NHL Prospect Profile: Jett Woo

Statistics

Scout Quotes

Woo projects as a potential shut down defenseman, who can also provide a little offence. He will likely never be the biggest offensive threat on his team’s blueline, but he can be a support piece. His defensive game is very strong though, and if he can continue to develop this over the next couple of years, he should have a big impact and play big minutes for his NHL team. Woo’s game is similar to Marc-Edouard Vlasic. This is a style comparison only though, and not one based on skill or potential. – Last Word on Hockey

AJ’s Thoughts

Woo has been around on prospect radars for a few years now. As time has progressed, he’s slowly worked his way from a top prospect down into the late-first round conversation at best. He’s a hearty defenseman who I enjoy watching play because he makes quality reads and maintains an excellent gap. His stickwork is solid and he’s a strong, stocky kid who doesn’t have any issue getting into a player’s grill and making them pay for intruding into his personal space.

He’s a player who has already learned how to pick his spots for aggression and that’s a quality sign of a mature young defenseman. His high IQ is appealing and you have to like the way he processes the game. His raw skills leave a little to be desired and I think that’s a big reason we’re seeing him continue to slip, especially in this class of high-end puck-movers. He really sticks out as a guy who has ability in his own end and may end up getting the “safe” label as a prospect because his offensive numbers aren’t eye-popping.

Woo isn’t without talent offensively, though. He has a decent shot and if you watch enough of him you’ll see a player with good vision and legitimate passing ability. I wouldn’t count on him ever scoring more than five goals in an NHL season but he could easily profile as a guy who puts up 25 points a year for you. I’m not sure I’d ever put him on a power play but he would be a lead penalty killer for me without hesitation.

I do think his conservative approach to offense is a big reason he’s being pushed down in this draft. I think a team is going to settle up with that and pull the trigger on draft day and I think in the long run they’ll be plenty pleased with the player they actually got versus worrying about the player they could have had.

Highlights

Avalanche Fit

Not great, Bob. He’s a fine defensive prospect and as a righty, he’ll fill a valuable role in some other organization. In Colorado, he would join a heavy right side with Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie already in Colorado with Nic Meloche, Conor Timmins, and Cale Makar all pushing for time in the future. Again, I like Woo and he’s a guy with intriguing upside and a polished skill set that Colorado isn’t already teeming with so he wouldn’t be a terrible pick (no player with real talent would be a “terrible” pick IMO). He’s just sort of more of the same and kind of a redundant asset in the large scheme of things. But even then…so what? If he ends up as a quality NHL player, that’s never bad. There should be other priorities to be filled with their two second-round selections, however.

Rankings

#30 Hockey Prospect
#26 Future Considerations
#41 McKeen’s Hockey