The last number of years there has been at least one player who some might look at our lists and really wonder why we don’t have them higher. Tyden is probably the top candidate for that this year. The WAAAU15 league leader in scoring showed how his offensive mind translates up to U17 already. There is no question about his patience in motion with the puck to convert high-danger chances or slip passes on the PP through to the slot option from the right side. Without the puck, he targets soft ice in the home plate areas and is rarely ever at a standstill in order to escape and attack quickly. He’s a player who I find will need to work on finishing checks, establish inside position with a bit of physical push back, battle along the boards and spin off coverage, and come back more consistently defensively. I think because of his offensive potential he could go as high as the first round and I expect him to go higher than I land on him in the final ranking. All that to say, he’s been one of the most curious players for me this year and I thought he had a solid camp.

This tournament has served as my first in-person viewings for many of these Manitoba players and Lafournaise has been one of the more impressive. He is a really tidy prospect with a well- rounded arsenal. He is balanced on his feet, able to cut through traffic and protect along the wall without telegraphing his intentions. He’s tough to strip of possession as uses his quick hands to reposition and carry the puck in protected locations. His comfort on the backhand both as a passer and shooter can catch defenders off guard as he makes plays in positions most at this age would struggle. I also like his team play as he is vocal in directing traffic especially when protecting his retreating defenders with their back turned to the play. Lafournaise is polished but not particularly explosive, so I’m very interested in following his progression to higher levels to see if there is another offensive gear available in his game.