Victor Mete 2016 NHL Draft Profile

Player: Victor Mete

Team: London Knights(OHL)

Position: Defenseman

Height: 5'10"  Weight: 165 lbs.

Shoots: Left

Stats: 68 games, 8 goals, 30 assists, 38 points, +53

Final NHL Central Scouting rank: 74th by NHL Central Scouting

What I Like:

-Quick, smooth skating

Mete's best asset is his skating ability. He may not have a very strong upper body, but his lower body is really strong, and he's got quick feet. His movement is really spectacular. This example doesn't lead to much other than a simple dump off down the boards, but the footwork he displays in this clip is impressive.

-Poised with the puck

Mete has potential as a future power play quarterback. He's smart and efficient with the puck. His shot is nothing to write home about, but he's good at moving the puck, and his skating ability gives him the opportunity to open up passing lanes and shooting angles.

What I Don't Like:

-Not strong physically

As mentioned above, Mete's lower body is pretty strong, but he's got a long ways to go in terms of upper body strength. He makes up for his lack of strength by being smart with angles while defending, but he is frequently out-muscled when he has to battle along the boards.

-Developing as a defender

The defensive side of Mete's game has never been as strong as his offensive game. He showed growth in that area this past year, and has long as he's making forward progress, it's not going to be too big of a concern, but it's not likely to ever be a huge strength of his game.

Draft Projection:

I'm a little surprised Mete is as low as he was on the Central Scouting list. Their ranking has him eking his way into the very end of the third round. I'm much higher on Mete, placing him to go within the first 10 picks on Day 2 of the Draft.. The biggest knock on him is a lack of strength, and that's something that can be improved with time. I also think his skating is good enough to cancel out the fact that he isn't a prototypical 6'3" defenseman. As for where he actually gets picked, I'll guess somewhere in the late-second/early-third round.

Pro Projection:

Mete will need some time to develop physically, but he's got potential as a smooth offensive defenseman at the NHL level. His size limits his ceiling a bit, but he could be an effective power play contributor and a guy that is comfortable taking a regular shift at the NHL level.