It’s happened again, folks! We have another draft board tie! And we’re kicking off a couple of days talking about these dual holders of the 25th spot with Gracyn Sawchin.
After spending a year playing with a stacked NTDP team (which we’ve spoken about a number of times already) in 2021-22, Sawchyn pivoted to join… a stacked Seattle Thunderbirds team up in the WHL. And while this might first present as an easy recipe for disaster, Sawchyn still found a way to show well, even while being burried a bit in their lineup. He’s proved one of the more polarizing players in this draft class, but it’s easy to see what’s exciting a number of pundits about him.
Pre-Draft Rankings
No. 13 by EliteProspects
No. 24 (North America skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
No. 80 by Bob McKenzie
No. 44 by Scott Wheeler/The Athletic
Statistics
What’s to like?
While Sawchyn’s stats might not absolutely jump off the page (though still being able to manage a point per game pace while not always getting top minutes in a difficult WHL conference is nothing to turn one’s nose up at), there’s still a good bit to like about his offensive toolkit. He has a quick wrist shot that can beat defenders and goalies from a bit of distance. He has the skill and confidence to beat bigger defenders one-on-one to create chances. He thinks the game at a high level, which is an asset to him both on an individual level, as he’s able to slow things down and wait for a shooting lane to open for himself, as well as on the playmaking side, as he can draw attention to himself and find seams to his teammates and hit them with a quick, clean pass to keep a cycle alive.
Outside of the scoring touch he brings – and as an aid to it, in some ways – Sawchyn is just a good worker. He has a good motor, and while he isn’t the biggest or strongest player, he competes well and wins a lot of battled off of his tenacity and stick-to-it-iveness. He isn’t the fastest skater, and his stride can look a little wonky at times, but he’s quick enough and cuts well enough to be elusive, to be hard to push off of pucks when he has them. There isn’t one element of his game that pops as being truly next level, but all of the component parts work well together to make him an effective player, with room to continue growing and improving.
What’s not to like?
All of that said, there are still some areas where Sawchyn’s game is a little raw. Scouts are a bit torn on his shot – some are high on it, while others think the power and mechanics of the shot need a bit of polishing – and how well they envision that developing ties in with their general views of his upside. That is, those who are less fussed about where he stands now are higher on his chances to be an NHL regular down the road, while the skeptics are, well, more skeptical about him being a lock in that regard. He’s polarizing, as we said.
Sawchyn will also need to do a bit more physical developing so as not to get pushed around when he hits the professional levels. He’s listed around 5’11 and 157 pounds now, and while he’s able to still be ellusive enough to get around defenders at the WHL level now, he won’t be able to get by with just those same old tricks at the next level, and a bit of added strength is going to be a necessary asset for him to pick up.
How would he fit in the Flyers system?
We’ve said it before in this series, and we’ll say it again: the Flyers are in pretty desperate need of some more dynamic skill up and down their forward lineup. And while Sawchyn might not be an absolute slam dunk pick to check that box for them, there is some real potential there. And what’s more, with the Flyers committing to the rebuild, amassing a wealth of picks, and now finding themselves in a position where they can start taking some swings on players they really like, and Sawchyn would be an interesting candidate for this, if they think he’s one that they can really develop into something.
Can the Flyers actually get him?
There’s always a degree of uncertainty when we hit this section, but with Sawchyn, we really just have to throw our hands up in the air and say that we truly have no idea if the Flyers can land him. If we go by some of the rankings that like him more, it’s likely that he’s just outside of the player group that the Flyers will pull from at seven, but he will come off the board before they pick again at 22. Others would have him still on the board at 22, and feel that this is a range where he should be taken, making it a good pick for the Flyers. And others still would have him going to much later in the draft that he might even still be an option for the Flyers to grab with one of their third round picks. The ranges are getting wild here, and what it all amounts to is this – there is a chance that the Flyers could land Sawchyn, but we don’t know that we’d put money on it happening.
What scouts are saying
He’s got extremely quick hands that give him legitimate one-on-one skill and regularly flash in dangling sequences inside the offensive zone. He can beat defenders in transition or in traffic and does a really nice job holding onto pucks, drawing attention, delaying and then hitting seams as they open. He’s a light 157 pounds, but defenders have a tough time marking him. I like his competitiveness in battles and on the puck as well. Add in some positional and special-teams versatility (he can play centre or the wing, and the power play and penalty kill) and you’ve got my interest. – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Sawchyn’s game is not a complex one. He sprints hard after the puck, and if he can’t outright win the race, he tries to win the ensuing battle, then, he looks for a teammate. He feathers pucks off the backhand through defenders, slips them under sticks on the forehand, and completes all sorts of crafty one- and two-touch plays to teammates moving in space. If the pass isn’t available, he drives inside without much concern for his safety. -EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide
Sawchyn is a talented forward with the speed and skill to create offense at higher levels. He also has a mentality to attack the middle of the offensive zone which is something you like to see from a 5-foot-11 forward to go with a little chippiness. I wouldn’t call his offensive game truly top end for the NHL, but he can beat opponents with his hands and makes a lot of plays. I would like to see him finish more of the chances he gets, though. His skating stride is awkward looking, but has pro power in it. Sawchyn has a chance to make it due to his various assets, and I can see him play games, although I’m hesitant to stamp him as a full-time player because it’s not clear what his NHL role would be as a smaller forward without high-end offensive traits. – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
No poll today, since we have a tie and we (sentient blog) already know who’s going to be up next. You all will find out tomorrow, and then we’ll be back and voting again. Enjoy your day off!