff games for the B’s in 2011-12.

We recently did a comprehensive review of Swayman on this blog, and while he’s a long shot to come away with the hardware when the 2020 Hobey Baker winner is announced on April 11, he had an amazing season with the Black Bears.

Consistency has been the name of the game with Swayman, as he jumped from midget AAA in Colorado to the USHL to completing three superb NCAA seasons all in the span of just five years. He did it with just one year of junior hockey under his belt, which is a path less travelled for most goalies, who typically need more time developing at the tier 1 and tier 2 junior levels before making the jump to college. Now, with one year of NCAA eligibility remaining, Swayman is ahead of the curve again, signing a 3-year deal with the Bruins and getting his professional apprenticeship underway. This is one more indicator that despite the lack of pre-draft hype, the Bruins did a find job of scouting a player who should have been on more radars, or at least, should have gotten more attention than he did.

There are a lot of things to like about Swayman, but in watching more film, he excels at the concept of transition through SPOT (popularized  by Columbus Blue Jackets goalie coach Jim Corsi. Yes, THAT Jim Corsi.)- Square, Prepared and On Time. When it comes to the transition game in net, it’s about the goalie answering one critical question: how can I get there (to the right spot) on time to make the save? Playing an entire hockey game in net is like going SPOT to SPOT over and over again. The best goalies at any level are the ones who are the most skilled, athletic, and aware; consistently able to make the first save, and then at least one more, all while managing the controlled chaos around their net. Sounds easy, right?

At TSP, we tip our caps to the job Swayman has done this season at Maine and over the course of his college career. He’s going out a winner, regardless of who comes away with the big prize.

And also not to be forgotten- Daniel Vladar, who was having a tremendous season with Providence until the rug was pulled out from under him and the rest of his team as the AHL had to shut it down. And there is also Kyle Keyser, just a few months younger than Swayman, whose first pro campaign got derailed by injuries, but is also one of the more impressive in a long line of undrafted free agents the Bruins have signed in recent years.

Yes, when it comes to goaltending and the Bruins, it seems that the kids are all right.

 

2019-20 NHL season, Anthony Kwetkowski, Boston Bruins prospects, Cooper Zech, Jack Ahcan, Jake DeBrusk, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, John Beecher, Karson Kuhlman, Nick Wolff, Noel Acciari, Podcasts, Providence Bruins, Quinn Olson, Torey Krug, Trent Frederic, Victor Berglund, Zachary Senyshyn , , , , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Podcast: Anthony Kwetkowski/Bruins Network breaks down B’s prospects

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The Scouting Post is pleased to present a 2-hour and change discussion with Anthony Kwetkowski– Bruins Network on his excellent work as a Boston Bruins prospect analyst.

You can follow his work and observations on Twitter at: @BruinsNetwork

In the podcast, we cover a lot of topics, starting out with a look back at the 2010 NHL draft, where Anthony caught the B’s prospects bug with the Tyler Seguin draft. We then  take a macro look at the Boston Bruins’ ability to draft (Jake DeBrusk) and sign impact players as undrafted free agents (Torey Krug, Noel Acciari, Karson Kuhlman), following up with an assessment of the 2019-20 AHL Providence Bruins. We then drill down to key AHL prospects, with AK breaking down detailed notes on Providence players  Jack Studnicka, Trent Frederic, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon and Zach Senyshyn.

We also talk about organizational rankings around the NHL- how they are done and why the Bruins are consistently down near the bottom of rankings from the last two years.

Players also covered/analyzed in the podcast: John Beecher, Nick Wolff, Jack Ahcan, Cooper Zech, Victor Berglund and Quinn Olson.

It was a fun discussion and we’ll have him back again- thanks again to him for coming on and providing such depth of knowledge of these players. Here’s the file:

BruinsNetwork

"Off the top of the head" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Jakub Lauko 1 Comment

Off the top of the head: Jakub Lauko

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The prospect series continues with a quick look at Czech forward Jakub Lauko and what he brings to the table.

Jakub Lauko, LW

2nd selection, 77th overall in 2018 NHL Entry Draft

Current team: Providence Bruins (AHL)

Previous team: Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

Strengths: Top skater; explosive/elite burst, balance, and the ability to beat defenders wide with straight line speed, or rapid edging/direction change- can turn on a dime. Wins a lot of foot races to loose pucks and has the shifty, slippery elusiveness to get around players 1-on-1. One of the best pure skaters in hockey at any level. Good size: 6-foot-1 frame that is still filling out- just had his 19th birthday last week. Pin-point, flash release on his shot; nose for the net- when he shoots the puck in close, good things happen. Good worker who competes and is willing to embrace a 200-foot responsibility- not one-dimensional.

