Game played on 12/01/2024.
The 2004s,
Nathan Pilling (C, L, 6’3″, 210, Seattle Thunderbirds, 06/22/2004)
Grade: A
Comments: Nathan is one of the best, if not the best, ’04s playing in the WHL this season. Due to his immense size, Pilling is an effective power forward, able to cycle the puck down low in the offensive zone to create chances for himself and his teammates. He was very physical, able to force turnovers down low in the offensive end and then move the puck to a teammate. Despite leading the Thunderbirds in scoring, Nathan stood out on the defensive side of the puck as he tracked back well through the neutral zone and was able to catch opponents from behind to force turnovers. He also did a good job of tracking back to the front of the net to support his defensemen and disrupt passing options. He skates very well in open ice for his size, which, combined with his edgework down low, points to success as a power forward at the pro level. As it stands, Nathan is a player whose game is better suited for the pro ranks rather than the NCAA, and we feel there is a legitimate chance that he skates in the NHL if given the opportunity to work his way up through the minor leagues.
Owen Boucher (D, L, 6’1″, 190, Seattle Thunderbirds, 02/15/2004)
Grade: B
Comments: Owen is a big defensive defenseman for the Thunderbirds. He threw a number of hard hits in this game, such as one where he hammered an opponent at the defensive blue line to stifle the entry. He seemed to throw hard hits in this situation quite frequently, overall showcasing his ability to close the gap. When he wasn’t throwing hard hits, Owen kept the rush to the outside and made it difficult to get passes through. Upon controlling the puck in the defensive end, Owen generally made strong passes out of the zone to start the rush the other way. Owen moves well for his size and is an overall athletic defender. The biggest growth area in his game is his skill with the puck, as he struggled to create opportunities offensively. That being said, Owen is a player who knows his role and plays it well. Unfortunately, Owen was hurt in the second period of this game. Any team in need of a big and physical defensive defenseman should be considering Owen.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images