Finn Sears continues to string strong showcase after strong showcase together as we move through this 2024/2025 season. His size and frame made him once again a dominant force with the puck, nearly impossible to strip him of the puck and or overpower him as a result of his extremely shifty edgework, lightning quick hands, and great awareness of where to move the puck in case he runs out of room. Sears doesn’t simply move well “for his size”, but just as a whole, he is so strong, so agile, and so explosive, giving him the ability to overpower defenders to the middle, both when walking off the half-wall, along with driving the middle lane as he builds speed off the wings when attacking off the rush. His agility and evasiveness also makes him very tough to contain in the corners of the offensive zone, at times, giving him lanes to the crease where he bulldozed his way to the net-front to create a scoring chance, or a rebound. He was most effective at drawing in attention and making shifty moves 1-on-1 with opponents as he worked around the perimeter, pulling defenders away from their assignments, opening up some space to sift passes to teammates in dangerous areas of the offensive zone. Rounding out some of his offensive capabilities, he found himself as the beneficiary of many quality looks, finishing off plays with a wicked set of scoring tools, whether it be a powerful wrister with great accuracy, and or a bomb of a one-timer that blew past the goaltender. There was plenty of tools put on display by Sears in the Eastern Exposure Cup, and in the process demonstrated great athletic ability, along with the hockey IQ to maximize both his playmaking and goal scoring attributes.

Finn Sears popped up on our radar last season during the Mass State Championship event and has been trending upwards ever since, through US Hockey Nationals, through the Select 15s Camps, and now into this early season. He’s another big-bodied winger in the class, listed at 6’0 and 165lbs, he moves up-and-down the ice extremely well. When the puck is on his stick, he is a lethal straight-line skater, backing defenders up on their heels as he reaches top speed, he is a lot to handle as he converges down on the goaltender, cutting in from the outside, dropping the shoulder, and pulling the puck across the goaltender in tight and tucking it in. His footwork and footspeed are incredible given his size, and the way in which he maintains speed coming out of turns and changing directions makes him a high-paced puck carrier who is difficult to stick with. He does a great job at creating chances for himself with his size off the rush, but I’d suggest he excels more so as a playmaker, using his size to absorb checks, delay, outwait, and eventually funnel a pass to the middle. Quick pivots and explosive cuts from the perimeter help him quickly shake off a defender and then briefly opens a lane to the slot as a result where he shoots off accurate passes to teammates in front. Playing with speed he sets up plenty of great give-and-go plays off the cycle, connecting on quick one-touch passes, rotating effectively amongst his teammates, and pulling defensive systems apart with quick, and threatening puck movements in-and-around the slot. There are times where Sears can go a but quiet in any given game, but there are also games where he completely takes over and will score 2 goals and pick up a handful assists in the process. A matter of consistency on a game-to-game basis will be the biggest thing to look for throughout the season for Sears, but in terms of upwards projectability, he has lots of range and offensive tools that can really be of use at that next level.

Finn Sears is a physically dominant forward who consistently drove play with his excellent edge work and strong body positioning. His impressive hands allowed him to make quick, effective moves around defenders, while his elite acceleration helped him go from 0 to 100 almost instantly, catching opponents off guard. He was nearly impossible to knock off the puck along the boards and frequently used his size and speed to drive the net and create scoring opportunities. Finn also possesses a hard, heavy shot, which he can unleash with great accuracy when given time and space. Off the puck, he remained engaged, finishing every check and using his physicality to disrupt opponents. His combination of speed, strength, and skill makes him a constant threat on the ice.

One of the biggest play drivers for Royal Blue was Finnegan. He’s got a longer stride and moves with purpose and power. He leads with a physical presence and can either whip heavy shots on net or use terrific little touch passes. One play he powered his way along the edges and then lifted a puck short side in such a narrow little window on the goaltender. Not many players at this age can execute something like that. He blends that finesse and power so well that defenders had to respect him and try and purposefully keep him to the outside. He counters that by being physical, protecting the puck at reach, and trying his best to sequence plays together consistently. He’s someone with a tremendous amount of growth potential still left as well.

Quickly climbing the ranks within our 2009-born American class, Finn Sears took another massive step at the USA Hockey Nationals, being one of the best in the entire event, showcasing elite power and speed, beating opponents 1-on-1 consistently, and being a dogged on-puck force, who was nearly unstoppable at points. The notion “for his size” often reflects a player’s ability relatively speaking, but saying Sears has good feet “for his size” would be an inaccurate statement, as he has good feet in general; he can fly up the ice and get moving extremely fast, combine this then with the aforementioned size, coupled with his reach and soft puck touches, and he is a dominant puck carrying threat from the wings. Willing to drive the net and make the most of his size, he often overpowered defenders while dropping the shoulder, and upon getting to the crease he had the finesse to pull and push pucks around the goaltender in tight to capitalize on his chances. He worked extremely well with his teammates to move the puck, force opponents’ defensive systems to collapse, and then take advantage of the open ice via wiring pucks on net, or making plays high in the slot, funneling pucks low and back high to get opponents moving around further. The speed he constantly plays with, along with edgework and fine movements makes him extremely unpredictable, capable of going from 0-to-60 and back down in an instant, he shakes off checkers very well, and even when he doesn’t have the faculties to absorb contact, protect the puck, and hold off checkers thanks to the size, reach, and puck skills.

