With the 10th Pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft the Florida Panthers Have Selected Owen Tippett From the Mississauga Steelheads in the OHL.
About Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett is probably the best sniper coming out of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. His elite shot should be more than good enough to succeed at the NHL level which makes him a tremendous pick for the Florida Panthers at 10th overall. In 60 games with the Mississauga Steelheads last season, Tippett scored 44 goals and 75 points and proved to be an excellent skater with a superb shot. His defensive ability may not be where it needs to be if he’d like to make the NHL, but that’s not uncommon for young players. Learning how to round out his game might impact his offense to an extent, but Tippett’s shot is too good to contain for long.
Rounding out the Top 10 is @TippettOwen, who's heading south to the @FlaPanthers. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/VZZEYdl2wj
— NHL (@NHL) June 24, 2017
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt:
Owen Tippett first showed off his scoring touch with the Toronto Red Wings Minor Midget AAA team in 2014-15 when he lit up the GTHL with 52 goals and 87 points in just 50 games that season. From there, he joined the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads in 2015-16 scoring 15 goals in 48 games as a rookie.
But 2016-17 was his coming out party in the OHL, which is likely why the 18-year-old is projected (by most) to be a top-five pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. He went on to score 44 goals and 75 points in 60 regular season games for the Steelheads on route to helping Mississauga to the postseason.
Tippett is a pure goal scorer with the ability to create chances out of nothing. His speed and quick release makes him a threat at any point off the rush and in the offensive zone. His size is another advantage that he brings to his game and he will be a force for any team – an offensive facelift for those looking to add a sniper.
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Florida Panthers’ Plans
After a tremendous season in 2015-16 that saw the Florida Panthers sit atop the Atlantic Division standings, the team came crashing down to earth again in the 2016-17 season. Changes to the front office created a stir and the team eventually fired head coach Gerrard Gallant. With a steady situation heading into the 2017-18 season, the Panthers have a chance to reclaim their spot near the top of the division. The Panthers are one of the more interesting teams in the NHL as well given their combination of youth and veteran experience. A top-heavy team that is loaded with offense, Tippett could excel next to one of the Panthers many centers down the line when he develops into a more complete player.