Ian McCoshen – The Next Ones: NHL 2013 Draft Prospect Profile

Ian McCoshen is a polar opposite to that of a defensive defensemen. McCoshen’s skill in the offensive zone has grown leaps and bounds in his 3rd season with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks. After scoring 20 points last season, Ian was able to on the burners, find the back of the net 11 times, and rack up 44 points this year.

For his size, it’s surprising to see the kind of the speed he has when he kicks it into full gear. His acceleration is lightning quick and his side to side movement is just as fast. His height gives him a powerful shot and while his stickhandling skills were so-so last year, he was able to improve on every offensive aspect of his play. He takes some risks with his puck possession and passing, but (while sometimes nerve-wracking) can usually succeed in what he sets out to do. He’s not all offensive-minded though.

His defensive game has very little holes. He’s a rock in front of the net and is a great positional player. The future BC Eagle seems to know where to be in key situations and uses his weight to deliver big body checks when needed. McCoshen makes opposing forwards make quick decisions by stepping up to them before they have a chance to react.

Overall, he’s become a very solid two-way defenseman with a knack for making big plays on both sides of the puck. He and Steve Santini would be a nice pairing next season at Boston College. It seems the rich keep getting richer.

Where Will He End Up In June:

McCoshen will be an interesting pick wherever he ends up. There are teams in the 20-30th overall range that are in need of a defenseman, and McCoshen may be on some of their radars. I think he will be a late 1st/early 2nd round pick.

Scout’s Honor:

“McCoshen is a very steady defenseman who has great size and physical tools that project well to the NHL level. He is a refined defenseman who has strong positioning and defensive zone coverage and does a good job of neutralizing and shutting down top lines. Arguably the top uncommitted NCAA player right now, McCoshen could see his stock rise this season if he’s able to show continued improvement with his two-way game.”

The Scouting Report

“Big skilled two-way defender who committed to Boston College. Plays to his size with strong physicality in the front and on the wall. Has good functional strength and can handle physical attackers. Skates well and has good skill when he has the puck.
Has the potential and demeanor to continue to work hard to be an extremely talented player. Doesn’t get ruffled in the defensive zone and stays cool with his puck decisions back there.”

Bill Placzek – DraftSite.com

“Ian McCoshen is a big, mobile, defenseman and is an excellent skater with some offensive upside. He has an incredibly smooth stride. The most notable aspect of McCoshen’s game is his ability to make excellent passes out of the zone and eat up minutes in every situation. McCoshen is sound in front of the net and rarely lets a guy dominate anywhere near the crease. McCoshen also has great defensive hockey sense and can read plays as or before they happen, allowing for some excellent opportunities up ice and great defensive zone coverage.”

Andrew Ward – DobberSports.com

Statistics:

Bio/Interview(s)/Links:

Profile at Last Word On Sports

THW’s Dakota Case on why Ian McCoshen is 1st round worthy

Hockey’s Future article on McCoshen leading the USHL to the draft

International Tournaments:

McCoshen has played in five games for Team USA where he has one assist those games.

ETA:

3-4 years

Risk/Reward Analysis:

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 4/5

NHL Potential:

1st or 2nd pair two-way defenseman

Strengths:

Size

Tenacity

Good in front of the net

Physical

Creative

Passing

Strong point shot

Gap control

Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:

Agility

Pivots

Smarter passing

Fantasy Hockey Potential:

Offensive: 7/10 Defensive: 6/10

NHL Player Comparison:

– McCoshen can be compared to Mark Giordano or Alex Goligoski.

Video(s):

***

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

Follow Shawn Reznik on Twitter: @ShawnTHW