Keegan Kolesar is the style of player that many coaches and front office people salivate over, time and time again. He is a great blend of size, work ethic, physicality, with a bit of offensive flash. If a coach could have a roster full of these players, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them pick it ten out of ten times. But the big Manitoban is still very raw in his skillset, and will require some seasoning. Where is he at in his development, and where does he go from here?
Kolesar was not a major name coming in to his draft season, and his point totals didn’t really cause for pause among scouts. He had just 38 points in 64 games for a strong Seattle team, playing largely a bottom six role. He was ranked 65th among North American skaters (somewhere around 80th over-all) in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, but to many it was somewhat of a surprise to hear his name called in the third round, 69th over-all, by Columbus. His 2015/16 season was a big improvement, though, as he looked to affirm that the pick was a wise one for the Jackets. Kolesar earned a top six role in camp, and spent the majority of the season on a line with another 2015 pick, New York Islanders’ first rounder Matthew Barzal, putting up 30 goals and 61 points in 64 games – a 23 point improvement from his draft year. The Thunderbirds were a powerhouse team, finishing 5th in the WHL regular season, and Kolesar was a very large part of that.
Though Barzal plays a much more dynamic offensive game than Kolesar, the two found chemistry throughout the season, with Kolesar doing a lot of the heavy lifting along the boards, creating space for his linemates. He found the net often, and his 30 goals placed him 33rd in the WHL. A slick-skater, Kolesar often drove the net, opening shooting lanes and fighting for rebounds. Despite the point totals, Kolesar is not a lethal offensive force, but his strength lies in his shot, and his work off the puck in the offensive zone. His speed allows him to keep up with quicker teammates, and bear down hard on forechecks.
One of the criticisms of Kolesar is that he is a product of the tandem with Barzal, rather than someone capable of creating offense on his own. There wasn’t a whole lot of sample size from this past season, just 14 games spread throughout, but Kolesar performed well enough, putting up 12 points. While that 0.85 points per game rate is a notable drop from the 0.98 points per game he put up with Barzal, it’s still a solid number and not unexpected when you go from a line with the best player on the team to a line without him. In this regard, Kolesar can be compared to fellow Blue Jackets prospect Paul Bittner. If you’ll recall, Bittner put up 71 points in 66 games for Portland on a line with yet another Jackets prospect, Oliver Bjorkstrand, during Bjorkstrand’s massive 63 goal season in 2014/15. Many were concerned about Bittner’s effectiveness away from his ultra-sniper linemate, just as they are with Kolesar. But the strength in Kolesar’s game may not be his ability to single-handedly create offense, but how much offense he creates in tandem with the more offensively-gifted forwards he plays with.
The nice part about him and other prospects when you have such a deep pipeline is that some of them may not become superstars, but you can afford the luxury of him turning into something in between, someone to fill a role or step up his game when necessary. He is oozing with potential and has the frame to put it all together. This year should add some clarity to who he is as a player.
Future Outlook
Kolesar attended the summer evaluation camp for Canada’s World Junior team and, with a good start to his season, he has a chance to crack the prestigious Canada roster as a fourth line option for the December tournament.
Kolesar should play the year with Seattle again, and his performance and continued development curve will help the Blue Jackets determine his path. Which roles can he fill at the next level? Does he have NHL-caliber offensive skills? Is he an option on the penalty kill? Chances are, Kolesar will follow the same path as fellow WHL alumnus Paul Bittner, perhaps getting a shot at some late-season AHL games in Cleveland, before a possible full-time role there in 2017/18.
Age: 19 (04/08/1997)
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’2″, 223
2015/16 Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Likely 2016/17 Destination: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
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