A shifty forward up front for Team Red, Espenshade flashed his pace and facilitating ability to be a noticeable transition player all throughout. For the most part, I thought he was an effective puck carrier in transition as he put on display his elusive skating ability by often side-stepping opponents through the neutral zone to gain access into the offensive zone as well as the ability to connect plays as a passer on zone entries with well-timed dishes to teammates off the rush, even if it meant fitting them through small openings. I found that he deferred the puck a bit more in comparison to what I had seen in my past viewings of him, instead opting to work primarily along the perimeter of the offensive zone and attack defences with short range passing plays.

One of the more versatile attackers on this Wilkes-Barre Scranton squad, Espenshade was often seen driving the bus offensively for his team using his mix of power and skill. He was able to generate speed quickly through the neutral zone with his powerful stride thus making him a difficult player to defend when he attacked downhill with pace and decided to drive his way towards the front of the net. He was a sturdy player, both on his stick and skates, showing the ability to fend off opponents while carrying the puck inside the offensive zone but also having a few moments where he was able to finesse his way into the middle of the ice. He was such a crafty playmaker as well, displaying a great understanding of when to be assertive with the puck or when to delay on entries, slow the tempo and wait for lanes to open up while also helping his team in transition by making routine passes up the ice look easy. He was able to generate high quality scoring chances for his teammates by executing difficult passes off the rush, sliding pucks into open space or finding his linemate’s stick around the blue paint.

Espenshade was a force to be reckoned with around the net, constantly driving the puck to the crease and creating chaos for defenders and goalies alike. His presence in front of the net was invaluable, as he excelled at screening goalies and creating disruption in tight areas. His hand-eye coordination was another standout feature. One particular play highlighted this, as he made a brilliant deflection in front of the net that caused all sorts of problems for the goalie. These types of plays became a hallmark of his game, and he was always a threat in those high-traffic areas. Espenshade was also exceptional on the penalty kill, using his speed and aggressiveness to pressure the opposition. On one memorable play, his tenacity forced a turnover, leading to a quick two-on-one break. With great vision, he made a perfect pass to his teammate, who finished it off to give his team a key goal.

Capable of making a difference on any given shift, Grayson Espenshade was an explosive force for Team White, using elite speed to pull away from opponents, get the jump on his man, and attack open ice relentlessly. He was able to generate quite a few solid looks based on his speed alone. Attacking defenders head on, making bold moves to attempt to split the defense, he found success on occasion, and was on his way to the net alone on the goaltender. His top-end speed, along with vision to seek out these routes and lanes made him incredibly dangerous once he got going. Hands good enough to make plays at his top speed, and he pulled off some slick moves in stride around obstacles and quickly was able to make plays coming out of these moves, showing off some good problem solving at high pace. His edge control and agility enabled him to spin away from checkers, regroup, and rethink his attack, moving the puck to an open teammate if needed to ease off pressure. The scoring touch was apparent when following up the rush, darting to the net, and getting his stick on cross-ice passes, firing shots past the goaltender from in tight.

Espenshade was the star of the game for WBS. I liked his combination of tactical handling and fluid skating, which made him elusive with the puck on his stick. Grayson was always a threat to dodge or skirt a check with a slick move, escaping pressure time and time again to move pucks up ice with control. He recorded three primary assists in this match, all in a similar fashion, beating a defender to spark a 2-on-1 and then slipping a pass over to his linemate, who finished Grayson's pass.

Getting things started early for Team White, Grayson Espenshade had one of their better chances early in the game, with a breakaway chance in tight that he narrowly missed with as he hooked the puck wide, the speed in which he brought to the initial few shifts of the game was indicative of what was to come. He was extremely effective carrying the puck through the neutral zone, building speed with fast feet, strong crossovers, playing with his head up and attacking the line, he was a leading transition piece for his team and helped them gain the zone on many different plays. Even when merely gliding around the ice he carries so much previously built momentum in his game that he still remains at high speeds, making him difficult to check as a result of his dynamic ability to quickly turn away from defenders with speed. He scored the 3-3 tying goal on a 2-on-1, with a nice shot up-and-over the sprawling goalie. It was a nice way to cap off the game for him, being rewarded for some heavy skating all throughout the game.

Playing with pure speed, Grayson Espenshade was one of the better players I identified who were strong in transition when moving the puck across both bluelines. There was very few things that were able to throw Espenshade off his game when traversing the neutral zone, he has the hands to match his speed, and the processing skill to adapt to whatever was thrown in front of him. Relying mostly on straight-line rushes, if needed, he could execute a few quick puck handles, take a few crossover steps, and redirect his route as he crossed over the offensive blueline. He managed to get a few shots on goal off the rush thanks to this speed, putting defenders on their heels, and quickly snapping over to his forehand and firing shots on the net. His speed carried over when circling around the offensive zone, even if not handling the puck himself, he followed the play well, got to spots, and was contesting for valuable ice in the offensive zone as he battled for positioning, or flat-out got to spots first to collect rebounds and such.