Emerson Etem / Medicine Hat Tigers WHLLW-L / 6-0.25, 190 / 16-Jun-92
Skating: 65 / Skill: 60 / Sense: 50 / Compete: 60 / Toughness: 40
Strengths: Exceptional straight line speed. Excellent finisher in the slot. Consistently gets open for scoring chances.
Weaknesses: Game is one-dimensional. Turning and agility is sub-par. Not much of a physical game.
Does one thing really well offensively: get open in the slot and bury his scoring chances. Other than that, he doesn't really do much with the puck. Is not a great stickhandler or real creative.
Hockey sense is both very good and very bad. Very good in that he knows where to go away from the puck and has a knack for getting himself into scoring position. Very bad in almost every other respect, as he doesn't show real good anticipation defensively. Frequently behind the play and chasing the puck carrier.
Straight line speed is outstanding, but everything else about his skating is worrysome. Has an odd looking stride and doesn't seem to turn or stop/start quickly. Just does not have any elusiveness with the puck - he's got to beat a d-man wide or else he won't generate a chance.
Has very good overall strength, but doesn't use it. Does not initiate much contact. Despite somewhat soft play, does have good work ethic and energy level.
Summary: No real red flags with this guy, but enough yellow flags to make me wonder. I could live with the bad turns and somewhat soft play, but the overall hockey sense is the big concern for me. But 44 goals in 84 total games in his first stint in major junior is really hard to ignore. That kind of ability to put the puck in the net usually translates to the next level, but I can't reconcile the problems I see to the numbers on the stat sheet. In the end, this guy is going to go higher than where I'd consider him.
Draft Day: Should go right in the middle of the first round. Either sneaking into the top ten or sliding a bit to the back of the 1st round isn't impossible.
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