Kaleb is a really easy kid to root for given everything he's gone through to get to this point. His play this season has finally revealed a pathway for him to play professional hockey, that being a physical bottom 6 centre who uses his body to clog up lanes, be a pain for the opposition, and using his offensive skills to chip in and be somewhat a threat offensively. Since the deadline when the Attack grabbed Hookey from the Soo, he's formed a deadly third line with Lawrence that scores regularly but causes havoc and misery for the opposition.
That said, there's a long way to go for this guy to be an NHL player, if ever. His offensive skills at 19 just aren't good enough to be a go-to offensive player at the pro level, and he's just learning how to add snarl and use his body. Given he's already had major upper body injuries, I'd be worried about his durability to do that long term. His skating is also not great and while he's fast when he gets to top speed, and his size allows him to cover a lot of ice naturally, it's got a long way to go to be at a pro level.
There's also what's going to happen to him next year. It makes no sense for this guy with maybe 50 career OHL points in about 100 OHL games by the end of the season to play professionally next season, but thankfully due to being drafted just last year, the Kings have options for him. The bigger issue is where he will play: he's the 4th, maybe 5th best 2003 born player on the Attack this season, and barring somebody plucking Deni Goure and him sticking with an AHL/ECHL team, all of the Attack's possible overagers should be back.
So he may have a huge opportunity next season, either as a key overager for the Attack if the chips fall that way, or going somewhere else that can use him in a starring offensive role in the OHL.
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