Scouting Report
EVALUATED 02/02/2022
Alex Annun
Regional Scout - USA
John McNelis is likely the most talented player on Little Caesars 15O in terms of offensive ability and output. McNelis is a very talented playmaker who excels in a variety of areas but it does not take very long for you to notice how well he skates. His speed and agility are both very impressive and his edgework as he uses crossovers to generate speed and create separation from his man give him more room on the ice to work with to make plays or change direction entirely as he has opened up the ice in front of him. When he gets into that space he immediately poses the question to himself of “Do I attack this situation head on, or do I dish it off?” and he tends to select the correct choice and avoid putting himself in sticky situations. He has a heavy shot which is capable of beating goalies from far out as his quick release doesn’t allow them to get set for his shot. He also displays great playmaking skills and is able to distribute the puck very well to his teammates with pace behind those passes. His aggression on both the forecheck and backcheck is always great to see in your most gifted offensive player because the game is played at both ends of the ice. His desire to win back the puck and prevent the other team from scoring is definitely there, as well as his desire to win the puck back so he can immediately go back to playing in the other team’s zone. Whenever he is on the ice he gets on the puck quickly and dictates the flow of the game until he steps off the ice again.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 15/07/2021
Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
MidWest Prime vs. Detroit Jr. Red Wings
There are a lot of players I could have chosen to highlight from this game full of stars but I wanted to speak on John McNelis for his progression as a player in the views I’ve had of him. I think the best compliment I could give John as a player is that he has the ability to be the ultimate compliment style. When his teammates get better, he plays better and makes them better. Watching him at Nationals, I remember having to circle back on game tape because a lot of what he was doing to continue possession and create wasn’t sticking out to me. He rarely attacks one-on-one and doesn’t try to push the tempo wide or deep on his own. The natural gift of understanding flow of play and team-style attack exists within the brain of John McNelis. His ability to hold the puck while a passing lane opens up, spot a player backdoor or for a drop pass, use his reach effectively, and push or slow the tempo at his whim gives him the coveted ability to be a high-possession player. While other players struggled a lot with their chemistry, John immediately looked like he’s played with everyone for years.
Game Reports
EVALUATED 19/02/2022 Alex Annun
Regional Scout - USA
Another top player who performed well for Little Caesars was John McNelis. His chemistry with Baker resulted in many scoring opportunities, and he wound up tallying four goals in five games including a hattrick in a 6-5 thriller against Midfairfield. His shot was dialed in and he did great to put himself in positions to score, he constantly found ways to slip into pockets of space to allow himself to get off a shot and convert on one of his many scoring opportunities. The top line for Little Caesars was buzzing and he was a big reason why.
Player Card
- All Data is derived via 5v5 per 60 minutes rate displayed in percentile format.
- Data Courtesy of In Slat.
COMMITTED:
Boston University
30/10/2022
SIGNED:
Sioux Falls Stampede
01/09/2023
LEAGUE PREDICTION
-
NCAA
Confirmed
100%
TEAM PREDICTION
-
Boston University
Confirmed
100%
TIMELINE
- 2023
01/09/2023
John McNelis commits to Sioux Falls Stampede
- 2022
30/10/2022
John McNelis commits to Boston University
- 2022
02/05/2022
Sioux Falls Stampede select John McNelis at the 2022 USHL Futures Draft
- 2022
30/04/2022
Ottawa 67's select John McNelis at the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft
