The best Swiss player in the 2016 World U-18s, graduated to become their best player in the 2017 World U-20. He is a centre-wing with quickness and skill. Has a scorer's mentality, but displays high passing skills to go along with his elusiveness. Great vision and follow through. He reads the play in both ends and when in control of the puck, he uses his soft hands and stick skills to move the pace of the game. Plays fast. Is great on his edges and his agility lets it appear as if he fazed in from nowhere to control pucks and score. Maybe more importantly, he seems anchored to the ice sheet -- unfazed by contact -- and plays strong on the puck, continuing through traffic to finish. In a congested crease area, he seems to root around and find the truffle before others realize it's in the back of the net. He takes the pucks in open areas, reads the ice in front of him, slashes through defenders in the hard areas to the front and lets it fly with an extremely quick deceptive release. Adequate in his own end (positionally strong), but he knows what side his bread is buttered. Not big or edgy, and there is room for growth in both areas, but displays toughness in how he attacks, attacking the box and letting his sneaky wrist shot fly. In a draft class with the early marquee choices injured and the best of the rest seeing their production fall off, why not first over-all? He lacks thickness and can add pounds and muscle.
--Bill Placzek--
