He is an imposing forward on the ice because of his size. He shows agility in his skating with a very strong first two strides and the ability to take off with quick feet and speed. He moves well laterally and can get around defenders with his various skating talents. He displays impressive smarts in his ability to break down defensive coverage and find or make lanes. He is also very intelligent away from the puck and goes to find open ice so he is a passing option. He doesn’t make flashy plays with the puck like a Yakupov would, but is intelligent and makes decisive plays with the puck in the offensive zone. He can generate offense from off of the rush or by winning a battle down low and making a crisp pass from behind the net. His progression over the course of the season has been really impressive as he looked a little tentative to start off, but turned things around enough to become one of the OHL’s most dominant power forwards later on. He can be a physical force when necessary and is more than willing to mix it up. He has a bullet of a shot with a quick release. He is strong defensively as he comes back hard and uses his reach to break up plays on the back check. His compete level and aggressiveness are strong, not in a mean or angry way, but more as a puck hound—willing to do what it takes to win each battle. (May 2012)