He’s always been a solid player in the outings I’ve seen but I think he’s stepped up his game another level with Archer not being available. He has the length of stride and skating power to challenge almost anyone off the rush or on the outside, and did a good job keeping Yale players at bay. Against Edge we got to see the jump in his game up ice which I also enjoyed. His outlet passing can come with some bumps as he was passing with more accuracy and strength on his forehand than his backhand but his timing and his ability to wait out pressure before dishing side to side is present. I thought his ability to jump into the rush and drive the middle was nice as well as I don’t think I saw that in earlier viewings. He’s someone to watch a bit closer as far as how high he can climb on the rankings.

Saddleback had a massive tournament for St. Albert, leading all defencemen in scoring with 14 points in six games and earning a 2nd team all-star nod. His game is built around his athleticism and skating prowess. He marries a powerful stride with agility, hip flexibility, and impressive edgework allowing him to cover a ton of ground on the ice. He has a much wider range of area where he can roam and still have time to recover than your average defenceman and he uses that fact to play a very aggressive style. He can be susceptible to overextension at times, often biting on fakes, and while he has the fluidity to recover nicely at this level, I think he could use some refinement in his defensive reads. His want to be a difference maker however is something to nurture as I think he’s scratching the surface of his potential.