24. LW Stefan Noesen – Plymouth (OHL)

DOB: Feb. 12/93 | Shoots: R | Height: 6.01 | Weight: 195lbs      

Midterm Rank: 38 | League Rank: 9th OHL | Country Rank: 3rd USA

     Stefan Noesen is a player that could shake up the draft order in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. The Texas native flew under the radar as a rookie in the OHL last season; recording just three goals and five assists in 33 games with limited ice-time for the Plymouth Whalers. Destined to be a regular in the Whalers’ lineup this season, Noesen’s worked hard to make his sophomore season a success. Noesen appeared in all of Plymouth’s 68 games recording a team high 77 points in the process. Arguably even more impressive was his +14 plus/minus that left him tied with fellow draft eligible teammate Rickard Rakell in plus/minus for forwards on the team.

     According to Noesen, not all was lost in his freshman season as a 16 year old in the OHL. Noesen talked about watching Tyler Seguin go through his draft year and how it made him mature as a person and as a player during an interview on The Pipeline Show in mid-April. When watching Noesen this year and comparing his game to limited showings his rookie year, one can really notice the maturity improvement in his game. Noesen takes it upon himself to take care of his own end and also can be considered one of the top penalty killers in the league with his shot blocking ability and impressive work ethic.

     Noesen has never been considered a flashy player and likely will not be at the professional level either. The six foot winger has a booming shot and also finds ways to set up teammates using his grit and size. Nosen’s linemates for much of the season in Rakell and Robbie Czarnik (Los Angeles) made it easy for him to be both the playmaker as well as find the back of the net. Noesen is not an overly gritty player, but he competes hard and can play physical when he needs to. You will always find him showing up in big games and he’s certainly not the type of player that will back down from physical confrontations in the dirty areas of the ice.

     Noesen has made great strides since last season but will need to continue to add speed to his game moving forward. The forward noticeably has a slow first couple of strides but is still an effective north-south skater which suits the style of game he likes to play. Noesen is able to make up for this weakness with his work ethic and good hockey sense, but he will need to continue to improve in this regard as he eventually transitions to professional hockey.

     It is safe to say that Noesen is a sure second round pick in this year’s draft, but it would not be too farfetched to see believe he could sneak into the bottom of the first round. Noesen doesn’t have the high-end offensive upside of some of the players in this crop, but his combination of two-way play and the ability to fit in on any line could make him a very versatile winger at the NHL level who will give coaches plenty of options on how they want to utilize him in the lineup.

Pros: Competitiveness, North-South Player, Good Shot, Big-Game Player
Cons: Acceleration, Creativity, NHL offensive upside
Skillset Comparison: Chris Kunitz

Tags: 2010 nhl draft prospects, Scouting Report, Stefan Noesen

About the Author: Andrew Weiss

Weiss, 19, started working for TSR in May 2011 and has been following junior hockey for the last three years. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native just completed his freshman year at Indiana University in Bloomington and would like to major in Marketing and Management with a minor in Journalism. He currently works for the Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University's award winning paper. Weiss also plays hockey for Indiana University (ACHA) and in addition to playing is also the president of the team.