Here are my thoughts on Zack Phillips of the Minnesota Wild from May 23rd, 2011.

ZACK PHILLIPS

TEAM:            SAINT JOHN SEA DOGS

LEAGUE:        QMJHL

POSITION:   CENTRE

BORN:            OCT 28, 1992                      

HEIGHT:        6’0’’   

WEIGHT:       181 LBS.

SHOOTS:       RIGHT           

NUMBER:       #7

2010-11 STATS:

*denotes team  leader

**denotes league leader

	REGULAR SEASON	PLAYOFFS
GAMES PLAYED	67	17
GOALS	38	9
ASSISTS	57	15
POINTS	95	24
PLUS/MINUS	48	8
PIM	16	8
PPG	15*
PTS/GAME	1.42
SHG	1
FO%	45%(969)

 

STRENGTHS:

1.  OFFENSIVE IQ

2.  PUCKHANDLING

3.  QUICK SHOT AND RELEASE

 

WEAKNESSES & AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:

1.  ACCELERATION/FIRST STEP

2.  DEFENSIVE POSITIONING

3.  HIGH RISK PASSES

 

SKILL CATEGORY:

GOAL SCORING FORWARD

SCOUTING REPORT:

PHILLIPS HAS COME ALONG WAY THIS YEAR AND QUICKLY JUMPED UP THE RANKINGS WITH HIS STELLAR 96 POINT SEASON.

HE IS A VERY CONSISENT PLAYER WITH MAGIC HANDS.  HE HAS AN NHL SHOT AND GETS IT OFF QUICKLY.  HE SHOOTS ALOT AND LOVES TO SCORE GOALS FROM THE SLOT.  HE HAS EXCELLENT VISION, HOCKEY SENSE AND DOESN’T SHY AWAY FROM THE PHYSICAL STUFF.

HE HAS DECENT SIZE AND IS VERY STRONG ON THE PUCK.  HE PROTECTS THE PUCK WELL AND IS GREAT DOWN LOW AND ALONG THE BOARDS. HE IS A VERY SKILLED PASSER AND GOOD ON FACEOFFS.  HE HAS A VERY HIGH OFFENSIVE IQ.

PLAYING WITH HUBERDEAU HAS, IN MY OPIONION, PADDED HIS STATS.  I BELIEVE HE IS A FIRST/SECOND ROUNDER BUT DOES NEED TO IMPROVE IN SOME AREAS.  HE NEEDS TO GAIN AN EXTRA STEP AND IMPROVE HIS ACCELERATION TO MAKE THE NEXT LEVEL.  HE MUST IMPROVE HIS SPEED AS HE LOOKS SLOW AT TIMES. HE IS DECENT IN HIS OWN END AND BACK CHECKS HARD BUT NEEDS TO IMPROVE HIS DEFENSIVE POSITIONING AS HE SOMETIMES RUNS AROUND HIS OWN END.

NHL POTENTIAL:

TOP NINE FORWARD.

PLAYER COMPARISON:

POOR MAN’S PATRICK SHARP