Jamieson Rees
2018-19 Team: Sarnia Sting (#39)
Date of Birth: February 26, 2001
Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ontario
Ht: 5’10” Wt: 171 lbs.
Position: C
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 23rd (among North American Skaters)
- Future Considerations: 75th
- Dobber Prospects: 41st
- Bob McKenzie: 43rd
- Craig Button: 68th
Size once played a much bigger role in the NHL, certainly more than it does today. That alone could benefit Sarnia Sting forward and NHL Draft prospect Jamieson Rees who stands at just five-foot-ten and 171 pounds. That said, he does have a number of interesting qualities.
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While his size can play against him at times, Rees plays as though he is much bigger on the ice. He’s hungry for the puck and often finds himself pushing with larger opponents along the boards. The young forward does stand his ground, however, and has an innate ability to come out of the tough areas with the puck.
His tenacity and determination often frustrates opposing players which adds to the effectiveness of his game. The 18-year-old center has a lot going for him as he looks ahead to the upcoming draft, but can develop into a better all around player if he focuses on some select areas of his game – including his offensive ability and just filling out when it comes to his frame.
Development will be key for this young man moving forward, so it’ll be interesting to see what team is willing to put in the work. Either way, he’ll likely hear his name called somewhere in the late-second round or early-third round when it’s all said and done.
Other THW Draft Profiles:
Jamieson Rees – NHL Draft Projection
He’s still a bit of a work in progress – a project of some kind – for whatever team decides to take him, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be an interesting pick if he manages to get called in the mid to late second round. That said, it won’t be a shocker if Rees finds himself as a respectable third-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft – some where in the 65th to 70th overall pick range.
Quotables
“At 5’10” Rees is a smaller pivot who will also need to add some bulk to his frame. Despite that, he has excellent lower body strength, and more importantly, knows how to use it to his advantage. He also plays with tenacity and rarely gets outworked. He uses that same tenacity in puck pursuit when the opposition has possession. And although he’s not a chirper, he does get under the opposition’s skin. Rees is also an excellent skater with excellent speed, both in his first steps and top speed. His edgework is second to none among his peers. He has an uncanny ability to shift on a dime, creating time and space. And he can make plays at top speed.” – Dominic Tiano/OHL Writers
“Rees is that kid who you might not have come to the rink to see, but you leave talking about.” – Mark Spector/Sportsnet
“His vision, his creativity that we saw before we drafted him shone through as a rookie. Every game there’d be two or three different little plays that he would make or things you would see when he had the puck on his stick. Things the staff would talk about after and the fans would notice and say ‘there’s something special about this kid.’” – Nick Sinclair/Sarnia Sting general manager
Strengths
- Puck control
- Tenacity
- Determination
- Character player
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Size
- Filling out his frame
- Offensive presence
NHL Potential
For now, Rees is looking at a potential third line spot when he carves his place in the NHL. His size could play against him slightly, but he makes up for it with his ability to get into the grimy areas. He’s a Brendan Gallagher-type player that can get under the skin of his opponents, but with a slightly lower offensive output – at least for now. If he can develop a little bit in the offensive zone, he could find himself as a second to third-line player down the stretch.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3.5/5 | Reward – 3.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence – 6/10 | Defence – 7.5/10
Awards/Achievements
In 2016-17, Rees was named to the OHL Cup All-Star Team while playing for Mississauga. His team went on to win the OHL Cup that year with him contributing 11 points in eight games during the tournament. From there, his achievements grew. This season, he was a member of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup championship team and won a gold medal at the Hlinka Memorial tournament with Canada.
Interview/Profile Links
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