Similar to what I noted at WSI, Samek impressed with his passing game in these views. Within the offensive zone, he was constantly scanning his options, looking for that crafty pass he could stitch through seams and thread a puck into the scoring areas. He always seemed to have that combination of on-puck confidence and deception to evade oncoming pressure, create space for himself, and then swiftly spot a gap and make something happen. Time and time again, Samek was setting up chances all through his passing game, having quite the showing over the Draft Day Showcase.

Jack had a few flashes of creativity that caught my eye. When the puck was on his stick, you could see the wheels turning, he was scanning his options, and could spot the right passing lane to advance the play. He used delays and tactical handling to draw defenders out of position, and then smartly slid pucks under sticks and through tight gaps to the interior of the defence. It was only a few nice little plays from Jack, but I could see the flashes of that crafty playmaking type that I usually am drawn to.

Samek was one of the standout players in the tournament, showcasing a ton of skill and consistently playing with energy, buzzing around the ice in every game. His quick changes of direction and ability to attack from different angles, paired with fast hands, made him nearly automatic when it came to clean zone entries and getting into dangerous areas. He scored a critical goal in the finals to get his team on the board, creeping off a net-front battle into the high slot to receive a pass from the boards and burying a one-timer. A play like this in a tight-checking, exhausting game demonstrated Samek’s impressive hockey sense and ability to find space in crucial moments.