Scouting Report: Nathan Gohm, 16 year old Right-Handed Defenseman

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 185 lbs

There are players that look like they play the game on cruise control, and Nathan Gohm is one of those players. He’s slick on his skates, gliding along with brilliant speed and balance. He’s also got strength to make up for his slight frame, able to make the tight check in the corners to neutralize a play or hit a player who thought going through him was an optimal backup to going around him. Beyond that, his impressive positioning and ability to read the play makes his defensive skillset an intriguing one. On top of that, his offensive reading ability and passing speed and accuracy makes him deadly in the offensive zone.

Gohm is an interesting case, he’s a kid of few weaknesses, but many oddities. First is his aptitude for taking faceoffs, no doubt from experience playing center. Despite this though, he struggles to find an adequate shot at anything but point-blank range, and he can find trouble getting open to make plays, neutering his effectiveness if the defense is strong enough.

Ghom is an intriguing prospect, one with no critical rough edges and a playstyle that lends itself well to development. I have no doubt any team that picks him up will have a good, two-way defensive talent for many years to come.

Word Count: 236