Late Leafs draft pick emerging as a star in the WHL
Drafted in the seventh round (218th overall) in this past NHL Entry Draft, not much was made of the Leafs selecting Brandon Lisowsky, aside from the fact that Dubas haters cried he selected another undersized forward. Lisowsky is listed at 5'9 and 180 pounds, and unfortunately, the average fan can't get past those numbers. However, Dobber Prospects' Hadi Kalakeche had this to say about Lisowsky in May, just months before the draft.
"His great shot is the hallmark of his offensive game, and he uses his smaller frame surprisingly well to play in-between checks, battle along the boards and make himself an option off the backs of defenders. He shows decent awareness of his surroundings, understanding when to push the pace and when to slow it down in order to benefit from as much time and space as possible. Although his playmaking touch isn't refined, he can still find seams pretty well. The lack of size may scare some scouts away, but the sheer amount of adaptive skills he's developed to compensate for that make him a great second-round pick-up in my eyes. I'd be surprised if his game doesn't translate."
Kalakeche saw Lisowsky as perhaps a late second round pick, while other scouts had him ranked between 65 and 75 (third round). Given that the Leafs somehow managed to get him in the seventh round, likely due to his size, Lisowsky looks like another steal for the Leafs.
So far, in 26 games with the WHL's Saskatoon Blades this season, Lisowsky has 14 goals and 29 points, thanks in part to a 4-point night this weekend, where he notched a hat trick and a secondary assist. He is well on his way to passing his career highs in both goals (33) and points (58), which he set last season with the Blades. The 18-year-old can still play another 2 seasons in the WHL before the Leafs have to consider where he fits on the Marlies, so there is no rush with his development or to sign him to an entry-level contract.
https://dobberprospects.com/player/brandon-lisowsky/
https://smahtscouting.com/2022/04/02/scouting-report-brandon-lisowsky/
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 12 | 75 ANSWERS Late Leafs draft pick emerging as a star in the WHL Will Brandon Lisowsky end up playing in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 47 | 62.7 % |
| No | 28 | 37.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
