Chad Krys – The Next Ones: NHL 2016 Draft Prospect Profile

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Chad Krys

2015-16 Team: U.S. National U18 Team (#4)

Date of birth: April 10, 1998

Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ht: 5’11” Wt: 184 lbs

Shoots: Left

Position: D

NHL Draft Eligibility: 2016 1st year eligible

Twitter: @chadkrys

THW The Next Ones Ranking (February): 39

Other Rankings:

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At 5-foot-11 and just 184 pounds, Krys might not look like the most menacing defenseman out there, but his ability to move the puck is what sets him aside when it comes to the defensive prospects in this year’s draft.

Chad Krys, U.S. National Development Team, NHL Draft, Entry Draft, Prospect
Chad Krys has the ability to quarterback a power play but can also kill off penalties when needed. (courtesy U.S. National Development Team)

He’s a quick skater that always keeps his feet moving and plays with a lot of poise when handling the puck. In the defensive end, he’s able to knock the puck off opposing players’ sticks with his reach and athleticism.

Having been called up from the under-17 program to play at the under-18 level shows just what kind of promise Krys has heading forward. In 53 games with the under-18 team, Krys notched 29 points (3g-26a) after putting up 13 (2g-11a) in 18 games with the under-17s. While he is on the smaller side, his 78 penalty minutes this past season show that he doesn’t shy away from the physical play either.

A small, puck-moving defenseman, he will certainly be sought after in the 2016 NHL Draft. However, as he’s already committed to Boston University in 2016-17, he won’t make any immediate impact and will get some NCAA experience under his belt first.

NHL Draft Projection:

There are numerous teams that’ve already made it known that they will be looking for a puck moving defenseman – including Arizona. Krys could be a likely candidate to go in the middle of late parts of the second round of this year’s draft. However, don’t be surprised if he slips a little to the earlier part of the third round (63rd to 65th overall range).

Quotables:

Krys is an excellent skater who defends with his stick and plays in a lot of situations. He’s not huge at 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds, but he gets the job done. And dealing with chaos on the ice is no problem for a kid who comes from an athletic Connecticut family.

Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News

Krys is a smooth-skating defenseman who can quarterback a power play with ease.

Hockeyprospect.com

Statistics:

Strengths:

  • Skating
  • Ability to play in all situations
  • Physicality
  • Sees the ice
  • Plays with poise
  • Patience

Under Construction (Improvements to Make):

  • Defensive end coverage
  • Getting shots off quick
  • Size

NHL Potential:

He likely won’t reach the potential of being a number one or two defenseman, but he should make for a solid blueliner on the second pairing. He does have that ability to play the point on the power play and can certainly kill penalties when needed. His size could play a role in where he slots in, but we’ve seen small defenseman make huge strides in the changing NHL game.

NHL Player(s) Comparison – Ryan Ellis

Risk-Reward Analysis:

Risk = 3/5 Reward = 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential:

Offensive = 7.5/10 Defensive = 5.5/10

Awards/Achievements:

  • 2008-2009 International Silverstick Atom AAA All-Star
  • 2012-2013 EJEPL 18U Most Assists (25)
  • 2014-2015 U17 World Hockey Championships Most Assists (7)
  • 2014-2015 U17 World Hockey Championships Most Points by Defenseman (7)
  • 2014-2015 U17 World Hockey Championships Silver Medal
  • 2014-2015 U18 World Junior Championship Gold Medal
  • 2014-2015 USHL All-Rookie Second Team
  • 2015-2016 U18 World Junior Championship Bronze Medal
  • 2015-2016 U20 World Junior Championship Bronze Medal

Interview/Profile Links:

Videos:

Shots From the Slot (Interesting Notes):

Krys comes from a very athletic family. His dad played college and some pro hockey, while his mom played lacrosse in college and now works in personal training. He has an eye when it comes to eating healthier options as his mom is a nutritionist – so options like quinoa, avocado and sweet potatoes are part of his diet.

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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph