Hunter Warner — 2014 NHL Draft — The Next Ones

Hunter Warner THW Close-Up:

Date of birth: 9/21/1995

Place of birth: Eden Prairie, MN

Ht: 6’3″     Wt: 190 lbs

Shoots: Right

Position: D

NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014

Twitter: Hwarner16

THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): NR

Hunter Warner is a prospect from Eden Prairie that could very well be a draft steal in the later rounds (Katherine Matthews -- HSEliteHockey.com)
Hunter Warner is a prospect from Eden Prairie that could very well be a draft steal in the later rounds (Katherine Matthews — HSEliteHockey.com)

 

Other Rankings:

THW War Room Rankings (April): not ranked

ISS: not ranked

Future Considerations: not ranked

Craig Button: not ranked

CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 206

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Sometimes They Drift Downward

Sadly Hunter Warner was a victim of the old numbers game. He was traded from Waterloo to Fargo this year and though he did get some more ice time with Fargo. His 12 points in 43 games did not really turn too many heads. What may be encouraging was Warner still managed a solid 125 PIMS and was not afraid to get physical even with the top players in the league. His ability to drop the gloves has been well documented among the scouts.

The Minnesota State-Mankato commit still must work on puck pursuit and carrying the puck in the zone but Warner has a knack for playing well along the boards. There is no doubt that he can battle but Hunter Warner will have to learn to pick up the skating aspects of his game to make that jump into the college and then eventually professional levels.

Maybe the closer to home cooking will be a boon for the defenseman because there is talent but the body has to fill with an eye towards agility and skating/conditioning. His development in college will be vital as Hunter Warner is considered more of a long term project at this point. Remember, defensemen do take longer to develop and sometimes late bloomers can come out of nowhere. Warner could be that type of player.

Where Will He End Up In June:

Warner’s stock has fallen a bit but he could still go anywhere from the 5th to 7th round depending on a team’s needs.

Scout’s Honor:

Warner isn’t as good with the puck, but he’s one of the strongest players in high school hockey. It’s rare, if ever, that he loses a physical battle along the boards.” (December, 2012)

Chris Dilks — SB Nation

 

Warner’s got a great build as a defenseman that only spells high upside, but he’s not quite there yet. These next two campaigns in the MN-HS circuit will be big for him, and it should be fun to watch the 6’2 defenseman blossom before he heads to division one.”

Jasper Kozak-Miller — OverTheBoards

Statistics:

Bio/Interview(s)/Links:

TSR Scouting Report on Hunter Warner

The Fargo Force Show — Hunter Warner

ETA:

4-5 years

Risk/Reward Analysis:

Risk: 3.5/5   Reward: 1.5/5

NHL Potential:

5th or 6th defenseman with a very physical edge.

Strengths:

Physicality

Battling on the boards

Defensive instincts

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:

Work more on his defensive play

Must learn to carry puck through the zones

Growing into his body

Skating

Fantasy Hockey Potential:

Offensive: 3/10    Defensive: 7/10

NHL Player Comparison:

– NHL comparison: Anton Volchenkov

Video(s):


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