Vin Calia Scouting Report

[VinCal 112]

                                                                                                                               VHL DRAFT PROSPECT

 

                                                                                                                  Vin Calia- Center

                           Vin Calia, born in Long Island, New York, United States on March 7, 2001, is a 19 year old center who played in 34 games for the Yukon Rush of the Virtual Hockey Minor League. The left handed center stands at 6'2 and 219 pounds. He collected 12 goals, 16 assists for 28 points in the short time at Yukon.

                               Calia, is the 31st ranked prospect and the 6th ranked center in this years Virtual Hockey League Rookie Draft, set to take place this weekend. In his short time with Yukon, Calia put on display what he's capable of offensively, however he did show some flaws defensively with a plus/minus of -19. His point production and how effective he was with passing the puck has caught the eyes of several General Managers in the VHL. Add to that his great work ethic, size and his leadership skills, and you have one of the top centers in the upcoming draft.

                               Lets get a bit more into Calia's offensive tendencies. He shows a willingness to pass-first before putting the puck in the net. He also shows willingness to park himself right in front of the opposing goalie, using his body as a screen. This method allows him to finish rebounds and score goals off deflections. Calia plays the point well on the Powerplay using his passing skills to find the open teammate. He can also be planted in front of the net, like mentioned earlier.

                               Defensively, though he has played well on the penalty kill by attacking the puck and having no fear in blocking shots, he often gets caught looking up ice and often loses his man in coverage. He needs to work on a bad habit of racing towards the offensive zone the second his team gains possession.

                               Calia is a fast skater who still needs to work on his first step and acceleration. It takes him a few strides to really get going.  He has good hockey sense and handles the puck well which gives him the ability to make plays.

                              Calia is a no-nonsense, risk free hockey player. He has the abilities to be explosive and a game changer if he plays to his potential. The best comparison I can think of in the Virtual Hockey League at this time in Calgary's center Mikko  Lahtinen. With his high ceiling and his great work ethic Vin Calia can be considered a safe pick in this weekends draft.