Raynor only played in two of the four Niagara games I watched, but he was still solid enough in those two views to be worthy of mentioning. He was once again the transition engine for the North Stars, carrying pucks up ice with control and helping them enter the offensive zone. I felt in the games where he didn't play, they definitely missed him in this regard, lacking that play-driving centerman to help get pucks up ice. I also noted him being a pest on the forecheck, relying on his explosive skating to quickly get in defenders' space and win pucks deep in the offensive zone. Given he missed two of the four North Stars games I watched, it isn't the most robust evaluation, but I still thought Raynor played well.

Niagara North was another team I only managed to catch once over the Titans Tournament, but in that view, Raynor was fantastic. Raynor is an incredibly explosive skater, and how he leveraged that skating advantage was my core takeaway. He was flying up and down the ice, blazing through the neutral zone and going untouched as defenders couldn't keep up with him, making Kieran incredibly effective at transporting the puck up ice. Similarly, this skating and explosiveness made him effective without the puck, winning races to the puck, applying pressure, and being a pesky disrupter. There were flashes of impressive handling, playmaking, and willingness to attack the middle of the ice, but the critical element was his skating and how he leveraged that to be a two-way driver for the North Stars. Playing up with the U16s last year, I was already familiar with Raynor's game and knew he was a top player entering the year, but seeing him against his '09 peers hammered home his status as a top player to watch.

Niagara had a tough time against the strong YSE side, but Raynor still had some flashes where he shined. With Kieran, it was all about his powerful and explosive skating, relying on those abilities to transition pucks seamlessly. His feet enabled him to blow by defenders, escape them with slick lateral cuts, and always have a way to maintain possession. He didn't create a ton of offence in this one, but the skating and play-driving to his game were still evident.

Kieran Raynor had a series of good games capped off with moments of next-level skill that allowed him to break open play and create high-end scoring chances that caught everyone’s attention. On one play he was able to bank the puck off the boards, swoop around a defender with an explosive series of crossovers, receive the puck and go enroute to a 2-on-1 rush. The creativity to execute such a play, along with owning the power through his legs to jump on the puck was an example of the ability to create something out of nothing. When placed in scoring situations he was able to delay and freeze goaltenders and defenders with a fake shot, giving an extra half-second for play to develop, enabling his teammates to get open for better scoring looks. It seemed when the puck was on Raynor’s stick he saw the game 2 steps ahead of everyone else, moments of deception, delay, and crafty passes let him create chances and utilize passing lanes no one had picked up on. Some nice individual rush chances had also gotten Raynor some attention, going from 0-to-60 in only a few strides, once the feet and hands worked in unison, he was tough to contain. Getting the extra step around a defender going wide, he could begin to lean on them and carve out some ice as he drove towards the crease. He was really the total package on the offensive side of the puck, he had the undeniable talent to create chances, along with soft hands, good vision, and a powerful shot that he got off here-and-there as well.

The '09 forward on the North Stars had another positive showing. I came away impressed with his calculated and smart puck touches. He always seemed to put the puck in the right spot to put it out of the defender's reach, keeping it within his control and reducing any chance of being dispossessed. It wasn't anything flashy, but he is just a very smart puck manager who is deliberate with his touches to drive positive results. He also showcased his speed, further adding to his success as a playdriver.