Rookie Profile: Dylan Doyle [1/2]

[zepheter 584]

 

Name: Dylan Doyle

Position: LW

Handedness: Right

Birthplace: Tampa, FL, USA

Age: 19

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 175

NHL Comparison: Nicklas Bäckström

Current Team: N/A

 

Brief Biography

Doyle is one of the many products of the OHL London Knights. This speedy winger is a bit new to the game, having only played for five years, yet he continues to surprise everybody with his quik learning, determination, and love for the game. At first sight, he doesn't seem so special, but his potential has skyrocketed since the first day he stepped onto the ice. His play is certainly overshadowed by his teammates, but there's still a lot on the table for teams to look at.

 

Pros

• Play-making: Doyle's play-making ability has come as a pleasant surprise in his last couple years in the OHL. He's a frequent after practice, and spends most of his free time at an ice rink doing passing and stick-handling drills. He is committed to growing his game, both on the ice and in the film room. He has displayed his soft hands in many games by picking apart defenses while averaging just more than a point per game in his two year junior career. 

 

• Elusiveness & Speed: As hockey continues to become a youthful and faster game, skating is now perhaps the most important aspect of the game for Doyle. Despite only playing five years, his skating is on par with most of his teammates and competitors. Doyle's small frame allows him to avoid big hits, and many of his points have come after making an opponent miss. He is heavily involved in breakouts, and rarely passes the puck backwards in the neutral zone because he can cut right through into the zone. 

 

• Leadership & Personality: Doyle isn't your everyday leader. Having much less experience than most other players in the league, he uses that as inspiration to work harder. Doyle is quiet, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a personality. He knows when to act, and how to act. He can be a cold-blooded killer or a prankster. When on the ice, he serves as an example to his teammates that, if you work hard, you can accomplish the impossible. Off the ice, he is a great person to be around. He loves to hang out with friends, and teach hockey to the youth in his community. 

 

Cons

• Size: Although Doyle's size is not the largest problem with his game, it is one of the most obvious. When he's not going through or skating by opponents, he is likely being nudged off the puck. Physical teams give Doyle a hard time controlling the pace of the game by taking up space and forcing him to give the puck away. If he could put on some weight during the off-season, he could be a very dangerous player. He's got the speed to beat the defense, he just needs the strength.

 

• Defense: Work ethic has become a defining part of Doyle's game. He puts in 100% effort, 100% of the time. He can be a bit too aggressive on defense, leaving openings for the offense to take advantage of. He makes too many risky attempts to start 2 on 1 or breakaway situations that don't always work out. What he needs to do is work on his positioning, stick checking, and limiting his risky attempts to create man advantage opportunities in the offensive zone while leaving gaps in the defensive zone for the opposing team to pick apart.

 

• Scoring: Unfortunately, despite his great play-making ability. Doyle struggles to put the puck in the net. That's why he rarely appears in the shootout or in clutch situations near the end of a game. He must put more time into practicing his shot. Once he is able to relax and slow down the game, I think he will have unlocked his full potential.

 

Final Thoughts

I met with Doyle personally a few weeks back. I got to know a little about him, his family, and how he got into the greatest game on Earth. It's easy to see why so many people like him. His parents raised a great young man and athlete. I spoke with him about the prospects of him getting his first contract. "Of course I'd like to get the nice things like sports cars, houses, and all of that. That's not important to me right now. I haven't earned that yet. My plan is to earn my spot on a VHL roster, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm a long way from that," he stated as we wrapped up his interview. As he said, he's got a lot more work to do, and a lot of time to critique his game. Keep a lookout for Dylan Doyle in the upcoming years.

Edited March 28, 2019 by zepheter

[HenrikZoiderberg 469]

Review:

 

On 3/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, zepheter said:

 

Sick

 

On 3/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, zepheter said:

Position: LW

 

On 3/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, zepheter said:

NHL Comparison: Nicklas Bäckström

 

He's compared to a player in a different position?

 

Really good formatting, you used your headers and listing perfectly here, and took the time to add a final summary. If you look at my other reivews that's something I always appreciate.

 

On 3/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, zepheter said:

He's a frequent after practice, and spends most of his free time at an ice rink doing passing and stick-handling drills.

 

Yes! Build up your players traits outside of "x number of goals in y season". Tell us about how he goes the extra mile, this is great!!

 

On 3/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, zepheter said:

What he needs to do is work on his positioning, stick checking, and limiting his risky attempts

 

Fantastic! Not just saying that he's defensively irresponsible but highlighting the specifics of his game that could use improvement. Really well done.

 

This is a really impressive profile @zepheter , one of the best I've read. Keep it up!

[zepheter 584]

Thanks so much. What I meant by the comparison is simply the style of play. Not necessarily the exact position. I based my profile off the way I actually play so I thought it would be written best if it was authentic.