USHL product Jayden Perron is a small but dynamic offensive player

Apart from Connor Bedard, Jayden Perron may be the best off-puck offensive mover in the draft class. His nearly unparalleled knack for finding space in the slot and timing those decisive routes to fall behind coverage forms the crux of his offensive upside, as he thinks the game at a high enough level to indicate the translatability of this habit. He will score his goals by consistently being in the right place at the right time, but his playmaking is his best offensive tool. He is a strong handler who attacks with pace and who is able to access passing lanes defenders weren’t even aware were available by passing through multiple layers of coverage. His defensive game and tenacity are also significant strengths, and Perron will not be one of the undersized players who give up a lot defensively in order to to produce. He remains raw and will need at least three years of development before turning pro – with a specific focus on building lower body strength and on incorporating more pace shifts and lateral movement into his transition game – but the upside is very high in this player. He will not be drafted as high as we have him, and he is likely to fall to day two of the draft, but we are so confident in both his tools and his brain that his falling any further than 13 on our board would become difficult for us to rationalize.

Jayden Perron is an undersized forward in the draft, but doesn’t let that get in the way as he shines offensively. He can serve as a duel-threat attack both as a playmaker and goal-scorer. With the puck on his stick, he is super evasive and fools the opposition with his slick hands and patience with the puck. When Perron uses his mobility and puck-handling skills to enter the offensive-zone, he becomes an immediate threat to the other team. He has good straight-line speed, but could work on developing a longer skating stride, which would make him even more dangerous of a player. His balance and edge work make him very dangerous when you combine that with his stick-handling ability. Perron can be a hard player to knock off the puck as he uses his lower-body and edges to block defenders. On the power play, he can play on the point as the quarterback as well as led the breakout of the defensive zone. The only thing Perron will have to work on in his offensive game is to not be overly flashy at times.