Not so long ago the Leafs were known as a very fast team. The roster has been all but turned over since then and while they still have players that can turn on the burners, the loss of a few key roster players coupled with the additions of Reaves, Jarkrok, Tavares etc have brought the overall pace of the team down a notch or two. If they’d like to inject an element of speed into the lineup over the next couple of years then it could start at the draft table.
Jett Luchanko
Position: Centre
Shoots: Right
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 185lbs
Here come those key words that you love to hear about a prospect that your team just drafted. An engine that doesn’t quit, highly competitive, high end work ethic, tenacity, high end hockey IQ and if I were Brian Burke I could toss out another 15 or 20 buzz words until you get the point…. Jett Luchanko knows how to get after the puck and doesn’t stop skating.
With a sharp rise in the draft rankings this season, Luchanko has people predicting a team taking him late in the 1st round, whereas he was originally slated as a 2nd round pick. He’s a dog on a bone on the forecheck and backchecks just as hard. His defensive vision is a strong point and something that he uses well to cut off passing lanes, pick pockets and create turnovers before transitioning to offense quickly by use of his strong first few strides. He attacks the offensive zone with speed, forcing defenders to back up and give him space, which he then uses to find seams and distribute the puck to his teammates accurately. He’s a playmaker at heart, while the goals he does score are often done so directly in front of the blue paint. He’s no stranger to the dirty areas of the ice, where he willingly engages in puck battles. When he retrieves those pucks he uses his great edgework to get through traffic and once again looks to set up plays through quick give-and-go’s and constant movement. He works off of his teammates really well, but they have to be ready to receive passes and read plays quickly if they’re to have chemistry with him.
At 17 years old Jett has a lot of room to grow physically. He’ll need to add size and strength to be able to flourish at the NHL level but that will come with time and training. He isn’t dynamic, which is just another key word that means his hands need work, which is yet another way of saying he doesn’t beat defenders one-on-one often. While he does score goals in tight and isn’t afraid to go to the net, he doesn’t beat goalies from distance. If he can put some extra work into his hands and his shot he’ll go from a projected 2nd-3rd line two-way centre that used in all situations, to a potential 1C that can wear down opponents all over the ice through his speed and hard work.
I know playing the “NHL Comparable” game is a tough one, but Luchanko reminds me a lot of Philip Danault, as they both have a lot of the same strengths and criticisms in their draft years. Danault was selected #26 overall at the 2011 draft by the Chicago Blackhawks and was taken immediately after the Toronto Maple Leafs were finished selecting Tyler Biggs at #22 and Stuart Percy at #25. My hope here is that they don’t leave a future elite two-way centre on the floor if he’s the best player available. Luchanko, a London, Ontario native appears destined for the NHL, the only real question appears to be how high in the lineup he’ll play. His game is conducive to a bottom 6 energy player that is a top end penalty killer, as well as a #1-2 two-way centre that racks up a ton of assists and makes life miserable for his opponents. In the grand scheme of things that equals a high floor with an even higher ceiling.