Addison McLaren Scouting Report

[tcookie 927]

This was super fun to make, yes, the post-it notes cutting off some of a couple letters is intentional, you can figure out what they mean... text-only version is below if you want it.

 

 

-- text only version --

 

Player Profile
Height: 5-foot-7
Weight: 155 lbs.
Jersey Number: 9
Born: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Favourite Player: Theo Fleury
VHLM Team: Miami Marauders
Latest VHCS Ranking: 35

 

A 19-year-old left winger prospect with high upside. Not well known in VHL circles, but has impressed thus far in his career with his work ethic off the ice, and with his intensity and scoring ability on the ice. Not a particularly flashy player with the puck, but isn’t afraid to go to high traffic areas of the ice. High-end athleticism: a two-sport athlete, hockey and football, until choosing to focus on hockey after recovering from a torn ACL suffered in a high school football game. Played at Eden Prairie, four-year contributor on the hockey team and one of the team’s most relied upon players in his final two seasons. Lead the team to a State Championship and was runner-up for Minnesota High School Player of the Year in the 2018-19 season.

 

McLaren committed to the University of Minnesota and played his way up to a bigger role with the team late in his freshman season, before leaving the team to declare himself eligible for the S75 VHL Draft. Has not looked out of place in a first-line role with the Marauders, displaying trademark physicality and skill, however his production has not been quite as expected. McLaren will look to remedy questions about long-term offensive upside in the second half of the VHLM season.

 

A late addition to the draft class that comes to the VHL with some uncertainty. He’s not a known name and he played against pretty weak competition for a long time, though he did dominate that competition in his junior and senior seasons. Small, feisty, talented kid - someone we will have to keep an eye on leading up to the draft for sure.

 

Strengths
-- Kid’s got a lethal shot on him. Needs to work on finding open ice to unleash it, but that should come. Not hard to see him scoring 30, 40 goals in the VHL one day.
-- Not afraid of anything. He protects himself and his teammates, he goes to dirty areas and he throws his weight around.
-- Surprisingly reliable two-way player, given his size deficiency. Works hard backchecking, gets in guys’ faces, and can use his strong skating to regain positioning if he loses his man.

 

Weaknesses
-- 5’7 155 is tiny and for a guy who’s only played a season past the high school level, he’s going to face more size as he moves up. How will he fare against bigger opponents? Right now he’s a bit too easily knocked off the puck, and he’ll always have a small frame.
-- No sugar-coating it, he’s dirty. He’ll hack and slash and get under an opponent’s skin but crosses the line sometimes, takes selfish penalties & spends a lot of time in the box.
-- He gets tunnel vision sometimes and will work himself into tight situations without any real options and it leads to turnovers. Not a terribly effective passer at this stage of his career.

 

- Brandon Janzen, VHL Scouting Service

Edited May 6, 2021 by tcookie

[fromtheinside 1,290]

yo that image is sick!! really nice job!