Bruins select winger Quinn Olson with 92nd overall pick in 2019 NHL Draft
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Boston Bruins selected left wing Quinn Olson from Calgary, Alberta, Canada with the 92nd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft on Saturday. Olson has committed to Minnesota-Duluth for the 2019-20 season.
Olson is a left-shot winger who currently stands at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds. He played the past two seasons with the Okotoks Oilers in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In 2018-19 he scored 20 goals and 66 points in 54 games.
The NHL Network ranked him No. 200 in their prospects list, while Future Considerations ranked him No. 192. NHL Central Scouting ranked him No. 105 among just North American skaters.
A brief scouting report at DraftSite.com by Bill Plazcek had this to say about Olson:
“… plays a sound game without the puck; he gets to the open areas, and reacts quickly to the play. He moves well East to West while carrying at top speed. Has a low center of gravity and plays strong on the wall and corners and wins puck battles.”
Steve Kournianos at The Draft Analyst had something of a glowing review for Olson’s game back in January:
“Olson is a hard-working winger with soft hands and excellent speed to match a high-energy compete level. He is a dual threat with the puck, meaning he can furnish a hard shot and score in a variety of ways, or assume the role of playmaker and set-up quality chances. … Olson was a standpoint as a replacement at the CJHL Top Prospects Game, using a quick first step and anticipation to cut off attempted breakouts that turned into instant scoring chances. Olson can be deployed on both the power play and the penalty kill, and his ability to read plays in the neutral zone and guess correctly on puck travel makes him a threat to counter in an odd-man situation. Strong on his skates with impressive leg drive for a player listed under six feet, Olson can deliver big hits and is not the least bit shy at using his physical strength to battle hard in either open ice, in front of the net or in the corners.”
Olson’s rankings and descriptions still point to a ceiling as a bottom-six winger, but one who plays hard, does the little things well, and helps the Bruins in a variety of ways. But maybe he can develop those “soft hands” and find a way to “score in a variety of ways” at the highest level. It’s possible that Olson plays 3-4 years at Minnesota-Duluth before making the jump to the pros.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
