Drew Commesso
2019-20 Team: USNTDP Juniors
Date of Birth: Jul. 10, 2002
Place of Birth: Boston, MA
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 181 pounds
Catches: Left
Position: Goaltender
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2020 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 2nd (Among NA goaltenders)
- Josh Bell’s February Rankings: 96th
- Andrew Forbes’ March Rankings: 134th
Timing can be everything for a mid-tier goaltending prospect. For Drew Commesso, things could be lining up perfectly for him to one day realize his NHL dream.
Related: 2020 NHL Draft Guide
While he won’t be entering the 2020 draft with the hype of fellow USNTDP alumni Spencer Knight, the 13th overall pick in 2019, he has all of the intangibles to grow into a quality goaltending prospect. At 6-foot-2, Commesso already has the size and frame that most NHL franchises look for in a goaltender. He also has a strong hockey IQ, with the ability to track the puck like an elite prospect.
Throughout the 2019-20 season, Commesso has played some of the best hockey in his young career, posting a .920 save percentage (SV%) in 27 games played with the U.S. National Under 18 team, a marked improvement over his numbers one year ago.
Related: Top 10 NHL Goalie Prospects
However, what makes Commesso such an appealing prospect is that he has already committed to play with Boston University starting in 2020-21. This could be a best-case scenario for a franchise looking to add goaltending depth, as he can develop his game while playing for a great NCAA program. Then in three to four years, if there’s a goaltending need in the AHL, he could easily transition to a starting role with the franchise.
Related: NHL’s Best Farm Systems – Midseason Update
So, while he may not be considered a top-tier prospect at the draft, he has the pathway in place to grow his game into a legitimate goaltender, if he is given the time.
Drew Commesso– NHL Draft Projection
Right now, Commesso appears to be a mid-round selection, somewhere in the fourth to fifth-round range. However, if there’s a run on goaltenders, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him go in the late third-round to a team in need of long-term depth. Think someone like the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are set in net right now, but could use a player in four to six years to start learning from their starter.
Quotables
Commesso looks like a legitimate goaltending prospect but hasn’t been getting many of the headlines because he happens to be filling the shoes of one of the programs all-time great netminders in Knight. Watch for Commesso to be a goaltender that teams look to strike riches with, in the mid-rounds of the draft. –Tony Ferrari, Dobber Prospects
Strengths
- NHL caliber frame to build upon.
- Strong pad control.
- Smart, with a strong ability to track the puck.
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Finding balance in-game to keep ‘loose’ in the net.
- Needs to continue developing his athletic side of the game.
Other 2020 NHL Draft Profiles
NHL Potential
It’s hard to project if Commesso will be an NHL starter one day due to the uncertainty of a mid-range prospect. However, if he gets into a good situation, everything is in place for him to develop into an AHL starter or even a back-up with starting upside.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 1/5, Reward – 5/5
If Commesso is selected in the fourth or fifth-round, then he may become one of the steals of the draft. There’s little risk involved with this pick, as his near future is set with his commitment to Boston University.
If things go well, then he could become a legitimate goaltending prospect for a franchise. If things go poorly, then you’re only out a mid-tier pick.