Taylor Mourning Prospect Scouting Report

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Scouting Report: Taylor Mourning

 

 

Position: Right Wing

VHLM Team: Philadelphia Reapers

Age: 22 | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lb.

 

Taylor Mourning declared for the VHL draft and joined the VHLM after playing in the NCAA at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He played two games with the Mexico City Kings in Season 77 before being selected 18th overall in the S78 VHLM Draft by the Philadelphia Reapers. A player known in college as a power forward, Taylor began his time with the Reapers playing roughly 10 minutes a game for a good portion of the first half of the season. As he started to get more playing time and was moved up to the second line, he really started to hit his stride. After scoring just two goals and eight assists in the first 27 games, he went on to finish the season with 26 goals and 28 assists; that's good for nearly a point-per-game over the last 45, during which he still was not playing top-flight minutes. His physical game did carry over as well, finishing the season with 145 hits.

 

He was far from being one of the team leaders during the season, but he did shine in the playoffs. Philadelphia ultimately lost their first-round series to San Diego in six games, but Taylor led the team with 4 goals and 9 points, while keeping up the physical play with 17 hits. He was a bit inconsistent in the series, being held off the score sheet in three of the games, while having multi-point games in the others.

 

Taylor will certainly not be taking home any league accolades, but his performance when he was on the ice did not go unnoticed by his coaches. After Philadelphia was eliminated from the playoffs, management hosted the first Reapers Awards, acknowledging players for various contributions. Taylor was given the Reserve Reaper award for the value he brought to the team despite limited playing time. Even with his increased minutes during the season, he still averaged just 16.4 minutes per game, finishing with 0.92 points per 20. Even in the playoffs when he led the team in points, he was still under 20 minutes per game.

 

Taylor Mourning looks to have the makings of a great two-way forward. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but he certainly has a ways to go. His stats are not all that impressive on their own, but his growth throughout the season is something that cannot be ignored. His biggest upside is his potential, and even still, it likely won't take long for him to start making an impact in the VHL. Given how quickly he went from struggling to score to averaging better than a goal every two games, he could be a legitimate scoring threat by as early as Season 80. Although he isn't the biggest player out there, he will certainly throw his 6'3", 200 pound frame around out there as well.

 

One potential concern is the lack of playing time that he received. This might not be an issue early on in his career, as he likely won't be playing top-flight minutes anyway, but he never had to show that he could consistently produce while playing 25+ minutes per game. He was able to produce on the ice while being well-rested, but will he be able to withstand the toll that playing more minutes, and against faster and stronger competition, will put on his body? Nothing in his history suggests this will be an issue, but the possibility is out there.

 

His draft outlook is unclear. While the most recent VHCS rankings list him at third, he could realistically fall as far as eighth or, given that there are no guarantees, possibly even further. He has not done particularly well in terms of marketing himself for the draft, and his conversations with team management have been limited. At the same time, with the number two prospect being a goaltender, Taylor could be picked as high as two, depending on team needs. He will almost assuredly be a first round pick, and whoever selects him will be getting a prospect with superstar talent. Worth noting, he has declared that his intent is to play in the VHL next season.

Edited July 12, 2021 by scoop