"He has size (6-foot-2, 187 pounds), he skates very well, he’s smart and poised with the puck. He can feather some great passes on the tape through the middle to set up guys in the clear. He’s reliable in all areas, and has confidence.”- NHL Central Scouting Quebec scout Chris Bordeleau to NHL.com; February, 2010
"He's got a laid-back personality. He's got the maturity of a 30 year old. Take away hockey -- he's just a rock-solid young man.He was the first overall pick here and when he came in he was so quiet, so unassuming, so humble you couldn't tell if he was the first overall player and a player projected as a franchise player, or a free-agent walk-on who hitchhiked into camp."- Moncton head coach Danny Flynn to NHL.com; February, 2010
Strengths: Superb, effortless skater who looks like he's gliding over air. Very good acceleration and recovery speed. Balanced and agile; adept at crossing over and keeping containment on speed to the outside; his footwork has improved since last year. Good hockey IQ; maintains gap control effectively and keeps the puck in front of him. Understands when to jump up into the play and when to stay home. Naturally sense the play's flow and goes to vulnerable areas of the ice on both offense and defense. Excellent on-ice vision and soft hands make him an accurate and effective passer. Keeps his head up and can spring the breakout with one good feed. Nice puckhandler who carries the biscuit with speed and confidence. Has a good point shot that is hard, low and finds its way through traffic. Also possesses an array of wrist and snap shots that he's not afraid to use, with a release that is tough for goaltenders to pick up. Productive from the blue line: 9 goals, 43 points in 58 games should substantially increase if he returns to junior next season. Has an almost zen-like calm and poise on the ice; doesn't often cough up the puck or succumb to forechecking pressure. Works hard and makes life easy on his coaches by responding to guidance and making adjustments to his game. Disciplined-- doesn't play selfishly and always puts his team first. Another mature, articulate, well-spoken prospect who carries himself well and not only plays like a top draft pick, but acts like one. Although Moncton had a disappointing 0-3 showing at the Memorial Cup in May, Gormley was the Wildcats' best player by a significant margin.
Weaknesses: Long, lean frame is going to require a lot of off-ice work to physically mature. Can play a physical game at times, but prefers to use his quick stick to break up plays rather than take the body-- a function perhaps of the lightness of his build. Several scouts have said that Gormley may be one of those 'tweener-type defenders at the NHL level: solid both on defense and offense, but not exceptional in either area-- more like a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none.
