| Aidan Lyons | Nobles & Greenough | NE Prep | L | D | 5’10” | 175 | Uncomm. | Brookline, MA | 2003 | 2020-2021: C+ |
Fall Re-cap, December 2020: After seeing him play 8 times this Fall, Aidan’s game is maturing and it’s very noticeable to me. There were stretches early in the split season where it looked like Aidan was only interested in playing the wide open run and gun style that we’re used to seeing him play, but as the Fall wore on Aidan changed his mind set. Let’s be honest, he’s never going to be a crusher. But he started to defend with his feet. He confidently took away time and space. He had an active stick that took away passing lanes. He consistently defended and protected the front of his net by using his offensive instincts (Yes offensive instincts) to arrive there early allowing him to box out the opposing forwards and win net front battles. Aidan started the transition game with quick accurate passes and used his feet to join the rush rather than lead it. To me this is a big thing. This is where I’m seeing his game management develop. He’s showing game awareness and taking the quick option or outlet. He is starting consistent clean transition from defensive zone coverage and joining the rush when it’s appropriate, not just because he wants to be in a track meet. (Ian Moran)
U18 Whalers vs Rifles, November 29, 2020: Aidan started transition by sucking the Rifles’ forwards to him and finding the soft area behind them. He’s always been able to do this in the neutral zone, but today he was able to create space for his low support coming out of the defensive zone. In the offensive zone Aidan created opportunities by hitting the net consistently and was rewarded with an assist off of a one-timer. He was effective working the mid-wall scissor, walked the blueline with his eyes up and generally kept it simple. Today he used his feet to maintain tighter gaps and force turnovers. I still feel that he has the elite skating ability to play a more “in your face” style in defensive transition/situations and I think this will come through consistent college coaching and video work.
U18 Whalers vs Eagles, November 21, 2020: This was a rough one to watch. The Eagles rolled from the start and most of the Whalers had rough outings. The negatives for the first half. I felt Aidan started the game as a passenger along for the ride. There was not a lot of urgency and defensive pressure (or structure) was minimal. I feel as though he forced offensive plays in all three zones and had 2 point shots blocked. The positives of the second half. His speed, agility and edge work were on full display. He maintained tight gaps and his active stick created turnovers. He won wall battles and beat his man up the ice in transition. He walked the offensive blueline with poise to generate shooting lanes and was rewarded with an assist. Sometimes it’s tough to take positive out of a game like this, but to me Aidan showed mental toughness and overall maturity.
Neutral Zone NHL’s Ian Moran’s comments, April 2020: Look, I really feel that Aidan can be as good as he wants to be. His feet are special. He’s so explosive and dynamic that he can accelerate to top speed in one stride and his lateral quickness is foolish. There are times when I think he gets himself in trouble by trying to be too cute and pretty, but when he forgets about the highlight reel he can do special things. I know this might sound like I’m contradicting what I just said, but I’m talking about his vision here not carrying the puck end to end. Aidan has the ability to appear to be looking for the twelve foot pass, but in reality he’s about to throw sixty foot sauce to the stretch guy. He’s deceptive and knows how to bait forecheckers into taking poor angles. He looks at them. I like to watch at ice level and I swear he likes to look into the forechecker’s eyes to make them panic a bit before making his pass. There were stints this year where he was the best player on the ice and was really fun to watch. Those stints happened when he wasn’t trying to be Bobby Orr and go coast to coast. They happened when he moved his feet to open passing lanes. When he made a nice quick tape to tape outlet pass in transition. And obviously when he beat the backcheckers up the ice and joined the rush. This summer is big for Aidan. He’s going to be training with Shane Relihane and he will get dramatically stronger, so imagine Aidan a little bit more explosive and playing a more mature game. It could be something special and there’s no doubt that Aidan will have eyes on him all Fall. And to tell you the truth, I’m pretty fired up to watch his growth.
