Time for another series at McKeen’s from our scouting staff. The 2024 NHL Draft season is well under way and our scouts have been busy soaking in the action around the globe. Analyzing early season play can be difficult; perhaps even a bit of a ruse. Hot starts aren’t always sustainable and cold starts are not always indicative. However, players can still catch our attention in positive ways and that’s what this series intends to highlight.
Chase Rochon - Regional Ontario Scout
Jett Luchanko - Forward - Guelph Storm
5’10”, 165lbs 2006-08-21
Jett Luchanko has always had a spot in my mind for this year's draft, dating back to his time with the London Jr Knights in his U16AAA days, where he was often the best skater on the ice and would really wow you with his flashy puck control and bursts of speed. After being selected 12th overall to the Guelph Storm, he could not utilize these skills immediately. He often found himself stickhandling into traffic and turning over the puck. This affected his ice time and, ultimately, his offence production, although he played an entire season in the OHL. While many may think it was best for Luchanko to be sent to the OJHL or GOJHL to develop further, a season to learn and grow in the OHL was precisely what he needed.
Jett has taken a massive step forward this season, a testament to his terrific work ethic. He has a much better understanding of what does and doesn't work at the OHL level, his strengths and weaknesses, and how to use them. This is mostly his elite skating ability; yes, he is one of the faster players in the draft, but Jett stands out in his acceleration bursts of speed and ability to change speeds to gain advantages and space. He does this, using his lateral mobility at an elite level and better than any other OHL draft eligibles I have seen thus far. This makes Jett a zone exit and entry demon, as he is constantly effective in transition. Lunchanko processes the game at a high level, which is why we are seeing such great improvements in his game. With quick thinking and processing ability, he possesses excellent reaction time and poise. His offensive instincts are off the chart, constantly hunting down pucks and looking to put himself in open ice; he reads plays very well and puts pucks in high-danger areas for teammates to capitalize on. Unfortunately, he has been unlucky, and many of these changes haven't gone in, but I'd expect that to change soon.
Physically, Jett is not very big and it is clear that he needs to improve his strength on and off the puck. That being said, it doesn't take away from the fact that he plays fearlessly, always finishes checks, battles hard, and is trusted by coaches in significant moments of games early this year. Luchanko's puck protection has been impressive. The first thing he always does when picking up a puck is put his back to the defender, evading pressure and often escaping by strong pushes off his edges. This has made him more of a threat to defenders as he keeps gaining dangerous ice from strong puck protection. Where I think Jetts's production will start to ramp up is on the power play, where he utilizes a very dangerous route by curling high at the right flank and cutting in, receiving the puck inside where he often takes full advantage of his deceptive hands and makes a great play.
While I do love Luchanko's game, there are still a few things I need to see improve over the season to solidify himself as a top prospect in this year's NHL draft. Most importantly, he needs to shoot the puck. Yes, he is an excellent playmaker and has wonderful hands. Still, there is no diversity, and he would be deadly if he had a lethal shot to add to his toolkit. He has had countless opportunities in the high slot where he should be shooting but instead is continuing to drive the net; defenders need to stay guessing when he is on the attack, and right now, I don't believe they are. He is getting too hungry to leave the defensive zone when in transition, and as a center, I would like to see him come lower and offer more support.
Great hands and speed here by Luchanko in both clips. I would like to see a quality shot here.
Excellent vision and playmaking for this game-winning assist.
Luchanko uses high speed to stop a chance on the backcheck.
Jett turns on the Jets to fly through the neutral zone.
Amazing puck protection and play made here by Luchanko, showing his ability to read and react.
I love how Jett draws in the defenders before making this perfectly timed play off the rush.
Luke Misa - Forward - Mississauga Steelheads
5’10”, 165lbs 2005-11-25
Coming into this season, Luke Misa has been one of the toughest players to get an accurate read on. Given his two previous seasons in the OHL, I have had the pleasure of watching lots of his games and watching him grow as he learns to adapt to the skill level of the OHL. This year, he finally has and for sure feels comfortable. He has gained confidence I hadn't seen over the past two seasons, and it's great to see. Leading the offence on a hot start for the Steelheads, Misa has been catching the eyes of many scouts. Now, yes, Luke is shaping up to be a great Junior hockey player, but the question lies in whether his game will be able to transfer into the pro game. Let's look at what makes Luke the player he is today.
First and foremost, Misa very well may be the best skater in the OHL for draft eligibles, and that is high praise as there are many excellent skaters this season. With a high pace and top-end speed, Misa will always catch your eye as he motors around out there. Yes, this is great, but the way he combines this speed with his mobile edges is what separates him from the pack. Being a relatively small player, Luke uses this to his advantage to evade physical pressure. This leads to our first and possibly biggest weakness, and that is Luke's physicality. When under pressure from a good defenceman in this league, he tends to get physically bullied. He cannot use his strength In moments of pressure and battles as he loses most, if not all of them. He will need to drastically improve his strength for further success at the pro level.
Now, the reason Misa has impressed me early this year is showing his ability to develop his game and focus on these areas of weakness. Misa had a poor shot in past seasons and was very hesitant to use it as he was much more effective as a passer and playmaker previously. He has gained confidence in his shot, and he has been letting them go. It's not the hardest shot, but it has a quick and accurate release. This has turned Luke into more of a dual-threat offensive weapon than In the past. He relied on his playmaking, which is fantastic, and defenders would react based on this.
