LW Aaron Obobaifo - Vancouver Giants, WHL (2025 Draft)

[GermanSpitfire]

Aaron Obobaifo at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Aaron Obobaifo, 2007-02-13 Calgary, AB, CAN Canada. Most recently in the WHL with Vancouver Giants. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

“Obobaifo is viewed as one of the top 2007-born skaters in North America and it’s clear his skillset backs up that sentiment. In a game where his team was mostly outplayed, Obobaifo was leading the charge and did a good job at creating chances and turning the pace of play in his team’s favor when he was on the ice. One of the most notable aspects of his game was his strength with the puck, Obobaifo did an excellent job at protecting the puck and holding onto it despite being surrounded by checkers. He has a very “heavy stick” that makes him difficult to stick lift, especially while he’s dancing around the offensive zone. Once everything begins to click for him it’s nearly impossible to strip him of the puck due to his strength, edgework, and puck skills. Obobaifo’s shot is also very heavy as audibly you can hear the power it generates once it hits something. Along with the strength, his release is impressive, needing very little space to snap a shot on net that goalies at this current age group clearly are threatened by. Although his team was outplayed for the vast majority of the game, Obobaifo lead his team in possession numbers and help generate the bulk of the chances his team had created”

via: Aaron Obobaifo - PuckPreps

WHL Rights: Vancouver Giants

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[covfefe]

Pretty cool story with him...

His parents are immigrants who moved from Nigeria to Ft McMurray, AB, in the dead of winter. His Dad found a job in the oil industry, Mom now runs her own small daycare. Immediately took to hockey but also a dominant RB/LB in football. He's become a bit of a local legend in his neighbourhood in Calgary and every kid around goes straight to the outdoor rink to watch/play him when he's around.

From what I hear will be a high pick in the WHL draft but not sure where he stacks up.

Altogether an extremely heartwarming story here and he's apparently a hell of a player.

 

[ORRFForever]

Pretty cool story with him...

His parents are immigrants who moved from Nigeria to Ft McMurray, AB, in the dead of winter when he was a little kid. His Dad found a job in the oil industry, Mom now runs her own small daycare. Immediately took to hockey but also a dominant RB/LB in football. He's become a bit of a local legend in his neighbourhood in Calgary and every kid around goes straight to the outdoor rink to watch/play him when he's around.

From what I hear will be a high pick in the WHL draft but not sure where he stacks up.

Altogether an extremely heartwarming story here and he's apparently a hell of a player.

Wow. God bless them all. Hope he excels.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Saw him a few times before he went to Edge & Shattuck when he played community. I think he is going to be special.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Amazing name

 

[Clam Jensen]

Jesus Christ, he was born the year before I graduated high school.

 

[cheechoo]

Generational talent.

 

[OneSniffTwoSniff]

Does he have Nigerian roots?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Does he have Nigerian roots?

Yes, see second post.

 

[covfefe]

Interested to see how high he goes in the draft tomorrow. Such a great story.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Is the expectation that he will return to Canada to play?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Is the expectation that he will return to Canada to play?

Yes, all signs point to him coming to the WHL.

 

[bigdog16]

Great story - does seem like one of those kids who is very clearly bigger and stronger than everyone else right now though. I'd wait a couple more years to throw the generational tag on him.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Jesus Christ, he was born the year before I graduated high school.

Not far off from when I graduated. Time flies....I'm not old yet though definitely not.

 

[LeProspector]

Great story - does seem like one of those kids who is very clearly bigger and stronger than everyone else right now though. I'd wait a couple more years to throw the generational tag on him.

Don't see him as generational at all. He could very well be a top 5 pick in 2025 however.

 

[NigerianNightmare]

Pretty cool story with him...

His parents are immigrants who moved from Nigeria to Ft McMurray, AB, in the dead of winter when he was a little kid. His Dad found a job in the oil industry, Mom now runs her own small daycare. Immediately took to hockey but also a dominant RB/LB in football. He's become a bit of a local legend in his neighbourhood in Calgary and every kid around goes straight to the outdoor rink to watch/play him when he's around.

From what I hear will be a high pick in the WHL draft but not sure where he stacks up.

Altogether an extremely heartwarming story here and he's apparently a hell of a player.

I thought he must be a Nigerian. His name sounds Igbo (one of the major ethnic groups there)

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Don't see him as generational at all. He could very well be a top 5 pick in 2025 however.

He is only the 13th PPG in his U15 league playing in a very effective team, with a much more talented side team member and without a big physique.

On a global scale, this does not mean much.

 

[LeProspector]

He is only the 13th PPG in his U15 league playing in a very effective team, with a much more talented side team member and without a big physique.

On a global scale, this does not mean much.

He's got pro upside and unless there is worry he'll go the US route, he will go top 5 in the WHL bantam draft tomorrow since you seem to like numbers so much.

