Travis Konecny
Position: C/RW
Current Team: Ottawa 67’s, OHL
Date of Birth: March 11, 1997
Place of Birth: London, Ontario Canada
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 172 lbs
Shoots: Right
As we reach the midpoint of the first round, we have . . .you guessed it . . .another really talented young forward. Travis Konecny (pronounced “Con – NECK — knee”). In two OHL seasons for the Ottawa 67’s, Konecny has rung up 55 goals, 83 assists and 138 points in just 123 games. This season, his Eastern Conference opponents voted him Best Skater and Best Stickhandler. He was the OHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2013-14, and earned the “C” for Ottawa this season. So, speed, stick handling, scoring, leadership. Had enough? No? Well, most observers also praise his tenacity and compete levels, something that is sometimes lacking in players with elite skill.
The one potential gap here is size. At 5’10”, 172 lbs. he will need to use his speed to get away from some of the more deadly NHL hitters. The height is not as much of a problem as the weight, and a year of an NHL training regimen should get that up to 185 or so without losing speed or maneuverability. He is currently ranked #14 among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings, and sits #12 in the ISS Rankings. The NHL ranking is a big move from the #26 slot he held at mid-season, so he is gathering attention, and quickly. Here’s what NHL Central Scouting thinks of Konecny:
“He’s a highly skilled forward who never quits. He skates very well, has excellent speed, is not afraid to get involved in battles and has no fear of taking the puck to the net.”
Chris Edwards, NHL Central Scouting
A Good Fit in Columbus?
In a word, yes. While he has moved up the ranks fast, nobody sees him going higher than the #8 spot, and if the Blue Jackets don’t like what they see there, they could trade down a few slots, pick up some additional assets, and still corral Konecny. The video that follows shows that he has some sophistication to his game, and could be another young forward on the fast track. However, the nice thing is that there is no pressure to fast track him. Not saying he is THE guy, but he sure is A guy.
Konecny In Action