Projection: 2nd Line Winger

Tools: Offensive Awareness, Puck Protection, Finishing

Development Opportunities: Separation Gear, Agility

Grima has always impressed me with his offensive awareness. Knowing where to be in the offensive zone, how to play off teammates, and how to find open ice to capitalize have all been consistent themes throughout the year. He is smart and calculated with the puck, knows when to dish off and when to play a patient puck protection game to extend an offensive sequence. Blue line and in is where he really makes his mark, leveraging all around hockey sense to drive results, bringing good playmaking instincts and a knack for the net and finishing touch.

It all leads me to the projection of a smart offensive support winger who can add some secondary scoring. Staple him to a transition dominant two-way centerman that can get the puck up ice, and Grima can likely do some damage in the offensive zone. Adding another gear of separation and more agile on his feet will help him better fit for the elevated OHL pace.

Using his quick feet, Brayden Grima is a slippery forward able to move his way past opposing defenders with his high end speed. He provided value through his transition abilities and his offensive creation off those plays, making slick passes and attempting to get pucks into high scoring areas. He also displayed a good motor overall, using his stick and speed to wear down opponents and steal pucks, turning them up the other way.

Grima was all over the offensive zone. He had scoring chance after scoring chance, always hovering around into the soft spots in the offensive zone to be open for passes. Brayden tallied two, scoring one off a rebound and a second on a breakaway showing some nice hands in tight to tuck the puck around the corner. With the puck, he was crafty, making little dekes to evade defenders to advance plays. Yet another really solid offensive performance from the JRC winger.

I’ve noted Grima previously as a player that can contribute and chip in on a line and be more of a secondary support piece, but I thought he took over a bit more in my views over the Titans Tournament. He got more puck touches, showed more flashes of confidence and took over the play more and more, which was all great to see. Brayden showed patience with the puck, could process the play well and make the right decision to help advance pucks to the scoring areas. Grima found the back of the net twice, both displaying his shooting ability, blasting pucks by the netminder.

Grima played an efficient game, always making use of his puck-touches and making plays quickly, even when under pressure. There was just a blend of confidence and smart tactical decision making that I thought worked together to make him a crucial part of his line, making things tick to develop up ice almost every time he touched the puck. I really liked that, especially when receiving a breakout pass or a puck in the neutral zone, he would be patient, scan for options, and choose the right play to chip to his teammate or hit a streaking player cross-ice to spark a rush. Grima scored the late game-tying goal with a catch and release in the slot to force overtime, giving Purple a chance to eventually secure the title.

Grima had some really nice moments showing a strong puck protection game, shielding pucks from defenders to the exterior and working well off the boards and in small areas. In addition to his ability to fend off pressure, Brayden thrived as a playmaker, connecting on pass after pass to teammates in prime shooting positions and sparking a good chunk of GTA’s offence. He scored a goal himself, entering the offensive zone and scoring on a powerful drag and release shot.