ELEVATOR PITCH
The most violent player on the ice at any given time – and he’ll shut down rushes, move the puck, and activate in the offensive zone.
A midseason trade from the Sudbury Wolves to the Brantford Bulldogs turned Owen Protz from a depth defenceman to a No. 1. By season’s end, he easily proved that he had what it takes to not float, but excel in such a big role.
When Protz steps on the ice, he holds a monopoly on violence – smart violence. He steadily angles attackers to the outside, lining them for a bone-crushing hit. He eliminates the attacker’s options on the cycle, then slams them to the ice. And he even throws some oldschool hip checks.
Protz blends the old school and new school with the puck, too. When he’s really pressing forward, he’s creating advantages with cross-ice passes and even deceiving a bit. From the point, he activates, uses space before shooting, and connects with high-difficulty shotpasses.
But the puck game isn’t always there, hence the production. “He has ideas and timing, but the handling and lack of acceleration really prevent him from punishing defenders,” Elite Prospects Dir. of North American scouting Mitchell Brown wrote in March. “The puck always seems just a bit too far out of his grasp and passes bounce
off his stick. Top hand’s really locked in place.”
In the OHL, Protz’s smarts will win out and likely lead to him becoming a point-producer. To make the NHL, his puck control and explosiveness must improve, but he could be a playoff-ready bottom-pair option if he does so.
