NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Travis Dermott

Get to Know Travis Dermott:

Date of Birth: 22nd December, 1996
Place of Birth: Newmarket, ON, Canada
Ht: 5’11” Wt: 197 lbs
Shoots: L
Position: Defense
Team: Erie Otters (OHL)

In 2013-14, Travis Dermott was named Erie Otters Rookie of the Year. This was a sign of good things to come for the young defender, because both he and his chances at the NHL only improved from there. While Dermott has certainly been overshadowed in the press by generational talent Connor McDavid and the exceptional Dylan Strome, he was the Otters’ #1 defenseman and generated no small amount of interest on his own. During the Otters’ playoff push, Dermott averaged almost a point per game. Even though his team couldn’t take home the hardware, he got the chance to showcase his considerable talents in front of all sorts of scouts.

Dermott is a solid skater, quick on the first few strides, and a sturdy defender as well. However, it’s the nuances to his game and his ability to read the play that make him a notable prospect in the 2015 NHL draft.

Statistics:

What the Scouts See:

Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects:

An intelligent, mobile defenseman that capitalizes on offensive chances when they arise and is quick to recognize his post and backcheck hard. Doesn’t force plays or take a lot of chances; rather, he plays it simply, letting the game come to him. Decent physical game, but not overly physical as he can lose some size matchups. All-in-all, a two-way defenseman that makes smart, high-percentage decisions in all three zones.

Cody Nickolet, Scout for Future Considerations Hockey:

Dermott is an intelligent two-way blueliner. He is a fluid skater who has strong legs and generates power with every stride he takes. He is great on his feet in transition and can get up to speed quickly while carrying the puck with confidence… He makes superb plays with the puck: both simple and effective to get the puck up ice and create scoring opportunities. He sees the ice in front of him, giving him the ability to see lanes and make smart, sharp passes both short- and long-range. His best asset is his hockey sense and smarts; he always seems to make the right play whether on the breakout or in his own zone. He has a cannon of a shot and can really blast it through traffic on goal. He exudes confidence, patience and creativity. Plays his man hard and uses his body to separate the puck.

Ben Kerr, Last Word on Sports:

Travis Dermott has the potential to be a solid top four defenseman in the NHL. His size and strength can be improved going forward, and he can develop into an even better stickhandler to create more plays, but overall he’s got a well-rounded game that should take him far. He doesn’t have the high-end upside of some of the other defencemen in this draft, as I’m not sure he can ever be an elite player at the next level, but he should still be a solid contributor. His game is reminiscent of Kris Russell of the Calgary Flames, though this is a stylistic comparison and not one based on talent.

What BSN Avalanche Sees:

Flying through the neutral zone and on the attack, Dermott sees the ice like he’s got a sixth sense. He knows when to slide up into the play or when to deliver a well-timed hit to rattle the opposition. He avoids poor positioning and is a commanding presence on the Otters’ power play. Despite the Otters’ PP being stacked with talent, Dermott is still a noticeable presence, quarterbacking the play whenever he’s on the point.

Dermott’s agile skating and transitions between zones keep him out of trouble. Unless he deliberately goes looking for it–because Dermott isn’t afraid to crash the net. He’ll screen, he’ll shoot through traffic, and he isn’t afraid to get right up in the thick of it in search of a rebound or tip-in. Though he isn’t the biggest body on the ice, the way he uses the strength he does have means he overpowers his opposition more often than not.

On the penalty kill, Dermott uses clever stick work and exceptional passing to not only clear the puck but generate shorthanded shot opportunities. He kills the penalty with a level head, never wavering even when the opposition applies pressure. There were times when he was visibly outmuscled by larger players, but those were few enough and far enough between that he’s a trusty penalty killer who can generate turnovers and move the puck up the other end.

Dermott can chew through minutes without tiring and played both special teams for the Otters this year without suffering any significant drawbacks in his play. He may not have a sky-high ceiling like Noah Hanifin, but in the right development program, his toolbox is promising for an NHL career.

Media:

NHL Potential:

Watching Dermott skate–especially on the penalty kill–brings a player like Marc Staal to mind. He’s got stylistic comparisons to Staal’s game in the sense that he’s a strong defender who can fill the role the team needs filled, a threat at either end of the ice and capable of taking down his man one-on-one.

The aspects of Dermott’s game that are weakest to me are his size and strength. Against competition in the OHL that was genuinely bigger and tougher than him, he struggled. But if there’s one thing joining an NHL development program can do for a young hockey player, it’s pile muscle onto a body.

Dermott has the kit set to be a top-four NHL defender, a Swiss Army type defenseman.

Expected Draft Position:

Dermott is ranked as low as #30 and as high as the 90s depending on who’s doing the evaluating. Simply due to the log jam of talent in the 2015 draft, I’d be surprised to see him as a first-rounder, but anywhere in the second or third wouldn’t surprise me.

BSN Avalanche predicts Dermott will go between 50th and 65th.

Where Travis Dermott Fits into the Avalanche Organization:

Dermott is the type of defender I wouldn’t mind the Avs picking up provided he was still available in the later rounds. My opinion is that the team needs to draft a big, talented winger with its early pick, but shoring up the defense prospect pool is a definite possibility in later rounds.

Were Dermott drafted by the Avalanche, he’s the type of defensively stout two-way d-man that could pair well with either a Tyson Barrie type or a shutdown guy. Dermott is a player who will adapt his game to the role the team needs him to play and that alone makes him an attractive option. When he swaps between offensively focused and defensively focused, his game doesn’t suffer. He goes with the flow. This is an attractive quality given the constantly-shifting nature of the Avalanche’s defense both in roster and the systems they’ve been playing.

Other OHL Prospects of Note:

Centerman Andrew Mangiapane (Barrie Colts)

Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts)

Pius Suter (Guleph Storm)

Mitchell Marner (London Knights)

Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67s)