Martin Kokes THW Close Up:
Date of birth: 06/13/1995
Place of birth: Most, Czech Republic
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 190 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2013
THW Rankings: not ranked
Other Rankings:
Click here for Notes Up Front for various topics covered below in the live updated NHL 2013 Entry Draft Guide – The Next Ones home page – your quintessential draft resource.
Kokes currently looks like a player who is on the cusp of being picked or not being picked in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. His stock has arguably dropped during the 2012-13 season and he is now the type of player who could get over-looked.
Still, there are more than a few reasons to quite like the look of a project, who is only 17 and doesn’t turn 18 till June 13. He finished with a +27 in 33 games for HC Litvinov’s U-20 junior team in 2012-13. During that time he also tallied 16 points, which was better offensive production than has been customary from the stay-at-home blue liner.
There’s little doubt that Kokes has a lot of work to do in terms of learning how to use his body and growing into his frame. His transition game is scrappy even for the standard he has been playing so far and like most young blue liners, he has work to do in terms of learning the defensive nuances of the game.
However, this is a player who scouts and GMs shouldn’t overlook when deciding how to spend their last round draft pick. He is widely regarded as a hard-working, competitive and mature young player, who has a pretty good understanding of the game. Kokes’ internationally showings are a pretty good indication of his talent and positive words on his intangibles bode pretty well too.
A seventh round draft pick spent on Kokes might just turn into a pretty useful depth contributor on an NHL roster. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him enjoy an NHL career like Greg Zanon, who has played for several years as a lower pair blue liner on several teams.
Scout’s Honor:
‘A defensive defenseman who plays a smart, mature game in his national junior league, Kokes is one of the players to watch for the Czechs at the WJAC.’
Ryan Kennedy – The Hockey News
Statistics:
International Tournaments:
-Kokes picked up 12 PIMs in four matches in the 2012-13 U-19 WJAC.
-He is also representing Czech Republic in the U-18 WJC, where he is playing an important role.
ETA = 4-5 years
Risk-Reward Analysis: Risk = 3/5 Reward = 3/5
Strengths:
Hockey smarts
Competitiveness
Defensive instincts
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
First pass
Strength/conditioning
Fantasy Hockey Potential: Offensive: 2/10 Defensive 6/10
NHL Player Comparison:
Greg Zanon
Follow Sebastian Egerton-Read on twitter @SebEread
THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
