Tristan Lennox – 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Tristan Lennox

2020-21 Team: Saginaw Spirit
Date of Birth: Oct. 21, 2002
Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario
Ht: 6-foot-4, Wt: 190 pounds
Catches: Left
Position: G
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible

Rankings

Undoubtedly a name to keep an eye on during the 2021 NHL Draft, Tristan Lennox is a classic case of someone possessing the raw talent to become a bona fide NHL starter, but is in need of some development and guidance to help him get there.

Related: THW 2021 NHL Draft Guide

Standing 6-foot-4, Lennox’s size is a significant asset for him between the pipes, as it complements his positioning and puck tracking abilities. A noted puck handler, his aggressive style effectively contrasts his calmness under pressure, as Lennox typically remains poised against opposing rushes. It’s common knowledge by now that size in goaltenders has become more and more of a priority amongst NHL teams, and Lennox certainly provides it.

With his large frame, Lennox has the ability to see over traffic, allowing him to control rebounds and read shots effectively. Possessing excellent lateral movement, Lennox is able to get to shots in-tight quicker than most and his athleticism, despite being a bigger goalie, aids in challenging shooters off the rush.

Tristan Lennox, Saginaw Spirit
Tristan Lennox, Saginaw Spirit (Photo Credit: Eric Young, Dream Bigger Media)

While also using his aggressiveness to his advantage, Lennox’s play with the puck can, at times, bring more harm than good. While he undoubtedly possesses the raw skills needed to become an everyday NHL starter, his positioning and technical ability have been called into question, as he relies heavily on his size and athleticism rather than his technique to read shots. With the top part of the net being a noted weak spot for the Mississauga native, Lennox still has the luxury of reaching high shots while still in his crouch, but it is worth noting that his positioning and reaction time can stand to be improved.

Being one of the many players victimized by the cancellation of the 2020-21 OHL season, we did not see Lennox hit the ice this past year. He briefly signed with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies back in February, as his late birthday made him ineligible for the 2020 NHL Draft yet still old enough for the AHL, but he never played a game.

Still, Lennox has had plenty of opportunities to succeed, despite the cancellation of the latest OHL season. At the 2019-20 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Lennox went 3-0-0 with an outstanding 0.95 GAA and a sparkling .951 SV%. With that being said, Lennox struggled during the 2019-20 OHL campaign, posting a pedestrian 3.63 GAA and a disappointing .876 SV% while splitting time with Michael Frappier between the pipes.

While still playing to a 20-8-3 record, a lot of that can be attributed to the talented Saginaw team in front of him rather than his own goaltending capabilities. Lennox was cut from Canada’s World Junior Team this past winter so we didn’t really get to see him rebound from his subpar 2019-20 season, and it’ll be interesting to see which team ends up giving him a shot.

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Tristan Lennox – 2021 NHL Draft Projection

Given what we know about Lennox’s potential and the fact that he’s ranked as the third-best North American goaltender, it’s safe to say that we won’t have to wait long before we hear his name being called on draft day. While some rankings, like those from TSN’s Bob McKenzie and McKeen’s Hockey, put Lennox outside of the top 70, I, for one, see the young netminder being taken a little earlier than that, which would roughly equate to the beginning of third round.

Quotables

“Athletic goaltender with good size and puck handling ability. Needs refinement in some technical parts of his game but has the tools to develop into an NHL goaltender.”

Nick Richard, Dobber Prospects

“An adept puck handler, Lennox is calm under pressure and consistently makes the right decision with the puck on his stick.”

Eddy Jones, The Draft Analyst

Strengths

  • Size
  • Athleticism
  • Lateral movement
  • Aggressiveness

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • Technique
  • Positioning

NHL Potential

Like all goalies, plotting a course for their career is an incredibly difficult feat and that’s no different here. Yes, Lennox will need to sand off the rough edges of his game and yes, his latest numbers aren’t spectacular, but there are many teams out there with above-average development systems and placing someone like Lennox, who already possesses the raw talent needed to become an everyday netminder, in one of them would instantly improve his chances at becoming a legitimate NHL starter.

Risk/Reward Analysis

Risk – 3.5/5, Reward – 4/5

Awards/Achievements

Lennox was awarded two MVP awards in the 2018 OHL Cup Tournament as well as an additional MVP award during the 2018 OHL Gold Cup GTHL Tournament. Lennox also captured a silver medal while playing with Canada at the U18 IHF Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Slovakia/Czech Republic.

Tristan Lennox Statistics