The Scouting Report:
Cole Eiserman from Newburyport, Massachusetts, born on August 29th, 2006, is one of the most consistent and lethal shooters in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. While Eiserman fell from the undisputed second-overall pick, a team likely gets a superstar player way later than he should be drafted.
Eiserman has spent his draft season with the U.S. National U18 Team in the National Team Development Program and the USNTDP Junior Team in the USHL. Eiserman has committed to Boston University in the NCAA for the 2025-26 season, but it is unclear where he will play for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
The 6-foot-0, 196-pound left winger can provide solid goalscoring once he develops into his projected game. He’s built his game similar to Patrik Laine’s draft-eligible season, although not nearly as one-dimensional. His physical edge and work ethic remain significant assets to his game and to any team that will select him on draft day.
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Ranked #5 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #8 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters
Ranked #4 by TSN/Bob McKenzie
Ranked #8 by TSN/Craig Button
Ranked #7 by Daily Faceoff
Ranked #9 by Recruit Scouting
Ranked #9 by Sportsnet/Jason Bukala
Ranked #16 by Dobber Prospects
Conrad Jack of Inside The Rink has Cole Eiserman projected at 5th overall
I’ve highlighted some of Cole Eiserman’s attributes, let’s take a deeper dive into his attributes and areas for improvement.
Diving Deeper:
While Cole Eiserman is mostly known for his lethal shot, I want to dive into some other aspects of his game that make him stand out as a top prospect in this draft.
Lethal Shooting
The first thing I want to mention about Eiserman’s shot is him alone at the top of the US National Team Development Program’s all-time goal record which further proves he has the most dangerous shot of anyone in this year’s draft class. Throughout 57 games this season with the National Team Development Program (NTDP), Eiserman posted 58 goals and 31 assists. His all-time 127 goals in 119 games are incredibly lucrative to any team looking to add a true and proven goalscorer.
Eiserman can and will shoot from anywhere in the offensive zone and he will do it with incredible accuracy. What makes his goal-scoring just that much scarier is he is super consistent regardless of where he is on the ice, he has no office where teams expect him to be. His deceptiveness on the ice allows him to capitalize and create more scoring chances for himself.
“Scouts raised concerns that he would “disappear” when he wasn’t scoring, and his stock has declined because of it. There is no denying his ability to score, but he’ll need to continue to develop his instincts and decision-making in college to score at the NHL level.”
Rachel Doerrie – ESPN – April 7, 2024
Work Ethic
On top of being a goal-scoring threat on the ice, Cole Eiserman is one of the hardest workers on the ice for his team. He’s constantly moving around the ice and he doesn’t need to have much open space to score a quick goal. He’s strong at reading the play and he does it quickly, he doesn’t hesitate to be one of the first bodies in front of an attacker. In addition to this, Eiserman is not afraid to throw his body around and make hits to win puck battles and create a high-danger scoring chance.
In some of the highlights watched to scout Eiserman, there’s a noticeable issue in his transition game, but he hustles hard and uses the stronger parts of his game to help make up for the weaker parts of his game. Whenever his team needs an extra man for coverage, Eiserman is right there and putting pressure on the defenseman, but sometimes this causes trouble for him.
“You can’t deny the fact that he’s got a dangerous release and accuracy. However, there are some concerns with his off the puck play and ability to be engaging can be very inconsistent.”
Peter Baracchini – The Hockey Writers – March 7th, 2024.
Board Battles/Physical Edge
A physical edge to any potential NHL player is a plus. Cole Eiserman has really made his game stand out by bringing a more physical edge to his game and battling along the boards. While Eiserman isn’t the biggest player, his willingness to use his body to help make a play rather than solely relying on skill has kept his draft stock high.
Eiserman projects as a passenger-esque player on a line. He will be a complimentary player to a line that has an identity. He isn’t the type of player that stands out as the star of the line, but you know he’s there. In an offensive zone battle, Eiserman uses his developing frame to outmuscle players and will attempt to find the open lanes in tight spaces.
On-Ice Abilities:
Relative to Eiserman’s play, there are some concerns. As a naturally inclined offensive goal-scoring threat, he lacks a little bit defensively. His skating needs work as he’s neither quick to accelerate nor has high-end speed which burns him in a rush-style offense and in transition.
As I mentioned previously, Eiserman is more of a passenger player and his lack of ability in transition is the bigger issue in his game heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He isn’t a zone-to-zone puck-moving player and he must develop that part of his game as it will cost him in today’s focus on speed in the NHL.
While there are great assets to his game, there are some serious concerns as previously noted for the once undisputed second overall pick. However, the lucrativeness that comes with a high-scoring threat that can develop into a top-line NHL player is extremely attractive for any NHL team.
Prospect Potential:
Eiserman has tons of potential. He is a strong goal scorer and what he lacks in his game, he makes up for in his strengths. He added significant value to his game by becoming more physical as he got older and his lethal shot with pinpoint accuracy is just too good to pass up.
I can see Eiserman falling in this year’s draft, he has a similar built game to Cole Caufield, but Eiserman is more physically dominant than Caufield. This is a massive asset as Caufield still has time to develop into a 40-50 goal scorer and Eiserman being on the same trajectory will serve wonders for him.
Realistically, I can expect Cole Eiserman to become an NHL top-six regular where he scores around 80 points a season. Any team that gets him after pick 16 is getting a steal, especially if it is a team on the cusp of becoming a Stanley Cup contender.
Best Potential Fit:
With projections as high as being drafted third overall and as low as 16th overall, here are a few teams I can see picking up Eiserman.
Seattle Kraken: With the ninth overall pick, the Seattle Kraken could add a real goal-scoring threat to their team if Eiserman is available.
Philadelphia Flyers: Honestly, the Flyers got Michkov last year at seventh overall, drafting 12th overall this year, if Eiserman is available, I can see Philadelphia seriously considering drafting him.
New Jersey Devils: Drafting 10th overall this year after a tire-fire season, New Jersey has the opportunity to load up with another young star on their already stud roster.
Detroit Red Wings: After barely missing the playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings have a chance to bring in a young prospect with a high potential. Bringing Eiserman into an already-loaded Red Wings roster could be super beneficial, but the likelihood of Eiserman being available at 15th overall is slim.
Final Thoughts:
Cole Eiserman will develop into a bright star in the NHL granted he can work out all of the kinks in his current game. There is high praise for the former undisputed second-overall pick, especially from highly reputable outlets. Any team that is able to draft Eiserman is set up for a strong future when and if his current goal-scoring production translates to the NHL.
Stats via Elite Prospects
Highlights via MyNHLDraft.com
