Phoenix Dawson Scouting Report

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Rising from the Crumbs -- Phoenix Dawson Scouting Report

 

Phoenix Dawson on draft day as a proud selection for the Miami Marauders

 

Miami, FL — The season has barely begun in the VHLM but VHL scouts are already paying close attention to each player and Phoenix Dawson of Miami is someone that is steadily climbing the S76 rankings. As the 77th-overall pick in the Dispersal Draft and the latest prospect of the Toast Player Agency, not much was anticipated for this player. Through steady practice and a commitment to being one of the best prospects on the board come draft night, it

 

PROS 
Skating - One of the fundamentals in hockey is not lost on Phoenix. Struggling through his junior years, Dawson took on private coaching to make sure that his skating got to the point where he could compete professionally. While it is not yet at the point that you would expect from a VHL player, the fact that Dawson continues to get better by the game it seems leads us to believe that we are witnessing the start of possibly one of the better skaters seen in the game (no bias).

 

Two-way game - With a reasonable build at 6’1” and 215 pounds, Dawson is a player you can be confident in at the circle. Not someone who can be pushed around, Phoenix is someone who Miami has been relying on to control the puck and someone who isn’t making many mistakes. Certain to help the defense, opposing teams are having a hard time against Dawson and it is showing. Through 13 games in his rookie VHLM season, Dawson is tied for the +/- lead in Miami with +13 and leads all forwards so far.

 

CONS
Pass-first game - The dreaded words for any VHL GM. Through VHL history it has been clear that player who focus on their shooting are the ones that put up some great points. Dawson has been on record multiple times saying that his goal is to always be a pass-first player who wants to find the sticks of teammate’s who are certain to hit the back of the netting. This means that Dawson’s shooting can clearly use some work if he wants to be a scorer in the pros but his overall game certainly seems to be something that teams are watching. Being a steady force in his own zone with a high level of patience in the offensive zone, Dawson may develop into a top-tier playmaker or may fall flat without strong support around him. It’s hard to predict.

 

This player has shown a deep level of dedication early and may be one of the top prospects come draft night. The one thing that has scouts worried still is if this is just a spark of development that will become nothing, or will this be the start of a new era for the Toast Player Agency?