A bit of a surprise came as the 4th round of the 2023 NHL Draft was chugging along as the Tampa Bay Lightning traded into the fourth round and selected Jayson Shaugabay 115th overall.
Tampa’s new prospect, Jayson Shaugabay of the White Earth Nation, played in the Minnesota High School circuit and is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth next year. The 18-year-old right winger is on the smaller side but put up a boat load of points, finishing third in USHS-MN scoring with 33 goals and 96 points in 31 games.
With the 115th overall pick (4th round) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning selects Jayson Shaugabay of White Earth Nation! @WarroadHShockey
Congratulations, Jayson! pic.twitter.com/5i3BYJXFNo
— Hockey Indigenous (@HKYIndigenous) June 29, 2023
Let me start by listing off some of the highlights:
- Shaugabay won the Mr. Hockey Award in Minnesota for the best high school player in the state.
- Committed to University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2023-24, captain of his high school team and led them in scoring.
- High first round playmaking talent and skill, elite upside.
- Not a shooter and that allows him to get exploited in tough coverage.
Shaugabay’s smaller frame meant he has focused on skating and moving the puck during his early development. As he moves up into the NCAA development stream his next stage will be to get bigger, stronger, and more fearless in tight areas. And have him shoot more.
“Not exaggerating when I say he has the top half of the first-round puck skills. He’s one of the most purely skilled players and best playmakers in this class. He’s unselfish to a fault and needs to get nearer the net and shoot more. He will be one of the few players taken outside of the first round who realistically has the talent to develop into an NHL top-six/half-wall power play forward” – NHL scout via EP Rinkside
“Shaugabay is at his most dangerous when he is playing along the wall. Whether he is carrying the puck up the ice in the transition game, or set up in the offensive zone, he likes to have a view of the whole ice surface so that he can make the most effective pass possible. He also likes to move up and down the boards in order to draw defenders out of position and free up teammates for scoring chances. While he does drive the middle on occasion, it is clear he is most comfortable playing along the perimeter, as it allows him time and space to identify where the holes in the defensive coverage are and exploit them.” – The Hockey Writers
“Right now, Shaugabay is a one-dimensional player who doesn’t shoot all that much. It’s likely a preference to setting up his teammates though, as he does possess a very good wrist shot that will be effective at the NCAA level right away. The biggest problem on offence for Shaugabay is his reluctance to use it. With a targeted coaching plan, he can be shut down, but if he does mix in his shot more often, he will become much more difficult to strategize against.” – The Win Column
Acquiring the pick
This pick was initially Tampa Bay’s but was traded away in the Tanner Jeannot deal. In order to get it back from Nashville, they sent the 4th round pick they got in the Brandon Hagel deal from Chicago in 2024 the other way.
If things do not change, the Lightning will select five times this year and five times next year.
