| Sam Court | Brooks Bandits | AJHL | R | D | 5’10” | 190 | Winnipeg, MB | 2004 | 2022-2023: C |
Why an NHL draft pick: Today’s NHL is built around the transition game and Court is excellent at dictating the pace of play through puck movement. Although considered undersized he is winning 56% of his puck battles.
Why not an NHL pick: He is undersized and is on the receiving end of 1.19 hard body checks per game. He is averaging 21:08 minutes of ice time per game with 4:54 coming on the power play… meaning does he have the elite offensive skills to be a #1 power play QB in the National League? He has attempted 330 shots so far during 2022-23. He has had 94 of those shot attempts blocked and has missed the net an additional 72 times.
AJHL: Canmore vs Brooks, March 3, 2023: Court is an elite playmaking defensemen that effortlessly moves the puck around the ice. He leads all AJHL defensemen with 70 points in 51 games with the next closest guy 13 points away. Passes rocket off his stick with precise accuracy as he can spring guys with long stretch passes or make a quality first pass. Sam doesn’t need to dust off the puck once he touches it and can move it right away to where it needs to be. For a smaller defenseman he has an absolute cannon of a shot that comes with a heavy carry to it but also gets off quickly. He carries the puck with his head up scanning his options quickly while also making pursuers miss. As much as his offensive game gets attention defensively he brings even more. Court broke up multiple odd man rushes against with a smart stick communication and had to sprawl out on one of them to block a pass. He anticipates well getting to spots before the puck does to pick it off or get a stick on it. Sam contests tight gaps and has the athleticism to keep with even the most agile defenders. Court was equally impactful at both ends of the ice. Grade: A-
AJHL: Four Game Report. January 11, 2023: A playmaking machine from the back end for the Bandits as he leads all AJHL defensemen in points by 12 and is top 5 in scoring for all players at this point in the season. He added another two assists tonight as he is a smart efficient puck-moving defenseman. His elite mobility allows him to get to areas of the ice quickly with more time and space to operate. Pursuers couldn’t get a body or even a stick on him as he bolted away from traffic and got to open ice. His passes rocket off his stick with precise accuracy and can wire stretch passes to land perfectly at his target in stride. His first assist came as he forced a turnover in his own zone harassing a puck carrier and eventually poking the puck loose for his forward to take it all on his own and score at the other end. He is constantly in motion and finds another gear once he gets control of the puck to open things up. His second assist came off a faceoff where it was won back to him he darted down the boards to drag eyes and bodies with him to then slip it back to the middle of the ice for Hooker to bury from a point shot. Court has incredible vision and elusiveness that make him a weapon with the puck on his stick. He can generate chances from nothing but also plays a cerebral dependable style in his own end. Grade: A
Avon Old Farms Christmas Classic, January 27, 2022: Sam played a diverse game here and in lots of different situations for the Winged Beavers. He showed the ability to step at his blue and in the neutral zone to hit opponents in space and create turnovers. He did this a lot. His skating was balanced and he has a ling frame with room for a bit more strength. He showed a smart stick and clogged passing lanes while getting sticks on pucks in shooting areas. He hid his poke and used it to stop zone entries at his blue line. Court carried and passed the puck on zone exits. His passing was both accurate and hard but there were times he over handled it a couple seconds too long. He was good enough to slip it through most times but an area he can improve; dusting the puck off less. He killed penalties and ran the power play from up top with poise. His passes were on the tape and he set Brennan Ali up for a one time goal against Tabor where Sam perfectly passed the puck with proper pace in Ali’s wheelhouse. Court needs a year of seasoning before college hockey but he played a solid, consistent defensive game here with few mistakes while putting his forwards in spots to make plays. Grade: A-
AJHL: Steinbach vs Selkirk, 10/30/ 2020: Sam had a very good game. At his age, 04 birth year, look for him to be on the radar of NCAA and Major Junior programs. He is a very offensively minded defenseman that shows the poise of a 20 year old when he is walking the blue line in the offensive zone. He runs the top of the power play on the second unit and generates a ton of offense. With the puck on his stick he plays with his head up and exposes any lanes or seams to make passes or get shots down to the net. Any time he had the puck on his stick at the top of the power play and moved it through a seam, the person directly receiving that pass more often than not had a great chance to score. An example of this was on Matt Osadick’s powerplay goal in the third period, where Sam got the puck, used his deceptiveness and vison to get a little bit a space and made a quick crisp pass over to Osadick for a one timer goal. He needs to work a defensive zone reads and positioning as he tends to anticipate jumping up in the play on a breakout or transition and tends to drift out of position.
WHL Cup, November 10, 2019: Court is strong on his edges and agile on the ice. He can be an elusive target for forechecking forwards, and use his quick feet and swift movements to escape pressure and make plays in transition. He is an excellent puck mover with both his feet, and strong passing. In open ice we see a nice easy smooth stride and a player scanning the ice for teammates, and being very aware. On offense he is a solid quarterback from the point with his patience passing, and smart shooting. Court can struggle to compete at times physically, but he does a good job of keeping players to the outside and keeping the puck away from dangerous scoring areas. Grade: B+
2018 Winnipeg Jets AAA Bantam Classic, December 4, 2018: Sam continued his strong season with a stellar performance this weekend. He was held to just 1 goal over 6 games but was all over the ice making plays. The ’04 is noticeable on the majority of his shifts and flies around the ice with little effort needed. His skating is superb and arguably the best aspect of his game. He thinks the game quickly and has a strong hockey IQ as well, making him a very intriguing prospect that WHL teams should keep an eye as the season progresses. Grade: A-
Manitoba Bantam AAA Showcase, October 17, 2018: Sam is a smooth skating, puck moving defenseman. He gets around the ice with ease and is explosive with his acceleration and agility. He can evade forecheckers and is not afraid to skate with the puck. The ‘04 thinks the game very well and has good hockey sense. His passes are calculated and accurate and he can make plays in all three zones. He played big minutes and was the team’s best defender. His offensive instincts are high; he finished with 4 assists over 2 games. There is a lot to like about this fiery prospect. Grade: A
Winnipeg Bantam AAA, November 16. 2017: Sam once again played a great game; he skates very smoothly and has very good smarts and vision. He is an offensive defenseman and creates lots of chances jumping in on the rush or sneaking down low for a backdoor pass. He moves the puck quick and uses his agility and craftiness to change angles from the point to get shots through.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images