Tij Iginla, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Drafted No. 6 overall
August 1, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 192 pounds
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end
Player comparable: Viktor Arvidsson
Analysis: Iginla was excellent this season in the WHL for Kelowna and at the U18s for Canada, emerging as a top NHL prospect. The son of Jarome Iginla, Tij is a very talented offensive player. His stickhandling displays stand out constantly. He beats defenders one-on-one at a high rate and improvises very well with the puck. He skates well and can make high-skill plays with his feet moving. Iginla has a great shot that gets off the stick quick and can pick corners. He scored a lot of goals this season and projects to beat pro goalies from range. He gets to the inside to score as well and displays a strong effort away from the puck. His pure sense and playmaking don’t stand out like the rest of his game, though. He projects as a strong top-six wing who will score a lot of goals.
Pick grade: B-
Thoughts on the pick: Iginla is a player who kept rising as the season went along, and became an option this high in the draft. He’s a highly competitive goal-scorer with a ton of skill. I had some minor concerns on his hockey sense, and I’m a bit surprised given some of the great defense prospects on the board such as Anton Silayev, Zeev Buium and Zayne Parekh that they didn’t go in that direction. Iginla projects as a top-six forward who brings a lot of elements to a lineup.
Pick No. 24. Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
April 24, 2006 | 6′ 2″ | 209 pounds
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average
Player comparable: Andrew Copp
Analysis: Beaudoin is a very likable player. He’s a tremendously hardworking center, with NHL size and skill. He is constantly noticeable throughout the game in how many pucks he wins and the amount of plays he makes. He is quite physical and doesn’t shy from getting to the tough areas of the ice. He can create offense in junior, but with a somewhat heavy skating stride, the debate is in how his game will translate to the pros. I’ve seen him get by enough defenders and think his compete is so good that his game will work in a potential third-line center role.
Pick grade: B
Thoughts on the pick: Beaudoin is a very likable prospect. He’s an extremely competitive, big center with good enough talent. He’s probably a third-line center in the NHL who is loved by your coach, but if he hits he reminds me a lot of Boone Jenner at the same age.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
