| Kolby Hay | Edmonton Oil Kings | WHL | L | G | 6’4″ | 183 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 2019 | Kamloops, BC | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
WHL: Edmonton Oil Kings vs Medicine Hat Tigers, February 13, 2022: Hay had a light workload in a 5-3 win against Medicine Hat, making 16 of 19 saves. Hay relies heavily on his size in net, as he lacks the skating ability and body control compared to his peers. He had a rough first half of the game, giving up three goals that he could have had that were a result of poor positioning. To his credit, he rebounded well the second half of the game and made clean saves at the top of his crease with great puck tracking and rebound control. This allowed his team to comeback and eventually take the lead, where he was lights out the rest of the way. Hay could greatly benefit from some work on his skating with a sense of urgency, as he found himself behind the play when the puck moved laterally. At the end of the day he did enough to get his team the win in net and has a high ceiling with his size, he will be one to keep an eye on as his game continues to develop over the coming years. Grade: C+
At 6’4″ 185 pounds Hay has NHL size right now. He plays the game with patience and does not have wasted movements. We feel that he knows the percentages on where shooters are likely to shoot and he patiently covers those areas with his massive frame. There are times when Hay gets his head out over his toes which leads to balances issues, but we feel that with off-ice training and core work that his strength will grow into his body. As with most bigger young goaltenders there are times when he can become lackadaisical in his movements, but when he is focused and ready he is very difficult to beat. We like that fact that he is backing up Sebastian Cossa during his first real season in the WHL as we feel this will help him to understand what it takes to be a highly touted young netminder. In our view Hay is goaltender who deserves to get a longer look as a potential late round selection as he will be the man in Edmonton next season and
CSSHL Midget Showcase, February 16, 2020: Kolby appeared in two games this weekend, starting one of them. He stopped a combined 39 of 42 shots he faced and played well in the team’s final game. The ’04 is a big goalie and he takes away a lot of net. He did well to limit his rebounds and he was quick to bat pucks away or cover.
U16: WHL Cup, November 10, 2019: Kolby has great size, and when he is square to shooters, there isn’t a lot to shoot at. In addition to being a big body, Kolby move really well in his crease, and doesn’t over commit when he finds himself under pressure. Kolby can struggle with his rebound control consistently, and he needs to keep his concentration for a full sixty minutes. His glove hand in particular was a struggle for him, as he couldn’t seem to catch pucks cleanly. We think the potential is there for Kolby to be a very good goalie at the next level, but he still needs to show he can put in a consistent effort for a full game. Grade: B-
| Ethan Peters | Edmonton Oil Kings | WHL | R | D | 6’2″ | 170 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 2020 | Moose Jaw, SK | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Neutral Zone had Peters rated a “C” 2021 NHL Draft prospect because we like his size and willingness to defend. We still feel he needs to focus on off-ice offseason training to have a professional career, but that is something he controls with off-season effort. Even though Peters is long, lanky and can add more strength, the stat that stands out to us is his how he wins 59% of his puck battles. We see this and just imagine what he could do with twenty more pounds of muscle and power added to his 6’2″ frame?
WHL: Edmonton Oil Kings as of December 28, 2021 Season stats: Games played 25, Goals 0, Assists 4, Points 4, plus/minus 5, Penalty Minutes 10, Penalties Drawn 2, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 17:22, Power play time 0:41, Short-handed time 1:49, Shots 2.4, %Shots on goal 42%, Puck battles 9, %Puck battles won 59%, Hits 0.32, Hits against 1.2
He’s just big raw right shot defender who defends well and has tight gaps. He might not have breakaway straight ahead speed, but he can retreat quickly off the offensive blue and his stick on puck play is excellent. As his game develops Ethan will have to get a stronger core and lower half, but there is a lot to like about he defends and how willing he is to block shots. He’s a project, but a project who plays like he’s had high level coaching on the way up, so in essence we’re talking about how willing he’ll be to train to put on the twenty plus pounds he will need to be an effective professional.
WHL: Edmonton Oil Kings vs Red Deer Rebels, April 2021: Peters took excellent angles through the neutral zone which resulted in Rebel turnovers. His stick forced poor decisions and often led to weak dumps that allowed for clean zone exits for the Oil Kings. Overall Peters played a simple straight forward game that earned him more trust from his coaching staff and almost twenty minutes in ice time.
WHL: Edmonton Oil Kings vs Lethbridge Hurricanes, February 2021: Peters improved as the game went on. Initially he was over extending while defending lines rushes and was playing too much on his toes, but as the game wore on he settled in nicely finishing with five take aways in fourteen minutes of action. He is at his best when he keeps his feet moving and makes the simple play.
U18 AAA: Moose Jaw Warriors vs Notre Dame Hounds, November 2020: Tonight Peters was more assertive with the puck than when we saw him a month ago, as he was more willing to move his feet while the puck was on his stick. He did not attempt to go end to end, but he did earn a secondary assist because his feet were moving and his eyes were up while carrying through the neutral zone. Peters looked to engage in mid-wall offensive zone scissor plays and caused confusion for the Hound’s strong side defenders. On the Warrior’s power play Peters was at the top of the umbrella and he looked to distribute the puck to either side with unpredictability. His point shots were accurate and easy for his forwards to get their sticks on. He defended with an active stick, eliminating the Hound’s cycle quickly and was more than willing to block shots.
U18 AAA: Moose Jaw Warriors vs Swift Current Legionnaires, October 2020: Peters played a low risk game where he moved the puck quickly in transition and generally stayed out of trouble. We liked that he showed leadership while on the penalty kill by pointing his teammates into their positions when Swift Current rolled from an over load into an umbrella. Peters was in constant motion at the offensive blueline, often times losing his coverage as he snuck backdoor.
| Shea Van Olm | Edmonton Oil Kings | WHL | L | LW | 6’0″ | 185 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 2019 | Calgary, AB | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Van Olm is a straight forward left wing who will give you everything he’s got every shift. At this point he is still earning his ice time and increased role with the Oil Kings. but there is no doubt that he makes an impact when he’s on the ice. Van Olm enjoys playing the body with a little extra zest and he will come to his teammates defense if he feels someone has crossed the line.
WHL: Edmonton Oil Kings as of December 28, 2021 Season stats: Games played 22, Goals 2, Assists 3, Points 5, plus/minus 1, Penalty Minutes 31, Penalties Drawn 6, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 8:38, Power play time 0:14, Short-handed time 0:00, Shots 2, %Shots on goal 64%, Puck battles 7, %Puck battles won 47%, Hits 0.91, Hits against 0.32
Rocky Mountain Classic (Calgary), December 8, 2018: Van olm is skilled player who can create and make plays in the offensive end with his vision and hands to create space. A dangerous presence in the offensive end, Van olm battles hard for his chances by out working the other team. He’s often first on pucks and makes effective passes to teammates while he keeps his feet moving to try and escape a defender, he likes to take the puck up high and play a give and go game where he will throw it back then try and attack the net and look for a chance close to the net. Van Olm could work on his skating as he doesn’t drive much play coming through neutral ice. Could also try and utilize his teammates a bit more often as he can lose the puck by trying too much. Grade: C+
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