Scouting Notes : James Swan Game Report - October 17th 2020
Channel: NHL Draft Central
Date: 10/12/2020

Here's my scouting notes on Halifax's forward and 2022 NHL Draft eligible, James Swan. What's YOUR opinion on the Canadian prospect ? I would love to hear it in the comments bellow !
2022 NHL Draft prospects scouting reports : 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWqUavddiQZaDBX1n2v9h2kSmsJ8cDYtC

Summary:
This was an incredible showing from Swan, who putted a tone on the game with his remarkable intensity, competitiveness and work along the boards. The 5 foot 7 left winger plays a dynamic and aggressive game, focusing on making plays in dirty areas and putting a special attention on doing the small things right. Swan possesses outstanding balance and overall strength to fight through bumps and checks. He showed a commanding stick and a very surprising physical presence for his size, allowing him to come out victorious of countless puck battles. His willingness to get in traffic and work for loose pucks were at the origin of two of Halifax goals, and multiple other scoring chances. He uses his very quick feet to jump on loose pucks briskly and beat defenders to the board. His constant pressure also forced a lot of rushed decisions and turnovers from defenders. Swan is often the first to get on the forecheck, and he rarely misses a beat on the backcheck too. He frequently has his head up looking for passing options, and he can make the simple feed very well in all three zones. His deking abilities were pretty average in 1v1 situations, but he displayed decent puck control to work through traffic. Swan showcases excellent quickness and mobility in corner play, but he does lack top-end speed to be seen as a threat in transition. The Canadian left winger doesn’t own any elite offensive trait, which is why he’s not the one driving the play on his line at the moment, but that is also rarely the case for 16 years old in the Q. His amazing tempo and work ethic make him the perfect supporting player and I can’t wait to see his progression. If Swan can improve on his overall skillset, meaning increased scoring touch, passing accuracy and puck skills, he could be a very intriguing prospect in the upcoming draft. His small frame and lack of speed/skill will certainly repel some, but with his incredible compete level, he should be viewed as one of the purest agitators available. A name to keep in mind.

Twitter : @AndyLehoux1

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Footage taken from NeuLion and the QMJHL