Thursday, July 07, 2022

Draft Day


The 2022 NHL Entry Draft begins today with several incoming Terrier freshmen as well as a few 2023 recruits hoping to hear their names called. Three of the 2022 recruits—defenseman Lane Hutson, center Ryan Greene and right wing Devin Kaplan—attended the recent NHL combine. Jeremy Wilmer (2022), Quinn Hutson (2022) and Jack Harvey (2023) are in their second draft years, while Michael LaStarza (2023) is in his first.

Lane has received considerable attention and is projected to be selected late in the first round or early in the second round. The left-shot blueliner, who is ranked #25 among North America skaters by NHL Central Scouting, is a high-skilled and creative offensive force whose best strength may be his “hockey IQ.”  The concern among scouts is, of course, his size: 5’8.25”, 158 lbs. Will he grow during his time in BU’s strength and development program?

Lane recently received the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence from the NHL for the draft candidate best exemplifying a commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism.

The Athletic’s Corey Pronman pegs him at #24:

Analysis: Hutson is a constant threat with the puck on his stick. He’s the smartest player in the draft. He makes so many seam passes to generate chances. Hutson is also a highly-skilled puckhandler who shows great creativity off the offensive blue line. He makes a lot of crafty fakes and dekes to evade pressure. He’s not the fastest skater, but his edgework is quite good and allows him to use his skating to attack. The offense is clear NHL quality. Whether a barely 5-foot-9 defenseman who isn’t an elite skater can defend in the NHL is the question with Hutson. He’s a competitive, quality defender versus juniors and college opponents but that will need to be a test he’ll need to clear down the line. I think he plays in the NHL, and projects as an offensive-tilted top-four defenseman, but I realize the odds are against a player who looks like him becoming that. I stamp him this high because he’s the smartest player in the draft and I see just enough to the rest of his game to be able to elevate at higher levels.

● NHL.com Hutson emerging as physical presence despite small stature

● Fansided: The Curious Case of Lane Hutson

Greene, a 6’1”, 179 lb. center from Pardise, Newfoundland, spent the past 2 ½ seasons in the USHL, led Green Bay in scoring this season with 51 points (19G,32A) and has been invited to Canada’s national junior team evaluation camp. Central Scouting pegged him #46 among North Americans and TSN has him at #59 overall, but The Athletic’s Corey Pronman recently bumped him up to #36, noting:

Analysis: Greene offers a lot of NHL attributes. He displays slick puck skills, often being able to put pucks between sticks and legs. He skates well well and can make highly-skilled plays with pace. Greene shows good imagination as a handler and passer. He can hit seams at a strong rate and has some power-play ability due to his vision and shot. Greene competes well enough. He can play the middle competently, can PK and wins battles. He projects as a bottom-six NHL center with the potential to play higher in a lineup.

Greene, who starred at Selects Academy in Connecticut prior to his USHL seasons, discussed his game, his strengths and his experiences at the combine in an interview with SaltWire Sports.

Kaplan, whose brother Jordan played at Sacred Heart and Vermont, is a physical forward who played with Hutson in the NTDP, producing 77 points over two seasons. Previously, he skated for North Jersey Avalanche 16U AAA on the team’s top line with BU classmates Wilmer and Quinn Hutson. He was ranked #61 among North Americans by Central Scouting and #70 overall by Pronman. Smaht Hockey offers this draft profile of Kaplan. Here, Kaplan (#21) teams with Lane Hutson (#23) for a goal against Green Bay.

Wilmer, who wasn’t ranked this year by Central Scouting, is ranked #141 by McKeen’s Hockey. The diminutive Tri City forward led the USHL in points with 98 (25G,73A), earning the league’s Forward of the Year award. Quinn Hutson, ranked #214 by McKeen’s, led USHL Muskegon in scoring and goals with a 33-40-73 scoring line. He also joined the NTDP U18s for their exhibition game against the Terriers and scored a shorthanded goal.

Montreal native LaStarza (Central Scouting #91) had 44 points for two USHL teams, while Harvey (Central Scouting #91) pumped home 26 goals and added 23 assists in 60 games in his second season with Chicago Steel.

 

 


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