After what felt like a flat start for this Jr. Eagles offence, I thought Sears did a great job at trying to kickstart the offence using his exceptional puck carrying skills in transition. Multiple times throughout this game, he was able to build speed through the neutral zone, use his speed to gain the offensive blue line and then assess his options to decide what his next move would be. He was able to dissect the defence in many ways, showing the ability to delay on zone entries and either thread a pass to a cutting teammate, use his explosiveness and quick hands to attack the middle of the ice or continue with speed and drive down towards the crease. He picked up his team’s only goal of the game where he placed a shot perfectly over the right shoulder of the Jr. Mounties netminder from left circle after barrelling down the wing with pace.

Sears was a true highlight in this game, providing non-stop entertainment with his dynamic play. He scored two impressive goals, each showcasing his skill and determination. His first goal came on a breakaway during the penalty kill, where he finished with a smooth and well-timed shot. His second goal was a tap-in off a backdoor play, the result of winning a battle in front of the net and being in the right spot at the right time. Beyond his goal-scoring, his passing in the offensive zone was a major standout. No matter how tight the space was, he had a remarkable ability to find passing lanes and make plays. Whether threading a puck through a small opening or setting up teammates in tight areas, his vision and creativity in the offensive zone were a big part of his team’s success. His combination of finishing ability and playmaking made him a constant threat throughout the game.

Sears came out of the gate hot for the Eagles before losing a bit of steam towards the end of the game. In one of his first shifts he received a pass up high off the rush, attacked downhill and froze the goaltender with a quick fake before slipping it five hole to put his team up 2-0 early. He was creating chances for himself and his teammates throughout the rest of the first period at a high rate, utilizing his edgework to extend his puck touches in the offensive zone by escaping pressure and working his way into space before feeding pucks to the middle of the ice. He made a highlight reel play in the second period that nearly resulted in a goal when he deked around a defender in the neutral zone to gain the offensive zone then executed a behind the back pass to a teammate in the high slot that wasn’t capitalized on. You sensed some frustration from him late in the game when things weren’t going his teams way, which lead to him forcing some plays that weren’t there; but other than that it was a very positive performance from Sears.

At this point with Finn, I’m simply looking for how dangerous he can be and how consistent he can be with it. I’ve seen the power, versatility, and skill in tight areas. I want to see him dominate every shift by doing the little things to force defenders out of their comfort zones. His goal came by bursting wide in the zone, gaining a step on the outside of a defender, and then making a shot that truly not many can make. He had a short side release in the top corner over a slightly crouched goaltender. That is an extremely difficult shot to make.

With one assist on the day, it doesn’t take a genius to see the upside and potential of his overall play. He has a bigger and powerful stride; able to protect along the exterior and power his way into the slot or drift wide to center a pass. I loved how you never knew if he was going to try a finesse touch pass to a teammate, a power move, or a skill one on one drag move in order to make space past a defender. When he is at his most dangerous, he moves with power and finesse combined. His shot release came with a heavy whip and his passing was mostly on point. Despite not everything working out, he created numerous advantages and high-danger chances.

It took some feeling out but after a little bit it was clear that Sears was the best forward on his team today. There was not much help in the offensive zone at times so Sears took it on his own to create excellent scoring opportunities. He had one outstanding play in the beginning of the second half where he went through two defenders in the offensive zone to then put a shot on net, almost resulting in a goal for his team. Sears excelled at putting the puck in between the defender’s stick to make it awkward for them, it worked on multiple occasions in the offensive zone. I also really liked Sears compete in this one as when your team is down by a lot it can be easy to give up but he battled until the end.

Wrapping up a great tournament where he was an integral piece for his team, Finn Sears strung together one last strong performance in a losing effort. A majority of his success all comes down to three main elements: size, speed, and puck skills. It’s incredible how easily he was able to accelerate out of tight spaces, box out checkers around him, and make strong moves in stride at high speeds to get around defenders. His size and strength let him win real estate in front of the offensive net, staying on his feet in scrums, he had a great chance slipping a puck wide from directly in front of the net after overpowering his checker to break free. Along the offensive zone cycle his ability to skate around the perimeter, keep the puck well a distance from defender’s sticks, and outwait and seek lanes to the middle was very effective. Once he elected to make a move towards the middle lane, it was tough to slow him down. Throughout the game he continued to make strong plays to-and-from the slot, firing pucks on net, setting teammates up for one-timers, and such.

