Lazlo Holmes Prospect Scouting Report

[Gustav 6,406]

 

Various GMs gathered to try to win the Art Vandelay sweepstakes in S84. Is the agency's next player in similar demand?

 

Lazlo Holmes burst onto the VHLM scene late last season, putting up very respectable numbers in a brief stint with the Halifax 21st. It wouldn't be long before he went 3rd overall in S93's draft, recording 59 points and respectable defensive numbers on his way to the Gustav agency's first-ever championship on any level of the VHL. With the S93 draft looming large (and this scouting report making me late for work), what are Holmes' secrets, and does he have what it takes to bring a team to success on the next level?

 

Holmes has largely focused his game on the fundamentals, training in balanced ways but prioritizing the principles of playing defense first--it is his position after all. There were defensemen who played a better game in the offensive zone this season (the Jinns in Philadelphia were a very good example of this), but Holmes' game doesn't leave much to worry about. It's true that he didn't put up as many numbers, but he could generally be counted upon to be in the right place at the right time and make moving the puck difficult for the opposition. Staying out of the physical game for the most part, Holmes' play may be encouraging to analytics people above all else, and time will tell whether a team sees something in him that most people taking quick glances at the stat sheets might not.

 

Despite being a solid player overall, Holmes' 59 points (and 14 goals) were a bit of a step back from his super-hot start in Halifax. Scoring over a point per game and putting 6 goals in the net over just 14 games was a big reason why he was targeted as early as he was by Saskatoon, and though his numbers were good, there's some top-tier potential that may need to be reopened in the VHL. Holmes has publicly stated that he wishes to train for more of an offensive edge to his game, and we will wait and see how he does in that regard. Somewhat undersized for defense, he shows a propensity to move up in the offensive zone and take some chances closer to where forwards tend to take theirs--a mark of an offensive defenseman if he's able to shape his skills the same way.

 

Holmes is on record in every team's scouting books as having defined his goals just about the same way--he would like to spend the bulk of his career playing for reasonably competitive teams. The Gustav agency has been known for years for its loyalty to whichever team pays the bills, so it will be interesting to see how this shakes out down the road. For Holmes, this is a mark of confidence if he's able to handle it the right way--playing for a competitive team requires one to be a competitive player, and he is motivated to put in the time to make that happen.