Curtis Lazar – Edmonton Oil Kings – 2013 NHL Draft

Lazar came into the season with a lot of hype surrounding him. He was touted as one of the most complete players available for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and people were excited to see what he can bring to the table this year. It is safe to say that Lazar

did not exactly meet expectations this year, but really turned it on during the playoffs to raise his stock for next year’s NHL Entry Draft.

Offensively, Lazar has a good set of skills. He is not great in any particular area, but he is solid in all parts of his game. He has very good vision and makes the right reads. He can make those difficult passes and not turn them over, but needs to pick his spots better to try to thread it into tight spaces. He has a very good release to his shots, but must improve on accuracy. During the playoffs, he seemed to have put everything together and raised his game a couple of notches. He was the offensive catalyst for his team, and it will be interesting to see if he can carry that to next season.

Defensively, Lazar is solid in his own zone. He is very strong along the boards, and puts in a high level of effort at all times. He is not afraid to block shots and take hits to make plays for his team. He is smart without the puck, and is always in the right spot and positions himself to be a factor in the defensive zone.

Lazar still has a full year to develop his overall game. It is a little concerning that he did not make huge improvements to his game, but people must understand that he is still only 16 years old and will have plenty of time to get better in all facets of his game.