Welcome to OilersNation’s 2021 Draft Countdown, powered by FCHockey.
Over the next few weeks leading up to the draft, we’ll be rounding up scouting reports, quotes, and videos about the Top-100 prospects available. Here are aggregated profiles on Conner Roulette, Tyson Kozak, Manix Landry, David Gucciardi, and Zach Biggar.
No. 95: Conner Roulette
Date of Birth: May 13, 2003
Nation: Canada
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 161 lbs
“Results seem to follow him offensively wherever he goes, but I’m blatantly concerned about the projection of Roullette’s game on his current development path. Watching clips from the last calendar year I see a lot of positives in how he is able to create offensive sequences using high-end awareness and by improving the impact of his first touch. His off-puck game is quite strong and he blends quite well and tries to hide between checks as much as possible, but feel he must cheat to get space to create. His skating is still noticeably a detrimental area of his game that hasn’t come a long way and he lacks the explosiveness and stride recovery to make efficient gains in small areas unless he’s identified an area to exploit.” – Justin Froese, FCHockey
No. 94: Tyson Kozak
Date of Birth: December 29, 2002
Nation: Canada
Position: Centre
Shoots: Left
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 160 lbs
“Kozak is a defense-first center who uses his skating and awareness to tilt the ice and create possession for his team. His hands, however, limit his ability to help on the offensive side. He showed his coach’s trust in his defensive abilities by being matched up against Spokane’s top line as well as being given significant time on the penalty kill. He rewarded his coach by forcing several turnovers, usually by reading the play and attacking with his stick to steal the puck, then using his plus speed to start the attack. He used these same traits as the primary forechecker and caused havoc for Spokane’s breakout. In the offensive zone, Kozak usually defers to his linemates and parks himself in front of the net, but when given space can successfully facilitate the puck. When pressured, or in tight spaces he had trouble making plays, and is an area of growth for him. Kozak will be a guy that earns his ice time with his play in his own zone, but for now it looks like his lack of natural offensive talent will limit his upside at higher levels to be anything beyond a checking line center.” – Kurt Pohs, FCHockey
No. 93: Manix Landry
Date of Birth: November 23, 2002
Nation: Canada
Position: Centre
Shoots: Left
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 178 lbs
“Landry is a relentless worker who has some decent passing skills. In the games I watched from him, his high compete level and intensity were always very noticeable. He is very consistent in his effort in both forechecks and backchecks, and he is not scared to crash the net with speed. Along with his high compete level, I also felt like he is a good puck mover. He can make the easy passes on breakouts and zone entries, and, at times, complete nice and dangerous passes to high danger spots in the offensive zone with both his backhand and forehand. I would love to see him use his playmaking skills even more, because, in the games I watched, he was not dangerous and did not create scoring chances enough. I did not see him get the puck in high danger spots on the ice consistently, whether it be with a pass or with a nice use of his skating and hands, which makes me question his hockey IQ and his creativity.” – Theo Lambert, FCHockey
No. 92: David Gucciardi
Date of Birth: October 9, 2002
Nation: Canada
Position: Defence
Shoots: Left
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180 lbs
“Gucciardi is a skilled two-way defenceman who showed his flair for the offensive in this game. His creativity with the puck enabled him to be an excellent offensive force for Waterloo in this game. Gucciardi flashed his excellent puck control and vision in this game with a number of drives from the blue line to the slot for a scoring chance. He can find skating lanes. and passing seems with relative ease all over the ice and showed an ability to dictate the game from wherever he was on the ice. His stick placement with the puck allows him to make quick easy movements and change his routes into open ice when he comes under pressure. It’s this ability to escape pressure that makes Gucciardi so impressive on the puck. He does this in a very poised and calm manner, rarely rushing his decisions and executing plays with great precision.” – Dylan Galloway, FCHockey
No. 91: Zach Biggar
Date of Birth: March 1, 2003
Nation: Canada
Position: Defence
Shoots: Left
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 178 lbs
“While I came into this game mainly looking at Cole Huckins and Riley Kidney, I came away most impressed by Biggar. The rookie defender played a ton in this game, and deservedly so. The defender excels in his own end, arguably the best on his team. He sticks on his man like glue, matching their movements to maintain his gap or to force them to the sides. He pushes attackers into the boards or into the corners. His surveying of the defensive end makes it seem like he’s a pro. On one play, he was battling his man in the corner when support arrived. He noticed it was his partner and went to the front of the net to erase the open ice.” – Josh Bell, FC Hockey