Pat Newell THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 1/18/1996
Place of birth: Thousand Oaks, California
Ht: 5’10” Wt: 146 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: C/LW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: @PMNew18
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): not ranked
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): not ranked
Future Considerations: not ranked
Craig Button: not ranked
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: not ranked
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Players like Pat Newell don’t get a fair shake – probably because they’re small and there is still a mentality that small players can’t play in the NHL. Pat Newell is trying to quash that stereotype. Although he will take years before he might be able to step into an NHL lineup, he does show a nice array of skill for a smaller player.
For starters, Newell is like a bullet on the ice. His short legs allow him to be speedy with fantastic acceleration. At top speed he has great hands to make moves and set up plays. He realizes he won’t beat anyone physically, so he uses his hockey smarts and quickness to beat defenders.
He helped the Indiana Ice to a Clark Cup victory by being effective on both sides of the puck. While his offense is evident, his defensive play seems to be underrated. He’s relentless on the forecheck and backcheck hustling to every puck. His determination to prove everyone wrong is a great skill to have, especially for those people who say he’s too small to play in the NHL.
There’s a good shot Newell doesn’t get picked at all in the NHL draft, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t.
Where Will He End Up In June:
If he gets picked, Newell will likely be taken in the 6th or 7th round.
Scout’s Honor:
“When it comes to Patty Newell what stands out for me right away is his incredibly high hockey IQ, which translates into his ability to think and react at such a high pace during the course of a game. If he gets an opportunity on a break away, 9 times outta 10 he is going to bury it. He has slippery mits, and can elude defenders with ease, mixed with exellent vision which allows him to create something outta nothing and distribute the puck so effectively to teammates. He has a quick first-step, is a nice skater, has tremendous offensive instincts, and takes pride in his defensive game also, which is why he finished the season among the top 10 in plus minus (+24) in the entire USHL. He is Datsyuk-like with his overall makeup, and his potential is through the roof. Newell wants to make a difference each and every time he sets foot on the ice, and simply leads by example on and off the ice. I’ve followed him since he was a 14-year-old, and he was mature beyond his years even then when it came to the game of hockey. His qualities as a player and more importantly a person are unparalleled, which will see him have success in his career no doubt. It’s scary to think what he may acomplish if he spends another 3 seasons in Jr. hockey. Size will alwasy be a question with Patty, but in my books with the way the game is played nowadays it’s a non issue. His talents and work ethic put him a step ahead of the competition most nights. If I was scouting for an NHL team, I would not hesitate to kick his tires.”
Dan Sallows – Indiana Ice scout
Statistics:
ETA:
4-5 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 3/5 Reward: 3/5
NHL Potential:
2nd or 3rd line two-way forward
Strengths:
Skating
Speed and acceleration
Puckhandling at top speed
Forechecking
Backchecking
Hockey IQ
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Get bigger as he’s vastly undersized
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 5/10 Defensive: 5/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: David Desharnais
Video(s):
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph