Brett Cullen
B.C. Division, CHL, WHL

Zack Ostapchuk ready to impress scouts this season

Written by Adam Kierszenblat on

 

Zack Ostapchuk is hoping for a huge season as he prepares for the 2021 NHL draft. Ostapchuk who is pegged as a mid-draft pick but could boost his draft stock with a strong bubble performance. He will be a vital part of the Giants this season and will look to bounce back after his rookie season was cut short due to injury.

Preparing for the draft:

Ostapchuk could really boost his draft stock with a strong season. This year’s NHL draft will be like no other in history as scouts will have limited viewing opportunities of prospects due to the shortened season across junior hockey. This could benefit Ostapchuk if he breaks out and puts in important and well-played minutes. Showing scouts you can succeed after coming back from injury might be enough for a team to take a chance on Ostapchuk earlier in the draft. Make no mistake about it, Ostapchuk is an incredibly skilled big-bodied forward that can skate and control the puck. If he adds on more weight and becomes stronger, teams could be lining up for the opportunity to draft the former first-round Bantam draft selection.

Providing secondary scoring:

We have not seen Ostapchuk’s full potential yet in the WHL. His rookie season only saw eight points in 44 games, but he continued to get better throughout the season. This season, however, he will be relied upon to provide that secondary scoring that could make the Giants so dangerous. He also should get some second unit powerplay time which could showcase his great shot. Ostapchuk competes hard every shift and is too talented to be kept off the scoresheet. He should have a decent offensive season that could cause other teams to game plan differently due to his emergence.

Getting pucks towards the net:

Ostapchuk has to get more pucks on the net this season in order to succeed. He has this great shot but only managed 53 shots in 44 games. This breaks down very simply, if Ostapchuk can average three or four shots towards the net per game, he will rack up the points. They do not even have to hit the net, he just needs to get it towards the net and create a scoring chance. This is a division that gives up a lot of shots against with an average of 27.8. The Giants are on the lower end having only given up an average of 25.9 per game. Teams like Kelowna and Victoria have vulnerable defenses that a player like Ostapchuk can exploit. Ostapchuk getting more pucks on the net will mean he will have a more impressive season that impresses the NHL scouts.

Projection:

With some powerplay time, Ostapchuk could be in the 20-25 point range by the end of the season. He has the capability to be a point-per-game player in the league. If the Giants give Ostapchuk more responsibility and opportunity this year, he could be a major factor as they go for the BC Divison crown.