Weaknesses: Lacks high-end puck skills, vision and offensive hockey IQ, which could cap his offensive ceiling at the NHL level. Lean and light- suffered a concussion in early December after taking a big hit in an AHL game that required a gurney to take him off the ice. Returned to action for the World Jr. Championship tournament late in the month, but suffered a lower body/MCL injury that cost him the rest of the competition, plus all of January and February before returning for four AHL games in March prior to the season-ending COVID-19 situation for the league.

Overall analysis: Getting Lauko in the third round two years ago was very good value for the B’s. He came over to North America to play major junior in the QMJHL, winning the 2019 Memorial Cup championship and subsequently turning pro. His skating and ability to play with pace allowed him to play in the AHL, but his offensive production was indicative of his youth and a middle-of-the-pack skill set. Even though Lauko is a dynamic, game-breaking talent with his wheels, he doesn’t appear to have the hands or creativity to be a top tier scorer at the NHL level. What he can be is an effective 2-way forward who can provide secondary offense and will be a capable three-zone player and penalty killer. He’s got a genuine personality and is well-liked, so he’s easy to root for. Where his draft day fall to the third round raised some eyebrows at the time, it is now apparent that his average hands/skills contributed. Having said that, he’s a solid middle tier prospect who will upgrade his team’s speed/energy and be a good complementary piece- not a driver.

Projection: Capable middle-six forward and PKer at the NHL level; might play more wing than center in the show- time will tell. With only 22 AHL games under his belt, he’s going to need more time in Providence. If the injury bug hits in 20-21, Lauko could see time in Boston as a recall player, but the best thing for him until then will likely be to continue his development track on the farm where he can get quality minutes and play in a variety of situations. At age 19, he’s still quite young, and it’s possible he could raise his offensive profile going forward. However,  his NHL ceiling looks to be about 20 goals/40-45 points at this stage, and that would make for a successful third-round draft choice.

NHL video extended highlights of Sep 23 preseason Bruins-Flyers game. Lauko is 94 and takes opening faceoff, later scores at about 2:10 with a nice self-pass off the wall and a sharp-angle shot.

Here’s Lauko’s 1st AHL goal vs the Rochester Amerks- goes to the net: right place, right time

"Then & Now" prospect series, Boston Bruins prospects, Dominic Tiano, Jack Studnicka, Uncategorized , , 1 Comment

Dominic Tiano: A Look Back at the Man They Call ‘Studs’

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Jack Studnicka of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

(Photo credit: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Guest post by Dominic Tiano:

As most of you know, my priority is the Ontario Hockey League and the NHL Draft because that’s where my eyes are mostly focused. And when my fellow Amigos suggested that I compare what I said back in 2017 about Jack Studnicka to where he is now, I couldn’t resist even though I could have been way off the mark.

So, lets go back to March 5, 2017 when I first wrote this:

I don’t believe Studnicka is an offense first player, which I see tagged to him plenty. He puts as much attention to detail on the defensive side as he does on the offense. He plays in all situations and takes key faceoffs for the Generals. He’s quietly become the Generals’ top face off man at 53%. It’s his extremely high compete level that makes him pay attention at both ends.

Studnicka has good size – although adding bulk will be key for him. He is an excellent skater who has an explosive first step and decent top end speed who can change direction with ease. He possesses very good vision with high quality playmaking skills with an ability to set up his teammates. His shot is underrated in my opinion. His release is deceptive and accurate and he puts every shot on goal with a purpose.

Studnicka can be elusive in the offensive zone. He can break away from coverage almost undetected and put himself into scoring positions. He has very good puck skills and strong possession skills. Although he needs to add some muscle, he will not shy away from the hard areas. Once he gets stronger, it will become an area where he wins more often than he loses because of it – and his work ethic.

If anything has changed in three years its that he has improved even on the skills he was already good at. Yes, he was deemed as just an offensive player in many circles back then, but not to these eyes. What has impressed me most is that he continues to put the work in, even in areas he excels at. And that continued work defensively has only made him stronger in that area. He was one of the best penalty killers in the AHL and while he took care of his own zone, he was a threat to score while down a man each and every time.

While he was already a “polished” skater in the faceoff circle, that wasn’t enough for Captain Jack. Much like Patrice Bergeron – he has similar traits to the Bruins Alternate Captain – he continues to work at it to become even better. For Studnicka, like Bergeron, good is just never good enough.

All that hard work has paid off for Studnicka as he quickly moved up to the top of the Bruins prospect rankings, something I am sure even Jack didn’t think would happen this quickly.

If there is one area that I would have liked to see accelerated in this process, it’s adding bulk to his frame. While every part of his game – the IQ, vision, skating, 200-foot game, faceoff success, offense, penalty killing – are NHL ready, adding some extra bulk to his frame this offseason will prepare him for the long grind of the NHL season.

With the extra long offseason for Studnicka, the opportunity is there to put in the work. What we do know 100%, is that he will put in that work.