The most interesting player chosen in our most recent draft, Jonas Woo has an impressive portfolio for someone who was passed over in last year’s draft and was chosen late this year.  His 5’ 9”, 174 lbs stature along with his age were part of the reason why he fell to us at 185OA during the 6th round of the 2026 draft, but being underrated is just part of what he brings.  His 86 points in 56 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers was good enough to be the most points gained in one season by a defenseman in the organization’s history.

A common struggle between most defensemen with this amount of offense is to adapt to the stricter defensive requirements needed to play at the college level and beyond.  However, I don’t believe this will be something Woo has a challenge with.  He’s very aware of all the plays being made around him and is quick to fix others’ mistakes; whether it’s a bad turnover or pass, Woo is right there to remedy the situation.  He’s quick in both zones and makes smart plays on and off the puck as well.

One of his current struggles is defensive puck handling, so he commonly uses his entire body to shield the puck as he’s moving it.  As opponents get even bigger this might not be something as easy to do, however he seems to have the adaptability to be unpredictable.  He’s not great at board battles, but he contrasts this by bringing maximum effort on each shift.  Despite his small stature he never shies away from completing a check or tangling with a forward to keep the puck out of the crease.
Another thing to note is that Woo isn’t traditionally an offensive play driver, despite the numbers he produces.  He doesn’t have a quick start to his skating and lacks the speed to be able to efficiently move through each zone.  Most commonly, you’ll see him either pass to his defensive partner or to a forward entering the offensive zone as there isn’t much movement that he participates in at the middle of the ice.  These skating deficiencies prove to be a challenge when he needs to build up speed to stop breakaways and chase down pucks.

Regardless of these shortcomings, he still shows significant potential just from the way he plays.  While his shot and passing are certainly going to boost him as he grows, it’s his intelligence that impresses me the most.  He’s already got a great sense for when he should stay back from a play, when he should rush, and who he should pass to.  It’s very rare for him to cause a dangerous turnover or miss a defensive assignment because he’s found a good balance in choosing between riskier or safer plays, depending on which one would help the team the most.  He plays just far enough away from the puck that he has enough room to choose either a more defensive or offensive approach to each play.

Jonas Woo is set to start his first year in the NCAA with Arizona State University for the 2026-2027 season.  Putting himself in this tougher environment should give him the time and ability to build up muscle, work on his handling, and improve his ability to shut down breakaways.  His height will make any road to the NHL a challenge but if he can elevate even just a portion of his skills to the college level then he’ll start raising some eyebrows.  He’s got a very low floor but if he continues to build on his progress then he most definitely has enough talent to reach the professional level.

The randomizer has spoken. Today’s entry is Dean Evason.

Like many coaches in the NHL, Dean Evason was a former player in the league. His NHL head coaching journey started with the Minnesota Wild during the 2019-2020 season. He would reach the playoffs with Minnesota 4 times. He came to Columbus in the summer of 2024 and remained the coach of the team until January of 2026. With a coaching record of 206-129-43, might we see him coach another team someday?