The Scouting Report:
Adam Kleber is an eighteen-year-old defenseman from Chaska, Minnesota. Currently playing on the USHL’s Lincoln Stars team, Kleber is expected to play under the NCAA’s University of Minnesota-Duluth hockey squad next season. Known as being a physical defenseman, Kleber’s draft positioning has risen significantly since the beginning of last season.
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Draft Projections
Ranked #70 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #40 by The Hockey Writers/Horn
Ranked #61 by The Hockey Writers/Forbes
Ranked #47 by TSN/Button
Conrad Jack of Inside The Rink has Adam Kleber at seventieth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Diving Deeper:
Defensive Strength
As a right-shot defender standing at 6’5, Kleber is at a highly desired position for NHL teams. His size allows him to have a wider reach when on the penalty kill or responding to forward shot attempts. Near the net, Kleber has been described as “consistently excellent and effective” at the front of the net on defense. His improvement offensively, with five goals and twenty-six points in fifty-six games with the USHL’s Stars, has extended his defensive skill. Kleber is not expected to thrive offensively, as defense is where he has notably shined, but his ability to make lower-risk and fast moves with the puck is a plus for a long-term NHL career. His size and defensive skills combined are a multiple report standout, amplifying Kleber’s biggest hockey strengths.
Hockey IQ
While Kleber is strong and physical on defense, his hockey IQ is a quiet – but notable – part of his game. Kleber knows how to use his size to his advantage, using it to shut down plays around the ice. His reach is used strategically, especially with other defensemen around him, despite not being a lead rusher.
Prospect Potential:
Kleber is a defensive scout’s dream. Smart with the puck, tall, physical, and only growing offensively, Kleber’s time in the NCAA before the NHL will only help him long-term. His potential is low-risk and high-reward if used properly early on in his career.
Best Potential Fit:
Expected to go in the second or third rounds of the NHL draft, where Kleber ends up is anyone’s guess. Right-shot, physical defensemen are hard to come by easily in the NHL, which is what makes Kleber’s draft predictability so unpredictable.
As the former Arizona Coyotes move into Salt Lake City under the Utah Hockey Club name, it’s not a reach to see Kleber drafted there. Utah needs a defense in the next several years, especially after the collapse of the team in January 2024. While the club’s defense is one of the youngest in the NHL, it gives Kleber time to play at the collegiate level and grow before being called up.
Final Thoughts
Adam Kleber is a young defenseman with a high ceiling. His defensive strength, size, and hockey intelligence make him a quietly underrated draft prospect. Playing collegiate hockey will only help Kleber’s NHL career, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him around the NHL for a long time.
ITR 26: 2 Nations Fighting – Inside The Rink
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