Jett Luchanko is a 17-year-old two-way center who currently plays for the Guelph Storm of the OHL. He stands at 5’11” and 183 pounds and has shown immense improvement over the past season. Finishing the OHL season with the team lead in points for Guelph with 74 points through 68 games, Luchanko is a player with some serious upside. It is difficult to say with relative certainty where Luchanko will be drafted as his rankings have him as high as top 20 in some cases and as low as 47th.
Armed with an excellent offensive toolkit of breakneck speed, extremely accurate and deceptive passing ability, and well above-average hands, Luchanko has gained the attention of many NHL scouts throughout his time in the OHL, as well as his fantastic showing in the CHL Top Prospect’s Game skills testing. Luchanko greatly stepped up his contributions when the Storm were without Boston Bruins prospect Matthew Poitras, this opportunity paired with an excellent showing for Team Canada at the U18 Worlds has increased his draft stock potentially.
Conrad Jack of Inside The Rink has Jett Luchanko projected at 34th overall
I’ve highlighted some of Jet Luchanko’s attributes, let’s take a deeper dive into his attributes and areas for improvement.
Diving Deeper:
Like most elite NHL draft prospects, Jett Luchanko has an expansive skillset that could potentially translate very well to the NHL, let’s take a closer look.
Playmaking Ability
The biggest aspect of Luchanko’s game that stands out to scouts and fans is his elite play-making ability. Specifically, his ability to find open teammates in deceptive ways is truly a thing of beauty. He has the potential to be a fantastic set-up man due to his hockey IQ and puck skills. Just take a look at some of these passes if you’re still not sold.
“Passing is a skill and it’s a skill that Luchanko has mastered already. When he has time and space, it’s rare to see him miss the mark. He is especially lethal on the powerplay where he cycles back from the point to the right hash marks.” – Brock Otten – McKeen’s Hockey – March 19th
Skating
The next attribute that I wanted to focus on was Luchanko’s skating. This forward not only has elite top-end speed and acceleration, but also a very solid technical foundation. Luchanko knows how to use his edges to move deceptively and powerfully and I feel that if his strength was to increase, his skating would stand out even more. At this year’s CHL Top Prospect Game, during the skills testing Luchanko was one of the fastest players on the ice by a good margin. He edged out Sam Dickinson in the speed component, who is considered one of if not the best skater in this year’s draft class.
“Luchanko is a modern-day skater who utilizes linear crossovers to build speed and glides to conserve energy. He builds speed quickly out of pivots or cuts and it’s in these quick bursts where he is often his most dangerous. This is especially true on the forecheck or when leading the counterattack.” – Brock Otten – McKeen’s Hockey – March 19th
Areas for Improvement
While Luchanko has a very solid overall game, his game is not without criticism. The main concern that I and many other scouts have is his lack of strength. Although he isn’t afraid of physical play at his current stature, he could benefit greatly from getting stronger. This is apparent when you watch him get knocked off of pucks relatively easily at the OHL, which will be even more glaring at the pro level. The lack of strength is also apparent when you isolate his shot. While his wrist shot is very accurate and he possesses a quick release, I wouldn’t call it heavy or lethal and that is an area that could round out his game significantly.
On-Ice Abilities:
Aside from his elite play-making ability and impressive speed, Luchanko displays a very impressive hockey IQ. He has fantastic vision and sees and understands the game at a very high level. He also has a fantastic motor and is an extremely hard worker. This is an extremely smart player with an excellent motor, Luchanko is a guy who is going to work harder than the competition night in and night out, this is an attribute that coaches and scouts alike value. As a testament to this work ethic, Luchanko was voted in the top 3 hardest working players in his conference by a recent OHL coaches poll.
“He displays strong IQ with and without the puck as well as a highly competitive nature, not shying away from tough battles in the dirty areas. He’s quick on his feet with strong edges and cuts to the open ice.”- Peter Baracchini – The Hockey Writers – March 7th
Prospect Potential:
I see Luchanko’s potential as being a productive middle-six forward who can make a huge impact offensively and through tenacious back-checking and defensive responsibility. At his peak, I would say that he could be a solid second-line center, yet his pNHLe has him projected as first-line talent right now. I think he has a future in the NHL to speak in very broad terms.
Graphic from Dobber Prospects
Best Potential Fit:
Toronto (21st) – Although some may consider it a bit of a reach for Luchanko to go this early, I think that he would fit in very well in Toronto’s high-powered offense. He also reminds me of Easton Cowan in the sense that he may be a player who in their D+1 year, people may be wondering how he fell to where he did.
Montreal (26th) – Montreal is a team that needs middle six forwards and I think that Luchanko is certainly a player on their radar. It is also important to note that Montreal has an excellent development staff who could help Luchanko advance his game even further.
Chicago (34th) – It is becoming apparent that Chicago will be looking to select a defenseman with their 2nd overall pick. That is why I think it makes sense for them to go after a forward with their 34th selection. If he is still available, I think Luchanko would be a great addition to the young, fast, forward core led by generational talent Connor Bedard.
Calgary (41st) – I want to begin by saying that I don’t think that Luchanko will be available at 41st, however, I think that the Flames would jump at a player like him if given the chance. There are holes in Calgary’s forward room and I think Luchanko would fit in well as a key piece of their partial rebuild.
Final Thoughts
In closing, Jett Luchanko is an elite NHL prospect, I think that he has a game that translates very well to the pro level, and with some added strength he could be a real asset to most teams. It is difficult to definitively say where he will be selected, however, if a team were to reach a bit on him, I feel that he has a high ceiling. Alternatively, if he falls out of the first round, whatever team selects him would be getting some serious value for a second-rounder.
Join Conrad and Jayd as they kick off another season of hockey coverage on the Inside The Rink Podcast. Join us weekly as we cover the hot topics across the NHL and Minor Leagues. In this episode: – Four Nations Rosters- Waivers Gone Wild- Nichushkin Returns to Colorado- Penguins Fire Sale?& Much More!
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