Wann Kerr prospect scouting report

[VattghernCZ 1,067]

Without previous experience in professional ice hockey, Wann Kerr was claimed by the Ottawa Lynx of the VHLM just three games before the end of the regular season. His work ethic and scoring 8 points - of which 3 were goals - in 10 games during Ottawa's playoff run were enough for him to be drafted 33rd overall by Las Vegas Aces of the VHLM and securing himself a left wing spot on the second line to start the season.

 

Vitals

- Place of birth: Karlovy Vary, Czechia 

- Center/Left Wing - shoots left

- Height 5'9", weight 189lbs

 

Skating and puck control

Wann Kerr's skating is average among other prospect in the draft class. He's fairly strong compared to his peers, which combined with his low center of gravity it makes him hard to knock of the puck. His lower body strength and his edgework also suggest his skating will get better with good coaching working on his technique, and could one day be one of his strengths. On the other hand, at this point in his career his legs often operate faster than his hands, leading to unnecessary turnovers. But working on puck control drills, he should be able to adjust this area of his game before the VHL draft, he's already shown some improvements.

 

Offensive game

On the VHLM level, Wann Kerr relies on his solid vision and hockey IQ to create offense. But other than that, his offensive skillset is pretty raw - both on passing and shooting side, which raises some questions about how will his offense translate to higher levels of competition. His offense in top leagues might be limited to scoring on rebounds and deflections, and generating low percentage shots to create secondary scoring chances.

 

Defensive game and physicallity

Defense in the strongest part of Wann Kerr's game. He relies on his great defensive instincts to always be in the right position and to anticipate opponents' offensive plays, and his great defensive stick and physical strength to steer the opponents away from the slot. But occassionally he gets outmuscled by bigger opponents. He uses unconventionally long stick for his size, making his reach deceptively long, allowing him to be very effective in poke checking and gaining puck possession in the defensive zone. Working on his skating will allow him to cover more area and to keep up with quicker pace of higher leagues. Talking about physicallity, Wann Kerr is not a big bodychecker. He's strong enough to be effective along the boards and in front of the net, but he rarely goes for an open ice hit.

 

Projection

With already very solid defensive basics to build on and the work ethics he's showing on VHLM level, Wann Kerr should be a low risk pick with safe floor as a VHL shutdown specialist. But his size, average skating abilities at this point, and questions about his offensive potential will probably keep him away from being a top 2 rounds selection. But if he manages to find ways to contribute to offense more without sacrificing defense, it's not that far-fetched to see him competing for the Scott Boulet Award one day.

Edited September 9, 2022 by VattghernCZ