2022 Draft Profile:
C Paul Ludwinski, Kingston OHL
Ludwinski has gotten a lot of attention leading up to the 2022 draft, playing a valuable role for a high-profile Frontenacs squad which features the favorite for first overall in the draft in Shane Wright. Essentially, this is a kid everyone has gotten a good look at, and he's also a player who looks good. Ludwinski is a strong skater and playmaker who plays with a high compete level and terrific attention to two-way responsibility. He's generally ranked all over the 2nd round with a couple of 3rd round rankings and one anomalous 1st round spot from Elite Prospects (#31 overall).
Ludwinski undoubtedly possesses several of the elements which would project him to a regular role on an NHL bottom 6, but can he up the offense to be considered a middle 6 center candidate down the line? I think that's the question which creates the discrepancy between his 1st and 3rd round rankings. His production in the OHL has not exactly been eye-popping, with just 34 points in 61 games thus far. His shot needs a great deal of work and I have some concerns about his hands. Ludwinski can fumble the puck away when trying to deke and has some difficulty receiving hard passes, which has to create concerns about his scoring line potential.
However, his strengths are also notable. I cannot stress enough that this is a high-compete player who battles so hard in all areas of the ice that he can sometimes be guilty of biting off more than he can chew. Often, I'd rather see him try and bait defenders into making a mistake than nose-diving into a corner, where the 5'11-170 Ontario-native can often be pretty easily erased. I think the weight room will certainly up his overall game, since he is so tenacious in his general mindset. And it's also important not just to think of Ludwinski as a heart-and-soul guy, because he is a precision passer and playmaker with a very high offensive awareness.
This is certainly a guy to circle on draft day, I just wonder if I'd pick him as high as other draftniks would have him ranked. I find Ludwinski-like players are routinely available in the later rounds of drafts, and I have some difficulty justifying him in the #30-#45 range where I've seen him several times. Though I'm not ruling out his 2nd line upside and I certainly feel he has a high floor as a bottom-6 NHLer, I just don't see the offensive tool-kit as dynamic enough to justify a pick until the middle rounds. But again, this is a very good prospect and a kid who will be loved by his future NHL teammates and coaches.
C Paul Ludwinski, Kingston OHL
Ludwinski has gotten a lot of attention leading up to the 2022 draft, playing a valuable role for a high-profile Frontenacs squad which features the favorite for first overall in the draft in Shane Wright. Essentially, this is a kid everyone has gotten a good look at, and he's also a player who looks good. Ludwinski is a strong skater and playmaker who plays with a high compete level and terrific attention to two-way responsibility. He's generally ranked all over the 2nd round with a couple of 3rd round rankings and one anomalous 1st round spot from Elite Prospects (#31 overall).
Ludwinski undoubtedly possesses several of the elements which would project him to a regular role on an NHL bottom 6, but can he up the offense to be considered a middle 6 center candidate down the line? I think that's the question which creates the discrepancy between his 1st and 3rd round rankings. His production in the OHL has not exactly been eye-popping, with just 34 points in 61 games thus far. His shot needs a great deal of work and I have some concerns about his hands. Ludwinski can fumble the puck away when trying to deke and has some difficulty receiving hard passes, which has to create concerns about his scoring line potential.
However, his strengths are also notable. I cannot stress enough that this is a high-compete player who battles so hard in all areas of the ice that he can sometimes be guilty of biting off more than he can chew. Often, I'd rather see him try and bait defenders into making a mistake than nose-diving into a corner, where the 5'11-170 Ontario-native can often be pretty easily erased. I think the weight room will certainly up his overall game, since he is so tenacious in his general mindset. And it's also important not just to think of Ludwinski as a heart-and-soul guy, because he is a precision passer and playmaker with a very high offensive awareness.
This is certainly a guy to circle on draft day, I just wonder if I'd pick him as high as other draftniks would have him ranked. I find Ludwinski-like players are routinely available in the later rounds of drafts, and I have some difficulty justifying him in the #30-#45 range where I've seen him several times. Though I'm not ruling out his 2nd line upside and I certainly feel he has a high floor as a bottom-6 NHLer, I just don't see the offensive tool-kit as dynamic enough to justify a pick until the middle rounds. But again, this is a very good prospect and a kid who will be loved by his future NHL teammates and coaches.
