2020 NHL Draft prospect profile: Jamie Drysdale scouting report
By Kyle Pereira
Jamie Drysdale should be one of the first defensemen to hear his name at the 2020 NHL Draft.
The 2020 NHL draft is stock-piled with high-end talent. Each week, I will attempt to give you at least one scouting report on all the prospects you need to know! I’ve previously written deep-dives on Alexis Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield, Lucas Raymond, Cole Perfetti, Anton Lundell, Alexander Holtz, Tim Stutzle, Noel Gunler, and Marco Rossi. Today, I will be looking at defenseman Jamie Drysdale.
Before I begin, for those that don’t know, here’s how these scouting reports go. First, I will begin with some general background information and statistics from that player. Then, I will break down the player’s tendencies, habits, and roles on special teams.
Following that up, I will break down the positives and negatives in the prospects’ game. Finally, I will look at what I feel is the potential of that player, as well as his NHL-readiness.
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Background
Drysdale, born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on April 8th, 2002, is a 17-year-old defenceman for the Erie Otters of the OHL. The right-handed blueliner stands at 5’11 and 170 pounds.
He has been ranked 7th by HockeyProspect.com, 6th by Future Considerations and McKeen’s Hockey, 5th by ISS Hockey, and 4th by Elite Prospects.
In his first season of play in the OHL in the 2018-19 year, Drysdale put on display his offensive capabilities. In 63 games that year, he recorded 7 goals and 33 assists for 40 points.
However, Drysdale did show his flaws in the defensive end, finishing with a +/- of -24. He was invited to play for Canada Black in the U-17 World Hockey Championships, where he was named the Captain. Drysdale recorded 4 assists in 5 games, for a decent performance in his first true taste of international play. He was then invited to play for Team Canada’s U-18 World Junior Championship team, where he played 7 games and recorded 2 points.
In his second season of junior hockey in the OHL, Drysdale took his talent to the next level, establishing himself as the top-ranked defenceman in the 2020 NHL Draft. He was named the assistant captain of the Erie Otters and, thus far, has played 40 games recording at a point per game pace.
So far this season, Drysdale has scored 7 goals and 33 assists for 40 points, matching last season’s output in 23 fewer games. Not only that, but he is now a plus player, recording a +10 plus-minus rating. He was invited to play in the U-20 World Junior Championships with Team Canada. He recorded 1 goal and 3 points in 7 games.
His point production from the back end, not to mention how effective he can be while moving the puck up ice makes some GM’s mouths water. Add to that his improvement in the defensive end and his leadership abilities, and you have the top-ranked defender in the upcoming draft.