In just two days, the NHL Draft will take place, meaning that this time of preparation and anticipation is nearing its end.
As we approach the draft, our series on draft prospects winds down.
Here is a profile of Tri-City Americans defenseman Brandon Carlo.
Big, tall and durable. That's the name of Brandon Carlo's game.
The 6'5", 185-pound defenseman will be a coveted prospect because of his size. But there is much more to him than that.
Carlo is an incredibly smooth skater for his size and really turned heads at the World Junior Championships this past year by logging major minutes. He proved he can hold up for the long haul that some defensemen must carry.
His offensive numbers aren't overly impressive, but modest. In 63 games with the Tri-City Americans, Carlo scored four goals and added 21 assists for 25 points.
It's not too often that you hear about a young player like this that has a need to improve his offensive prowess. But Carlo's biggest areas of improvement are working on his puck handling and passing.
Defensively, he's already approaching the NHL rapidly. He thrives off the defensive style as a stay-at-home, shutdown defenseman. He's plays with great awareness, knows the defensive basics masterfully and despite his offensive issues, still has a powerful slap shot that will create rebound opportunities for forwards.
He's not going to make a huge impact early in his professional career and he won't be taking the place of a Chris Pronger type, but he'll be more than serviceable. And a player with his upside could be available early in the second round, even if he deserves a late first-round selection.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
