He stormed out of the gate in his WHL career with a fantastic rookie year in 2011-12, posting 18 goals and 36 points for Regina. Coming into this season I called him a kid who will one day be a point-per-game player and someone to watch as a potential late-first round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.
Well, he's ahead of schedule with those predictions this season as Klimchuk leads the Pats in goals with 11 and is second in points with 21 in only 22 games. As expected, NHL teams are definitely taking notice of his offensive contributions. But to me, it's the other parts of his game that set him apart and make him an NHL prospect to keep your eyes on.
The first thing about his game you will notice is his blazing speed. He's extremely quick, with great top end speed and the ability to change directions on a dime. His mobility and shiftiness make him extremely hard to defend. Along with those abilities come an aggressive mindset. He's definitely a shoot-first player, but he doesn't waste his shots. He picks his spots, is able to find seams in the defence and make his chances count.
