I thought Adams played pretty well. He was controlling play within the offensive zone, relying on his frame and ability to handle pucks in motion to protect pucks and dodge pressure. He thrived on the perimeter of the offensive end, rarely being closed down and always evading whatever the defenders tried to do to close him down. It only amounted to a handful of chances in this game, but it was a solid display of his tools and what he’s capable of. Tanner landed just outside the top 10 on the initial release of my 2026 OHL Draft rankings, but he’s certainly in the mix to challenge for a spot higher as the season goes on.

On a team full of speedy and skilled forwards, Adams stood out uniquely, mainly for how he used his frame to protect the puck. Especially off the cycle, Tanner effectively shielded pucks from defenders, utilizing body positioning to maintain a cushion between threats and the puck, which helped him extend offensive zone possessions. At times, he dominated down low, controlling play off the wall and successfully finding ways out from pressure and attacking the net. Tanner scored two from the net-front position, fitting nicely into this theme of a down-low / net-front difference-make

Tanner Adams’ defensive acumen was on display in this one, he took up strong positions in the neutral and defensive zones and was quick to react to puck carriers and make timely steps into passing lanes to intercept passes. He showed some nice speed and puck handling ability on offense and it looked like perhaps he was going to play more of a role in chance creation, but he did have a very nice high slot redirect in the third period to put his team in front.

Adams was one of the primary offensive drivers for Hill, tying for the team lead with 5 points in 4 games. A lot of his opportunities came from his impressive strength on the puck along the perimeter. He protected the puck tight to his body and forced opponents to challenge him while he would look for an open lane or drive the middle of the ice for a shot attempt. He used quick pivots to offput defenders and shake pressure. He used his frame to heavily absorb pressure and still be able to make a play.

He uses a power stride and can be tough in the corners when pursuing pucks. A lot of his approach was using that powerful stance and his power in his shot releases when curling off the halfwall or winning little one on one moments from the corners. His improvement will be continuing to leverage these qualities while working on bending his knees and looking to be more reactive and agile laterally. With every element of speed or pacing he can add it’ll only open up more moments in transition for him to be effective and dangerous.

Adams was actively involved in plays in the offensive zone early and never took his foot off the pedal. His pursuit to loose pucks helped his team extend their offensive zone plays as he used a good deal of physicality along the boards to win back pucks before making smart passes to the closest open teammate. He sparked his team after they gave up the opening goal by picking off a pass on the ensuing shift and splitting the defense for a breakaway that he couldn’t convert on but managed to draw a penalty in the process. He would go on to score the next goal nonetheless with a quick catch and release on a 2-on-1 opportunity and was able to get a couple more quality looks in this game by crashing the net off the rush. He was able to pick up assists on two important goals for his team where he chipped a puck off the boards to a streaking Nanubhai to take the 4-2 lead and setting up the game-winning goal after slipping a loose puck into space for Leduc in the slot. As if he wasn’t impactful enough for his team in this win, in the final minutes of the game he got his stick on an opponent’s shot from the side of the net that was headed for the open cage to maintain his team’s lead.

Tanner Adams’ ability to get into scoring areas was very impactful for Team Canada 4, he had a real knack for finding open space and setting himself up for a shooting opportunity. He earned a handful of very dangerous scoring opportunities through his off the puck movement, and his teammates were able to feed him the puck in those areas. I appreciated his puck possession ability and the way he was able to manage the game with the puck on his stick; he did well to buy time and allow for passing options to open up as he carried the puck around the offensive zone.

I thought the best contributions that Tanner Adams had in this game stemmed from his ability to move off the puck, he did a really nice job identifying the open areas to attack. He was able to get into the pockets of space where he could receive the puck and get in tight opportunities on net, but he also provided space for his teammates with his movements that they were able to step into and earn chances as a result. He was really effective in that manner and it put the defenders in a difficult position about which threat they wanted to deal with. With the puck on his stick he did well too, he was a solid possession player who was able to use his strength to hold onto the puck while he was deliberating on which passing option to utilize. He made intelligent decisions on the puck and avoided squandering possession.