Milan Sundstrom

Scouting Notes

Stride and overall pace looked improved from the Hlinka, with some encouraging signs of progress in his skating. He shows decent acceleration once he gets moving, can maintain speed over the full length of the ice, and is capable of winning races. There is potential for him to become a powerful skater if he can continue to improve his strength, stability, and balance. His pivots remain an area of concern, as he can get off balance and lacks power through his transitions. That said, this area has shown some improvement and is not as concerning as it has been previously.

Offensively, he brings some intriguing tools. He has a good toe drag and release, along with a big-man shot that allows him to generate quality power from awkward angles and imperfect shooting positions. He also showed some strength in the faceoff circle against professional competition. While he tends to lose some speed when handling the puck on the rush, he may be more effective simplifying his approach and getting pucks in deep. He has good hands for a player of his size and shows patience and composure with the puck.

His playmaking ability is arguably his biggest offensive strength. Rush passing is decent, and he has the vision to find teammates in dangerous areas. He can be a little too deliberate with the puck on the power play, particularly when moving it around the perimeter, but there is a positive side to that approach. He consistently scans the ice, identifies developing opportunities, and doesn't panic under pressure. His ability to slow the game down, survey the offensive zone, and find high-end scoring opportunities is impressive. There is legitimate PP1 potential here, particularly operating from the half wall.

His in-zone offensive game is a real strength, showing good instincts, patience, and an ability to create scoring chances. He looks more like a playmaker than a pure shooter, with the vision and puck skills to facilitate offence at a high level. He showed some effectiveness on the forecheck in this viewing, although his awareness and reads in that area could use further refinement.

I liked his compete level in this game and thought he showed more consistent physical engagement than in previous viewings. There is still room for improvement in his overall strength and ability to play through contact, but the willingness to engage was encouraging.

A quality offensive centre prospect with legitimate top power-play potential. His in-zone playmaking, patience, puck skills, and ability to create dangerous scoring chances give him an intriguing offensive foundation. The biggest question remains his skating, particularly his balance, stability, and power through pivots and transitions. However, there are signs of progress in that area. If he can continue to develop physically and become a more powerful, stable skater, there is considerable upside here. His offensive instincts and high-end playmaking ability make him a quality prospect.