With how the Edmonton Oilers are now trading away draft picks to get help for the playoffs to win the Stanley Cup everywhere, it is hard to find young and strong talent for the future. This is why the Oilers have gotten much better at scouting through junior hockey. One name that can be mentioned now is Brady Stonehouse.
Who is Brady Stonehouse?
Stonehouse was a camp invite by the Oilers and he stood out very well at the NHL Young Stars Tournament. The 19-year-old, 5’10”, right winger spent his first two seasons of junior with the Ottawa 67s in the OHL and has gotten better each year. He had a strong campaign last year. He played 68 games and scored 37 goals and 20 assists.
Recently, the Oilers have signed him to a three-year ELC contract which, in my opinion, was a smart choice by them as teams have noticed that he may be a sleeper pick up for them in the future. Stonehouse most likely would’ve reentered the draft if he hadn’t been signed by the Oilers. He played one OHL game with Ottawa before his ELC signing got announced.
Brady Stonehouse has now become the assistant captain of the Ottawa 67s and he is poised to have a great season.
Scouting report
That goal above is a pretty good way of explaining the skill of Stonehouse. He has great hands around the net and also in the corners. He is great on the rush and has very good passing skills along with a very good shot. The skating that he showed so far in junior and at the Young Stars Tournament was really good. It is nothing groundbreaking but it is NHL speed which is another positive. What stood out to me in terms of his skating was his edge work. His size is small at the moment, which can be a detriment in professional hockey, but he also just turned 19 years old so he has room to grow.
For such a small stature, Stonehouse is actually pretty adept in the corners and behind the net. He is good a winning puck battles and at attacking the net. He has all the skills a team would want in a top-six winger. But, he also has some skills that cannot be taught and are more related to instincts and attitude on the ice.
What Stonehouse has to offer
There are two qualities of Stonehouse that I really admire above even his great skill and speed.
Firstly, Stonehouse has a really high hockey sense. Based off my articles, you will come to realize that the biggest skill or asset that I value in prospects and players in general is their hockey sense/hockey IQ. This is a very smart player who will be compatible with any type of winger or centre in any league. He has the smarts and hockey sense to adjust the kind of game he plays in order to bring out the best in himself and his line mates. Players that have this ability have a higher chance to make the NHL in my opinion.
Secondly, Stonehouse has an agitating quality in his game that can’t be taught and has been created through the type of game he plays. This right winger is more than just points; he’s an agitator and by all accounts, a nice kid in off the ice. On the ice however, he drives opponents nuts. This was shown by him in the tournament he played. He created a lot of distress when he attacked the opponents with his Oiler line mates and got into rough stuff after the whistle. For such a small player, he stands out to the opposition in a big way due to his nastiness. He has a Brad Marchand like pest attitude to his game—a quality like that cannot be taught. It is a quality you love to have on your team but you would hate to play against.
Player prediction
As mentioned before, Stonehouse will be a leader for the Ottawa 67s this year with him becoming an assistant captain. In his first three games, he has gone without a point but I expect him to take over the team with his leadership, skill, and nastiness. Stonehouse may crack the 100-point mark in the OHL this season and lead his team close to a championship. But, as described above, Brady’s game is not all about points.
The Oilers may have a diamond in the rough here. They quickly moved on Stonehouse and signed him before any other team was willing to take a chance. He is going to be a difference maker for them in the future. Brady has gone from being a prospect who was never drafted to a top 100 prospect and a player that scouts have now coveted.
Below are what I believe his point totals will be for the Ottawa 67s this season:
68 OHL games, 42 goals, and 56 assists
