Notebook: World Under-18s edition V2
Every season, FCHockey’s scouts are scouring the globe to get eyes on prospects eligible for the 2021 NHL Draft and beyond.
They spend countless hours, watching both live games and game tape, to get the best possible analysis on the prospects entering the NHL Draft. Our Unpacking the Notebook series takes a look at some of the reports that FCHockey’s scouts have filed over the past week.
With the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship underway, we’re highlighting recent reports on some of the participants in the tournament. Keep an eye on FCHockey’s Notebook next week as well, as we take you inside the World U18s and show you some reports from the tournament.
Ethan Del Mastro, D, Team Canada
Sweden 1 – Canada 12 – April 28, 2021
Scouting report by Tomas Zubrus
Ethan Del Mastro was dialed in and ready to play from the moment he jumped off the bench and onto the ice. He instantaneously made a quick cross-ice pass going past a few defenders in the process. Whenever Del Mastro possessed the puck in the offensive zone, he attempted to maneuver and trick defenders with his high-end skating ability and solid hands. He’s also showcased massive improvements on his shot especially, but also offensive game overall since last season when scouts saw him as a pure shutdown defenseman with lower-end offensive capabilities. He played with poise as even when he was being pressured by sometimes two or three opponents at once, he found a way to connect a pass, take a shot or make a play in any other form. This poise was also present in the defensive zone where he consistently was finding ways to get pucks out of his own end either by barreling through his opponents or by simply making a stretch pass down the ice. Also, Del Mastro was never afraid to throw his 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame around to disrupt plays and assert his physical capabilities. He additionally uses his massive reach to his advantage on the forecheck using his size more often and for stickchecking to stop offensive chances from his opponents while also blocking shots whenever the opportunity presented itself. I personally see Del Mastro going anywhere from the middle of the second round to the later picks in the third round. If a team somehow snags him later than that, he can easily prove to be one of the steals of this 2021 class.
Isak Rosen, LW Team Sweden
Sweden 3 – Switzerland 1 – April 29, 2021
Scouting report by Fredrik Haak
Iask Rosen is without any doubt one of the best skaters in the 2021 draft class. He has fantastic acceleration and maintains his speed both with and without the puck over longer distances. His speed and ability to move fast laterally makes it difficult for opponents to stop him and play physical against him. Rosen is a rather small player but uses that skating and mobility to get away from the most physical parts, even though he isn’t afraid of taking a hit. Tonight, Rosen had a tough start but created some changes on his own in the first period with a post shot for example. After 30 minutes, Rosen and his team worked their way into the game. Rosen has some unforced errors with both passes without address and minor puck losses in the neutral zone, and also when he entered the offensive zone but you can also see him mix that with fantastic passes and creativity. One example of that was his goal tonight on the power play. Rosen showed patience and set up a diagonal pass from his right circle and got it back directly to unleash a hard wrists shot that found the net. He has a hard and well-aimed shot with a quick and unexpected release. Today, he really was looking for more goals and had about 10 shots, two of them off the post/crossbar. When he does not have the puck, he sees the ice really well and beats his defender to find open space to be playable in all three zones. Rosen does not cheat in his backcheck or forecheck, but it looks like the offensive game is the part that he clearly enjoys most. It seems like he always looks for an opportunity to join the rush and take an offensive chance when he or his teammates gets in control of the puck. This was absolutely an okay game from Rosen but he does have more to bring and is normally more careful with the puck then he was tonight.
Red Savage, C, Team USA
Czech Republic 1 – USA 2 – April 29, 2021
Scouting report by Dylan Krill
Red Savage continues to prove that he will be a coach’s favorite, and someone you can rely on every single game. He’s not the flashiest player, but he gets the job done. Consistently out battling opponents, winning puck battles, finishing checks, and playing a defense-first minded game. Savage has a long and powerful stride that he uses effectively on the forecheck and backcheck. He has good straight-line speed and is also strong on his edges, being able to adapt to plays quickly. He makes smart decisions on when he should shoot or hold off to wait for a different option. He had a great chance on a one-timer, but it seems like he didn’t get all of the power he wanted on it, resulting in the goalie making a nice pad save. On one play he was able to make a strong zone entry from his own zone coming in with good speed, he took a shot that got blocked, but then picks up the loose puck and skates the perimeter to find his open defenseman, to then try and get open again, displaying his strong motor and hunger for the puck. He was effective on both sides of the puck, playing a responsible defensive game, and battling hard for pucks, while also using his vision to consistently know where his teammates are to make quick efficient passes in all three zones. He did an excellent job at angling off opponents along the boards to shut them down and takeaway possession, using his body positioning very effectively. He was also very noticeable on the PK, actively using his stick to take away passing lanes and staying in strong positioning to block shots and minimize chances. I am very confident that Savage will be an effective player in the NHL, but his upside is still in question.
