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Vincent Iorio Scouting Report: 2021 NHL Draft #76

Vincent Iorio Scouting Report

Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2021 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey Prospects is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! We have a complete listing of our draft articles here. Today we bring you our Vincent Iorio Scouting Report.

Another member of the famed Shattuck St. Mary’s program in this year’s draft class, Vincent Iorio was the Brandon Wheat Kings second-round pick, 27th overall, in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. Iorio would go on to play one more season for Shattuck. In 2017-18 he put up four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 52 games in his last season of midget, high school hockey. Iorio also played for Team Blue at the WHL Cup. He put up three assists in five games on his way to winning a gold medal.

In 2018-19 Iori received limited minutes and offensive opportunities in his rookie WHL season. Iorio put up one goal and four assists for five points in 50 games in 2018-19. He improved in 2019-20. Iorio put up four goals and 17 assists for 21 points in 59 games before the WHL season was cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This past season, Iorio took his game to yet another level. He scored five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 22 games played. Iorio played a lot of minutes for the Wheat Kings, anchoring the second pair behind New York Rangers prospect Braden Schneider.

Vincent Iorio Scouting Report

Right Defence — shoots Right
Born November 14th, 2002 — Coquitlam, British Columbia
Height 6’3″ — Weight 191 lbs [191 cm / 87 kg]

Skating

Iorio has good size at 6-foot-3 and combines this with good skating ability to play a strong two-way game. His stride is good but he could use a bit more knee bend and ankle flexion. This gives him above-average acceleration in both directions. While he is not a burner, his top-end speed is good in both directions. Some slight improvements in his stride could take him to the next level.

Iorio has very good mobility though. His edgework and agility are both very good. He is able to quickly change directions. His ability to walk the line also allows him to open passing and shooting lanes in the offensive zone. It helps him maintain good gap control as well. Iorio is strong on his skates and wins battles along the boards as well as in front of the net. This is another area of his game that should improve as he matures.

Offensive Game

Iorio has the skating and passing skills to start the transition game and create offence. His puckhandling ability is good. Iorio can carry the puck out of defensive zone and avoid forecheckers. He can also help transition through the neutral zone but doesn’t do so often. He prefers to pass the puck to a teammate and will join the rush as a trailer at times. Iorio has good vision and makes a smart first pass. He can make the short pass to a winger as well as the long breakout pass to a forward who gets behind the defence. He is not really creative with the puck though. Iorio moves it well and finds the safe play in the offensive zone, but is not really a power-play quarterback type.

Iorio has a decent slap shot but it isn’t anything to write home about either. He does a good job of keeping it low and on the net though. Iorio can also walk the line to open up his shooting lane. If he can show more poise with the puck, he can do this more often. However, Iorio is more likely to try and move the puck to a teammate quickly. He also has a good wrist shot and a quick release. Iorio will sneak in from the blue line and let this go from the top of the circles. Iorio also does a good job of pinching in at the blue line and keeping offensive possession.

Defensive Game

Iorio is very strong defensively. He is very smart and makes great reads which helps him to anticipate an opponent’s play and to cut it off. Iorio loves to step up in the neutral zone and stop zone entries before they get to the line. He also maintains a good position away from the puck, cutting off passing lanes. Iorio anticipates his opponent’s movements and creates turnovers. He also has good gap control. Iorio defends well against the rush, forcing attackers to the perimeter and away from the dangerous areas of the ice. He is physical on the boards and in front of the net. Iorio does need to get a bit quicker in his skating though as particularly quick forwards can give him issues.

Projection and Comparison

Iorio is not the flashiest player out there but plays a steady two-way game. He skates well for his size. He also has a high-end hockey IQ and is willing to play physically. A little older than most other players in this draft, he only needs one more year in the WHL before he will be AHL eligible for the 2022-23 season. This could help him to be NHL ready in two to three years. He doesn’t project as a big point-scorer or power play player but could develop into a top-four defender who compliments a high-end partner and plays big minutes. Iorio’s game is reminiscent of Brent Seabrook, but this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill and ability.

Highlights

The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Vincent Iorio that are available on youtube as well as Twitter.

https://twitter.com/ZachHodder/status/1377278768637571073

 

 

Check back later for our latest NHL Draft article.

 

Vincent Iorio Scouting Report Main Photo:

Embed from Getty Images

KELOWNA, BC – NOVEMBER 03: Vincent Iorio #7 of the Brandon Wheat Kings looks to pass the puck against the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place on November 3, 2018, in Kelowna, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)

Ben Kerr

Ben Kerr

Ben is a credentialed sports writer from just outside Toronto, Canada. A lawyer, he has a highly analytical approach to writing. Ben is the COO of Last Word On Sports INC. Most of his writing can be found in the hockey department, though he follows and writes on other sports as well.

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