Welcome to your NHL Entry Draft Headquarters right here at Last Word On Sports and Top Shelf Prospects. We have you covered with everything you will need to be ready for the next wave of NHL propsects. Our team is comprised of Ben Kerr and Josh Cohen. Be sure to follow them on social media for all the latest on the top prospects in the game. Today we bring you, perhaps the top undrafted free agent, this is our JJ Wiebusch Scouting Report. 

Penn State Nittany Lions sophomore forward J.J. Wiebusch continues to dominate college hockey, despite being an undrafted free agent. Penn State might have the most high-profile prospect in college hockey history with freshman Gavin McKenna. Moreover, it’s an undrafted free agent sophomore, J.J. Wiebusch, who’s currently taking college hockey by storm. Through 13 games, Wiebusch is tied for the lead in the NCAA in goals with 11 and has put up 7 assists for 18 points. He also tied for lead in the country in power play goals, with 6 of his 11 goals coming with the man advantage. Last season, Wiebusch put up 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points over 40 games played. Before heading to Penn State, Wiebusch was top-15 in points with the Sioux Falls Stampede in his final season in the USHL, tallying 29 goals and 34 assists for 63 points. 

Undrafted College Free Agent J.J. Wiebusch’s Scouting Report

Wiebusch received an invite to the New York Rangers Development Camp this past summer and was also selected to the first-ever U.S. Collegiate Select Team, which will be led by his coach at PSU, Guy Gadowsky. The team will be heading to Davos, Switzerland, in December to compete in the 2025 Spengler Cup, a six-team invitational tournament featuring national and club teams from across the world. Wiebusch was also recently named the National Co-Player of the Month for October by the Hockey Commissioners Association and has received Big Ten Star of the Week twice so far this season. 

Forward — shoots Right
Born February 20th, 2004 — River Falls, Wisconsin
Height 6’1″ — Weight 180 lbs [185 cm / 82 kg]



Skating

Wiebusch is a solid skater who knows when to accelerate and when to throttle down. He has a quick first step, which helps him in the breakout and transition game. He has a narrower stride but will widen out with the puck to allow him to use his power to hold onto the puck in the offensive zone. His ability to be constantly moving in the offensive zone and finding open space makes him a threat, even when he’s not in full stride. As he grows and matures, his skating should only improve, especially with the first-class strength program at Penn State. 

Offensive Game

Wiebusch has quick, snappy wrists that allow him to finish in tight spaces, making him a natural goal scorer. His wrist shot is one of his greatest strengths. He has a great ability to find the soft spots in the defence, scoring a majority of his goals in the slot and on the backdoor this season. Wiebusch does a great job of staying active in the high slot, constantly shifting his positioning based on the defence’s structure and movement to get open for his teammates.

Despite his size, he’s not afraid to go to the hard areas and battle for pucks in front of the net, in the corners, and along the boards. As he grows and continues to develop in the PSU Strength and Conditioning program, that part of his game will only get better. His on-ice vision and hockey IQ are top-notch and allows him to see the play developing fast enough that he can get into open ice as support or make a decisive shot or pass if he has the puck on his stick. 

Defensive Game

Wiebusch can handle his own on defence as well. He backchecks hard and looks for opportunities to break up the opponent’s transition before, or right after, they enter the zone. He has an active stick on defence, and his quick first step allows him to frequently turn loose pucks into breakout opportunities. Wiebusch doesn’t hesitate to step in front of shots and use his body when needed. He can get overactive with his stick, leading to penalties, and is something he’ll need to clean up as he looks to earn a shot in the NHL. 

Projection and Comparison

With an NHL that is more skill-focused than ever, Wiebusch is a very intriguing prospect. He’s playing against top-level competition each week at Penn State and still putting up big offensive numbers, consistently stepping up in big-time moments. He will need to continue to work on his defensive zone play and develop in the weight room, but with the increased spotlight on him with the Spengler Cup coming up and all the eyes on PSU this year, don’t be surprised to see an NHL club take a shot on the 21-year-old forward coming out of college hockey. He has top-six forward potential on the offensive end; it’ll come down to how he develops on the defensive end of the ice. His game is reminiscent of Vladimir Tarasenko of the Minnesota Wild, but this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill or ability.

Highlights

The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of JJ Wiebsuch that are available on YouTube.

Main Photo Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images