2022 Draft Profile:
LW Alex Bump, Omaha USHL
I don't know what to make of this kid, because one game he'll look like an early second round pick and the next he'll leave you scratching your head wondering why he did pretty much everything he did. But Bump's talent level is extremely high, and though there will be a whole lot of finger-crossing if you draft him, he's the type of player with very real NHL scoring upside who can make you look like a genius for taking him in the 6th round.
Bump started the season in the Minnesota USHS circuit for Prior Lake High and absolutely shredded it for 37 goals and 68 points in just 26 games. He then moved on to the Omaha Lancers, where he has scored at a fairly impressive pace of 11 points in 14 games. My analysis is based on his play in Omaha, as I did not get to watch him in any of his high school games.
Bump offers a good combination of size and speed at 6'0-195 with very good skating ability and directional mobility. He's a flashy stickhandler who can turn defenders inside out with a litany of moves. The problem is, he's always trying to do this. Alex Bump plays hockey like a live-action video game, and when it works for him it's extremely impressive, but when it doesn't he can leave his team in a bit of a lurch. When Bump does get into shooting position, he's deadly. He's utterly mastered the "toe-drag then snap it", as he's deftly able to hold the puck out as almost a decoy, before quickly changing the angle to fool the defenders and goal-keepers. His shot is both heavy and quick on the release, and his combination of puck skills and shooting ability would have to set his upside as a 2nd line scorer at the professional level.
I'll just be straight here -- Bump needs a ton of work on his two-way game and in his decision making. This could simply be the result of having been the best player on the ice every single game in a high school league and then having to adjust to playing in the far more competitive USHL. When you're scoring 68 points in 26 games, you're pretty much allowed, and probably encouraged, to try every single dangle in your bag of tricks. But he needs to learn puck management and team play over the next few years at the University of Vermont. If he does? Well, this is an extremely talented kid.
It's tough to say how much guts it would take to draft Alex Bump in the 2nd/3rd round, though his talent dictates he belongs in that range. I would certainly take a hard look at him in the late rounds, because why not? He's probably going to be available late anyway, as no one has given him any reasonable ranking aside from Central Scouting which lists him at #69 for North American skaters.