In this deep dive, we're going to take an in-depth look at all of the new draftees for the Anaheim Outlaws. The Outlaws made 6 selections in the SMJHL Entry Draft, taking 4 forwards, a goalie, and a defenseman. Interestingly enough, the forwards were split evenly between centers (at 2) and left wingers (the other 2).

Zhen Rosa - G

Starting off with the lone netminder of their draft, Zhen Rosa is a sort of jack of all trades. They are good at everything, but not great at any one particular thing. Their strength, by far, is their positioning. Rosa knows how to take the right angle when facing down a shooter, playing against an odd-man rush, or stopping a cross-crease from ending up in the back of the net. His glove is just a tad better than his blocker side, but they are both good for a player at this level. Rosa's weakest attribute, for a goaltender, is his ability to recover after allowing a goal - he's a bit fragile. Overall, Rosa has the outlook to be a solid future starter for the Outlaws.

Jonathon Hagan - D

The single defenseman of the Outlaws' draft, Hagan comes in boasting a solid defensive background with high offensive upside. His ability to shutdown opposing players when they're attempting to make plays is his strength, as is his relentless conditioning. He has a good offensive base, with decent puck-moving ability and anticipation. His weakest attribute is shots from the point, as he is not particular accurate when he gets at a significant range. Overall though, Hagan's solid defensive core and high offensive upside puts him in a position to be a 1st pairing defenseman for the Outlaws down the line.

Igor Bursov - C

Igor Bursov, the first of the two centers taken by Anaheim, has the makings of a two-way, workhorse center. Bursov's shooting is one of his strengths, as he has the ability to put the puck where he wants it from even the high slot. Defensively, his positioning and hitting ability make him a physical force to be concerned about in his own end. His most glaring weakness is his ability to screen the goaltender in front. In general, he's got the core skills to become a solid middle 6, two-way center for the Outlaws.

Stan Din'desque - C

Stan "Standing Desk" Din'desque, was the first overall pick of the draft, and, of course, the Outlaws first selection. There's a lot to like about him as a center, most notably, his ability to run the offense. He can see plays developing before most others on the ice, which allows him to put himself in the right position to find the net, or an open man. His faceoff ability is also an asset to his overall game, as he wins them more often than he loses them. His most glaring weakness is in the defensive end, namely his willingness to sacrifice the body and block a shot. However, his offensive upside leaves him with an easy top 6 outlook down the line with the Outlaws.

Daniel Merica Jr. - LW

Daniel Merica Jr. was the first winger taken by Anaheim in the draft. Merica's biggest plus, by far, is his ability to score. Merica can lose a defender and bury one bar down before you can blink, such is his ability to get open and shoot. He's got the wheels to put him in those spots as well. Of course, his biggest downside is his defensive ability - or complete lack thereof. It would be fairly accurate to say he appears somewhat lost in the defensive end, but if he can put that behind him, Merica's easily a top-line goal scorer for the Outlaws.

High Haschdi - LW

High Haschdi was the other winger of the draft taken by Anaheim. Haschdi fits the bill of an offensive forward perfectly, with good knowledge of the offensive zone, a wicked shot, and good hands. Defensively he could use some work, as he is only somewhat better than his fellow rookie winger, Merica Jr, in the defensive zone. Overall, Haschdi has the skillset to turn into a top 6 forward for the Outlaws down the line.

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