Rocco and Darren are within a point of each other on 8 of 10 categories. No category splits by 1.5 or more. Strongest tool: OZ Hockey Sense at 8.2.
Each dot is that scout's average for the category across their reports. The white tick is the consensus: the average of every report, each counted once. A red dashed gap means the scouts are 1.5 points or more apart. Tap a row to see every report's score.
His acceleration at speed is solid, and improved strength could definitely help him take another step as a skater. His biggest issue remains his stop-start ability, as he takes too long to get moving from a standstill. He lacks the initial burst to consistently separate from defenders, limiting his ability to generate dangerous opportunities.
He has a quick release, particularly in tight, but I don't find his rush attack especially intimidating from distance. His wrist shot lacks power, and he isn't consistently beating defenders or goaltenders from the outside. He does a decent job finding soft ice and getting into scoring areas, where his release becomes more effective. His hand-eye coordination also stood out more in this viewing, and he showed some toe-drag ability to manipulate defenders in tight.
His rush playmaking is adequate but not a major strength. He makes reasonable decisions with the puck, avoids holding onto it for too long, and found teammates in scoring positions on several occasions. His offensive-zone awareness was more impressive here, as he consistently finds open space and positions himself to become an option. He also showed some value as a power-play puck mover, identifying passing lanes and finding seams to create opportunities. However, while he can facilitate offense with the man advantage, the consistency and high-end creativity aren't quite there to project him as an elite NHL power-play contributor.
His offensive instincts are above average, and he looks comfortable anticipating plays and finding ways to get involved around the puck. I particularly liked his forechecking pursuit in this game, as he pressured opponents effectively and showed a willingness to work to regain possession. His activity level was strong from the opening shift, and he was consistently involved in the play.
Defensively, he was present and generally involved in his own zone. I didn't have any major concerns with his engagement or willingness to contribute without the puck, although his reads and ability to identify developing threats could still improve.
His size and strength remain the primary concerns. He is still very small and physically weak, which limits his effectiveness in contact situations and makes it difficult for him to win physical or stick battles consistently. There was more willingness to engage physically in this game, which was encouraging, but he needs to add significant strength to make those efforts more effective.
Overall, this was an encouraging viewing, with improved effort, consistent puck involvement, and more noticeable puck movement. He has above-average offensive awareness, can find open ice, and possesses the hands and quick release to be dangerous around the net. However, his lack of initial burst, limited shot power, and significant physical limitations make it difficult to identify a truly elite trait that separates him from other smaller forwards. He is dangerous when involved offensively, but further development in his skating mechanics and strength will be important in determining how much of that offensive ability can translate to the next level.
He is not a slow skater, but he lacks a degree of initial burst and isn't particularly quick off the line. His acceleration is decent once he gets moving, but his edgework can be choppy, and he struggles to maintain his balance through turns. He needs to improve his stop-start ability and become more efficient changing direction, as he too often relies on long curls rather than sharper, more direct movements.
Offensively, he has a quick release that allows him to get shots off on the rush, although his wrist shot lacks the power to consistently challenge pro-level goaltenders. He shows decent playmaking ability in transition, can find teammates for scoring opportunities, and is a nifty short-area passer who generally keeps things simple. However, he can be overly ambitious with the puck on the rush and needs to make better decisions when attacking with speed.
He shows good offensive-zone anticipation and an ability to create chances. The puck seems to find him regularly, and he does a nice job reading developing plays and getting to loose pucks ahead of opponents. He can find open space, put himself in scoring areas, and contribute through his awareness and positioning. There is some offensive instinct here, though he needs to demonstrate a more dynamic element to his game to consistently separate himself.
His effort level was encouraging. He contributed on the forecheck, showed a willingness to work defensively, and became more engaged as the game progressed. He does a good job anticipating opportunities to pressure opponents, but his routes could be more efficient. Improving his stop-start ability would help him close on puck carriers more effectively and become a more disruptive forechecker.
His physical profile is a concern. He has a very small, lean frame and can be impacted by opponents' physicality. He will attempt to initiate contact, but his lack of strength and mass limits his effectiveness. His stick is also weak in battles, and I have concerns about his ability to compete consistently in the faceoff circle given his size and strength profile.
Ultimately, the biggest question is whether he possesses an elite trait that can offset his physical limitations. He has some offensive awareness, anticipation, and touch in tight, but his lack of initial explosiveness, inconsistent edgework, and limited shot power make it difficult to identify a standout tool. There are some useful elements to his game, and his effort and awareness provide a foundation to build on, but he needs to become more dynamic as a skater and find another level of offensive impact to overcome the concerns associated with his size.
The stat line immediately jumps out here, as Scantlebury had a hat-trick on 6 shots on goal (on 6 attempts). The first goal he does a nice job of finding some soft ice on the PP and burying a quick one-timer on a nice tic-tac-toe play. The second goal he shows off his silky mitts with a nice fake on the goalie after a fortunate break at the blueline. The third goal is a hard net drive, with a sneaky good finish on the backhand to get it up over the sprawled out goalie. He displayed some intriguing tools in this game, aside from the goals, as well. The skating looked to be a bit of a mixed bag, with him winning foot races at times and slashing through the NZ as the puck carrier, while other times he looked a bit flat footed and would lose a race to a guy he had a step on. I think the more he gets his crossovers going and working in a bit of lateral motion, the better he is. I don't think this is necessarily a straight line burner, but he knows how to mix in subtle changes of direction to gain separation, and he's especially good at this as the puck carrier. The hands are very good, and I would argue (at least in this viewing) that they appeared to be his best asset. He is very smooth with it, has make-miss ability, and has no problem working toe drags and misdirections into his repertoire regularly. While he was very good with the puck on his stick, he could be guilty of trying to start a play too early when going after a loose puck. Much like a receiver in football who tries to run for extra yards before securing the catch, there were a couple of occasions here where Scantlebury missed a play on the puck because he was already plotting his next move. He showed some good playmaking instincts, but this was definitely a night where he leaned more towards shooting. That said, he was credited as going 9 for 9 in terms of accurate passes vs pass attempts. Unfortunately, his work in the faceoff circle was less exciting, as he was credited for going 4/12 (33%) on the evening (he is 47% average on the season after 4GP). It's hard not to come away impressed with a hat-trick performance, and it was certainly a quality viewing for Scantlebury.