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The Ottawa Senators have selected U.S National U-18 Team center Colin White with the 21st pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
White is the first U.S. National U-18 Team member off the board. He projects to be a two-way player who can contribute at both ends of the rink once he's ready to make the jump from Boston College.
2014-15 Stats
| Team | GP | Goals | Assists | Points | PIMs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USNTDP | 20 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 10 |
Overview
White's draft season left something to be desired, but it finished far better than it started. Dealing with a bout of mono and a lingering wrist issue, White was limited with the U.S. Development Program before capping his season with a strong performance at the U-18 World Championships.
He closed the tournament, and provided a jolt to his draft campaign, with the overtime winner in the gold medal final - his ninth point of the competition.
White lacks flash and is not a terribly impressive skater, but is considered an above-average offensive player. What scouts are most intrigued by is his ability to provide strong defensive contributions while remaining a threat at the other end. He's reliable in his own zone, an asset at the faceoff dot, a strong penalty killer, and is said to anticipate the game extremely well.
He's expected to enroll at Boston College next season with fellow National Team member and linemate Jeremy Bracco.
What the scouts are saying
NHL Central Scouting's Dave Gregory spoke to White's completeness.
Colin has a lot of hockey sense and a strong two-way game. He is a strong competitor and brings a solid effort every night. He can be on your top line and also be very responsible in his own end. He has high end skill and makes the players around him better. He is a complete player that with continued development will solidify his status as a first-round candidate.
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