BobbyJet
watch the game, everything else is noise
Gotta look at their weight. He's 17 and already 180 lbs. The kid is stout. I'm barely 5'10, but at 185-190 lbs, there aren't many guys I can't beat in the corners, or in a battle in front of the net. Body positioning and technique go a long way in those scenarios, too.
At the end of the day, edges, balance, and skating ability will determine the future of pretty much every prospect ever drafted.
No doubt about it but if you can draft a player who can do those things well and who also has good size that said player uses to his advantage, well that is a scout's dream.
Take Kirby Dach for example. His ability to use his long reach is arguably his best asset. Then there's a guy like Tom Wilson who is skilled and very physical - ops are well aware when he is on the ice. He is hated by ops players and fans alike but they would love to have him on their team.