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How NHL Draft Experts See BC Sudbury Hockey Commit Teddy Stiga

VaselineJune 28, 2024

3 3 minutes read

How NHL Draft Experts See BC Sudbury Hockey Commit Teddy Stiga

NHL teams are wondering why Teddy Stiga is so fearless.

They don’t necessarily mean it as a compliment to the 18-year-old candidate from Sudbury.

“They talk to me about the negative. He’s a smaller guy. He could get killed,” said Nick Fohr, U.S. Under-18 national team coach. “I can appreciate that perspective from them, but as I tell those NHL teams, as he matures, he’ll learn where to put himself and where not to put himself. Right now, he’s very fearless and he does what he wants to do, but I tell him if he gets hit too hard a time or two by the wrong guy, he’ll learn quickly where to go and what to do.”

Stiga has played the past two years with USA Hockey’s National Development Team Program, a collection of the nation’s best players in a certain age group who play in both the USHL and Team USA’s junior national teams. The 5-foot-10, 179-pound forward will play for reigning national runner-up Boston College in the fall.

But before that, he’ll be selected in this weekend’s NHL Entry Draft. It takes place Friday and Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Where will he go? And when? It’s anyone’s guess.

NHL Draft experts have him ranked anywhere from 13th to 68th. That’s the difference between Florida goalie Spencer Knight (another BC product) and Las Vegas’ Nick Suzuki or a third-round pick struggling to break into the league.

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“For me it’s harder than for some people. I’ve seen myself everywhere. You can get a headache trying to figure out where you think you’re going,” Stiga said. “I’m going to go into it with no expectations, and wherever I go I’m going to be extremely happy.”

Here, some leading NHL Draft experts rank Stiga and what they have to say about him ahead of Friday’s first round, which kicks off at 7 p.m. on ESPN:

“Stiga is one of the most motivated, versatile and committed players in the NHL draft class. He never stops moving his feet and brings a skill level that allows him to line up with the best players in the NTDP,” Ferrari wrote. “Stiga pushes the pace and pressures his opponents, with and without the puck. He’s not the type of player who lets the game come to him. Instead, he attacks head-on and dictates the play.”

Steven Ellis, Daily Face Off: #17

“Stiga brings boundless energy to every shift, buzzing around the ice like his life depends on it. After drafting him as a mid-second rounder last time out, I feel confident moving him up because he’s been my favorite draft-eligible USNTDPer far too often this year not to,” Ellis wrote. “I think he’s a middle-six player in the NHL, but he can play with anyone and in almost any role.”

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EliteProspects categorizes Stiga as a ‘cerebral tactician’, a ‘playmaker’ and a ‘two-way street’.

David Saad wrote that Stiga “may be the best-kept secret of the draft.” “A rare combination of high-caliber tenacity, calculated decision-making and a refined understanding of the game, Stiga’s versatility and adaptability made him a force to be reckoned with in any given situation,” he added. He predicted that Stiga could be NHL-ready in three to four years.

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Smaht Scouting: #20

Josh Tessler wrote: “Teddy Stiga always makes sure his feet are moving away from the puck and tries to provide his teammates with passing opportunities laterally and on the ice. When he is on the front line or defending against the half wall, he is ruthless in his pursuits and constantly keeps his feet moving and accelerating as the puck moves.”

“Stiga seemed to get better in every game as the year progressed. Stiga is a smaller forward who plays with pace and a lot of intensity. He has a relentless motor and doesn’t shy away from contact,” wrote Tait Borst, head of North American Scouting.

Jason Bukala, Sportsnet: #28

Projects Stiga as a “second line forward” in the NHL and mentioned him as a prospect who could shake up the first round. “I personally have a lot of time for ultra-competitive USNTDP forward Teddy Stiga,” Bukala wrote about a hypothetical trade between Montreal and Calgary. “He would add a layer of tenacious work ethic and skill to Montreal’s prospect pool.”

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McKeen’s Hockey: No. 33

HPR/Malloy: #38

Chris Peters of FloHockey: #40

“Stiga’s stock has been rising all year. He is tenacious of the puck and has shown he can score on his own,” Peters wrote. “Because of his skating ability and level of competition, I’m not too concerned that Stiga’s size will hinder him significantly, if at all.”

VaselineJune 28, 2024

3 3 minutes read