Fyodor Svechkov, C, Team Russia
Finland 4 – Russia – 3 – April 27, 2021
Scouting report by Joseph Aleong
Fyodor Svechkov was expected to be one of the leaders for Russia at this tournament and he delivered in this matchup with two goals despite ultimately dropping the game to Finland. Svechkov is a powerful and deceptively fast skater, showing great extension in his strides and getting up to top speed quickly with strong crossovers and a wide base. While his agility and edgework at high speed still cause him some trouble when carrying the puck, Svechkov uses his body to protect the puck very well. This is apparent in transition chances when he regularly attempts to beat defenders wide with his reach and speed instead of attacking them head-on. He displays solid stickhandling ability, but his biggest asset is the ability to draw pressure to himself before making a play, creating space for his linemates and causing confusion for opponents in cycle situations. Svechkov shows no hesitation when firing from range but seems to get his most threatening chances from inside the home plate area. He is a very advanced defensive forward, showing great hustle in transition and a strong motor when pursuing puck carriers. He is very aggressive pressuring opponents and his strength on the puck is apparent in every defensive shift he takes. He doesn’t shy away from physical play but makes good reads on when to finish a check on an opposing player or to make himself an open outlet along the sideboards. Svechkov looks like a promising player who has the awareness at both ends to make an impact playing alongside skill players at the professional level.
Stanislav Svozil, D, Team Czech Republic
Czech Republic 5 – Finland 6 – April 26, 2021
Scouting report by Olivia McArtur
Despite Svozil having an overall rough opening period in the opening game of the U18 World Championship, he was okay on his edges and had decent passing abilities. He showed some decent puck handling skills but had a couple turnovers throughout the period. Svozil didn’t have the best defensive play in the first and was almost playing catch-up when heading into the offensive play. Svozil did have a better second period. He was able to keep the puck in the offensive zone by defending the blue line and was able to rush the play in the zone where he could generate some shot attempts on net. Svozil has a decent shot and is often accurate. There was one specific moment where he showed very good puck control and walked right through the neutral zone traffic and held possession. Towards the end of the game, he read the play well and when he could, he’s able to set his linemates up. He was able to keep possession while he was taken to his knees and was still able to get the shot away. He was more involved in the play in the late stages of the game than he was in the first period and a half.
Brian Zanetti, D, Team Switzerland
Sweden 3 – Switzerland 1 – April 29, 2021
Scouting report by Dennis Schellenberg
Brian Zanetti saw lots of ice time versus the Swedes. Zanetti made use of his big and with a long reach well as he was using a very active stick on opposing puck carriers. Did not give them much time and space and was able to close gaps both physically and with his stick. Showed great timing when using the stick to poke-check, interfere passing lanes or generally put pressure on the puck carriers. Along the boards, he does not shy away from using his big body to close the gap. Has never given the Swedes much space and time in his own defensive zone. Although Zanetti is listed as 6-foot-2, he only weighs in at 176 pounds. Will need to add extra muscle and become stronger on skates as he currently does not have the physical advantage like he should at that size. Overall, I’d say Zanetti is an average skater. He does possess good top speed and can take sharp turns smoothly, however, he has shown some slowness here and there and his skating can look odd at times. Defensively, he has controlled sticks well in front of the net. Sometimes, he was processing the game a bit slow in the defensive zone and the Swedish attackers were one step ahead of him in some of the shifts. Zanetti is a very raw prospect but I have seen signs of promise in his tools he brings to the ice. With the right development, he can become an interesting prospect and he showed he can compete with top teams in his age tier.
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