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Nation Network 2017 Prospect Profile: #26 – Grant Mismash

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Photo credit:Rena Laverty
Ryan Biech
6 years ago
The USNTDP’s Grant Mismash is a gritty two-way forward who makes his mark in front of the net. He checks in as the 26th best prospect in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by Nation Network consensus.
Mismash has been steadily rising in draft rankings given his work ethic, willingness to go to the dirty areas and feistiness. He makes life difficult for opposing defencemen. Scouts often compare Mismash to Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry.
Mismash could very easily hear his name called in the latter parts of the first round in Chicago. Let’s take a deeper look at the American centre.

Bio:

  • Age: 18-years-old, 1999-02-19
  • Birthplace: Edina, MI, USA
  • Position: C
  • Handedness: L
  • Height: 6’0″
  • Weight: 183 lbs
  • Draft Year Team: USNDTP

Stats:

pGPS SpGPS NpGPS %pGPS P/82pGPS R
104022.548.312.5
Read about pGPS here.

Scouts:

NHL (CSS)ISSFuture ConsiderationsHockeyProspectMcKenzieMcKeen’sPronmanButton
242347N/RN/AN/R2927
From John Wroblewski, USNTDP coach:
To me, he’s got a little more of a speed game and power game. I think Grant when he’s really wheeling and he stops, starts, and gets to the neutral zone, blue line to blue line with a lot of speed, that adds a tremendous amount of momentum to his game. He’s got to be a guy who continuously is on the hunt. And when he is, he’s an extremely effective player.
From Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects:
A talented and gritty forward that embraces the physical side of the game. With the puck, Mismash displays great offensive instincts and can be quite intuitive. Needs to work on his play in his own end and off the puck. Not an explosive skater, but mobile enough to get around the ice with haste. Positionally sound and has a knack for going to the dirty areas and making things worse for the opposition in their own end. All-in-all, a physical offensive presence that can be a really hard player to defend against.
From Future Considerations:
A skilled playmaker who is also a strong two-way competitor…agile and explosive skater able to cut and carve his way in tight areas generating space to make a play…relies on slick stick handling ability along with his ability to move in tight spaces to get himself where he needs to be…can really rifle the puck on target keeping goalies honest…finishes his checks hard and is not afraid to get his nose dirty…excels battling along the wall and in traffic…zips passes right onto the tape of his target…strong net area presence…takes direct lanes to the net and has the hands to finish off plays as well as a devastating release on his howitzer…can be inconsistent from one shift to the next…a no messing around opportunist offensive contributor although there is some skill and creativity to his game…projects as a middle six two-way competitor at the next level.

Our Take:

Mismash is a gritty forward who can generate offence in a variety of ways but is particularly adept in front of the net. He will need to work on his skating and the defensive side of his game to succeed at the next level, but there is a lot to like about him. He isn’t someone that I would be tripping over myself to select, but in the early parts of the second round, he would be a decent bet.
Mismash led the USNDTP in scoring but was second in points per game with 0.94 PPG. He was ranked third in shots per game with 2.57.
He had a good showing at the U18 tournament, posting eight points in seven games while being that thorn in the opposition’s side throughout. The US won the gold medal, and Mismash was a big part of that. Scouts raved about his overall game and singled him out as a player who improved their draft stock.
Mismash started the season a bit slow but picked it up in the second half which culminated with that good showing at the U18’s. This is part of the reason why his draft stock has raised as we approach the draft this month.
Mismash is natural a centre, but given his playing style, he may be better suited as a winger in the professional ranks.
A player from the USNDTP has been taken in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft every year since 2008. Mismash is the most likely candidate to keep that streak going.
He is committed to the University of North Dakota for next season. The Fighting Hawks have experienced quite a bit of graduation over the past two years, so Mismash should be able to come in and play a significant role for them next year.
Although Mismash led the program the year, his production wasn’t anything remarkable, and pGPS further visualizes that. 26.0% of his comparable players went onto becoming NHL regulars with a wide variety of players making an appearance.
The Cohort line deployment just further confirms that thought – a wide variety of roles with a decent success rate.
Mismash is an interesting case as he isn’t elite in any category but is very effective in front of the net. His two weaknesses, skating and defensive play, are workable and should improve over time. It just takes a team to like his physicality and compete level to take the risk on him.
If I had to hazard a guess, one of the teams in the early second will take Mismash as he will be a good compliment to the players taken early in round one.

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