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A fourth round pick in the 2015 OHL Draft, Morgan Frost made enough of an impression on the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds to earn a spot on the team as a rookie. After a 27 point freshman campaign, he came back even better this year. Frost really broke out, scoring 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games. He added two goals and eight points in 11 playoff games. It is the type of performance that took Frost from a draft afterthought before the season, to an invitee to the CHL Top Prospects game, and a highly coveted player in this draft class.
Frost is the son of Andy Frost, who handled public address duties for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1999 until 2016.
Morgan Frost Scouting Report: 2017 NHL Draft #45
Center — shoots Left
Born May 14th, 1999 — Aurora, Ontario
Height 6’0″ — Weight 170 lbs [183 cm / 77 kg]
Skating
Frost is a very good skater. He has good top end speed as well as very good acceleration. His first step is excellent. Frost beats other skaters to loose pucks in the offensive and neutral zones. He can also beat defenders to the outside and cut to the net. Frost’s speed and quickness were on full display at the Top Prospects Game testing, where he finished first in the 30M sprints both with and without the puck.
Frost’s lateral agility and edgework is also very good. If Frost catches a defender flat footed, he can cut extremely quickly and attack the open lane created. He could stand to get stronger and add muscle to his lower body though. This would improve Frost’s balance, as well as make him stronger on the puck and better in board battles.
Offensive Game
Frost uses his speed, quickness, and agility to really challenge defenders in one-on-one situations. He is extremely hard to contain off the rush, as he can use his skating to create openings. Frost also recognizes that if a defender is playing a little bit too far off of him; he can slow up. This creates both passing and shooting lanes which he can take advantage of. He sees the ice extremely well, and anticipates the movements of his linemates. As such, he makes smart plays with the puck, and sets them up for scoring chances. He can also create in the offensive zone, especially on the powerplay where he is able to quarterback the play from the point.
While Frost is more of a play maker than a goal scorer, he has the soft hands and quick reflexes to finish plays in close to the net. He also has a good accuracy as well as a quick release and can score from the slot. However, Frost needs to add some power to both his wrist and slap shots. This might come by bulking up over the off-season.
Defensive Game
Frost uses his speed to be a menace on the penalty kill. His ability to read plays and pressure the puck allows him to play a strong game in his own end of the rink. When a turnover is created, Frost transitions quickly from defence to offence. Frost is willing to support defenders down low, but really needs to improve his strength to contain bigger forwards on the cycle. He is also decent in the face-off circle, at over 52% for the year.
Projection and Comparison
Morgan Frost projects as a second line centre with the ability to play power play and penalty killing units. He has some areas of his game that need to be improved, but there is a lot of potential here. In terms of playing style, his game is reminiscent of Vincent Trocheck of the Florida Panthers.
Highlights
The following is a compilation of highlights, assembled from Youtube.
Check back tomorrow for the next prospect available on our draft board.
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