Select 16’s USA Hockey National Camp (2003s), July 2019: Lyons is a polished skating, puck moving defenseman who is always looking for an opportunity to jump up into the play and join the rush as a fourth forward. He does take some risks in his game but at this age that’s not necessarily a negative. His footwork is elite which allows him to get himself out of any jam with the puck, gap up tight in the neutral zone and recover if he gets caught up ice or out of position. He wins every race to the puck on retrievals and has both the quickness and agility to shake off forecheckers and skate it out of his end or make a quick, smart pass to start rushes up the ice. Lyons has a poise and a calmness to his game which makes him excellent on breakouts and in neutral zone play allowing lanes to open and the skill and skating ability to buy himself more time and space. While he plays a risk/reward style, he has more hockey sense and instincts than meets the eye and was able to find his forwards through a crowd and get them the puck. He was excellent along the offensive blue line in knowing when to pinch and when to back off and moved effortlessly across the line to open up passing and shooting lanes. He likes to stretch the ice and hit several long range passes to create odd man rushes, one in particular was a 100ft saucer pass on the tape which very few defenders here would have the touch to do. Our favorite play of Aidan’s this week which showed his poise and sense was when he picked up a rebound in his own end and with two forecheckers on him didn’t blindly throw the puck up the wall like many would. Instead, he curled on way and then saw pressure coming so curled back and took three hard strides to pull away from both opponents and carried the puck up ice going end to end and taking a hard snap shot at the top of the circles. He needs to get stronger and improve his defensive zone play as he relies too much on intercepting passes and winning races to loose pucks, but needs to improve getting pucks away from puck carriers and winning 50/50 battles along the walls. He would also benefit from moving pucks quicker as he has a tendency to over handle or carry it up ice when it’d be faster and more efficient to just make a quick outlet pass. Obvious D1 talent who makes difficult plays look easy; a mid-late round pick in the USHL Draft by Des Moines. Grade: B+
2019 American QMJHL Entry Draft, June 10th 2019: Aidan was drafted 21st overall. Familiar names Timmy Delay went 1st overall, Declan Loughnane 3rd Jack Hughes went 6th, Matty Copponi went 8th, JP Turner 13th while Joe Fleming, Patrick Morrissey, Culin Wilson and Cooper Flinton were all taken within the 36 selections.
Mass Festival 2003s, May 2019: Aidan was dynamic on the back-end all weekend. Smooth puck-moving defender that doesn’t panic with puck on his stick. He retrieves pucks efficiently and effortlessly moves the play back up the ice. He escapes pressure well and uses strong edges and quick feet to spin-away from the forecheck. Stretches the ice with his passing and has the vision and strength to snaps passes through multiple zones. He carries the puck well at speed and looks to create off-the-rush. He takes some chances which at times lead to him turning the puck over and getting caught. Strong weekend for the left-shot and has his best hockey in front of him. Grade: A
Flood Marr Tournament, January 2019: Lyons is a highly athletic, quick-footed ’03 defender who made a strong impression here. He’s fast, he’s quick, he’s elusive and can break away from forecheckers in only a few steps. He’s agile, he can play tight defensive coverage and has a good defensive stick to steal pucks and intercept passes. Lyons stood out on the power play on breakouts where he can shake off opponents, keep his head up while rushing the puck, finding the seams and having the skill to move the puck tape to tape. He’s shifty, he can play a possession game or a quick puck movement game and showed impressive poise for his age against some of the top teams in the league. He’s undersized for the league but has a good frame and strength for an ’03. Obvious D1 prospect who will have plenty of options. Grade: A-
World Selects Invite, June 2018: Aidan is very fast. Showed a nice ability to control the pace of games with the puck on his stick. Looked like a more offensive, than defensive player here. Was quick to defend and fast in transition. He is an athletic player who has mobility in all four directions. Joined the rush and has the hands to create. Showed some patience and will have to be become a bit tougher to play against in his end. High ceiling player and one of the top 2003s in Massachusetts.
MA Festival (2003s), May 2018: Lyons showed up all over all three of our scouts’ notes. He is very active in his end. Fast, agile and showed great acceleration. Wanted the puck and worked to get it. Once he had possession, he had the puck for long stretches. Showed slick hands, vision and can access his tools at top speed. made a spinorama around a player, kept the puck and quickly headed up ice without losing any speed. Scored a goal on the second weekend where he took his ice in transition, used the D as a screen and fired a puck post and in. Acted like a fourth forward on the rush and was not satisfied to simply break it out; he wanted to score. Took some chances but his recovery speed kept him out of any trouble. Made some smart, subtle passes into space, moved in and out from the OZ blue and showed good stamina. Exciting player who will need to be a bit more physical to round his game out. Confident and talented. National Camp Selection
River Rats Bantam Showcase, January 2018: Aidan is a smaller defender that sees the ice well. He has quick feet and hands and can control the puck under pressure. He is a strong passer. In one instance he made a saucer pass through the entire length of the neutral zone to spring a teammate on an odd-man rush. He will need to develop physically in order to defend in his own zone better but he has the smarts and tools. Rating: A- Future National Camp Invitees who were evaluated: Timmy Delay, Will Elias, Nolan Joyce, Nick Roukounakis, Culin Wilson, Matty Copponi and Caiden Hess.
Mini Chowder Cup, August 2017: A very offensive minded, skilled defenseman that plays a sound game in his own end. His skating ability allows him to jump up in the rush or start the breakout on his own. His gaps were good. Moved very well along the offensive blue line, changed the angle on his stick blade to get shots to the net and shot to tips. Stays calm under pressure and makes good hockey plays. Athletic with lots of upside. 2019 QMJHL Selections Matty Copponi, Cooper Flinton and Declan Loughnane participated in the tournament as well.