Ondrej Molnar
2022-23 Team: Erie Otters (OHL)
Date of Birth: Feb 8, 2005
Place of Birth: Nitra, Slovakia
Ht: 6-foot-0 Wt: 174 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Left-Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2023 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 129th (amongst NA skaters)
- Draft Prospects Hockey: 40th
- FC Hockey: 66th
- TSN/Bob McKenzie: 68th
- McKeen’s Hockey 122nd
Ondrej Molnar joined the Erie Otters near the halfway mark of the 2022-23 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season after starting the season playing professionally with HK Nitra in Tipos Extraliga, the top Slovak league. At 6-foot-0 and 176 pounds, he has an NHL-size frame he can build upon. Despite only scoring five points in 22 games with HK Nitra, that size helped him to compete against men, and make him competitive in the OHL.
Related: THW’s 2023 NHL Draft Guide
He has no elite part to his game; however, his skating is well above-average, and projects to be that as well at the NHL level. He has a good first step, excellent overall speed, and an ability to use his edges to move laterally at speed, making him hard to defend, but also difficult to escape from. Defensively, he is a highly reliable player and can play on a top penalty-killing (PK) unit. He has good defensive positioning; excellent stick positioning and his hockey IQ allows him to anticipate plays. Another aspect of his game is his high motor. Molnar brings intensity to every shift. He is a fierce competitor along the boards, he doesn’t use his size to win battles but his positioning and competitive nature.
Molnar is consistently the first forward into the offensive zone, making him a highly effective forechecker. His speed allows him to pressure defenders and force turnovers, from there, he plays well on the cycle and consistently gets pucks to the net either by passing, or skating directly in off the half-wall. Offensively, he is capable of being the puck carrier for his line, using his ability to push the pace whenever he controls the puck. He doesn’t panic when under pressure, as he seems comfortable in any situation. He has a hard shot but needs to work on adding a quicker release to be effective at the next level. His overall offensive vision is lacking as he doesn’t use his tools to create openings, but this can be worked on as he develops.
Molnar is a speedy, hard-working forward that plays with pace and intensity. His two-way abilities allow him to be a threat in all three zones. While his offensive vision and production can be improved upon at even strength, he is highly capable on the PK and the power play. This makes him a highly versatile player that coaches love to have on their roster.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Ondrej Molnar – NHL Draft Projection
Molnar’s skating and competitive nature will have him selected early on Day 2 of the draft. He is a reliable defensive player and has a style that should translate well into the professional ranks. Those attributes make him a safe player to select as he has a bottom-six energy forward floor. He will likely be called down to a draft table in the third or fourth round. He will need a full season in the OHL and possibly a year or two in the minor leagues to polish his game before entering the NHL.
Quotables
“His effort level and intensity stick out as his most important tools to having a successful professional career.”
– Sasha Lagarde, Dobber Prospects
“We are very excited to officially welcome Ondrej to Erie. Ondrej brings skill and speed, and has both professional and international experience. We look forward to working with him, and assisting in his continued development.”
– Scott Grieve, Erie Otters Director of Hockey Operations
Strengths
- Skating
- Work ethic
- Competitive nature
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Strength
- Playmaking
NHL Potential
Molnar has the potential to become a regular contributor on an NHL roster as a middle-six forward. He will need more time to acclimatize himself to the North American style and rink size. His work ethic, intensity, and skating skills set him up as a highly versatile player that can fill in on both the power play and PK.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3/5, Reward – 2/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 4/10, Defense – 7/10
Ondrej Molnar Statistics
