StevenToddIves
Registered User
2024 Draft Profile:
LW Kevin He, Niagara OHL
This is a story about me and He. Where Kevin He is concerned, he's almost a non-entity for draft writers leading up to the 2024 NHL draft. He's scarcely found ranked at all, even on lists which last all the way through a top 100. His 53 points in 62 games didn't seem to register whatsoever with the stat/analytic crowds. There is a real possibility this is a player you can draft as late as Round 5 or 6.
Where I am concerned, I've been writing about drafts for myriad websites for about 20 years, and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to keep doing this. When I'm done, I'll say my very favorite accomplishment was calling it right on sleepers -- kids who didn't get the attention for whatever reason -- who went on to have successful NHL careers. As gratifying as it is to see any player you lauded in any round become a good NHL player, it's even nicer when that player was ignored by the draft community as a whole, as with a Jesper Bratt or Adam Fox.
Kevin He is one such player.
First, let's take a look at some of the context of his 2023-24 season with Niagara. Playing as the youngest regular (4/30/06 birthday) on one of the most inept teams in the entire CHL, Kevin He topped 30 goals (31) despite playing on a line he was forced to drive almost singlehandedly against universally superior competition. His -13 rating was actually the best of any top 9 forward on his team, where teammates were regularly in the -25 to -35 range. Every night, opposing coaches matched their best defensemen and defensive forwards up against He and He alone.
Now, let's take a look at the player himself. Kevin He is one of the fastest, most explosive skaters in the entire 2024 class. He reaches top speeds in a heartbeat, is hard on his skates, and can change directions in a blink. He also features a near-elite-level shot which can beat a goaltender clean from outside the circles. His one-timer is outstanding and his puck decisions are also quite good -- He won't force his shot, but is extremely adept at using his speed to create space and allow his linemates to get open. While not a high-creativity passer, He is effective at moving the puck and his high IQ usually sees him making smart choices. He is more of a finisher than a line-driver, even though he was forced into that role on a, well... pathetic Ice Dogs team.
He has a good set of hands and plays two-ways, though it's tough to gauge the overall defensive play of a player who played on a team which was routinely caved in by the opposition. His compete level is certainly high-end -- you notice his tenacious motor and overall intensity even on shifts when his team does not touch the puck. The 6'0-180 forward is not proactively physical, but he routinely is willing to take the puck to the net and fight in the dirty areas, and is not afraid to mix it up with larger defenders who are obviously keying on him in particular.
Kevin He has sleeper written all over him. The elite skating, the near-elite shot, the smarts and high compete are all clearly there, while the lack of on-paper results are easily explainable when one watches how utterly poor his team was and how opposing defenses revolved around him. When you add in a late birthday and the fact we've never really seen him play alongside high-talent linemates, the idea of snatching him up in Rounds 4-6 of the 2024 draft gets even more tantalizing. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is not a kid with any reasonable chance to get drafted in the first two rounds, so the payoff of an extremely speedy NHL 2nd line scoring winger is stratospherically higher than any discernible risk. And I'll also add that his compete and commitment to team play gives He a high floor as a checking-line speed demon.
Ultimately, 20+ years of draft writing have taught me to trust my instincts and not really care that a player has not received due attention from the hockey draft media. As such, Kevin He will be in my top 50 for the class of 2024 because elite skating + high ceiling + high floor + great intangibles usually equals a successful NHL player.
LW Kevin He, Niagara OHL
This is a story about me and He. Where Kevin He is concerned, he's almost a non-entity for draft writers leading up to the 2024 NHL draft. He's scarcely found ranked at all, even on lists which last all the way through a top 100. His 53 points in 62 games didn't seem to register whatsoever with the stat/analytic crowds. There is a real possibility this is a player you can draft as late as Round 5 or 6.
Where I am concerned, I've been writing about drafts for myriad websites for about 20 years, and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to keep doing this. When I'm done, I'll say my very favorite accomplishment was calling it right on sleepers -- kids who didn't get the attention for whatever reason -- who went on to have successful NHL careers. As gratifying as it is to see any player you lauded in any round become a good NHL player, it's even nicer when that player was ignored by the draft community as a whole, as with a Jesper Bratt or Adam Fox.
Kevin He is one such player.
First, let's take a look at some of the context of his 2023-24 season with Niagara. Playing as the youngest regular (4/30/06 birthday) on one of the most inept teams in the entire CHL, Kevin He topped 30 goals (31) despite playing on a line he was forced to drive almost singlehandedly against universally superior competition. His -13 rating was actually the best of any top 9 forward on his team, where teammates were regularly in the -25 to -35 range. Every night, opposing coaches matched their best defensemen and defensive forwards up against He and He alone.
Now, let's take a look at the player himself. Kevin He is one of the fastest, most explosive skaters in the entire 2024 class. He reaches top speeds in a heartbeat, is hard on his skates, and can change directions in a blink. He also features a near-elite-level shot which can beat a goaltender clean from outside the circles. His one-timer is outstanding and his puck decisions are also quite good -- He won't force his shot, but is extremely adept at using his speed to create space and allow his linemates to get open. While not a high-creativity passer, He is effective at moving the puck and his high IQ usually sees him making smart choices. He is more of a finisher than a line-driver, even though he was forced into that role on a, well... pathetic Ice Dogs team.
He has a good set of hands and plays two-ways, though it's tough to gauge the overall defensive play of a player who played on a team which was routinely caved in by the opposition. His compete level is certainly high-end -- you notice his tenacious motor and overall intensity even on shifts when his team does not touch the puck. The 6'0-180 forward is not proactively physical, but he routinely is willing to take the puck to the net and fight in the dirty areas, and is not afraid to mix it up with larger defenders who are obviously keying on him in particular.
Kevin He has sleeper written all over him. The elite skating, the near-elite shot, the smarts and high compete are all clearly there, while the lack of on-paper results are easily explainable when one watches how utterly poor his team was and how opposing defenses revolved around him. When you add in a late birthday and the fact we've never really seen him play alongside high-talent linemates, the idea of snatching him up in Rounds 4-6 of the 2024 draft gets even more tantalizing. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is not a kid with any reasonable chance to get drafted in the first two rounds, so the payoff of an extremely speedy NHL 2nd line scoring winger is stratospherically higher than any discernible risk. And I'll also add that his compete and commitment to team play gives He a high floor as a checking-line speed demon.
Ultimately, 20+ years of draft writing have taught me to trust my instincts and not really care that a player has not received due attention from the hockey draft media. As such, Kevin He will be in my top 50 for the class of 2024 because elite skating + high ceiling + high floor + great intangibles usually equals a successful NHL player.