With a perfect physical projectable frame for the NHL, Jackson Edward is a very raw prospect who has flashed some high-end skill that leaves you wanting more. He is an impressive skater for his size who shows good coordination in his stride and controls the puck very well, especially while on the rush. One thing that he has been able to develop this year is playing on his off side. While there’s arguments to leave defenders on their strong side, this ability is quite the asset to a prospect and something that shows off the versatility he has. With how good he can be on the rush, it’s surprising to see just how little his offensive production was this past season. Even though he has excellent size, his shot lacks some power that one would expect a prospect like him to have. Fortunately for him, he has very high-end accuracy from the point and is able to get shots through. This ability to find those shooting lanes is important as it leads to rebounds and chances in front of the net. He has shown the ability to be solid in shot suppression, taking away passing lanes and keeping the opponent to the outside. He uses his frame to his advantage when defending the cycle, wrapping up opponents physically and boxing out the low slot area. There’s a lot of risk in taking a player like him but his tools, if harnessed, could turn into a very good NHL defender if developed properly. A bigger role in the OHL next season could be what he needs to gain more confidence with the puck. The physical assets alone will entice scouts to take a shot on him at some point, most likely, but with the proper development plan he can unlock another level of his game and become an effective NHL player someday.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide