Asian Starlets to Watch Out For

[Dtayl 104]

Over the years the Dtayl scouting agency has prided itself on finding some of the best hockey talent Asia has to offer. Talented players like Dylan Nguyen and Han Jae-kuk have come through our doors and made it into the VHL. As hockey picks up more and more steam in the region, we have doubled down on our commitment to helping young Asian stars break into the big leagues. Today we present 3 players our agency has identified as possible game breaking talents in the future, enjoy!

1. Dylan Nguyen II - Many of you may recognize this name as his father had a very successful stint in the VHLM and was a first round pick in the VHL Draft. His father also won a championship with the Riga Reign and Dylan Nguyen II will be hoping to follow in his father's footsteps. The Vietnamese starlet is playing his hockey in the Asia League Ice Hockey for the East Hokkaido Cranes, the young forward has been on a tear this season registering 28 points in 30 games at just age 15. The youngster has shown great on-ice awareness and his skill with the puck is unrivaled in the ALIH. While Dylan Nguyen II certainly has much upside, he still needs to put on some weight and clean up his defense before he will be ready to make the move to the VHLM.

 

2. Nezuko Kirishima - This young center from Osaka, Japan has shown elite ability to win faceoffs and push play from end-to-end on the ice. Her quickness with her stick and on the ice are her biggest strengths, where she is usually the fastest player on the ice. Nezuko made the move from Japan to America a couple months ago to play for the Norfolk Admirals in the ECHL. In the ECHL she has found a solid rhythm averaging about .45 goals per game on the third line. However, she will need to work on her finishing and vision before she can make the jump to the VHLM, but her performances so far have been encouraging to say the least. 

 

 

3. Amihan Isip - A defenseman from Manila in the Philippines, he has been an absolute monster in the relatively new Philippine Hockey League. Playing for the Manila Lightning Amihan has dominated as a two-way defenseman where he led the league in both assists and shots blocked. We will need to see if the young player can keep up his form once the competition gets tougher, as a move to a stronger hockey league seems to be the next step in his career. However, it would not be surprising to see this kid explode into the VHLM in the next couple of years, he has shown some incredible talent. 

 

As we continue to monitor these Asian starlets we will keep you updated with our annual scouting reports. The Dtayl scouting agency remains committed to exposing the VHLM and VHL to Asian talent and would welcome the opportunity to work with the league in an effort to expand into these budding markets. 
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Edited August 11, 2020 by Dtayl