Jeffrey Pines Scouting Reprt

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Jeffrey Pines - Scouting Report

 

 

Pines is a small, agile forward who specializes in defensive play, and the penalty kill. Despite being undersized, he is not afraid to chase the puck into the corners and attempt to outwork the opposition. He is not known for his offensive ability, and will mostly acquire secondary assists, assists from breakout passes, or on the rebound. He is fiercely loyal, and has a team-focused drive. He has broken his nose after taking a fight for an injured teammate, and has claimed he would do it again in a heartbeat. "I love these boys. I would do anything for them and if the table was reversed I'm sure their would be a line to stand up for me" he said in a post-game interview.

 

On the ice, Pines has a stoic and serious attitude. He has a high level of poise, often being called up during clutch moments in the game. However, he plays the same game when his team is down by a goal with a minute to go and when his team is up by five. Off the ice, Pines remains calm and serious. He is not a locker room presence as he remains quiet unless he has something to say - which he rarely does.

 

His nicknames by teammates and fans reflect his play style. In junior, teammates called him "The Raccoon" for his speed and size, stealing the puck from opponents, and affinity for garbage goals. Fans in Mexico City have called him "El Chihuahua" due to his Napoleon complex of taking on bigger opponents and biting off more then he can chew.

 

The biggest weakness Pines faces is his size. Weighing in at 158 pounds, most coaches would prefer a smaller player to be an offensive dynamo, and leave the gritty play to the taller and heavier players. Pines is an anomaly in this sense, as his play in the offensive zone is abysmal. He works on his offensive play during practice, however there has been little to no progress in the last couple of years. Some scouts reckon a breakthrough will happen soon, and some have questioned if he belongs on the back line as a defenseman. Concerning this, his backwards skating is below par, and would also need a breakthrough to see serious improvements.

 

Overall, Jeffrey Pines is a fringe prospect who could make an immediate impact in the VHLM, and could make the VHL in 3-4 seasons depending on his growth in the upcoming campaigns.