On the other side of the puck, Luke is trusted by his coaches, playing a significant amount of PK time effectively with a great active stick, where he sometimes traps himself by chasing too much and running around in the defensive zone. If he can tone down and know when to pick his time and place to take advantage of his speed and conserve some energy, he can become even more effective on the defensive side of his game. Misa also is a fixture on the powerplay for the Steelheads, however I really dislike how they utilize him. Misa plays a very low flank that I find to be very easy for teams to counter, and he often struggles. His production at even strength has been outstanding; if they were able to get him in a proper flank position, allowing him to take advantage of his mobility, it would improve his production even further. Will we see this change soon? Given the Steelhead's current success, I cannot see them changing things. Regardless, Misa is set up for a successful season, and I'm looking forward to seeing his development during his draft year.
Misa roofs one in close, showcasing his ability in tight.
Luke shows off his new shot with a strong, quick release in both clips.
Here is an example of the power play setup and why it is ineffective.
Excellent work here by Luke to evade pressure.
Marek Vanacker - Forward - Brantford Bulldogs
6’0”, 165lbs 2006-04-12
Marek Vanacker might be the draft eligible player from the OHL who has improved the most this season. Vanacker is a new player with a new confidence level and swagger. He was always a player you could see had skill and upside but needed to be in a position to shine by his own doing and opportunity. I have been highly impressed with my viewings so far this season.
The first thing that will catch your eye watching Marek is his hands, not just his puck-handling abilities but how he uses them. He's such a poised player who plays like he has all the time in the world to go along with deceptive reads, leaving defenders clueless about his next move. This makes Vanacker a very flashy player, and sometimes these players can be misleading as they can be eye candy to most. Marek is different; it isn't just his hands. Yes, this is a standout, but he has a well-rounded game outside of that, which makes him unique.
Marek has shown a great shooting ability in the early parts of the season. He does a great job of picking the right time and place when shooting to avoid traffic and find dangerous lanes. Vanacker's shot may not be the most accurate and have the quickest release, but he makes up for it in power. He unleads very heavy shots with purpose that test goalies. If this is continued and is even improved with quicker release times, Vanacker could solidify himself as a true goal-scoring forward in this year's draft.
Vanacker scores highlight-reel overtime winner
Marek does an excellent job getting in the passing lane, and in transition, uses elite poise to score a goal.
Vanacker has excellent spatial awareness in the offensive zone to get open in high-danger opportunities.
Sam Dickinson - Defense - London Knights
6’3”, 194lbs 2006-06-07
Sam Dickinson has been known as a top candidate for the 2024 NHL Draft well before this season. Many scouts have had him in the top 10 and have even seen him in the top 3. I was hesitant to come to terms with it before this season. Dickinson has always been known as a force on the defensive side of the puck. A large frame and mobile skating make for high-pressure defence and a nightmare for attackers at all levels Sam has played. Seeing his production increase as he takes over a higher role and more minutes in stride has proven to me that he really can compete with the big dogs of this year's draft class, and that has impressed me.
Overall, Dickinson is an elite skater, and his 6'3" frame makes him eye candy for NHL scouts. His top-end speed might not be the highest, but his quick first three strides give him enough acceleration to make up for it. His ability to move laterally with his elite edges makes his gap control unmatched. He utilizes this to put himself in the perfect position where he can take advantage of his stick checks, and if needed, he isn't scared to get physical, the point being Sam has layers to his game that make beating him a difficult task. Dickinson is so patient. He always looks calm and in control to better his decisions with the puck. As an excellent playmaker, he has the deceptive and creative skills to keep the opposition guessing.
Sam's shot is where his production, I believe, has increased. He does a great job avoiding traffic and finding lanes to funnel pucks at the net. These aren't just any shots. They are heavy, hard, accurate and with a purpose. Even when these are still looking for a way to the back of the net, his teammates know to crash the net when Dickinson has the puck at the point and clean up the rebounds and wide shots where he picks up lots of assists.
Dickinson has some things he will need to improve on if he wants to solidify himself at the top of this year's draft. He needs to understand better when to pick his times and places to join the rush and make big plays rather than making the safe play to a teammate; because of this, Sam often turns the puck over in the neutral zone, which has caused goals against for his team multiple times this season. This is something that very easily can be adjusted, and I know it will be with London's high-end development program. The Hunters will help him clean up some of the decision-making errors and truly understand how to maximize his toolkit so that London can get the most out of the talented player he is. He will have an opportunity to be among the elites of this class; I expect a monster year from Sam going forward.
Sam makes a great read leading to an odd-man rush where he makes a poised play to a teammate in danger.
A common occurrence for Sam is when he evades a forechecker and makes a quick cut to keep his intentions hidden.
Dickinson intercepts a pass and makes a timely play after drawing pressure on himself.
This clip starts with excellent puck protection skills before moving the puck down low, where he can get back in possession so when he receives the puck again, he can unleash his cannon of a shot.
These are just a few of the turnovers I was referencing that need to be cleaned up.