Hunter Warner THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 9/21/1995
Place of birth: Eden Prairie, MN
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 190 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: Hwarner16
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): NR
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): not ranked
ISS: not ranked
Future Considerations: not ranked
Craig Button: not ranked
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 206
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Sometimes They Drift Downward
Sadly Hunter Warner was a victim of the old numbers game. He was traded from Waterloo to Fargo this year and though he did get some more ice time with Fargo. His 12 points in 43 games did not really turn too many heads. What may be encouraging was Warner still managed a solid 125 PIMS and was not afraid to get physical even with the top players in the league. His ability to drop the gloves has been well documented among the scouts.
The Minnesota State-Mankato commit still must work on puck pursuit and carrying the puck in the zone but Warner has a knack for playing well along the boards. There is no doubt that he can battle but Hunter Warner will have to learn to pick up the skating aspects of his game to make that jump into the college and then eventually professional levels.
Maybe the closer to home cooking will be a boon for the defenseman because there is talent but the body has to fill with an eye towards agility and skating/conditioning. His development in college will be vital as Hunter Warner is considered more of a long term project at this point. Remember, defensemen do take longer to develop and sometimes late bloomers can come out of nowhere. Warner could be that type of player.
Where Will He End Up In June:
Warner’s stock has fallen a bit but he could still go anywhere from the 5th to 7th round depending on a team’s needs.
Scout’s Honor:
“Warner isn’t as good with the puck, but he’s one of the strongest players in high school hockey. It’s rare, if ever, that he loses a physical battle along the boards.” (December, 2012)
“Warner’s got a great build as a defenseman that only spells high upside, but he’s not quite there yet. These next two campaigns in the MN-HS circuit will be big for him, and it should be fun to watch the 6’2 defenseman blossom before he heads to division one.”
Statistics:
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
TSR Scouting Report on Hunter Warner
The Fargo Force Show — Hunter Warner
ETA:
4-5 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 3.5/5 Reward: 1.5/5
NHL Potential:
5th or 6th defenseman with a very physical edge.
Strengths:
Physicality
Battling on the boards
Defensive instincts
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Work more on his defensive play
Must learn to carry puck through the zones
Growing into his body
Skating
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 3/10 Defensive: 7/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: Anton Volchenkov
Video(s):
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph