2023 NHL Draft prospect profile: Carson Rehkopf, power forward

Power forwards are perhaps among the most valuable commodities in the eyes of National Hockey League management groups. Teams will often overpay in trades, or reach in the draft to get players with size and athleticism, hoping to turn them into the next big thing in their forward lineup.

Parting ways with these types of players can be very hard for some teams. Take Josh Anderson, for instance, a player whom the Montreal Canadiens have reportedly received many offers for, and despite being mid-rebuild, have been unwilling to let him go. For any team that is interested in an Anderson-type player, I might suggest giving Carson Rehkopf some consideration in this year’s draft.

Birthplace: Barrie, Ontario 
Date of birth: January 7. 2005 
Shoots: Left 
Position: Centre/Left Wing 
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 194 lbs.
Team: Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Like Anderson, Rehkopf is a bigger forward who moves surprisingly quickly for his size, and possesses one of the better shots in this draft class. On almost every viewing this season, I saw flashes of Anderson in his game, which is unfortunately a double-edged sword when it comes to his future potential.

Let’s start with the cutting edge of that sword, which includes his offensive abilities, led by his heavy shot. He has a remarkably quick release on his snapshot, which is a favourite of his to use off the rush. In the blink of an eye, he can load it up and beat OHL goaltenders clean. He isn’t the most accurate shooter you’ll see, but the velocity is already at a professional level, and some work with a skills coach could get him where he needs to be before he makes the jump.

His skating, as mentioned, is considerably better than you typically expect from bigger Junior-aged forwards. He gets up to top speed quickly, and has a long, powerful stride that can allow him to really put defenders on their heels in transition. When you pair that skating with a lightning-quick release, you have a player who is very effective at generating offence in transition and off the rush.

If there is a bone to pick with his skating, it’s that he lacks some of the deceptive lateral abilities and edge-work that can take him to the next level in terms of gaining the zone and beating defenders. He does at times rely a little too much on his straight-line speed, and can skate himself right out of racetrack without the ability to bait defenders and change direction.

He also has a cannon of a one-timer, which you see often on the power play where he works off the half-wall. The snapper is definitely his favourite tool, but when he gets space on the power play to operate, he can unleash some of the more violent clappers you’ll see at the OHL level.

The more problematic edge of the sword starts with his off-puck positioning. He can, at times, look lost away from the puck, and that can lead to some concerns in the defensive zone, with him losing his man altogether. He seems to understand the game and where he’s supposed to be quite well, but has a tendency to over-pursue pucks at times, and end up somewhere he knows he shouldn’t be.

There is also some concern about his consistency and compete level. It can be frustrating to see him look completely dominant on one shift, and then somewhat listless the next. You’ll often hear scouts talk about a player’s motor, and Rehkopf seems to turn his on and off throughout a given game. When it’s on, you’ll be impressed, and when it isn’t, you’ll wonder why he chose to sit in neutral.

This causes his physicality, which is definitely a plus tool, to be almost neutral in terms of its impact. He can light opposing players up with thunderous body checks, can be a menace on the forecheck and winning puck battles along the walls, but only when he’s at the top of his RPM gauge.

I firmly believe that better conditioning would go a long way for his NHL hopes. He’s a big, explosive player with a great shot, and this gives him a little more margin for error than most. He’ll get a real chance in the NHL thanks to his tools, but if he really wants to be able to make the most of them when he turns pro, he’ll need a gas tank that allows his motor to run on every shift.

Preliminary Rankings

Dobber Prospects: N/R in Top 64
Elite Prospects: #56
FCHockey: #48
Hockey Prospect: N/R in Top 75
Hadi Kalakeche: #55
McKeen’s: #35
Bob McKenzie (TSN): #41
NHL Central Scouting: #29 (North American Skaters)
Corey Pronman (The Athletic) N/R in Top 34
Scott Wheeler (The Athletic): #42

The Montreal Canadiens will likely have a fair bit of data on Rehkopf, given that he played with one of their first-round picks last year, Filip Mesar. They also haven’t shied away in the past from picking players with intriguing tools just because they need some work on the positional aspects of their game. That being said, their only second-round pick stands to be quite early on day two, too early to consider using it on a player mostly projected in the latter half of that round.

I don’t want to keep beating the Powerhorse comparison, but I think Anderson is really the best comparable for Rehkopf at this point. Physical tools will generate interest from a fair number of teams, but there are also issues in his game that would prevent him from reaching his full potential.

Whatever team picks him, they’ll have an interesting project on their hands. If he can improve his off-puck positioning, he could develop into an excellent two-way forward, one who has the ability to play down the middle and on the wing. If he can’t, the centre position will almost certainly be a non-option for him, and he’ll be more of an exploitation winger.

Perhaps even more important is correcting the consistency and compete level issue.  I think Rehkopf will be an NHL player, but bringing his best every shift would allow him to get closer to his ceiling, which could well be top-six, 30-goal-scoring forward with two-way upside; not something you’re guaranteed in the slightest in the second round of the draft.

If he can’t make the necessary improvements, his tools should still give him an opportunity in the show, but he’d likely be limited to a bottom-six, depth scoring role. He’s still a safe pick thanks to his relatively high floor, and with good development he could turn out to be a steal in the second round.

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