Prospect Pulse: Garrett Roe

Roe, a 5’9 175 pound sophomore with the St. Cloud State Huskies, is a Virginia native and LA Kings draft pick (7th round, 2008). Despite his smallish stature, Roe has been very impressive in his season and a half in St. Cloud. Among the rookie scoring leaders last season in NCAA Division I hockey, Roe scored at better than a point per game clip last season and is on pace to eclipse those totals this year. The numbers are especially impressive in the defensively oriented WCHA, which seems to resemble the late 90’s NHL in terms of flow and scoring chances.

A quick but not especially fast skater, Roe excels at finding open ice and getting himself in position for a quick shot or pass. He seems to have no wasted movements and his excellent vision allows him to make quick decisions, especially in the offensive zone. He is lethal on the PP and has goal scorers hands to go along with a feisty nature. He competes hard every shift and is responsible in his own zone, using his smarts and quickness to create turnovers and send the puck back up ice.

I had the opportunity to watch him live recently and was quite impressed with his overall game. Though he wasn’t tearing up the scoresheet, he was still contributing to the team and had numerous chances on the power play. He can also create 5 on 5 and is adept at playing in tight spaces. More than anything, I was pleased with his passing skills. Most if not all his passes were of the high percentage type and were right ont he tape. Defensively, he certainly doesn’t hurt the team and plays his position well. He does not turn the puck over very often and will pay the price to clear the zone, etc. Roe seems to be a perfect fit for an NHL powerplay and the type of guy who can contribute in a 2nd line soft minutes role.