2024 NHL Draft Notebook: Tij Iginla, Linus Eriksson and Luke Misa

NHL draft expert Tony Ferrari shares his game reports of three forwards, including Tij Iginla's playmaking and shot, Linus Eriksson's physicality and Luke Misa's creativity.

This season, I want to give more insight into the process of how I track NHL draft-eligible players throughout the year. Through numerous views, both live and in person, I do my best to evaluate what I see on the ice from players, from their big flashy plays and highlight reel goals or assists to minor details such as board play or off-puck tracking.

This week, as I give a peak behind the curtains, we take a look at some interesting players who impressed and improved their NHL draft stock throughout the season and into the new year. Let’s take a look at Tij Iginla of the Kelowna Rockets (WHL), Linus Eriksson of Djurgarden (Allsvenskan) and Luke Misa of the Mississauga Steelheads (OHL).

Jan. 17, 2024, vs. Portland - As per usual, Iginla was creating a ton of offense in this game. He was a willing shooter and a smooth passer throughout the match, coming away with one goal and one assist. 

There were a few shifts throughout the game where he disappeared a bit, particularly in the defensive zone. Aside from that, Iginla threw his weight around on the forecheck, waded through traffic, sat down in pockets and stayed open to the puck carrier so he could get a shot off as soon as the puck came to him.

One noticeable habit in this game was that he would engage in a board battle, get his base nice and wide, rotate into the opposing player to pin them or cut them off from the puck and then pass it out of the scrum to a teammate along the boards. Iginla’s shot is an obvious weapon, but his playmaking and passing remain the traits that intrigue me the most.

Iginla will pass mid-deke at times, surprising teammates when the puck hits their blade. There were at least two instances in this game when Iginla seemed to make a pass that surprised its recipient, leading to a mishandled puck or a whiffed shot. Iginla displayed excellent vision and the pass execution to go along with it. He could routinely spot teammates across the ice and skate laterally to create a passing lane or wait for a defender to vacate the passing lane.

Iginla had an assist just after a power play expired, taking advantage of a tired defensive group. He used his agility and vision to exploit a passing lane, skating up the wall and then finding a teammate streaking down the opposite side. His pass was precise and crisp, forcing everyone to panic and look to collapse on the puck carrier who fed it across the top of the crease for a tap-in.

He added a goal on an offensive zone steal by a teammate. Iginla came flying into the zone and received a pass in the slot, which was slightly behind him, before sweeping a shot into the net from the slot. His ability to catch an awkward pass and still get a dangerous shot off was impressive.

Iginla is a very well-rounded offensive talent with a bit of grit and willingness to throw a cross-check or shove an opponent after the whistle. Iginla plays bigger than he is at times. He just needs to get stronger and build his frame a bit more.

Jan. 3, 2024, vs. Ostersunds IK - Linus Eriksson stood out from start to finish in this game, playing at the Allsvenskan level after some time at the junior level. His speed and pace were immediately noticeable. He used them to apply pressure on defenders on the forecheck with many instances of rushed passes.

Eriksson also engaged physically in this game, throwing a few hits and winning puck battles more often than not. He established body position, rotated his hips into the opposing player and used his stick to tie their stick up before kicking the puck up to himself. There were a couple of instances in which he pinned the player's stick and hands against the boards as he spun his hips into them, which freed up his stick to make a pass. Eriksson understood how to maneuver the puck free consistently. His speed in open ice was a major asset for Djurgarden in transition, helping draw attention and move the puck up the ice.

He made a number of crisp passes in transition throughout this game. He hit teammates in stride, often coming back into the defensive zone to give the defensemen an easy outlet and then taking responsibility for moving the puck. 

One area that was a bit wonky in this game was his pass reception. A few times, he bobbled what seemed to be a reasonable pass. He wasn’t losing the puck, but they just weren’t clean pass receptions.

He scored a goal on a nice play in the second period after following up on a stretch pass to a teammate. The teammate took on two defenders, turned and deferred to the streaking Eriksson, who used his speed to put the defenseman on their heels. Eriksson then unloaded a wicked shot that went top corner, clean past the netminder from the slot. 

This was an impressive performance overall for Eriksson despite playing bottom six minutes. He was buzzing in this game and was rewarded with a goal.

Jan. 10, 2024, vs. Sudbury - Playing on the wing in this game again, Misa showed his offensive creativity and skill on nearly every shift. He was on the only line that really had it going throughout the game for Mississauga, and his speed and offensive skill were a big part of it. Misa was a bit more engaged defensively in this game than he had been in previous viewings, especially as he backchecked through the neutral zone.

There were multiple occasions in this game when Misa stripped the puck right off of an opposing player and turned it up ice with haste. He wasn’t as effective in his own end once the opposing squad set up, but he was doing his best to use his speed to cut off the middle of the ice and get into passing lanes.

Misa was all over the ice in this one. His skating was evident on every shift, with his mind set on getting the puck, getting it up ice and making something happen. He plays with speed and pace, which were particularly notable in the second and third periods.

He scored a goal in the second period that resulted from flying the zone a bit early, collecting the puck and attacking the lone defender with speed. As the defender attempted to close the gap, Misa ripped a shot from the inner edge at the top of the faceoff circle to the top corner to open the game’s scoring. 

The very next shift, Misa stole the puck off the opposing puck carrier as they entered the Mississauga zone, quickly looked up ice, and feathered a saucer pass up to a teammate who skated onto it and got a breakaway chance. Unfortunately, the defender caught up to the player, and the goalie made the save, but Misa followed the play up and engaged in a battle for the puck in the corner.

There were so many little moments in this game where Misa’s speed on the forecheck led to a rushed pass or puckhandling in open ice led to a good scoring chance. His passing was on point throughout the game, whether it was a soft touch area pass or a crisp pass to hit a teammate in stride. 

The offensive creativity and understanding of how to exploit weak points to generate chances make Misa a very fun offensive player.