Re: UML Recruiting: Finally in the 20s!
Neutral Zone tweeted about him recently too. He's on some NE Prep NHL draft ranking of theirs, though I don't subscribe, so I'm unsure what they wrote.
https://twitter.com/nhl_nz/status/1200053518922592256?s=20
Quick Hit: Owen Fowler’s a PITA
Owen Fowler (3.75 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C) Forward
Owen made his USHL debut last night for Des Moines and buried a back door beauty. Well, it wasn’t so much a thing of beauty as much as it was the type of goal you should get accustomed to seeing Owen score. While he was a strong side F2, Dubuque’s defenseman tried to initiate a D to D breakout and which led to a weak side turn over. Owen crashed the net with his stick down and Boom…. moment that he’ll remember. A goal that some fans might not appreciate nearly as much as his coaches will. The goals will get Owen some fan mail, but his brain and grit will make scouts notice. Owen does not take a shift off. He is a PITA (Pain In The *****) to play against and opposing defenders know when he’s on the ice. He doesn’t project as a scorer in the NHL, but he can be a dependable smart bottom 6 forward who kills penalties and always has his coaching staff’s trust. That is key… and a huge compliment. So we will be watching Owen this year and so will many others. And he will put up approximately 55 points playing prep, but his true value and future in professional hockey will always be because of his brain and his heart.
(1) Brain – Owen thinks the game well. He remains on the defensive side during 50-50 battles and rarely gets himself trapped along the boards. He understands what the game is dictating and he consistently makes the correct play.
(2) Vision & Poise – Owen has the skill set to make plays and be a power play guy in college, but his potential to make a living at playing hockey will be his poise to make the right play when the game is on the line.
(3) Feet – He accelerates quickly, is very agile and strong as a bull.
(4) Compete & Effort – A max effort player
(5) Contact or Physicality – Strong player who fights through contact and wills his way to win battles
(6) Release – Shoots the puck in stride and has the ability to use the defenders as a screen while still hitting the net.
(7) One Timer Ability – Can one time the puck on a line rush or while high in the slot. It is not a bullet, but he can shoot it off bad passes and awkward passing angles.
(8) Body Language – Only Note Extremes
(9) Special Teams Potential – We do not feel Owen is an NHL power play guy, but we have no doubt that he has the hockey IQ and mindset to be a penalty killer in professional hockey.
(10) Intangibles – His heart. What does that mean? Owen wants it. Yeah, he proves shift in and shift out that he will battle and do what it takes to win.