The top player in the game without question, boasting a 3 goal and 2 assist effort, Finn Sears was all over the puck in this one and was noticeable nearly each-and-every shift. Kicking things off with a 4-point first period, he tallied 2 goals and 2 assists to open the game, finishing plays off with brute force and power combined with some finesse, at times it seemed inevitable his line was going to score. He got things going with a 2-2 tying goal on a 2-on-1, hammering a puck home with one-timer courtesy of a pass from Carter Meyer. He then switched into playmaking mode; dumping the puck and using his elite power and speed to be the first to retrieve it, he was able to swing a pass to Meyer in the middle for another great chance. Moments later, he was able to pick up an assist, this time from the opposite corner, he sent a perfectly placed backhand pass to Meyer in the slot that eventually found it’s way in the net. His dagger late in the game was another usage of his power and finesse, sending the puck high, with seconds on the clock, he went to the net, collected a rebound overpowering his nearest man, and hooked the puck around the sprawling goaltender to give Boston a 4-2 lead heading into the second. Beyond just the finishing ability, and creative passing plays, the size and speed make Sears an absolute handful to check and contain, but the pace and effort he plays with makes him even harder to deal with off-puck. He has one of the best defensive sticks at quickly stripping opponents of the puck, will lean into battles, and is always willing to hunt down the puck. To cap things off, his hat trick goal was beautiful solo effort on the powerplay, gaining the zone on the right wing, he beat his defender wide with speed, pulled the puck to the forehand in close to the net, and tucked the puck far side around the goaltender to give his team a 5-2 lead.

Finn Sears continues to impress at the Mass State Championships, playing his heavy game blended with some soft skill in tight quarters, he is a dominant puck protecting forward once he gets his feet moving and builds some speed. For a larger player, his footspeed and footwork is very strong, and he can accelerate in short order, create separation, and hit his top speed quite fast – making him a handful to deal with as he barrels down the wing with the puck. Mixing it up between driving the middle lane and circling around back of the net, his mixture of threatening the slot through shots or a pass was diverse, giving him different outlets to leave an offensive impact as he challenged the goalmouth. He opened the scoring getting lost in coverage, catching a pass from RJ Grace on the left side of the ice, and ripping it five-hole before the goaltender could adjust to the change in puck position. He has the skill and awareness as to how to get lost in coverage here-and-there, and then appear just at the right moment, unchecked, and reap the rewards of open ice to fire shots on net. The athleticism and size really allow Sears to make the most of his puck touches, a strong perimeter player due to his ability to draw in checkers, but also a strong player in the tougher areas of the ice thanks to his physical resiliency and soft puck touches under pressure.

Sears was one of the first Jr. Eagles players to catch my eye in this game. He deflected a point shot to give his team the early lead in a period where he seemed to be all over the ice. He had such an explosive stride that allowed him to reach his top speed quickly making him so dangerous on the rush. When entering the zone with the puck, he would force defenders to keep up with his speed and then use his body to create a path to the net. He was also able to create chances for his teammates, especially on the third Jr. Eagles goal where he sent a backhand saucer pass through a defender and on to the stick of Meyer alone in front of the net. He always kept opponents guessing when he had the puck, with body fakes, quick stop-and-starts along with a well-rounded offensive arsenal, he was a lot for Top Gun to handle. He was heavily involved in any puck play as well, whether it was battling along the boards or fighting for a loose puck in all three zones by using his big frame to out muscle opponents.

Sears combination of size and speed made him a threat to score all game. He is such an effective player in open ice because of how fluid his movements are with the puck especially at his size. He had a high level of creativity in the o-zone, while rushing up the ice he would make quick cuts and sudden stops, while continuing to move his feet, which left defenders guessing about his next move. On a second period power play, he made a neat no-look cross-seam pass that caught the defense off guard and set up a grade-A scoring chance for Carter Meyer. Along the boards, he impressed me a few times during the game by using a combination of body and shoulder fakes to shake off pressure and then look to attack the middle of the ice. When he got moving, it was very difficult to take the puck off him as he had a good sense of when to extend his stick and evade a poke check as well as when to lean into opponents and use his body to defend the puck. Although he didn’t cover the scoresheet, he was just as dynamic as in previous outings at the tournament.

The top player of the game in my eyes, Finn Sears was dominant all throughout and exhibited some amazing skill that I often look for in regards to projectability when it comes time to square up against major-junior level competition. His reach, puck skills, and power made him absolutely lethal going 1-on-1 with opponents. On several occasions he was able to get opponents on their heels, getting a step on them to the middle, blowing past them and having plenty of time and space to operate with from right in the middle of the OZ. He made some great plays from this position on the ice, threading pucks through feet and bodies to open teammates on the flanks, as well as took a few shots himself targeting the top corners of the net where the puck exploded off his blade all coming as the means to end an of some fluid puck handles and strides. He can absorb plenty of physical contact and remain composed as well, on many occasions he was able to come out of the corners with possession, with a checker on his back, he could slide pucks to open teammates to continue possession on the offensive zone cycle. He flashed some transition ability later in the game, extending the stick around bodies, keeping his feet moving, and adapting to oncoming traffic quite well as he built his momentum and crossed the blueline. Even away from the puck I felt he was a pain to play against. As a whole, he was continually dominating on-puck and driving the majority of dangerous chances through the slot for his team.