Daimon Garnder is a skilled forward with a big frame that has a lot of upside and potential to develop into an effective offensive player. He’s an absolute raw prospect but shows flashes of high-end puck skills. His footwork is solid for a player his size, showing some strong skating ability and good agility that allows him to navigate effectively up and down the ice. His shot is a plus for him, as he uses all of his frame to generate a lot of power and has a quick and accurate release when he has a lot of space. An underrated aspect of his game is the understanding he has of his own body. Not many young guys understand the subtleties of using their physical gifts to their advantages, but he does. He will outmuscle players in puck battles, or drive through opponents’ bodies to get open in the offensive zone. He struggled with his skating ability early, especially in the USHL but after he went back to the high school circuit, he looked a lot more comfortable with his movements. There’s upside with him, but he’s so far from being a polished player that you have to wonder what his true ceiling will be at the next level. He shows flashes of high-end skill, but when he plays against higher levels of competition it will be way harder for him to rely solely on that skill. If he can continue to develop his offensive game while adapting to more of a checking role, it will really make him a more versatile player. He is just scratching the surface in what he can do and will take plenty of time learning what can make him successful. A player like him makes perfect sense in the late rounds of the draft because he’s a true boom-or-bust player and if he works out, he can be a diamond in the rough for whoever drafts him.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide