Henry Lechner (RW, R, 6’1″, 196, Academy of the Holy Angels, 11/03/2006, St. Thomas)
Henry Lechner was a man among boys in Minnesota High School hockey this season, and the numbers back it up — a staggering 95 points (46G, 49A) in 27 games, outpacing his next closest teammate by 30 points. Physically mature with a power-forward frame, Lechner thrives in tight areas, using size, strength, and a relentless motor to generate offense around the crease. He plays a direct, heavy style that translates well in traffic and battles. That said, the pace of his game remains a question mark, particularly his foot speed and ability to process at higher levels. While he was dominant at the high school level, he will need to prove he can play through pace and against equal strength competition before he’s firmly in the draft conversation.
Why Henry Lechner Should Be an NHL Draft Pick
1) Dominance at Current Level
Lechner absolutely took over Minnesota high school hockey this season, leading in virtually every offensive category and doing it with physical dominance and consistency. He scored in 23 of 27 games and registered 2+ points in 22 of them, a sign of not just skill but repeatability. His ability to produce offense wasn’t fluke-based — it came from work rate, positioning, and interior play.
2) NHL Frame with Hard-to-Handle Net-Front Presence
At 6’1″, 196 lbs, Lechner already has the size and strength of a bottom-six NHL winger. He uses his frame well down low — holding off defenders, sealing walls, and setting up net-front positioning that makes life difficult for goalies. When he establishes himself inside the dots, he’s hard to move and effective at redirecting pucks, jamming rebounds, and taking away vision. That element of his game is translatable.
3) Forechecking, Puck Protection, and Heavy Stick Detail
One of Lechner’s strongest tools is his puck protection. He’s hard on pucks, wins battles with stick leverage and body position, and has a strong motor on the forecheck. He creates turnovers with good pressure habits and often turns defense into offense with quick recovery-to-pass sequences. His physicality isn’t about finishing hits — it’s about winning the puck.
4) Around-the-Cage Scoring Touch
Lechner’s offensive game is built around the paint — and he’s refined in that area. He has touch in tight, can elevate from below the hashmarks, and doesn’t need much room to beat a goalie from in close.
Why Henry Lechner Should Not Be an NHL Draft Pick
1) Pace of Play
While Lechner was dominant in high school, his lack of first-step quickness, slow transitions, and delayed reads under pressure showed up when playing against faster, more structured competition. His boots can get heavy, and he doesn’t separate off the rush. This could limit his offensive ceiling at the next level, particularly if he can’t generate space for himself.
2) Processing Speed at Higher Levels Needs Improvement
There were moments at higher-speed events (e.g., National Camp, Hlinka tryout) where Lechner struggled to keep up mentally. His reads take an extra half-second, which can close windows at the junior and college levels. He’ll need to show better pace of decision-making in transition and off retrievals.
3) Style Dependent on Role and Linemates
Lechner is not a carry-the-mail type of winger. He’s best playing with possession-driving centers who can feed him down low or activate him off the wall. If he’s asked to be a transition initiator or zone-entry creator, his effectiveness dips. He is a complementary power winger who requires the right linemate fit.
4) Level of Competition Caveat
It’s important to contextualize that Minnesota High School hockey, while competitive, is not the OHL, USHL, or Liiga. His dominance is real, but projecting how that translates to higher levels still carries uncertainty. He’ll need to produce quickly in the USHL to confirm the legitimacy of his projection.
Projection & Outlook
Player Projection: Bottom-six power winger with net-front utility and special teams value (PP net-front or PK heavy winger) if skating and processing improve.
Development Path: We feel he will need two seasons in the USHL to adjust to game speed, followed by multi-year NCAA development to add pace, strength and refine touch. Strong candidate to be a four-year college player with NHL upside in his junior/senior seasons.
Draft Recommendation: 7th Round
Lechner’s size, interior scoring ability, and willingness to go to hard areas give him a tangible floor. The question is whether his feet and processing can catch up to his body. If he shows progression in pace and agility over the next 18 months in the USHL, this could be a value pick late in the draft or a savvy undrafted signing. He’s not a high-ceiling player, but he could very well become a reliable, honest bottom-six energy winger with secondary scoring upside.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images