Projection: Second Pair Puck Mover

Tools: Lateral Mobility, Assertiveness, Confidence

Development Opportunities: Honing In Risk / Reward, Defensive Details

Right from the first viewing of Jaravata in U15 action when I was getting to know this 2010 class, he’s always caught my eye. The lateral skating and mobility package has always been high-end, and he never hesitates to rely on his feet to make a difference. Whether it’s escaping oncoming pressure or walking the line, his footwork gives him the tools to positively impact the game. It all leads to a blend of confidence and assertiveness, where if the moment strikes, Brayden can really wow you with how he can problem solve out of situations via his footwork. The defensive engagement is there too, stepping up in the neutral zone and using his stick effectively to break up plays and deny entries, offering value on both sides of the puck.

Occasionally this aggressive and confident style can lead to Jaravata overextending himself at times, and learning to pick his spots will be important at the next level. I don't think he’s someone who tries to do too much and there is a major need to scale things back, but just being a bit more selective and knowing when to keep things simple will pay dividends later. There’s no doubt that the tools are there and I think he develops into a steady, mobile, puck-moving presence on an OHL back end.

Jaravata showed excellent offensive awareness throughout the tournament, consistently making smart decisions with the puck. He was particularly effective at moving the puck up ice, quickly finding his forwards and helping his team transition from defense to offense. His passing out of the defensive zone was very reliable, as he was always scanning the ice and looking for teammates in stride to get the play going. He also did a great job recognizing opportunities to jump into the rush. By moving up in the play at the right moments, he helped create several odd-man rushes and caught the opposing team off guard. At the blue line, his puck distribution was equally impressive. Even when facing pressure, he remained calm and composed, making smart passes that kept plays alive and allowed his team to maintain offensive zone possession.

I came away from this game quite impressed with Jaravata’s efficiency with the puck on his stick, most notably at the offensive blue line where he was often able to combine quick decision making, good footwork and crisp puck movement to set up teammates in dangerous scoring positions or simply funnel pucks to the front of the net. His decisiveness and execution from the point played a part in some of his team’s most dominant offensive zone sequences as he was able to maintain the pressure on the defence with crucial keep-ins and heads up plays from the point. He made a couple timely plays in this game which included a great diving attempt on the backcheck to deny a shorthanded breakaway as well as helping his team take the 5-4 lead early in the third period after he managed to get enough contact on a rolling puck at the point to send it towards the net where it was tipped in by a teammate cutting across the crease.

Brayden was super active in this one, playing that aggressive, all over the ice style that I have noted time and time again. Especially in the offensive third, Jaravata was looking to activate, rotate around, walk the line, and just be involved at all times. He never wanted to sit back and be passive, but get in the thick of the offensive sequences and make his mark. The hands, mobility, and confidence were on full display, enabling him to evade pressure with ease and spark offence. While he only added one assist, he easily could have had a handful on the scoresheet as he was always up ice and helping Hill generate chances.

The Hill defence group was the key standouts in this game, and Jaravata was a big part of that reason. As always, I really liked the mobility from Brayden. He’s incredibly strong through his turns, generating tons of power and moving around the ice effortlessly. Jaravata can cover turns of ice with a few powerful strides, can shift direction so easily, and his footwork is always at the core of his success. It helped play an aggressive and assertive style, escaping forecheckers  and enabled him to be aggressive defensively, shadowing attackers coming his way. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Brayden since the get go of my 2010 views, and he’s well established himself as a player on my radar, earning an HM on my initial OHL Draft list.

In a game where his squad struggled to break out of their end at times, Brayden was one of the primary catalysts out of the back-end for this Hill squad. He showed flashes of that confidence and mobility combination that I’ve raved about in earlier evaluations of him, having all the tools necessary to evade forecheckers and keep play flowing up ice. It was just a few sequences throughout the game, but it reminded me of what he’s capable of, using slick puck touches and shifty lateral footwork to create space.

Jaravata was one of the more active defenders on the ice, constantly playing that rover style in all three zones. Whether it was covering gaps defensively, jumping passes, pushing play forward, or creeping in from the point, Brayden was always in motion. His mobility was the core of his success, giving him all the tools to evade pressure and play that confident style of defender. I thought he displayed a bit more offensive ambition in this game relative to past viewings, creeping in more and just looking to assert himself a bit more, which was great to see.

Jaravata was one of two defenders I was really impressed with on the SCTA side, and I mainly noticed him for his confidence and desire to play with the puck and make plays. He never seemed to panic under pressure, and whenever he had the puck was always looking to make a play under control, even if he had to escape an oncoming forechecker. Through his mobility and his puck skills, Jaravata successfully navigated his way out of danger and found a way to keep play flowing up ice with control. There was just a combination of confidence, skating, and a puck-possession mindset that all blended together to make for a solid performance.

Like Janeiro, I noticed the activity and confidence in Brayden's game. Especially in the offensive zone, Jaravata was constantly looking to involve himself in the attack, rotating around the zone and trying to make something happen offensively. His mobility was the focal point of all of this, as he could easily cover tons of ice with his skating, allowing him to always be at the center of the play.