FN Draft Profiles: Tynan Lawrence could be the perfect draft pick if the Flames don’t pick in the top four
The Calgary Flames need to hit a home run at the upcoming draft if they want to bring their rebuild to a close. While you’d ideally like to be picking in the top three, a pick that high is no guarantee at this point. The Flames have been playing well recently, and a pick in the four-to-seven overall range may be where they find themselves.
If that’s the case, the Flames need to take a serious look at Tynan Lawrence.
Scouting report
A product of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Lawrence is a six-foot, 185-pound left-shot centre who will be turning 18 this August.
Lawrence began the season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, but after 13 games, he made the switch to Boston University, where he played alongside some notable NHL prospects such as Cole Hutson and Cole Eiserman.
“He’s admittedly not the most dynamic puckhandler. Instead, he relies on intelligent reads, recognizing when to attack open space and executing clever passes under pressure, using an array of soft chips, aerial feeds, and smart banks off the boards.”
“He’s a threat in transition with the puck on his stick and sees the ice exceptionally well. When he moves the play to a linemate his ability to keep his feet moving and find open ice in high danger areas speaks to his hockey sense. He has top-six NHL upside.”
In terms of pure hockey intelligence and hockey sense, there doesn’t seem as much praise for other players as there is praise for Lawrence.
The numbers
Looking back a season ago to Lawrence’s first season in the USHL, the numbers were impressive. He finished the year just under a point per game, scoring 25 goals and adding 25 assists in 56 games.
Lawrence began this season again in the USHL, getting off to a hot start with 17 points in his first 10 games before making the switch to the NCAA. The transition hasn’t gone exactly as he may have hoped. The production he found in the USHL has not made the jump with him. In 18 NCAA games, Lawrence has just two goals and five assists.
It’s not for a lack of effort, though. While the numbers haven’t quite been there, Lawrence has continued to received endless praise for his hockey IQ, compete and work ethic. Lawrence always seems to do all the little things right, and it’s noticeable on every shift. These types of qualities are exactly what you like to see in young players.
Availability and fitIf you’re the Flames, your eyes are glued to the Gavin McKennas and Ivar Stenbergs of the draft. There’s no chance the Flames will try to swipe Lawrence with a top-four pick if that’s where they end up selecting.
The general consensus is that Lawrence will be taken between fifth and ninth overall, so if the Flames find themselves picking within that range, Lawrence might be just the player they are likely to take.
In terms of fit, the fact Lawrence is a centre is perfect. That’s the position the Flames need help at most, and while they have solid prospects like Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter, there still seems to be a desire to find a bona fide No. 1 centre. Whether Lawrence can fill that role remains to be determined, but the signs are there that he could be a quality NHL player. It feels like a low-risk, high-reward type of pick.
Do you think Tynan Lawrence should be on the Flames’ draft radar? Let us know in the comments below.
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