Flames Second Round Targets 2016: Adam Mascherin
By Ryan Pike
7 years agoIt’s a bit of a shame that Adam Mascherin isn’t getting more attention in this year’s draft class.
A left-shooting winger with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, Mascherin was quietly third in the OHL among first-year daft eligible players in primary points – just behind Alex DeBrincat and Matthew Tkachuk. While DeBrincat rode shotgun with Dylan Strome and Tkachuk played with Mitch Marner, Mascherin played with Ryan MacInnis and played on a team that wasn’t stacked.
Could Mascherin be a fit for the Calgary Flames at 35th overall?
SCOUTING REPORTS
So why isn’t Mascherin generally considered a first rounder? I think
there are a variety of reasons. But the most obvious reason is his lack
of size coupled with his only average skating ability. Mascherin darts
in and out of traffic well, but he lacks true explosiveness. He’s only
5’9, but he is 200lbs, so it’s not the size alone (he’s built similar to
Max Domi). It’s the combination of the two (as he’s more than strong
enough to handle the rigours of the pro level). I think the other strike
is his wavering intensity level on the backcheck and in the defensive
end. But offensively, you’ve got a very competent player. Mascherin
possesses one of the hardest shots and quickest releases of any player
in the draft class. He pounces on loose pucks and doesn’t hesitate a
wink when it comes to firing the puck. He’s also an effective player
below the hash marks who can really work the possession game using great
lower body strength.
Adam Mascherin is a pure sniper. His shot is very heavy, but it is his
release that really fools goaltenders and leads to the puck finding the
back of the net. It’s tough to describe, and you really have to watch the
highlights, but Mascherin has a very unique release that surprises the
opposition. His shot is deadly accurate, and he is able to pick corners
or find the tiniest of openings. Mascherin also has the ability to score
goals in tight, with the hand-eye co-ordination to get tip-ins, or
pounce on rebounds. He is also an excellent play maker, with good vision
and the ability to make a pass through the smallest of openings.
Mascherin is undersized in terms of height, coming in at just 5’10”
tall, but at 205 pounds, he has a thick and powerful body. This helps
him to protect the puck in the cycle game and to win battles along the
boards or establish position in front of the opponents net. He is not
afraid to play a gritty game and get involved in the real tough areas of
the ice.
I feel sorry for Adam Mascherin’s parents. I feel even sorrier for Adam
Mascherin’s parents’ garage. The garage must be a mess after Adam
Mascherin pounded it out for 10,000 times and then again for 10,000
times more. However, the garage should feel very proud of itself because
it nurtured Adam Mascherin’s shot until it became one of the best in
the land, not just the junior land, but the NHL land as well. Adam
Mascherin’s shot will land him in the NHL. Count on it.
THE NUMBERS
Here’s where Mascherin shines: compared to much of the first-year eligible players in the OHL, he’s one of the most offensively productive players.
Mascherin was third in the OHL in primary points with 64 (in 65 games), behind Alex DeBrincat’s 79 (in 60 games) and Matthew Tkachuk’s 66 (in 57 games). He out-scored Taylor Raddysh (60 points), Alexander Nylander (55 points) and Logan Brown (51 points) in terms of primary production.
When you remove power-play production, Mascherin shines even brighter. He’s the second-most productive OHL draft eligible player at even strength with 49 points, just four points behind DeBrincat. Raddysh had 44 points, Tkachuk 37 points and Brown and Nylander each had 30 points.
Via Prospect-Stats, we have a handy heat map for his shot locations. Despite being a left-winger, he does a pretty solid job of generating shots all around the “home plate” area, particularly around the front of the net. (His thick build likely allows him to head to the front of the net and battle.)
FIT WITH THE FLAMES
Can the Flames use a talented, if short, winger that can score a ton of goals and generally generates offense at a high rate? Does the Pope wear a funny hat? The Flames need to keep accumulating depth and, depending on what they do in the first round, Mascherin would provide them with another strong forward with a skillset that isn’t really replicated in their existing prospect base.
Adding Mascherin would make the Flames a more versatile hockey club and a tougher one to beat. He seems like a slam-dunk, if he’s available.
CONCLUSION
The Flames have three second round picks and can afford to do some gambling with their later picks. Mascherin has been an incredibly productive offensive player in the OHL, on a team that’s not stacked, and would be a very savvy selection at 35th overall.
Previous draft targets: Alexander Nylander | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Matthew Tkachuk | Jakob Chychrun | Olli Juolevi | Clayton Keller | Alex DeBrincat | Sam Steel | Vitalii Abramov | Jake Bean | Tyson Jost | Mikhail Sergachev | Tyler Benson | Griffin Luce | Logan Brown | Samuel Girard | Will Bitten | Cliff Pu | Taylor Raddysh
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