This is my favourite Jets pick of 2018, a very possible steal in the 7th.
The good:
- fast skater with nice acceleration and balance
- can make and recieve passes at top speed
- wicked one-timer
- goes to the dirty areas and scores garbage goals
- very tenacious on the forecheck
- strong, stocky build put to good use in the corners
- hits everything that moves but much harder than Tanev!
- agitates opponents and draws penalties
- great work ethic and drive
The bad:
- takes a lot of penalties (lead the AJHL in minutes)
- dives
- throws borderline dirty hits
- short in stature
I think the good far outweighs the bad and I see a lot of upside regardless of his draft position. He comes from a farm family in Alberta and has that 'from-the-farm' work ethic. One of his older brothers plays in the AHL for Chicago and the other brother coaches junior hockey. He had to get his grades to 90%+ to enter Harvard and to me this shows a lot of maturity for a 17 year old. I think we'll see him play all 4 seasons at Harvard (because why the heck not?) and then he'll be ready to help out with the Jets. I think at worst he's a Tanev energy type, and at best he's a Gallagher, while Roussell is his middle range in my opinion.