Today’s profile is over a player who the Dallas Stars could be taking a look at near the end of the first round. The first-round pick that they received from the Boston Bruins is locked in somewhere between No. 27 and No. 30.
While it’s certainly possible that the Stars could package their two first-round picks and move up into the top five, it’s probably better in the long run to stay put and take two in the first round.
The subject of today’s profile is defenseman Madison Bowey, a major proponent on the blue line of the Kelowna Rockets.
Profile
Age: 18 (Born April 22, 1995)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: ~195 lbs
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right-handed
Scouting Ranks
ISS: 22nd
NHL CS: 32nd among North American skaters
Hockey Prospectus: 23rd
Madison Bowey appears to be one of those guys on the fringe of being drafted in the late first round and early second. He’s been a part of the Kelowna Rockets for the past three seasons, seeing plenty of playing time in the latter two.
He’s had modest offensive numbers, registering 21 (eight goals, 13 assists) and 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists), respectively, in the last two years.
The one thing that keeps popping up from the scouts when talking about Bowey is his skating ability. There seems to be a consensus that he’s a great skater, possibly the best skating defenseman in the entire draft. He’s got the speed, agility and acceleration to hang with just about anyone and he uses it well.
Along with his skating ability, Bowey is also a solid passer and handles the puck well. He’s not out there looking lost when the puck comes his way. He’s also not afraid to play a physical game, something Dallas is lacking a bit of at the moment outside of Brenden Dillon.
Like most young defensemen, he’ll need to improve a bit on the defensive end of the ice with the mental side of his game. His positioning could use improvement, though he does use his stick well, and he’s good at working people off the puck.
Bowey is just starting to tap into his potential as a player, and with some good development for the next two or three years, he could easily be a core piece on the blue line of any team.
Why Draft Him?
Despite the influx of defensive prospects into the system in the past few years, the Stars can always use more defensemen, especially right-shot defensemen. If Dallas isn’t able to get Rasmus Ristolainen with their first pick in the draft, a guy like Bowey wouldn’t be a bad consolation at the end of the first round.
Dallas has a bunch of young kids on the cusp of reaching the NHL level, and the Stars will find out very quickly how well those kids adapt. It’s highly doubtful that all of them will pan out, so more defensive prospects waiting in the wings can only be beneficial, even if it’s just to have trade bait.
If Dallas is really confident in its current crop of guys, a boom-or-bust player like Bowey is perfect to have in the back pocket.
