Photo Credit: https://puckpreps.com/

We see it every year: a team that is so focused on drafting a particular player that they have spent so many hours watching game tape on, sending scouts to watch their games, as well as spending time performing pre-draft workouts and interviews with, only to see their guy get selected by another team just before it’s their turn to hit the podium.

Then the panic sets in; of course, they have other names that their scouts have suggested, but they (the general manager) didn’t think that they would actually have to resort to drafting those players, and with the time clock ticking down and a decision having to be made the team ends up drafting a player that they will come to find out that they are less than impressed with not to mention could very well cost them their job.

That’s why, after I have spent the entire season talking about so many other exceptional prospects, I’ll leave you and any NHL GM who is smart enough to read this article with one last name before the draft is set to commence in less than two weeks.

And that is a guy who I believe most teams and draft experts are sleeping on, and that is Tomas Mrsic from the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Currently, Mrsic, who is 18 years old and stands at 5’11 & a half, has been given a third-round grade.

But I think he could prove to be worth so much more than that, considering that this season the media overshadowed him by constantly highlighting his incredible teammates, such as the towering presence and potential top-ten pick Cayden Lindstrom, first-round talent Andrew Basha, and of course the 16-year-old prodigy Gavin McKenna.

Now, not to take anything away from those players, but if you honestly watch the Tigers game tape, you’ll notice that Tomas was often the driving force behind their offense. And he did so by using his gift of incredible speed. Mrsic functions like any good muscle car does; before taking off towards the finish line, “he dips and grips.” Given his low center of gravity, Mrsic is able to create extremely powerful strides that leave his opponents in his rearview, which helps him to create the time and space needed to find his teammates for plenty of goal-scoring opportunities.

Don’t get me wrong, though, while Tomas may be a pass-first player. He is more than capable of putting the puck past the opposition’s netminder as well. Don’t believe me; just watch these videos below to pay witness to his incredible shot.

And after looking at his point totals from this season, 23 goals and 39 assists for 62 points in 63 games played. Tomas begins to remind me a lot of the Flyers Prospect Denver Barkey. Barkey, who was drafted last summer by Philadelphia, is a pass-first sub 6’0 center who, while playing for the London Knights of the OHL in his draft year, was able to put up 22 goals and 37 assists for 59 points in 61 games played. But he was able to really come alive this season when he was able to help lead his team to an OHL Championship, scoring 35 goals and 67 assists for 102 points during the regular season and another 27 points in 18 playoff appearances.

So, come draft day, if your team is the one frantically scrambling to find stat sheets and combine results on players at the last minute because their guy is now off the board, you better hope they settle on drafting a player like Tomas Mrsic, who could very well prove to be one of the steals of this draft.