| Hudson Thornton | Prince George Cougars | WHL | L | D | 5’11” | 181 | Prince George Cougars | 2018 | Winnipeg, MB | 2003 | 2022-2023: Free Agent 2021-2022: C+ |
Neutral Zone NHL’s Ian Moran, March 7, 2023: It’s really tough not to like this player and how impacts the game for Prince George, but lets talk some things through before deciding if his game translates to higher levels. He’s averaging almost six shot attempts per game for an incredible 347 shot attempts so far in 2022/23, and he is a twenty goal scorer. So those are obviously impressive numbers for a sub six foot defender who has 63 points in 59 games. An almost astonishing 181 of those attempts have come from within feet of the offensive blueline and from left of center ice. So he obviously walks the line with confidence and has very good lateral mobility. But this is where the numbers get interesting and how although he’s a point per-game defenseman maybe those points won’t translate to the next level never mind the NHL. Of those 181 attempted shots he’s had 64 blocked and additional 32 have missed the net. That’s 96 shots from the blueline that have not hit the net with 61 of those coming while Prince George was on the power play. Those will be tough numbers for an NHL coach to swallow because you know some of those blocked shots have killed the momentum by ending up outside of the offensive zone.
Neutral Zone NHL, July 4, 2022: Why an NHL draft pick, he is a late 2003 who wore an “A” for Prince George. He is a solid two-way defender who finished with 43 points in 65 games. He won 58% of his puck battles in 2021/22. He is tenacious on loose pucks. Why not an NHL draft pick, he is very willing to take a hit to make a play, but he exposes himself to 1.13 hard body checks per game. He attempted 240 shots from in between the offensive blueline and the tops of the circles. 95 of those attempts were blocked with 35 of those blocks coming while on the power play.
WHL: Prince George Cougars at Kelowna Rockets, February 17, 2022: Thornton may look a bit undersized at 5’11” 181 pounds, but once you watch him compete you realize very quickly that he has the aggressiveness and strength to win battles. We liked his fist step explosiveness when he recognized the opportunity to win a race for 50/50 puck and he used that same explosiveness to end the cycle quickly. As a weakside defenseman he showed nice recognition on when to activate into the offense or when to be patient. Thornton’s hard flat passes, puck poise and ability to avoid coverage as he slid to the backdoor made him a key member on the Cougar’s power play (3:03TOI), but the play that separated him from his peers had nothing to do with skill as it occurred when he caught a Rocket’s penalty killer from behind to prevent a clear breakaway without taking a penalty. On the play he showed the type of speed and compete that NHL teams should be aware of. Thornton also had two primary power play assists. Both were nice passes, but the first came on a goal line to far blueline stretch pass up the middle that deserved to be on the highlight reel. In total he earned 20:38 in total ice time, won 60% of his puck battles and had 9 giveaways compared to 13 takeaways.
WHL: Prince George Cougars, June 8, 2021: Thornton is a mobile defenseman who moves the puck well and can generate good breakouts with his vision. Thornton’s stride is nice smooth, he has quick feet, and pretty good edges that allow him to be an elusive target in tight areas. However, he does seem to be missing a second gear in his overall speed. He isn’t slow, but he doesn’t seem to have that extra gear we’d like to see when he is in foot races while retrieving pucks, or trying to gain that separation from pursuing forecheckers when exiting his zone with the puck. There are times in the face of pressure, that Thornton seemingly escapes with confidence, and moves the puck up to his forwards, but often times, he can be rushed into mistakes and he can lose his composure when forecheckers are able to get physical with him. Thornton struggles in the physical side of the game. He relies heavily on positioning and quick feet to break up plays and move pucks before opponents can deter him. Once the game becomes physical there seems to be an obvious advantage for his opponents. Thornton’s greatest strength has to be his vision and passing abilities. He has the ability to make very long-distance passes, and zip the puck with pace, and most importantly, accuracy. On more then a few occasions, he made passes well over a hundred feet that were pin point, and through seams that only he could see. He also is a good QB on the power play. He moves along the blue line with confidence, he makes good decisions with the puck, and isn’t afraid to shoot when he sees an opportunity. But his shot is lacking power, and when he shoots, he’s looking to create for his teammates more than he is looking to actually score. As is the theme with Thornton, a lack of strength is stopping him from being a real dual threat at the point to pass or shoot because of his lack of power. Grade: B-
World Selects Invite, June 4, 2018: Thornton has an expansive skill set and can play a lot of different roles on a team. He’s a poised, puck possession defender with natural offensive and defensive instincts. He takes the ice that is given, he moves well with the puck on his stick and can deliver tape to tape passes in stride. He is strong, he is focused and competitive away from the puck in his own end and takes care of his net front. He’s not big, but he’s smart and efficient, he moves the puck up ice without hesitation and he can win 50/50 battles along the boards. He was second on his team in points with 2 goals and 7 assists and was able to stand out on both special teams units. He combines great hockey IQ with a hard nose and some speed and skill. The second-round pick by Prince George will make an excellent CHL/NCAA prospect.
CSSHL Showcase, February 16, 2018: Hudson has a no-quit attitude and never gives up on any play/game no matter the score. He has quick acceleration and a strong first three strides that allow him to quickly retrieve pucks or pull away from forwards when exiting the zone. The 2003 has a heavy point shot and can get it off in a hurry. His anticipation is quick and he processes the game at a high speed. He has a very high compete level and shows a lot of raw emotions on the ice. The 14-year-old also does well to engage physically and battle or pucks in all three zones. Grade: B+
Rocky Mountain Classic, November 27, 2017: Hudson is a very good two-way defenseman. Defensively he sees plays develop and uses a great sense of anticipation to break them up. He is very effective at pre-pinching taking away outlet passes as an option for his opponents. He is quick to grab a loose puck and transitions quickly into offense. Very good defensive compete level. Grade: B+
Hockey Manitoba Bantam Showcase, October 12, 2017: Hudson is a fast offensive defenseman. We always noticed him jumping in on the rush or carrying the puck in himself. He has smooth hands and is very strong on his skates. He saw lots of time on the power play and penalty kill, using his quick stick to create turnovers. The 2003 is another potential player to get drafted into the WHL. Grade: A
Western States Bantam Invite, September 22, 2017: Quick skating defender. We liked his one-timer, which lead to a goal on Sunday and how he played at a fast pace. Traffic didn’t seem to slow him down as he could maneuver through people without much trouble. Always competing, an energetic, speedy defenseman with good hands sums him up this weekend. 5 games: 1 goal: 1 assist