It ‘s another one of those prospects that has seen a slow rise in growth, with people starting to notice a 6’5 “pillar playing as if it were a small attacking rearguard. I’ve interviewed a lot of candidates during my time here at CanucksArmy and my conversation with Pickering may have been my all-time favorite. He is a good Manitoba kid who loves to be mentioned every second as a possible first round pick. Advertising – Continue reading below Episode 263 “Predictions for the Canucks’ offseason” ft. Owen Pickering The kids talk about what they expect from Miller, Boeser and Horvat and are accompanied for a great interview by top NHL draft contender Owen Pickering (6’5 “defender who can skate!) – Canucks Conversation Podcast (@CanucksConvo) May 17, 2022 Pickering learned to play hockey as a small defender, so when he paid for it, he transferred those characteristics to being a strong player. It happens to be now 6’5 “and dominates almost everyone.
Size, position, group and statistics
As we have already mentioned many times, Pickering enters at 6’5., Weighs about 180 pounds and is a defender with a left shot. He spent last season with the WHL Swift Current Broncos. It was the second important season for Pickering for the youngsters, after his turn to start 23 games with the Broncos in 2020-21. Last year, Pickering took a big step forward in aggressive production. He finished the year with nine goals and 24 assists in 67 games and was also given the opportunity to play for Canada’s U18 team, in which he backed an elite power-play team and was believed to be the backbone of Canada. Advertising – Continue reading below
Classification
Strong points
The ranking is everywhere on the map with Pickering, as some of the scouting shops have him as a second round option, but reliable sources such as Elite Prospects, Dobber Prospects and Craig Button see him as a talent of the top 20 in the draft. There is so much raw talent in his game that it makes us believe that there is an incredibly high ceiling for Pickering. We could look at a great top-pair defender if Pickering develops properly and continues to improve his game at a similar pace to the jumps he has made in the last two seasons. Pickering is a reliable defender whose greatest strength is probably his ability to chase dump-ins and ice skating to start a breakout. He uses his size and the opening of his wings to remove the front controls, he always looks so calm under the pressure of a front control. We loved the Pickering game throughout the U18 World Championship. He played over 26 minutes per game and assisted in Canada’s power play and penalty kicks. He developed confidence as the tournament continued and was physically fit when needed. Seeing Pickering defend without panic is very promising for him, as he will be forced to make even faster decisions once he reaches the next level. The pressure does not seem to catch him and this feature is great to see in someone who already has raw talent. Advertising – Continue reading below We also thought a lot about Pickering’s intelligence when jumping into offensive games. Stably recognizes when he can be the third player in a three-on-two rush. Once in the offensive zone, Pickering wants to sneak down and put his hands on a loose sponge on the left side of the net at five against five and on the right during power games.
Notes from the cassette
Lifting the elf on the ice is an attraction. There is something in the low view of the ice camera of his house that makes him look like a giant skater in the neutral zone. We really like how Pickering chases a dump-in and is able to calmly pick up the elf, gain some momentum as he circles his own net and then explodes into the neutral zone with possession. He is more of a defensive type with firsts, but we saw a few more passes outside his own zone in the U18s. Pickering is truly a defender for all uses. He has attack in his game, but he is also strong and active in the defensive zone and can carry the elf with the best of them. Pickering gets bolts back so fast and almost always makes smart decisions as he chases elves into corners.
Pickering will shoot the elf from anywhere on the ice, and he likes to do it often. He averaged 1.94 shots per game this season, usually leaning towards shooting from the left side of the ice (although he was often a one-year option on the right half wall for the Broncos last season). He is unlikely to become a half-wall guy in the NHL – he is more likely to be used on top with his powerful shot. Having Pickering have repetitions on the right half wall is good practice for him, as it puts him deeper offensively and allows him to work on his one timer. Defensively, Pickering does a good job of using his length and cleverness to anticipate and disrupt goal opportunities. Pickering can come out quickly in a shooter from the in-tight to the chin. It also does a good job of predicting where goal opportunities come from. We really like Pickering in the penalty shootout, as I felt he was always able to close two passing lanes and then be able to block a shot if needed. His approach perfectly complements his skills and he uses it well. You want to see Pickering look more physically fit, but the child is coming out of a big growth spurt that caused knee pain. He is very light for a 6’5 τικό defender and probably adds 20-35 pounds before reaching the NHL. He pushes and leans on players, but at his height, you would think he would do more damage. He will become a more formidable defender with some extra weight in his frame.
Best moments
Rate if Canucks draft at 15: B +
No one is really sure where Pickering will go in this year’s draft. A team can love him and make a swing in a great defender, as Steve Yzerman did with Moritz Seider. It is clear that Pickering has terrible instincts when it comes to playing hockey. His development certainly helps, but it seems that it takes another two years to really understand his gait in skating. He is already in the neutral zone at a good pace and if he can do well with a skating coach, Pickering could end up being a monster in the WHL next season as well as being an influential player on Canada’s World Junior team under 18 – time in December. Pickering will be eligible to play in each of the next two World Junior tournaments. He could very easily be the best Canadian defender at the 2024 WJC and could end up showing some of the dominance we saw from Thomas Chabot in his final year with the U-20 Team Canada. Advertising – Continue reading below However, you are taking a risk with Pickering and this may not be the path the Canucks want to take. To go with Pickering at 15, you have to feel extremely passionate about the evolution of the next two years. You should probably also see Denton Mateychuk, Simon Nemec, David Jiricek and Pavel Mintyukov already off the board, as they are the four defenders who appear to be at the top of Pickering. We really like the look of Pickering. He has all the tools to be a top-level defender, but his game is so raw that you need to be sure of your development team to make sure they can make the most of it. He can be effective in five against five and contributes to both the penalty and the power play. There is so much to love about Pickering, but you need to make sure you can develop it properly. We learned a lot about him as a person in Episode 263 of the Canucks Conversation podcast and we are sure he is willing to do the job. The Canucks and their new development team will have to be all over Pickering to make sure it takes all the right steps. If you end up winning the ultimate best from Owen Pickering, you might add the best all-around defender in this entire draft category. More from CanucksArmy: Advertising – Continue reading below
