Larry Keenan
2022-23 Team: Culver Military Academy Prep School
Date of Birth: March 15th, 2005
Place of Birth: Midhurst, ON, CAN
Ht: 6-foot-3 Wt: 185 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2023 first-year eligible
Rankings
- McKeens Hockey: 99th
- NHL Central Scouting: 73rd (amongst NA skaters)
- Smaht Scouting: 88th
There are some interesting trends regarding NHL prospect Larry Keenan. Many of this year’s draft projections have Keenan going in the sixth or seventh round, usually around the 200th player selected. However, he was one of the 106 players invited to this year’s combine. What is likely happening is that Keenan has steadily moved his way up on some of the prospect rankings. For example, his midterm ranking was 107 for North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s list, but he jumped to the 73rd spot in their final rankings. This is a reflection that many are starting to notice what he can do on the ice.
Keenan did impress recently in helping Culver to the USA Tier 1 U18 National Championships, helping others see that he is a very good skater with a booming shot. He is an offensive-minded defenseman, is effective at playmaking for Culver in equal-strength situations, is able to make accurate stretch passes, and can control the puck well in transition. He can score from the point with a very strong shot as well as possessing the quickness and mobility to drive the puck to the net.
Coming from a family with a great deal of hockey background, it should be no surprise that Keenan possesses a high hockey IQ. His grandfather of the same name played in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers between 1962 and 1971 and was on the ice when Bobby Orr scored his iconic goal in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final. His father Cory played professionally in Europe, and his sister Mackenzie skates for the University of New Brunswick.
Keenan possesses nice size, coming in over 6-foot-3 and weighing just about 185 pounds. With that size, he also is a very smooth skater that has nice speed with the ability to maneuver around players. This combination of size and speed makes him a valuable asset at both ends of the ice.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Guide
The question mark on Keenan’s game is how well his defensive game will carry over to higher levels of hockey. Playing at the American High School/Prep level may not have given him the challenges that demonstrated what he could do at higher levels. At Culver, he demonstrated the ability to force turnovers and take care of business in front of the net, but some wonder if that will transfer to higher levels of hockey.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Larry Keenan – NHL Draft Projection
Despite the concerns about whether he can succeed at higher levels of hockey, most see Keenan’s great deal of raw potential, which will likely see him selected in the sixth or seventh round.
Quotables
“Larry Keenan is particularly intriguing. Pedigree (yes, he’s the grandson of the Blues legend). Great mobility and quickness. Length. Strong puck mover. High upside. Headed to a great program at UMass.” – Brock Otten, Director of Scouting at McKeens Hockey
“Larry Keenan was a smooth-skating, big defenseman who also has a cannon from the point. He’s a bit raw in his offensive game, and his defensive game was never challenged in my viewings. However, he’s my top prep/HS player coming into this year’s draft. – Austin Garrett, Expected Buffalo
Strengths
- Skating
- Size
- Huge shot from the point
- Hockey IQ
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- Defensive skillset
- Body positioning
NHL Potential
The key words concerning Keenan are “raw potential.” He has the physical tools to be a top-four defenseman in the NHL but will need to continue to develop his skills while at the University of Massachusetts in order for this to happen.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk 2.5/5 – Reward 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 6/10, Defense – 5/10