Shayne Gow - D - Rookie Profile

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Name: Shayne Gow

Age: 22

Position: Defenseman

Height:  5'

Weight: 195 lbs

Nationality: American

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

 

 

Shayne Gow - Diminutive Offensive Defenseman

 

As another member of the Gow agency, Shayne Gow is seen as a safe player with a high floor but limited upside. The most recent players from this agency have been solid VHLers, but leave behind no lasting legacy themselves. Shayne will more than likely be the same type of player, but there is always the chance that he will be able to overcome his shortcomings and become a top echelon player in the VHL. Overall, Shayne is one of the safer choices in his VHL draft, but lacks the upside to be a top-half pick.

 

Pros:

 

Skating - At only 5 feet tall, Shayne realized that he needed to be able to skate in order to survive in the VHL. As a short player, he needs to maneuver his way around the ice in order to remain effective. Years of being the smallest player on the ice has resulted in Shayne having plus skating. Going into his rookie year, Shayne will already be one of the better pure skaters in the league, and he has the potential to be one of the best.

 

Passing - While his hands are currently above average, the potential is visible for all to see. Seen as more of a puck moving or distributing defenseman, Shayne's best offensive contributions will come in transition  His smooth, accurate passing will allow forwards to move freely through the neutral zone and cross the opposition's blueline with speed. While his passing in the offensive zone is helpful on the power play, it will be limited at even strength. 

 

Hockey Intelligence - Similar to his skating, as a smaller player, Shayne needs to think the game at a high level in order to be successful. All of his previous coaches rave about his intelligence both on and off the ice, and he's always mentioned as one of the first players in and one of the last to leave the film room. Above all, it will be his intelligence that allows Shayne to have a successful VHL career.

 

Cons:

 

Strength - Saying that Shayne is below average defensively is misleading. Throughout the neutral zone, his stick work and positioning allows him to effectively defend during the transition. However, the story is different inside his own blue line. With limited size and strength, Shayne simply cannot move anyone in front of the net and must rely on his smarts in order to win board battles. Due to his defensive limitations, Shayne will never become a franchise player.

 

Work Ethic - While Shayne is more than willing to visit the film room, the weight room is another story. Always conscious of his diminutive stature, Shayne was embarrassed to be seen failing at the gym. The mantra of "what could have been" will always follow him around, as increased strength would not only have increased his defensive abilities, but may even have moved is offense elite.

 

Leadership - Going hand in hand with his work ethic, Shayne will never be known as a true leader of a contending team. Even in his younger days, he was never voted captain on any of his teams. While not known as a locker room cancer of creator of drama, Shayne was never one to settle locker room issues on his own or speak up when the team was looking for motivation.

 

NHL Comparables:

 

Ceiling - Kimmo Timonen

Realistic - Matt Carle

Floor - Brandon Manning