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Nathan MacKinnon Profile


Nathan MacKinnon
Ht/Wt: 6' 0"/185 lbs
Position: C
Team: Halifax (QMJHL)



Nathan MacKinnon's Player Profile

MacKinnon is a simply fantastic prospect who has all the tools a GM would want in a high draft choice. His body and skills are advanced, relative to the fact he is a tad over two weeks away from being bumped to the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. MacKinnon is an elite skater, and possibly a generational one, easily the best in this draft class. He has an unbelievable first few steps, and he generates a ridiculous amount of power from his legs. When he gets in full flight, it is very hard to stop him (in fact, I once saw an opposing QMJHL player try to tackle him). One NHL source told me that MacKinnon will draw a lot of penalties because of his agility and speed. His puck skills are high end, as well as his offensive vision. MacKinnon is not simply a north-south kind of player; he has a ton of offensive creativity, including the ability to dangle defensemen laterally, or make quick, precise feeds. MacKinnon measures at six feet tall, 182 pounds, but has an unusual amount of power to his game. An NHL executive told me that his level of talent is matched by his work ethic. MacKinnon will power through checks, grind out board battles, and land big hits. He projects as a forward with defensive value. He generates a lot of shots, and he has quality finishing ability. In short, there are almost no weaknesses in MacKinnon's game, and he possesses a lot of skills that are in the upper tier. He projects as an elite NHL forward.
Submitted by: Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus. Click here for Pronman's draft rankings

“He’s a pretty interesting guy. I think if you talk to him he says he’s more of a power forward who has skill, but to a lot of other people, he’s a highly-skilled forward who plays with a lot of power. It’s a nice combination to have. His skating is elite. He’s a durable guy and he’s been a terrific player and I really don’t know what more to say. He can play the game any way you want him to play it.”

Caveat: “His hockey sense is maybe a notch down from Drouin, but not far. His competitiveness too has maybe given him a little bit of trouble because he’s capable of taking on people one-on-one, but sometimes it leads to a train wreck because he winds up in a lot of collisions where he’s taken some hits.”

Comparable NHL Players: Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin

Scouting report from Lightning director of amateur scouting Al Murray on Lightning.NHL.com - May 16th 2013

In the eyes of the scouting populace, MacKinnon has gone from 1A, to 1B, to fighting for a spot in the Top 3 with no shortage of challengers. While MacKinnon stock isn’t vaulting the way many expected, we still view him as a legitimate franchise caliber player.

The 17-year-old will be one of the youngest players in the draft and continues to show strong progression in his game. MacKinnon’s dynamic ability makes him a threat every time he’s on the ice. He has a high skill level and is able to make moves at full speed that most players would struggle to make in practice. Compete level and a consistent motor are also assets to his game.
Submitted by: The Scouting Report

Raised in Cole Harbor NS (the same town that gave birth to Sidney Crosby), it's hard not to compare Nathan to the Penguins superstar. At 5'11'' 180lbs, MacKinnon was second only to Buffalo Sabers prospect Mikhail Grigorenko in rookie scoring in the QMJHL last season. Using great hands and quick feet to set up plays, Nathan also has a nose for the net, tallying 31 goals in 58 regular season games and 13 in 17 playoff games. At only 16 years of age, MacKinnon has tremendous offensive upside, which he will more than likely display more of on an already loaded Halifax team, and will be a tremendous asset to whichever team drafts him in June.
Submitted by: Michael Prosser

I'm not sure what they are doing at Shattuck St. Mary's, Nathan is another product of that prep school that produced Crosby and Parise. Mackinnon has been on the radar for a few seasons and has not disappointed since joining the junior ranks. A little stocky by nature, Mackinnon is the complete package and he is dynamic. He will can carry a team on his back with his explosive skating and he will be a high end center in the NHL in the near future. Already producing in junior and the international stage, he recently scored a hat trick as Canada beat Finland 4-0 to win the gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He led his Halifax Mooseheads in scoring and will show his true leadership this coming season that promises to be his last in the QMJHL. He will challenge for the 1st pick overall with Seth Jones and possibly Sean Monahan.
Submitted by: Robert Urner

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