A team in the mid-first round of this year’s NHL Draft is going to get a big, strong defenceman who plays well at both ends of the ice in Bode Wilde.
The skill is there, too. Wilde put up 12 goals and 41 points with the U.S. National U-18 team, showcasing a graceful skating stride and a slick pair of hands that would probably have him higher up in the draft order if there weren’t so many premium defencemen to choose from.
Here’s a glimpse of what he can do.
Team: USNTDP
Position: D
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
From: Montreal, Que.
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 198 pounds
CONFIDENCE IS KING
Wilde isn’t afraid to join the rush or lead it, and can play the role of a bully to perfection at his size.
A player who isn’t risk averse, but one who might make the odd mistake.
“Wilde is one confident teenager, maybe sometimes to a fault, as doing ‘too much’ with the puck is something he’ll have to limit,” says Steve Kournianos of thedraftanalyst.com. “Still, he is perfectly capable of playing a variety of roles with aplomb — power play quarterback, crease-clearer on the penalty kill, and even neutralizing top opponents.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9fqw0mcqMI
A DUAL CITIZEN
Despite being born and raised in Montreal, Wilde, whose mother is American, elected to play for the U.S. National Development Program.
As a part of the U-17 team, he scored more points than any other defenceman in 2016-17, and was part of a silver-medal bid for the U.S. at the 2018 under-18 championship.
Previously committed to the University of Michigan for next season, Wilde has now signalled his intent to play in the CHL.
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE
He has size, skill, smarts, speed, and Wilde can play at both ends of the rink well.
Those are the qualities you look for in an NHL defenceman, and he has the potential to one day be a top-two guy for whoever has the opportunity to land him.
“Bode Wilde is a talented and competitive defender that plays a tenacious 200-foot game,” says the scouting report over at eliteprospects.com. “His balance and acceleration in-stride is noteworthy and he is never caught in no-man’s land, or doing nothing. He is proactive and hard-nosed in pursuit of puck control, and he reads cues in all three zones naturally and quickly.
“Defensively, he is a beast and always looks to take time and space away from the opposition. He erases the open lane, keeps opponents to the outside, and is physical along the wall. In-transition, he is able to make that outlet pass or, more than likely, take it up himself to set up the trap. Offensively, he showcases a very hard, accurate shot that leaps off his stick.
“He can also open up space by way of his skating ability, size, and handling of the puck. Thanks to his quick thinking in making the high-percentage decision, he can be very difficult to read and play against. All-in-all, Wilde is a smart, competitive, and sizeable two-way D-man that can provide a team with numbers on the board and stability on the ice.”
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