2020 Flames First Round Targets: Tyson Foerster

One of the best powerplay threats in the draft, Foerster has a shot that would make him one of the high-end shooters in the NHL already. His shot is dangerous from anywhere in the offensive zone but he is particularly deadly when he is able to set up in the faceoff circle and fire away. He changes the angle of his shot with subtle stick work prior to the shot and he takes shots from unorthodox positions. He has no issue firing a bomb from his off-foot on the rush or slapping a backhand one-timer. That diverse shot selection is part of what makes him dangerous at all times on the ice. His play away from the puck is a work in progress and his playmaking, while decent, doesn’t really move the needle in any major way. He will be a capable facilitator, specifically on the powerplay. Foerster will be able to thrive if put in the right position and given the ample powerplay time that his shot deserves.

The point I’m trying to make here is that Foerster doesn’t look or seem like he is as close to being a finished product physically as others in the draft — such as Alexis Lafrenière, as one obvious example — do. Similar to how Dallas Stars 2017 2nd-rounder Jason Robertson was able to improve his mobility after a few years of dedicated, NHL-assisted training and development, you can see the realistic room for growth with Foerster.

And even if his skating never becomes a strength of his game (which it won’t), his stocky 6-foot-1 frame will help him out a lot. It’s a lot easier to have skating issues at that size than 5-foot-10 because of the natural advantages in battles along the boards and in front of the net. When he goes hard to the net on the rush he’s able to out-muscle defenders and gain that crucial inside position, which should be a perk that follows him along in his career.