Maybe Later: Liam Foudy
By Ziggy
5 years agoI would be lying if I told you that I know everything there is to know about Liam Foudy. What I can tell you, though, is that there’s a strong chance you will hear his name called at the 2018 NHL Draft, so it is worthwhile to read up on him ahead of time. In this post, I’ll discuss his game from various angles while providing you with opinions and rankings from people who have watched Foudy play more than I have.
Who is Liam Foudy?
Liam Foudy was born on February 4th, 2000, in Scarborough, Ontario. Currently a centre for the London Knights, Foudy is listed at 6”1 and 182 lbs. He has also represented Canada internationally, in the U-17 tournament in 2016-17 and the U-18 tournament this season.
Where is Foudy Ranked?
Future Considerations: 49th overall
The Hockey News: 44th overall
ISS Hockey: 35th overall
McKeen’s Hockey: 25th overall
NHL Central Scouting (North American Skaters): 19th overall
By the Numbers:
The screenshot below displays his production throughout his career thus far.
Credit: prospect-stats.com
Foudy followed up a slow rookie season with better numbers as a sophomore, putting up 0.62 points-per-game. The numbers below give you a better sense of where his 5v5 points came from in this year:
Credit: prospect-stats.com
Foudy scores often but is less successful when it comes to setting up his teammates. He shoots often enough that we don’t have to worry about his scoring being a fluke.
Foudy’s estimated time on ice per game may not be the most accurate reflection of his current ability. He started the year as a depth forward and struggled in his role on the Knights checking line. After the Knights made some trades, Foudy saw his ice time increase, giving him the freedom to create offence as he pleased. It was in this role where he produced most of his offence, establishing himself as a legitimate NHL prospect.
What do others in the hockey community think about Foudy?
Jeremy Davis from Canucks Army shared these insights regarding Foudy’s potential:
“We’ve seen that, when put into an offensive role, Foudy can thrive and reward his team. But forced to play a more aggressive style, he oscillates between fading into the background and being an outright detriment. If Foudy had game-breaking offensive potential, maybe this wouldn’t matter. Nobody cares if your star goal scorer isn’t lighting up defenders on the forecheck (or at least, they shouldn’t). But Foudy is far from a lock to be that guy. It’s more likely that, if he makes it, he’ll be a second line/middle six forward who can contribute offence and play both sides of special teams – but that type of role at the pro level is going to require more intensity and assertiveness than he’s shown to date.”
The Eye-Test:
As Davis argues, Foudy may never be a star in the NHL but he should manage to crack an NHL roster if he develops properly. Here’s a nice example of what Foudy brings to the table offensively. The second goal is a particularly great example of how he uses his speed and skill to score goals.
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Why the Leafs Should Draft Liam Foudy:
The Leafs have the 52nd overall draft pick and unless they trade it, there is an argument to be made that the Leafs should draft Foudy if he is available. Judging from the rankings above, scouts have him pegged to go somewhere in the second round (i.e. picks 32 – 63). Although Foudy still has plenty of development time ahead of him, he has tools that bode well for his chances at making it. As Foudy grows, his speed should translate to the NHL, and he is good enough to score a goal from time to time. But he is far from ready; Foudy needs to make strides in other areas of his game, including on the forecheck and, more generally, his play without the puck. An advantage that Foudy holds over his peers is that his parents were both exceptional athletes. His mother was a sprinter for Canada at the 1984 Olympics in L.A., where she won a silver medal; His father, Sean, is a former CFL player. Knowing this, I’d bet that Foudy’s attitude, work ethic, and other intangibles are probably some of the best out there. Foudy might need to spend another season with the London Knights, allowing him to grow his role on the team and prove to the world that he can put up over a point-per-game in the OHL. If he can do that, he will have earned himself a shot at playing in the NHL some day.
MLN Draft #Content
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