Teddy Lechner:
Projection: Bottom 4 Defence
Strengths: Skating, Poise with the puck, Hockey IQ
Weaknesses: Physicality, Strength
Analysis:
Teddy Lechner is a solid two-way defenceman who excels in every
situation. Watching his time in Muskegon, you wouldn’t know he spent
the majority of the season playing in the Minnesota high school
league. Immediately, you notice how good of a skater he is. He has
such a fluid stride, a great top speed, and is super agile on his
edges. He uses his skating as a weapon, threatening to carry the puck
out of his own zone, join the rush, or pinch in the offensive zone to
be an extra option down low, knowing he has the speed to get back in
time if the puck is turned over. With the puck on his stick, he has an
immense amount of poise and control, taking as much time as possible
to decide what the best option he has available to him and executing
accordingly. This stems from his superb hockey IQ, reading and
anticipating plays before they happen to remain one step ahead of
everyone else on the ice.
The biggest worry in his game is his overall strength and physicality.
When engaging in battles with opponents, it’s clear that he lacks the
strength needed to be able to control or contain his opponents where
he wants them to be. He struggles to push others around and force them
off the puck on his own. Though he lacks the strength currently, he
still gives and takes checks in order to create plays when needed,
showing with a little development to grow stronger, he’d be capable of
playing the physical style needed to excel at the next levels.