At 97th overall, the Red Wings select forward Ethan Phillips out of the USHL. Phillips is the 1st center the team has taken thus far in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Here’s what we know:
Vitals
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Born: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 146 lbs.
Prashanth’s Model
What are other people saying?
Here’s what Future Considerations says:
Gifted offensively, Phillips is also a complete, 200-foot player. He’s a very good skater with good speed who can go zone-to-zone quickly with the puck. Moves well in and out of traffic well because he is a very good handler of the puck. Plays bigger than his smaller frame and he has room for growth to add at probably 3-4 inches and 30-35 pounds of muscle. He has very good hands, along with very good puck-handling skills and concentration. Possessing a high compete level as well as a high hockey IQ, he plays with nice vision as he sees the ice well.
Here’s what The Draft Analyst says:
One of the fastest skaters in the draft, Phillips spent most of the season as a winger on Sioux Falls’ top-six and top power-play unit in between splitting time with high school. Phillips is incredibly quick in all directions and can drop a lethal first step. His rapid directional changes, pivots and cut backs are all conducted under complete control and serve him well during the majority of his successful zone entries. Phillips is a fearless skater who confidently takes the puck right into the teeth of coverage. He has no fear of getting drilled in open ice or along the wall, and if he does, he bounces right back up. Phillips has superior balance and edgework when you consider his size and playing weight, and he is a threat to set-up scoring chances while taking the puck wide or around the net. He can play either wing, and on the power play he slots near the left circle for one-timers.
Ethan Phillips was Zadina’s billet family in Halifax. Was at draft with him last year in Dallas.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) June 22, 2019
Quick Analysis
Small.. Real small, but where he lacks in size, Phillips brings a strong two-way game. Tenacious style of play, not slow to contribute defensively. It’s going to be a lot of fun watching him in the NCAA with Boston University. I see him as a potential all-situation 3rd line center in the NHL.
