The Hockey Spy’s 2010 NHL Entry Draft Prospect Profile – Jaden Schwartz

Christopher Ralph is a sportswriter with a focus on hockey prospects, the entry draft, as well as occasional Flames coverage here at THW.

“Full Potential” Prospect Profile:

Please “Click Here” for “Notes Up Front” and the “Legend” for various topics covered below in my “Live Updated” NHL 2010 Draft Preview article.

Jaden Schwartz (Click on name for up- to- date stats)

Jaden Schwarz in the mold of: Brad Richards (Photo by WikiMedia)

Date of birth: June 25, 1992
Place of birth: Melfort, Sask., Canada
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180
Shoots: L

Position: C

NHL Status: Draft Eligible 2010

One-Timer:

While size maybe somewhat of an issue for USHL top prospect Jaden Schwarz, talent is certainly not.

NHL Central Scouting’s Jack Barzee sums it up nicely as he reported on NHL.com: “Some people may look at his size and consider it an issue. But I like to ask those same people, ‘How big were Scott Gomez and Joe Sakic in their draft years?’ Look how good they turned out.”

While I am not saying Jaden is the next Sakic, I do not think size will impair the Saskatchewan native’s ability to play and compete in the big leagues. He has tremendous offensive upside and plays bigger than his size in an effective manner.

He has committed to playing in the NCAA at Colorado College for next season, joining his older brother, Rylan.

By now, you might have heard the touching story of Jaden’s sister and her latest battle against leukemia. Here’s a feature article on

Scout’s Honor:

“I don’t think Jaden has changed his style of play since he was 14 or 15 years old. He’s very deceptive and shifty through the neutral zone and strong on the puck. It’s very hard to get the puck off his stick.”

NHL Central Scouting’s Jack Barzee

“Jaden is not afraid of the traffic areas. He is always around the puck, be it in front of the net or in the corners, couple that with a fierce competitive nature and great vision on the ice, he is a threat every time he is on the ice.”

– Tri-City Storm head coach and GM Drew Schoneck

Current Season:

2009-10:  In the not so high-scoring USHL this year, Schwartz won the scoring title with 83 points (33G – 50A) in 60 games, becoming the youngest player to turn the trick since 1982-83. It was also the highest point total posted since the Sabres Thomas Vanek in 2001-02. He was also named to the USHL First All-Star team and the Offensive Player of the Year.

Scouting Combine Performance:

  • 4th in Musculoskeletal: Curl-Ups (max #)

International Tournaments:

Playing mainly with major junior Canadians, Schwartz more than held his own in Slovakia at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, notching four points in four games, including two in the final against Russia.

ETA = 3-4 yrs

Risk-Reward Analysis: Risk = 2.5/5*   Reward = 4.25/5

NHL Potential: Scoring Forward

Strengths:

  • Tremendous hockey IQ
  • Great hockey vision
  • Playmaking skills; very accurate passer
  • Creative puckhandler
  • Great decision maker
  • Deceptive, elusive and quick skating ability
  • Compact and stocky build
  • Tough to knock of the puck
  • Fearless determination
  • Very effective on PP
  • Used in PK role as well
  • Good character off the ice; well liked by teammates

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:

  • Continue to train to increase strength and mass.
  • Improve skating, quickness and acceleration even more so which will be exponentially key to him to make up for size issue.

Fantasy Hockey Potential:  Offensive = 8.5/10   Defensive = 7/10

NHL Player(s) Comparison:

At his best:  Scott Gomez, Brad Richards

Video(s):

Interesting Notes:  (NHL.com)

“Schwartz led the league and broke the scoring record held by Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan with 39 goals and 111 points (39-72–111) in 44 games in Midget AAA in 2007-2008. Notre Dame is a private school program that has produced players such as Vincent Lecavalier, Rod Brind’Amour, Curtis Joseph and Wendel Clark.

Other Rankings:

CSB:  28-NA

ISS:  23

TSN:  29 {Bob MacKenzie}

McKeens:  22

THN:  30

THW:  21 (June  ’10) {Christopher Ralph }

*For all the latest prospect and draft news follow me on Twitter: The Hockey Spy

This document is the intellectual property of Christopher Ralph and cannot be used or duplicated in any way without expressed written consent. Any use of this document without the expressed written consent of Christopher Ralph will result in public exposure and legal prosecution.

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