There may not have been a more physically imposing defender throughout the entire event than Tillman. There were a couple of times where he was able to stop a puck-carrier dead in their tracks in the neutral through shrewd timing and a physical body check which helped kill rush plays as a consequence. His physicality carried over to the defensive zone as well where he kept a tight gap on puck-carriers along the perimeter and took proper angles towards them which allowed him to cancel them out along the boards and kill cycle plays. His skating was notable for a defender his size as flashed a handful of impressive moments in transition by leveraging his long skating stride to separate from pressure, gain the offensive zone with speed and control and create rush chances for himself. There were a few instances of overhandling at the offensive blueline which lead to turnovers, but overall Tillman’s tools and physicality make him an impressive QMJHL prospect.

There may not have been a more physically imposing defender throughout the entire event than Tillman. There were a couple of times where he was able to stop a puck-carrier dead in their tracks in the neutral through shrewd timing and a physical body check which helped kill rush plays as a consequence. His physicality carried over to the defensive zone as well where he kept a tight gap on puck-carriers along the perimeter and took proper angles towards them which allowed him to cancel them out along the boards and kill cycle plays. His skating was notable for a defender his size as flashed a handful of impressive moments in transition by leveraging his long skating stride to separate from pressure, gain the offensive zone with speed and control and create rush chances for himself. There were a few instances of overhandling at the offensive blueline which lead to turnovers, but overall Tillman’s tools and physicality make him an impressive QMJHL prospect.

After what I thought was an up and down performance in the first game, Tillman slowly turned into one of the best defenders not only on his own team, but in the entire camp. The physical tools he possesses gave hm an advantage over the other players right off the hop, possessing a highly impressive skating base to go along with a heavy and filled out frame which allowed him to handle both speedy and large opponents with relative ease. He was killing rush plays in the neutral zone at a high rate, either by stepping up and delivering a big body check on an opponent to rid him of the puck or using his lateral mobility to close in quickly and deliver a quick stick check that helped initiate a counterattack play. His puck rushing was another impressive aspect of his game, as he leveraged his long stride to separate from defenders as he traversed through the neutral zone, allowing him to gain the offensive zone with speed and create chances off the rush.

The smooth skating ability of Jayden Tillman made zone exits nice and simple for the Selects, alleviating defensive pressure but also adding the ability to launch attacks easily. His breakout passing was strong as he hit high percentage passes and avoided high risk plays that could result in the defense coming under siege quickly. He was patient and used the walls well to get the puck up out, and he was composed enough to outwait forecheckers who looked to anticipate his next move. He was solid in his own end, his footwork and stride allowed him to keep up with forwards while his active stick kept them at bay. He snuffed out chances well as his poke checks would initially knock the puck loose, and he would quickly pounce on that opportunity to get in tight and physically tangle with the puck carrier to tie play up. He was reliable and consistent at the back, eliminating threats whenever one would present itself.

One of the top blueliners for his team, Jayden Tillman found himself to be a standout on a handful of games for Team Canada 4. His game was driven by some good lateral movement when both walking the blueline along with defending his defensive blueline, stepping up on puck carriers with good gap control and shutting down play. He was quick to change direction in the event of changes in puck movement or flow of play, enabling him to always keep pace with the play, both on the offensive and defensive side of things. This mobility made him a strong puck moving force from the line, along with in transition as he was more than capable of carrying it through the neutral zone with some good speed, around a few bodies, and into the zone with control. When distributing the puck, he was quick, gave his teammates time to work with as he pulled in puck pursuers and shot off passes at the last second, and was fairly deceptive once again due to his ability to spin off checkers, cut back, and regroup all while working high in the zone in tight spaces. He had a few nice shooting opportunities fall his way through the camp by working well with his teammates, slipping into the high slot, and wiring a strong wrister on the net.

Jayden Tillman had a point on every Saints goal in this one. He showed off his fluid skating and edge work early, walking the blue line tightly on the power play and avoiding a stick check before setting up the opening goal. Then he showcased it again by retrieving a puck below his own goal line and going end to end, backing off defenders and snapping one low glove from the high slot. With just 10 seconds left and down a goal, he made a perfect shot-pass to the crease for a redirect goal. He’s a dangerous puck carrier and a clean zone exiter.

Jayden Tillman’s morning was a tough one as his side were under siege for much of the game, but I thought he did a good job at playing a part in the offense and looking to get back in the game. He was a smooth skater who utilized his edgework effectively in the offensive zone and he was able to create space for himself along the blue line to open up shooting lanes that he used to get the puck on goal. He made the most of his skating ability to get open and lose his man, and he found himself in shooting positions like on the powerplay where he was able to convert on one of his chances. He was responsible in his decision making and did well not to get greedy and bite off more than he could chew.

Jayden Tillman continued to show off a mobile, intelligent, and disciplined defensive game for Team Canada 4 despite the large loss deficit that had occurred in this one. His mobility was put on display once again when forcing opponents wide as they attempted to enter the zone, along with having the edgework and explosiveness needed to make aggressive moves at the line, and with good body positioning, knocked the puck off his opponents stick all together. With some of the relentless forechecking work from Team USA 2, Tillman did a nice job at mitigating the pressure, stopping on a dime to change direction and spin away from forecheckers, he was in control of his movements and was able to exit the zone on a few plays with speed and control. The mobility and quickness to his step allowed him to stay with the pace of play throughout the whole game, both on-and-off puck, supporting his forward well, whilst maintaining defensive integrity in the process.

Things weren’t always going the way of Team Canada 4 in this one, but despite the trials and tribulations, Jayden Tillman still played with a high level of compete and hustle, making a difference for his team as a result. He had a keen eye to intercept cross-ice attempts, getting his stick in the way to either deflect or gain possession on the passes of his opposition. His powerful skating ability allowed him to trek up ice on a few plays, creating some space for himself in the process. He showed a great ability to hustle back and play with speed upon turnovers, never giving up on a play, and always attempting to apply pressure to the puck carriers. He got his team on the board with a laser of a wrister from the line, showing off his scoring touch once again.

An extremely mobile defender amongst his peers, Jayden Tillman did a great job at navigating the ice in all directions, with the puck on his stick walking the line, along with staying square to puck carriers and keeping play to the outside. He showed a high degree of scoring touch from the line as he walked down into open ice on a few plays and zipped a hard-and-heavy shot on net, ringing the crossbar in the process on one particular shot. He pieced together some good moves 1-on-1 in open ice, escaping pressure with ease while showing some great puck skills and problem solving in a pinch. He shut down a handful of plays with well-timed poke checks, keeping speed skating backward, and allowing very minimal amounts of play through the middle.