Shane Gersich THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 7/10/1996
Place of birth: Chaska, Minnesota
Ht: 5’11” Wt: 174 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: F
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: @shane_gersich9
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): 102
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): 131
Craig Button: not ranked
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 132
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A former #1 overall pick of the USHL, Gersich had a lot of weight on his shoulders and didn’t reach the expectations many placed on him. That doesn’t mean he won’t ever reach his potential, it’s just that it will take a bit longer than expected. In fact, he has shown some nice offensive flair this season with the NTDP.
Gersich can bolt around the ice with immense speed and quickness. A shorter player, he has some of the best agility I’ve seen and rarely loses momentum in his turns. In the offensive zone, Gersich is a scoring threat when he has possession of the puck. Even for his size, he doesn’t mind driving the net or getting creative in tight.
His speed lends him to be a great forechecker and backchecker as well. Gersich developed his defensive game quite nicely with the NTDP season this year, but could stand to buffer it a bit more when he goes to North Dakota. He’s a key face-off man when called upon.
There are a lot of positive aspects to like about Gersich’s game. He will need to be able to hone his skills with the Fighting Sioux, but has potential to be a offensive forward in the NHL.
Where Will He End Up In June:
Gersich will fall to the mid-to-late rounds of the draft – likely in the 4th, 5th, or 6th round.
Scout’s Honor:
“Gersich is a game breaking talent with incredible speed, agility and first step quickness. He needs just three steps and he is gone and uses his speed as he looks to take the puck wide and beat defenders to the outside. He also displays a strong shot that absolutely jumps off his stick in the blink of an eye. (August 2013)“
Aaron Vickers – Future Considerations
“After making the jump from high school to the NTDP this year, Gersich’s season ebbed and flowed, which can be pretty typical as a player builds strength. There’s no question he has some serious skill, though, and he should thrive on the bigger ice surfaces in Finland. With good speed and quickness, he has really good offensive-zone sense and vision to find plays. He put up 32 points in 54 games and will need to bring scoring depth to Team USA. Gersich will look to bring home some gold to compare with the one his uncle Neal Broten won in Lake Placid.“
Chris Peters – United States of Hockey
Statistics:
International Tournaments:
Gersich played for the States in the U18 WJC and the Youth Olympic Games. He won a gold medal in the World Junior Championships.
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
Interview with Hockey’s Future after winning gold
ETA:
4-5 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 2.5/5 Reward: 3.5/5
NHL Potential:
2nd or 3rd line scoring forward
Strengths:
Wrist shot
Face-offs
Speed
Agility
Backcheck
Forecheck
Offensive instincts
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Rounding out his defensive game
Getting stronger
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 6.5/10 Defensive: 4/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: Mason Raymond
Videos:
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
