Scouting Report
EVALUATED
Brayden Olafson
Head of Eastern Canada Scouting
Player Type: Mobile defenseman with high neural zone awareness at game pace
QMJHL Draft Projection: 2nd round
Projected QMJHL Arrival: Fall 2023
Projectable Skills: Limited hesitation enables him to maximize his technical skill with the puck.
Development Opportunities: Early in the season his blueline holds were an area of opportunity. They seem to have improved but continuing to focus on this element so that he can consistently develop the play from limited space on the wall would be a positive development.
The Halifax Mac's defenseman was a progressive riser on our list throughout the year, debuting after the Monctonian where he earned reverence for his tactical approach on the Mac's powerplay. Throughout the year he added to his rapport by advancing his skating technique and thus power, becoming one of the most nimble and powerful skating defensemen from Atlantic Canada by the end of the season. His tendency to jump ahead of his partner to present a fourth outlet is possible because of his ability to read the ice quickly and act quickly. His awareness in the neutral zone rolls over to his subsequent decisions of either skating the puck or making another pass to gain the zone. He shows extremely limited hesitation in these decisions which is a vital element in making him successful regardless of the path he chooses. His evasiveness and puck protection skill is sufficient to bypass a layer of defense, especially with his element of quick decision making and therefore surprise. His technique when defending against the rush is to keep his body tight and square to his opponent with a controllable gap. He tracks well and makes quick and subtle movements to inhibit opponents attempts to overcome him, keeping himself from having to correct or overcorrect his position if things don't go well.
Skating
8Puck Skills
7.5Hockey IQ
8Playmaking
7.5Scoring
6Physicality
6.5Defense
7.5Overall
7.29Player Card
- All Data is derived via 5v5 per 60 minutes rate displayed in percentile format.
- Data Courtesy of In Slat.
SIGNED:
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
08/12/2022
LEAGUE PREDICTION
-
CHL
Confirmed
100%
TEAM PREDICTION
-
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Confirmed
100%
TIMELINE
- 2022
01/09/2022
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada sign Eric Halliday
- 2022
05/07/2022
Drafted by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL Draft