I thought he was more impactful as the games went along and shift to shift was one of the players creating more efficiently. He can adjust to passes in his feet without hesitation, dips low on his outside edges, and builds power in his stride very well. There were a couple of moments where he won puck races he had no business winning. Throw in some no-look passes and multiple delay moves to pass into the slot and Nathan was giving a few different flavors. In the final, he wired a wrist shot top corner with a very quick release. It was a slingshot at fast pace before the goalie could react. I think what made him standout was his level of energy and agility shift by shift.

My notes on Nathan throughout the round robin circled around the details of his play that make him effective. From the shoulder checks, little flick passes, speed of his processing, and his shot selection off the rush to fire back against the grain. His possessions aren’t often very long but they are efficient and controlled. The biggest thing I noticed throughout these games was how physical Nathan was along the boards to step up and knock players off their skating lane. I thought his aggressiveness without the puck was shining as much as his on puck play. He’s someone who has moved up our boards with every ranking so far. I wonder if he’s someone that will drop in the draft a little bit due to size and depth of lineup stuff so that another team snags him in a great value spot.

Projection: Top Six Energy Forward
Projectable Skills: Skating power and agility, Determination
Development Opportunities: Individual creative risk taking

One of the most unique and easily likable players in the draft this season for his energy, determination, and ability to consistently drive possession at 5on5. He does so much work without the puck. Even at his size, he can match speed or better with almost anyone due to the strength and quickness of his adjustments, edges, or first few strides. He plays the slot on the PP and spends so much of his time chasing plays, loose pucks, and making little outlet feeds to his teammates. He’s the kind of player who frustrates the opposition constantly and links little plays together to make them work. He pounces on loose pucks, does very well in individual board battles to seal his positioning and find the teammate by either spinning to the middle or cycling back to the point. This type of playing style takes him out of the highlight packages but makes him an essential piece since his work ethic and energy are often the reason the play started or kept life. Every coach is looking for more players like Nathan.