Hard to not be impressed with what Kerins did this year after the year long hiatus. He came back from the pandemic a different player. He was no slam dunk to receive a contract at the start of the year, but he forced Calgary’s hand with his offensive explosion. He’s still a strong two-way presence because of his IQ and tenaciousness; his off puck play has always been a standout quality. However, his on puck play was what really took a giant leap forward. He drove play like few did in the OHL this season. His hands looked quicker. He looked more confident. He was equally as dominant at five on five as he was on the powerplay. He still has that big shot and great scoring touch in tight, however his vision and poise with the puck was significantly better this year. In a nutshell, every part of his game progressed. The only one that didn’t? His skating. He’s still not quite as dynamic of a mover as you like to see in a player who is sub 6 foot. He will need to continue to upgrade his quickness to be a factor offensively at the pro level. I might even expect some growing pains this year as he adjusts to the speed of the pro game and the strength of pro defenders. But down the line (maybe after a few years in the AHL), I do think that he can be an NHL player in some capacity. There’s a versatility in his game and approach that you don’t often see from 100+ point junior players.