Chandler Stephenson is #53 on RLR's list. One-liner: Has loads of skill but we expected more.
#12 on Best pure skaters list: If you give him any room in the neutral zone, it's all over.
Smallish, but is strong on skates when bigger defencemen try to take liberties. Creates his offence off strong skating in transition - has the speed to explode past defenders and likes to hit the blue line with a head of steam. Wide speed and dangerous shot create lots of chances and rebounds for 'mates. Is more finisher than set-up man, and his shot is really his best attribute - buries it with precise placement. Soft hands - received passes well in stride and can dominate with open ice. Streaky scorer can be shut down if you take away his space - needs to develop other aspects to play at next level. Can work plays off the cycle, but needs to battle more along walls and keep his feet moving in traffic in order to get into scoring position more frequently. One-way player needs to show a more concerted effort in own zone.
Projection: 2nd line scoring winger on a weaker team.
Style compares to: Bryan Little
Chandler Stephenson is a small, speedy forward that likes to push the pace of the game and make an impact in all three zones. He also has great vision and is always a threat to score in the offensive zone. His biggest concern is his size, as he looks a lot smaller than the 5-11 he is listed at. He will need to continue to build strength so he can become a more intimidating presence up front. On the year he scored 22 goals and added 20 assists for 42 points. With the departure of Jordan Weal in Regina, the Pats will surely be looking to Stephenson to pick up a lot of the slack.
Stephenson is solidly built goal scorer for the Pats. He's not the tallest guy, but he's thick and protects the puck well. He has great hands, but has issues with consistently going to the dirty areas of the ice. Skating has shown improvement but could still use refining to play at the NHL level. Started the year as a potential 1st rounder in some people's eyes, but I have him as a late 3rd or early 4th.
