Ben King (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B-) Forward
(1) Brain – Ben is a smart reliable 200′ center who excels on the face-off dot. He stays on the net side of the puck and is as reliable as any prospect in the defensive zone. During wall battles Ben does not get trapped on the boards, on point shots he boxes out very well and controls his opponent’s sticks. If the need arises he will maintain shooting lanes and is more than willing to eat pucks. In the neutral zone he reads the ice surface very well and does not give away the lines. He is just as effective on the forecheck. As an F1 Ben cuts the ice in half using his speed to close quickly and not only finishes the man, but separates the hands from the the puck. His brain allows him to play in all situations and his physical attributes allow him to be effective.
(2) Vision & Poise – Ben is not lone wolf dangler. He is patient and views the entire surface rather than rushing into a poor decision. He sees the depth of the attack on line rushes and has the poise to make defenders feel uncomfortable.
(3) Feet – Ben has a long powerful stride. He is quick coming out of tight turns and uses a powerful cross under to create separation. As with most 17 year old’s Ben will need to continue developing his first step explosiveness, but we feel he has the skating mechanics to do this through off-ice training and on ice repetition.
(4) Compete & Effort – Ben wins battles all over the ice without sacrificing his responsibilities.
(5) Contact or Physicality – Ben is a physical center who uses his entire body to create leverage and win 50-50 pucks. He wins face-offs by any means necessary. He is strong and finishes his checks when appropriate.
(6) Release – A smooth release that he can get away in tight spaces and while his feet are moving. He settles poor passes quickly and easily whether they are in his feet or indirect’s off the wall.
(7) One Timer Ability – We have not seen enough one timers to make a comment.
(8) Body Language – He plays in every situation and carries himself like a leader. He has command of the face-off circle and can dictate the pace of the face-off itself.
(9) Special Teams Potential – We feel Ben’s first touch and anticipation make him a solid professional second unit power play option. His willingness to maintain shooting lanes and success on the face-off dot make him a natural high level penalty killer. We view Ben as a player who can play more than just 5 on 5 minutes.
(10) Intangibles – Ben is a player who can contribute offensively without sacrificing his defensive responsibilities and can therefore play different roles in the lineup. Those are the types of players that coaches love to have on their bench. He excels at doing the little things that might not get noticed by the casual observer, but any coach will like what he brings to the table.