Ethan Procyszyn – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Ethan Procyszyn

2023-24 Team: North Bay Battalion (OHL)
Date of Birth: July 7, 2006
Place of Birth: Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 189 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

As a big-bodied center, North Bay Battalion’s Ethan Procyszyn has earned himself the label of being a power forward. He has shown throughout his time in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) that he can use his big frame (6-foot-3) to his advantage, both when having the puck and without it. With the puck, he can shield off opponents to protect the puck and give himself more space to make a play in the offensive zone. Without it, he has shown a relentless work ethic defensively, using his length to get in on opponents and separate them from the puck with both his stick and his body. In the offensive zone, his 6-foot-3 frame helps create problems for opposing goalies as he works the front of the net as a screen.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

But the physical and power aspects of Procyszyn’s game are not the only thing that has stood out to help him earn the 59th spot in the Central Scouting rankings among North American skaters. Offensively, he has a strong hockey IQ and vision with the puck that allows him to see the ice better than his opponents, leading to getting his teammates good chances with his strong passing abilities. His IQ also shows itself in the defensive zone as he is constantly putting himself in the right position to close down lanes and chances for opponents.

Ethan Procyszyn North Bay Battalion
Ethan Procyszyn, North Bay Battalion (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

While Procyszyn’s game has many upsides and positives, he also has a few downfalls that could hold NHL teams back from taking him in the early rounds of the draft. This includes the fact that his size and frame may be a bit detrimental to his skating. His skating is not the greatest and is an area of development that will end up being a big factor in how his career shapes out beyond the draft.

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Another glaring area of improvement in his game is his shot from outside the hash marks. Procyszyn struggles to consistently have a strong shot in the mid-to-long-range areas of the offensive zone, which has limited his scoring output and allowed opponents to defend him in a manner that sometimes shuts him down offensively.

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Ethan Procyszyn – NHL Draft Projection

While Procyszn possesses some strong qualities and skillsets, he will most likely be drafted in the middle rounds this year, likely in the fourth or fifth round. If he can finish the playoffs on a strong note (one point in five games to date), he could rise up the board, though. Carving out a role comparable to Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nick Paul is what he could end up being for an NHL team at some point in his career.

Quotables

“Procyszyn is a 6’3 center who skates well, has good two-way instincts, is strong without the puck, and who does have some upside as a shoot first pivot because of a heavy shot.” – Brock Otten, OHL Prospects

“Not the fasted afoot, he sees the ice well and uses his strength in his end to make quick transitions to offense, and plays with nice compete level. As an attacker, he is excellent on the forecheck, and he has the ability to finish in close.” – Bill Placzek, Lines.com

“Procyszyn is not a slow player — just average — but to succeed at higher levels of hockey will be difficult with just an average skating ability. His shot is largely untried and unsuccessful at medium-long range, too.” – Ty Brooks, FCHockey

Strengths

  • Proccyszyn uses his big body to his advantage in all aspects of the game.
  • He possesses a high hockey IQ mixed in with a strong and relentless work ethic.
  • His size helps create chaos and havoc in front of the opposing goaltender as a net-front screen.
  • While being strong offensively, he shows a willingness to commit to playing in the defensive zone as well.

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • His shot outside of the hash marks needs work, as he struggles to have a consistent mid-to-long-range shot.
  • While being an average skater, his speed is lacking and will be an area of improvement in the future.

NHL Projection

With a few years of development and work on the areas of his game that are a bit behind, Procyszyn has a ceiling of becoming a bottom-six forward who can make an impact on the penalty kill in the NHL, thanks to his strong defensive mindset and hockey IQ.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5, Reward: 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 5/10, Defense: 6.5/10

Awards/Achievements

  • 2022-23 U17 World Hockey Championships (Team Canada)
  • 2024 NHL/ CHL Top Prospects Game

Ethan Procyszyn Stats

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