Brayden Point – The Next Ones: 2014 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles

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Brayden Point THW Close-Up

Brayden Point (Stephen Simon/WHL)
Brayden Point (Stephen Simon/WHL)

Date of Birth: March 12, 1996
Place of Birth: Calgary, AB
Ht: 5’9” Wt: 161 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014

Brayden Point had a really good season.

After putting up 57 points for the Moose Jaw Warriors last season, the Calgary native exploded for 91 points this year. And, to be blunt, Moose Jaw was not good this year. He was the third-leading scorer for the entire draft-eligible WHL class, behind Sam Reinhart and Leon Draisaitl. And being in on 45% of Moose Jaw’s goals actually made him more crucial to his team’s success than either Reinhart (44.6%) or Draisaitl (43.2%).

Point plays a gritty, physical game. He’s an aggressive fore-checker and while he’s not a complete three-zone player yet, he’s no slouch. He’s got speed, determination and a great deal of offensive skill. He’s put up more points in the Canadian Hockey League over the past two years than all but the most elite prospects.

It’s an absolute shame that Point’s stature – 5’9″ and 160 pounds – will reduce him from being an absolute slam-dunk first round selection into being a really smart depth move a team makes in the second or third round. His size will make it tougher to translate his game to the NHL level, and he’ll need to add some muscle to insulate himself against playing a rough-and-tumble game against the giants in the NHL.

But the WHL isn’t exactly Munchkin Land when it comes to the size and skill of defenders, and Point’s done just fine so far.

Scout’s Honour:

“Point is a very good skater. He has good top end speed, very good acceleration and a quick first step. His agility and edgework are both very good, and his balance and strength on the puck is surprising for a player his size. He skates with a low centre of gravity and is very tough to take off the puck when he has it, and he can be gritty and win board battles due to this good balance. He plays bigger than his size as a result, throwing hits and being gritty in all three zones.”
–Ben Kerr, Last Word on Sports

“Undersized at 5-foot-9, Point’s scrappy skilled approach is one that has proven to be successful recently in the NHL, which will help his cause at the 2014 NHL Draft. His defensive awareness is excellent and he is the type of player who can be trusted in every situation. Offensively, Point sees the ice well and displays sneaky playmaking abilities. Size will be the main topic of discussion at drafts table for Brayden Point but outside of that, he’s got smarts, skill set and production to be a top 40 selection.”
–Brendan Ross, Dobber Prospects

Statistics:

Bio/Interview(s)/Link(s):

International Tournaments:

Point represented Team Pacific in the World Under-17 Challenge, winning silver. He played for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament, winning gold, and the U-18 World Championship, winning bronze. He was an alternate captain both times he wore the maple leaf.

ETA:

3-4 years

Risk-Reward Analysis:

Risk 2/5, Reward 4/5

NHL Potential:

Second or third line center.

Strengths:

  • Strong work ethic.
  • Good offensive instincts.
  • Plays with an edge.

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:

  • He’s not big. At all.
  • Defensive game isn’t quite as sharp as his offensive game.

Fantasy Hockey Potential:

Offensive 8.5/10, Defensive 7.5/10

NHL Player(s) Comparison:

A good comparable for Point may be Brian Gionta. He’s not big, but he plays bigger than he is.

When He’ll Go In June:

Point will likely go in the second or third round.