NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Chaz Reddekopp

 

Get to Know Chaz Reddekopp:

Date of Birth: 1st January, 1997
Place of Birth: West Kelowna, BC, Canada
Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 215 lbs
Shoots: L
Position: Defense
Team: Victoria Royals (WHL)

When the Victoria Royals traded away Keegan Kanzig to the Calgary Hitmen in 2014, Chaz Reddekopp saw an increase in ice time, but that never translated to a dramatic increase in point production. This was noted in several scouting reports and consequently, Redekopp’s rankings on some lists fell as time wore on. However, he did finish the second half of his season with 4 goals, 10 assists, and a +15 rating.

But given Redekopp’s role on the team as a shutdown defender and the fact that he is more of a penalty killer than a power play guy, his lower point totals don’t necessarily make him a less valuable member of the Royals squad.

Redekopp isn’t a flashy player, but below you’ll see plenty of reasons why he could still be an excellent addition to any team’s prospect pool.

Statistics:

What Scouts See:

Cody Nickolet, Scout for Future Considerations Hockey:

[Reddekopp is] a hard-­-nosed defender who is responsible in his own zone and is an asset on the penalty kill. Reddekopp is at times an unbalanced skater. He has decent straight line speed and form; however, his footwork in tight is a little clumsy. We like his overall athleticism and don’t think his skating is a problem. He pivots well and has a good technical stride. He may not have the quickest feet yet, but he’ll be fine. Reddekopp has the ability to move the puck effectively; however, he is very inconsistent. His accuracy is hit or miss and he has costly brain cramps at times. Reddekopp looks uncomfortable in the offensive zone. He is limited in his creativity and is very risk averse. When the puck comes to him at the point it’s usually either a quick shot on net or dumped back into a corner. While he will likely never put up big point totals, he is very strong in his own end.

What BSN Avalanche Sees:

The top WHL defenders of this draft have been more or less agreed upon (Ivan Provorov, Brandon Carlo, Noah Juulsen, Ryan Pilon) but some aspects of Reddekopp’s game can almost match those guys, at least in the defensive zone. Reddekopp is a solid, mature defender who rarely makes flashy plays because he doesn’t have to.

Reddekopp isn’t the most electrifying skater, but he’s the type of defender who skates to establish dominance of his patch of ice. Between his skating, his stick usage, and his body positioning, he is able to play a stereotypical shutdown role. Reddekopp is excellent at clogging up the neutral zone and a fantastic penalty killer.

Though he’s a big guy, compared to a player like Brandon Carlo he doesn’t use his body quite so much to his advantage. He’s large enough to do it, but that doesn’t seem to be his style. This could cause some concern when considering him for an AHL/NHL position, because if he doesn’t use his superior size against much smaller competition, will larger guys run him over?

Despite concerns about his balance and his lack of physicality, Reddekopp has a lot going for him that is harder to teach.

Media:

NHL Potential:

As far as defenders go, Chaz Reddekopp is the paragon of a safe pick. His ceiling isn’t as high as other talented WHL defenders, but the aspects of his game that are already competent mean that burning a late third or fourth round pick on him could pay off well. He likely isn’t ever going to be more than a bottom-four NHL defender, but he could fill that role well.

Expected Draft Position:

An 82 on Central Scouting’s list is Reddekopp’s highest ranking, while a few services don’t even have him in the top 130. Seeing Reddekopp go in the third round would surprise me unless it was anyone but the Philadelphia Flyers who drafted him. The Flyers have expressed interest in Reddekopp on more than one occasion, which doesn’t come as a surprise at all given the style of hockey Reddekopp plays.

BSN Avalanche predicts Reddekopp will go in the fourth or fifth round.

Where Chaz Reddekopp Fits into the Avalanche Organization:

The Avalanche have acquired some large-bodied defenders that could fill an AHL or bottom-pair NHL role, via either the draft or free agency. Reddekopp is the sort of player that could be compared to a more agile, more aware Nate Guenin. His play has drawn comparisons to Willie Mitchell of the Florida Panthers. Avs fans will remember what a pain Mitchell was on the New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars during the early years of the Avalanche franchise.

In the later rounds where Reddekopp is lightly to be selected, prospects can boom or bust. The Avs could do much worse than a safe pick like him.

Interested in More WHL Prospects?

Defenseman Connor Hobbs (Regina Pats)

Left Wing Jesse Gabrielle (Regina Pats)

Centerman Jansen Harkins (Prince George Cougars)

Centerman Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)

Centerman Tyler Soy (Victoria Royals)