Strengths: Puck control, Skating edges, Hockey IQ
Development Opportunities: Size and strength, individual creativity

Kane has been one of my favorite players to watch all season as you can just see him bursting with long-term potential. He began this season at 5’5 and 115 lbs but showed a depth to his skating stride and a high hockey IQ to be an unreal compliment player no matter who he was placed with on a line. For a smaller player he has a longer stride and a longer reach. Many plays throughout the year were made possible by Kane’s effort as the unsung hero; gathering loose pucks and making sure touch passes and give and go plays happened seamlessly. The big worry of course is how quickly he will grow in order to get to be an effective 5on5 player at U20 pacing. He’s also not the one to be driving into heavy areas and take the spotlight to focus on himself. His game is sometimes exterior and making sure linemates have more options that give them more space. He’s smart, skilled, and hopefully grows to find top-6 potential in the WHL down the line.

Seeing him against a huge team like NAX puts his current projectability in a bit more of a clearer lens. While still finding space to be effective, he was a bit more perimeter; turning and shooting from the flank, and using his agility to escape pressure with his back turned along the boards. Since he gathers puck possession so quickly, he’s able to dart and use that passing vision immediately. Against NAX he was still able to slip behind coverage and drive inti the slot without the puck to look for tips and jam plays. Despite that size disadvantage, he holds so many skill and vision elements that are easily translatable.

It is tough not to constantly cheer for him since he has that combination of creativity with being undersized. However, his active feet, adjusting positioning, and great awareness make him a consistently dangerous player in motion. He was trying backhanded passes to the slot, pushing into the middle of the ice in the neutral zone without the puck, and has that ability to cut back and forth away from pressure along the boards to create more space for himself to playmaker. Throw in some excellent puck control while pushing laterally in the neutral zone and consistent shoulder checks and heads up plays too. When it comes to the final ranking, I know the debate within myself will be that he’s potentially too low rather than too high. The reward might be really worth the gamble. Any player who plays with the control and heads up awareness that he does is often quite worth it.