Edit: Spelling

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[BKarchitect]

His draft position indicates a real possibility of an NCAA route. I'd go so far as to say he's very much likely an NCAA-lean - this was Vancouver's 2nd 1st round pick and having already drafted at #7, I think they took a stab at an elite bantam talent with nothing really to lose.

Of course the Giants could very well sway him - they have plenty of time.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

His draft position indicates a real possibility of an NCAA route. I'd go so far as to say he's very much likely an NCAA-lean - this was Vancouver's 2nd 1st round pick and having already drafted at #7, I think they took a stab at an elite bantam talent with nothing really to lose.

Of course the Giants could very well sway him - they have plenty of time.

They also got Obobaifo’s teammate Masun Fleece in the US Draft yesterday so i bet they’re hoping if one reports, both do - if this is the case watch out for the Giants in the future.

 

[BKarchitect]

They also got Obobaifo’s teammate Masun Fleece in the US Draft yesterday so i bet they’re hoping if one reports, both do - if this is the case watch out for the Giants in the future.

That would be quite a coup. I know they don't exactly have the history of a London or Halifax but I would assume the Giants would have some allure as a "big city, bright lights" CHL club?

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

19th is logical.

When Kryptekah told me top 5 WHL, I jumped because I saw him 2nd half of the 1st round.

I didn't know all the players but it seemed obvious to me that McKenna, Reschny, Schmidt, Reese and Sharpe would be ahead of him. But Schmidt is only 7th, Sharpe only 11th. Harsanyi has great references and is only 16th.

Defenders are often neglected as well as players from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

That's why I said that on a global scale, Obobaifo was just one good player among others.

In the 2025 NHL draft, there will probably be no more than 4 Canadian players playing in the WHL selected in the 1st round. Gavin, Reschny and two defenders (Smith? Hamilton?) would fit in a mock 2025 today.

We must not forget the players from other regions (Misa, Spence and a very promising Q promotion), the Americans and the Europeans (with a very promising Czech and Slovaks who will be there in addition to the usual Swedes and Finns) . Without forgetting the Russians who will reveal their best hopes in 2024/2025.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

19th is logical.

When Kryptekah told me top 5 WHL, I jumped because I saw him 2nd half of the 1st round.

I didn't know all the players but it seemed obvious to me that McKenna, Reschny, Schmidt, Reese and Sharpe would be ahead of him. But Schmidt is only 7th, Sharpe only 11th. Harsanyi has great references and is only 16th.

Defenders are often neglected as well as players from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

That's why I said that on a global scale, Obobaifo was just one good player among others.

In the 2025 NHL draft, there will probably be no more than 4 Canadian players playing in the WHL selected in the 1st round. Gavin, Reschny and two defenders (Smith? Hamilton?) would fit in a mock 2025 today.

We must not forget the players from other regions (Misa, Spence and a very promising Q promotion), the Americans and the Europeans (with a very promising Czech and Slovaks who will be there in addition to the usual Swedes and Finns) . Without forgetting the Russians who will reveal their best hopes in 2024/2025.

He’s a top 5 talent but definitely fell a bit because of risk of him going NCAA. It’s too early to predict their NHL futures IMO. So much more development to be had

 

[kyle44]

Compiles points on the PP. The concussion had a drastic effect. You can see his vision is on a steep decline and so is his endurance. Just a horrible signing that will have been made even worse given how his past few seasons have gone. May as well play Spezza for ONE ELEV

19th is logical.

When Kryptekah told me top 5 WHL, I jumped because I saw him 2nd half of the 1st round.

I didn't know all the players but it seemed obvious to me that McKenna, Reschny, Schmidt, Reese and Sharpe would be ahead of him. But Schmidt is only 7th, Sharpe only 11th. Harsanyi has great references and is only 16th.

Defenders are often neglected as well as players from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

That's why I said that on a global scale, Obobaifo was just one good player among others.

In the 2025 NHL draft, there will probably be no more than 4 Canadian players playing in the WHL selected in the 1st round. Gavin, Reschny and two defenders (Smith? Hamilton?) would fit in a mock 2025 today.

We must not forget the players from other regions (Misa, Spence and a very promising Q promotion), the Americans and the Europeans (with a very promising Czech and Slovaks who will be there in addition to the usual Swedes and Finns) . Without forgetting the Russians who will reveal their best hopes in 2024/2025.

As I pointed out to you before when you said similar things about Quentin Musty being better than Callum Ritchie because of where they were drafted, CHL drafts are not like NHL drafts. Some players flat out tell teams that they will not play for them and to not draft them, and you will often see teams reach for hometown players that they know will play for them. There are also players like Obobaifo that play in the USA and tell teams they are considering NCAA. All of these factors lead to a draft result that does not correspond to the list of players ranked by their talent alone.