Ryan MacInnis THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 2/14/1996
Place of birth: St. Louis, Missouri
Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 185 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: C
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: @Macinnis72
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): 45
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): 32
Future Considerations: Not ranked
Craig Button: 33
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 20
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Another prospect who’s father had a great NHL career, Ryan MacInnis did not follow in his father’s footsteps of becoming a defenseman. Instead, the St. Louis-native tried his luck at forward and has done admirably. He forewent an opportunity to play one more year with the USNTDP. Instead he chose to go to the OHL where he’s had a few growing pains with the Kitchener Rangers.
While many expected him to produce at a high rate this season, MacInnis was rather underwhelming scoring 37 points in 66 games. However, many scouts aren’t worried quite yet. The first season for a 17-year old can be a daunting task for any newcomer to the OHL. Results usually get better after they’ve had a season under their belt. Ryan has a lot of room to grow, in his game and his body.
He’s a rangy center standing 6’4″. He’s not close to having filled out his frame. A great face-off man, MacInnis relies mostly on his positioning to be an effective center. He’s got an above average wrist shot. Most of his goals come right around the crease where he likes to camp to block the vision of goalies.
A drawback is his skating, which he could use some work on. It’s a bit choppy and he doesn’t have the greatest acceleration. For such a big player, having a more powerful stride will help take MacInnis to the next level.
Overall, he’s a project that shouldn’t be rushed. If all goes well, and MacInnis can reach his potential, he’ll be a fine center in the NHL.
Where Will He End Up In June:
MacInnis will need a few more years to develop and will likely be an early-to-mid 2nd round pick.
Scout’s Honor:
“MacInnis has a tall, lanky build but has some good potential to add strength. His speed currently lacks burst but his skating does have some upside. He’s an instinctual player who uses solid positioning to remain in the offensive play and has a heavy shot but needs to work on his release and accuracy. (August 2013)”
Aaron Vickers – Future Considerations
“Tall lanky centre forward who, at this point, is a projected second or third rounder based on bloodlines and potential. He is Al Macinnis’ son. Displays all the tools to be a possible dominating player, but have shown little consistency in his efforts. His size and skill make his an intriguing option show could solidify his grade with better efforts.”
Bill Placzek – Draftsite.com
Statistics:
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
Interview with THW’s Ryan Pike
Profile from Last Word On Sports
International Tournaments:
MacInnis has played for Team USA twice, winning a bronze medal at the U17 World Hockey Championships.
ETA:
3-4 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 3/5 Reward: 4/5
NHL Potential:
2nd or 3rd line center
Strengths:
Face-offs
Getting to the dirty areas and preventing goalies from seeing point shots
Hockey sense
Wrist shot
Long reach
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Add strength
Work on his acceleration, edgework, and speed
Consistency on offense and defense
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 7/10 Defensive: 3/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: Jamie Benn
Video(s):
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
Follow Shawn on Twitter: @ShawnTHW
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