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Carl Maloney The Hockey Writers

Published on Thursday, May 14, 2015

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Travis Konecny – The Next Ones: 2015 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Travis Konecny THW Close-Up:

Team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

Birthdate: March 11, 1997

Hometown: Clachan, ON

Height: 5’10”  Weight: 177lbs 

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

NHL Draft Eligibility: 2015 first year eligible

Travis Konecny

Travis Konecny: CHL Top Prospects game MVP (Photo: OHL Images)

THW Ranking: 9th

Other Rankings:

TSN – 15th

Top Shelf Prospects – 13th

NHL CS (North America) – 14th

ISS – 12th

***

Travis Konecny is a former first overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection draft. With that obviously comes a great deal of pressure and scrutiny. Konecny hasn’t shied away from it and has met those expectations. While he may not have brought the 67’s back to playoff glory right away, his time in the OHL has certainly been a success.

He has amassed 138 points in 123 OHL games and more importantly has shown himself to be a versatile and well-rounded player. He has speed to burn, he can score and plays a 200 foot game. He also brings intangibles to the table, being named team captain in just his second year as a 17 year old as well as Canada at the U18 Championships.

He also showed his worth at the CHL Top Prospects game earning MVP honours playing alongside Connor McDavid and Timo Meier, on a line that was by far the most dominant in that game.

Scouts Honour:

“A talented scoring forward that can play either as a center or on the wing; plays with the bite and intensity of a guy who is willing to do anything to win a game. Possesses dynamic skating ability that allows him to accelerate rapidly with each step, incredible hockey sense, electrifying puckhandling skills, and a lightning release on his shot; when you put this skillset together with hard-nosed determination, proactiveness in all three zones, and a physical willingness to grind and persevere, you get a game-changer who can be extremely difficult to play against.”

–Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects

“Travis Konecny has excellent speed, and tremendous acceleration. He utilizes it both on the rush, and to be a cannonball on the forecheck. He has good balance and is strong on his skates.  This helps him to to grind in the corners, work in the cycle game, or fight through checks to get to the front of the net.  Konecny has strong agility and combines that with his great stickhandling to elude defenders and create plays.  His speed must be respected as he can take a defender wide and cut to the net.  This gives him the ability to slow up quickly and create shooting or passing lanes. Add to this great vision and passing ability and Konecny is the type of player who can make his linemates better. He also has a strong wrist shot and a good release. The good stickhandling and soft hands also come in handy for Konecny when he gets close to the net, as he can beat goalies in close, or can tip in shots, or pounce quickly on rebounds. He has the versatility to play centre, right wing, and even play the point on the powerplay at times.”

–Last Word on Sports

“Quick and spirited scoring forward, Konecny projects as a top six sniper who can play anywhere in the top nine. Despite being undersized, he plays with good physicality and won’t back down from highly contested areas. Konecny’s playing style resembles a player like Phil Kessel in the way that he can unleash a shot in mid-stride.”

–Brendan Ross, Dobber Prospects

Where He’ll End Up in June:

Konecny will be a first round pick on draft day, although there is considerable debate on where. Very likely in the 10-15 range.

Statistics:

Interviews:

International Tournaments:

  • 2014 – Canada (Ontario) – U17 World Hockey Challenge
  • 2014 – Canada – U18 Championships
  • 2015 – Canada – U18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament

NHL ETA:

  • 2-3 years

Risk/Reward Analysis:

  • Risk 3/5  Reward 4/5

NHL potential:

  • Top six two way forward

Strengths:

  • Skating
  • Acceleration
  • Compete level
  • Forechecking
  • Quick Release
  • Stickhandling
  • Versatility
  • Leadership

Flaws/Aspects He Needs to Work On:

  • Strength
  • Consistency
  • Continue to hone defensive game

Fantasy Potential:

Offensive: 8/10

Defensive: 7/10

NHL Comparable:

Due to his speed and two way game he has drawn comparisons to Zach Parise, although it may be a stretch to predict he will reach Parise’s offensive production.

____________________________

THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph


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