(picture courtesy of Jim Pierce on thehockeynews.com)
Statistics (2010-2011): Northeastern University (NCAA) 37GP 4G 9A 13P 57PIM
At 6'7" and 240lbs its pretty easy to see why scouts are high on the Toronto born Defenceman. He definitely has the size to jump right into the NHL but is like 3-4 years away before his footspeed is ready. Don't get me wrong, for such a big skater he is pretty agile and can skate well. But he still has to work on his first step and shouldn't be rushed into the NHL. What makes Oleksiak more intruiging then most hockey monsters, is that he is generally considered an offensive defenceman. He can move the puck, take the body and widen the gap between him and defenders really well. He also has a tremendous work ethic and is very coachable- both traits should take him a long way. He has already surpassed his current coaches expectations and continues to be a riser thus far in the draft rankings.
Having said all that, anyone taking this kid in the top ten or top fifteen is going to have a project on their hands. I still think Oleksiak is lacking the hockey sense that is going to see him become a two way player at the NHL level. He has a limited skillset and projects to be a 3-4 defenceman at best- which worries me for someone projected in the first round. He needs to use his shot more, his acceleration as well as using his frame to his advantage. He can be beaten by smaller skilled players in the NCAA. He could be the next Zdeno Chara or the next Hall Gill. Either way, he is a very intriguing player that will be hard to ignore. It will also remain to be seen if the big man can play more then 40 games a year, something Oilers prospect Martin Marincin is learning the hard way this year in the WHL.
As Bob McKenzie has put it, "The fact that he plays hockey right now is a bonus". He has the size you can't teach and the footspeed that he can keep up with the play.
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