• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
NHL Entry Draft

Brett Leason – 2019 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

By Ryan Pike May 29th, 2019

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Brett Leason

Vancouver THW 2019 NHL Entry Draft Guide (Square)

2018-19 Team: Prince Albert Raiders (#27)
Date of Birth: April 30, 1999
Place of Birth: Calgary, Alberta
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 201 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 third-year eligible

Rankings

  • The Hockey Writers (Pike’s Picks): 28th (final)
  • Future Considerations: 32nd (Spring)
  • ISS: 24th (April)
  • Bob McKenzie: not in top 15 (April; draft lottery update)
  • Craig Button: 31st (March)

When the 2018-19 Western Hockey League season began, Prince Albert Raiders forward Brett Leason was likely hoping to impress National Hockey League clubs enough to earn a minor league contract. When the season ended, he had established himself as one of the top players in the entire league and a potential first round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Brett Leason Prince Albert Raiders
Brett Leason of the Prince Albert Raiders. (Robert Murray/WHL)

Leason’s path to the first round was a rare one. His 16-year-old season was spent entirely in midget. His 17-year-old season saw him eke out 18 points for the Tri-City Americans and him overlooked in the 2017 NHL Draft. His 18-year-old season saw him traded to the Raiders and up his production to 33 points. Based on that trajectory, modest expectations for his 19-year-old season were definitely warranted.

Up until this past campaign, Leason was looked upon by many WHL scouts as a promising player with a lot of good raw tools – a big frame, physical tools and pretty effective puck skills – who simply didn’t have the skating to really use those skills. During the 2018 off-season, he worked on his skating and that unleashed the rest of his game on the WHL. He nearly tripled his previous offensive output.

Related: Our Free NHL Draft Guide

The dilemma for NHL teams at the draft is pretty simple: has Leason hit his developmental peak? In 2018-19, his skating finally caught up to the rest of his game and led to an offensive outburst. Can his enhanced mobility lead to further development of other aspects of his game, or is he close to what he’s going to be as a pro?

If he has plateaued, or is close to it, he’s a big-bodied offensive-minded winger who has been a pretty dominant player in a strong junior circuit. If nothing else, he could develop into a pretty effective depth player, but potentially more if he can keep growing his game.

Brett Leason – NHL Draft Projection

Based on the consensus of the various draft rankings, Leason is likely to be selected late in the first round or early in the second round.

Quotables

“Incredibly, Leason’s 25 points in 22 playoff games was only second among 2019 draft prospects (Vancouver’s Bowen Byram was unreal), but it was also second in the league. Leason, the late bloomer, is strong, talented and big. Look for him in the first round this summer – and the Memorial Cup before that.” – Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News

“He’s big. He has reach. He’s smart. He’s great with the puck… And he found another gear (with his skating), and I think that’s been a key. Because he’s really fast now. And with the size and the skill-set of him, he’s tough to handle.” – Marc Habscheid, Prince Albert Raiders head coach (via Calgary Sun)

Strengths

  • Good hockey sense, particularly in the neutral and offensive zones.
  • Has a big frame and uses his size really effectively.
  • Really effective shooter and puck distributor.

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • His skating has improved but it could still stand to be a bit better, in terms of his first few steps being more effective.
  • Needs to round out his game with more attention to detail away from the puck.

Other 2019 NHL Draft Profiles

  • Kirby Dach
  • Dylan Cozens
  • Peyton Krebs

NHL Potential

Leason projects as a middle six winger. He likely doesn’t have the mobility (yet) to be a top six player, but there’s still room for him to develop. His playing style and frame somewhat resemble Alex Tuch.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 1/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense 8.5/10, Defense 7/10

Awards/Achievements

Leason represented Canada at the World Juniors. He was also named a WHL Conference First All-Star in the 2018-19 season.

Interview/Profile Links

  • The Hockey Writers
  • Global News
  • NHL.com

Videos

  • Tags
  • 2019 NHL Draft
  • Brett Leason
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 26th 4:05 PM
Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Coach Ralph Krueger is a Jack of All Trades

Jan 26th 3:55 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Cap Issues Look Less Problematic After 6 Games

Jan 26th 3:45 PM
Women's Hockey

Metropolitan Riveters Impress In Lake Placid With Undefeated Weekend

Jan 26th 3:25 PM
Column

Prospects News & Rumors: Kravtsov, Bracco & ECHL

Jan 26th 3:15 PM
Commentary

NHL Should Eliminate the Shootout & Finish Games With 3-on-3 Overtime

Jan 26th 3:05 PM
Editor's Choice

Senators’ Nick Paul Has Been the Biggest Surprise This Season

Jan 26th 3:02 PM
Archives

Top 3 All-Time Maple Leafs Goalies

Jan 26th 2:45 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche Need More from Their Depth

Jan 26th 1:55 PM
Anaheim Ducks

NHL Rumors: Blue Jackets, Jets, Ducks, Canadiens, More

Jan 26th 1:35 PM
Nashville Predators

Predators Need to Fix the Penalty Kill

Editor’s Picks
Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information