FREE AGENT WATCH — 6’7″ 230lbs left shot defender with above average feet. Jackson is a long term project, but he appears to be athletic enough that an NHL team may be willing to take a chance on him. He’ll make his money in the defensive zone and killing penalties where he’ll have to use his long reach to his advantage & shut down scoring opportunities. He is agile for a huge young player and he has a great base for improved stride development as he gets stronger.
Jackson van de Leest (3.75 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C) Defense
(1) Brain – Jackson will obviously get noticed for his size, but NHL teams will be watching to see if he understands what his role will be. If Jackson can show the mental discipline and strength to avoid trying to do too much, we feel a team with a strong player development department will be willing to take a late round flier on Jackson.
(2) Vision & Poise – He sees the entire sheet and plays with his head up. He is at his best when he goes with his first choice.
(3) Feet – He has a very good stride and mobility for such a large young man. He is surprisingly powerful and generates speed with a strong cross under while skating backwards or forwards.
(4) Compete & Effort – He’s strong around his net and clears lanes.
(5) Contact or Physicality – We have seen him finish with authority on both even maned line rushes and when ending the defensive zone cycle.
(6) Release – Jackson gets his point shots through and hits the net.
(7) One Timer Ability – Still developing consistency, but you can imagine what happens when he gets hold of a pass in his sweet spot.
(8) Body Language – Only note extremes
(9) Special Teams Potential – He’ll make his money in the defensive zone and killing penalties where he’ll have to use his long reach to his advantage to shut down scoring opportunities and keep his large frame in shooting lanes. He is agile for a huge young player and he has a great base for improved stride development as he gets stronger.
(10) Intangibles – Jackson is an athletic 6’7″ teenager. There is no doubt that he is a long term project, but he is playing in every situation for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen this year. We’ve seen less athletic defenders carve out NHL careers and we feel Jackson has a chance to have one too. An NHL scouting department needs to spend some quality time with Jackson trying to learn if he will do whatever it takes to to have that career.