Tommy Shelby scouting report

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Tommy Shelby - Prospect Report

Since coming on the scene last season, making his debut with the Halifax 21st in the VHLM, Tommy Shelby has to some extent has flown under the radar. He put up 55 points in his first VHLM season and overall his performance was nothing to write home about but he did carve out a position of a reliable 2nd line centerman. Shelby was a late-comer to his VHLM draft, and there wasn't a whole lot of scouting data available at the time. After his season with Halifax, we have a much better idea of the type of player Shelby is and what is potential is in the future. 

 

Name: Tommy Shelby

Age: 22

Position: C

Height: 6'0" 

Weight: 180 lb 

 

Pros:

One thing that has become apparent is that Shelby is a strategic team player often inclined to pass the puck than take the shot. He has strong offensive vision and truly excels when his team is putting the pressure on and has the opposing team locked down in the offensive zone. This was evidenced by his leading of Halifax in powerplay assists. It is as if his stick handling and passing abilities combine to create a set-up machine. The second trait that is hard to miss is that Shelby is an excellent skater. Quick on his feet and agile, Shelby is hard to catch when he gets going. A bit of a surprise was Shelby's willingness to use the body, for a guy on the leaner side he put up some solid hits.  

 

Cons:

Of course we have also had a chance to see his flaws. On the defensive side, there is much to be desired with Shelby not doing much in the way of shots blocked and when the play moves back to his end, he simply lacks the presence that he has in the offensive zone and becomes just another body. This will certainly be an important area of focus for Shelby if he wishes to ascend to the VHL. 

 

He'll also want to work on his scoring, although we noted his passing proficiency and teamwork as a positive, there is also times where it would have made sense to take the shot. Perhaps there is some reservations or lack of confidence with his own shooting, which is relatively weak in both his wrist and slap shots. And as a centreman, he will also want to focus on improving his faceoffs which wasn't overly impressive in his rookie season.