The first Draft Profile of the season goes to Mississauga Steelheads' Import Draft pick Jakub Fibigr, who is leading all OHL rookies in scoring from the blue-line and has put himself on many draft lists to start the season.
Jakub Fibigr is considered a rookie under the OHL standards, as he is a 2006-born player playing his first ever games in the league as a CHL Import Draft pick. He has translated to the North-American style-game seamlessly, and he has caught the eyes of many scouts ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Here is a breakdown of Fibigr's entire game, divided into overall analysis, skating, offensive tools, defensive tools, and hockey sense & awareness.
Overall Analysis
Fibigr doesn't have many flaws, if any at all. He is a very mobile, two-way, transition-effective defenceman. Usually a defenceman is better in one end of the ice, but Fibigr is equally as good in both ends, and potentially even better through the neutral zone. He plays on the first pair alongside Steelheads' captain Chas Sharpe, as well as on the powerplay and penalty kill.
The Czech defender has been able to join the Steelheads and make an immediate impact in all three zones. Offensively, he is able to create with his constant movement, ability to find passing lanes, and willingness to shoot the puck. In his own zone, he is able to use his defensive stick to eliminate chances off the entry, and keeps a tight gap on opponents as they enter the zone.
Fibigr has 12 points through 15 games to start the season, and has been playing loads of ice time in Mississauga. He is one of the most complete defenders in this draft class from the OHL, behind London Knights defenceman Sam Dickinson.
The only thing holding Fibigr back is his lack of high-end skills. He isn't super flashy or creative offensively, and his production methods aren't super complex. He makes the safe plays, but that's what makes him a complete defender.
Skating
Fibigr isn't the quickest guy on the ice by any means, but his edgework and mobility makes him an effective skater. Mechanically, he possesses a long stride, and there are no real issues with his form.
He uses his edges to slide through opponents into open space, to get himself open for the puck. Fibigr is rarely skating in a straight line, with and without the puck. He uses his lateral mobility to create space east-to-west and open up the ice. Fibigr seems to be on his edges more often than he isn't.
The only real flaw with his skating is his balance, which he tends to lose often. Fibigr tends to stumble and fall regularly, and sometimes it costs his team by putting himself out of position.
Otherwise, he has solid four-way mobility and lateral movement that allows him to slide into open areas of the ice with ease.
Offensive Tools
In the attacking zone, Fibigr has been a threat at even-strength, and on the powerplay. He will jump up in the play offensively with zero hesitation, and commits to the play at 100%. Fibigr loves to shoot the puck, and is able to find lanes effectively from the point.
On the powerplay, he tends to slide down the half-wall and towards the slot at times. He is always looking for open gaps on the ice to create and get himself open for a chance.
His puck movement from the point is equally as effective. He walks the blue-line with tremendous confidence and uses that lateral mobility to open up lanes.
Fibigr doesn't have great puck control or hands, which prevent him from being able to create independently and drive the play himself. His success is very much team-reliant and he utilizes his teammates to make himself a better offensive player.
Defensive Tools
Fibigr's game gets interesting in the defensive zone. His defensive stick has to be my favourite aspect of his game. Similar to a player like Oliver Bonk (London Knights defender), Fibigr challenges opponents off the entry. He doesn't allow them any time or space to wind their way into the offensive zone.
He's effective at boxing out, though he rarely stays in one spot. Fibigr is constantly moving and shifting. He is always actively scanning and attempting to get his body into lanes.
He is strong out front when he needs to be, but he is far-from a stay-at-home defenceman. This can be viewed as a strength and a weakness, at times his constant movement can get him out of position.
Hockey Sense & Awareness
In all three zones, Fibigr's vision and ability to scan for open lanes is high-end. His fluid stride and edges allow him to get to those open areas, but his IQ allows him to seek out lanes.
Behind his defensive stick is also his hockey sense, which allows him to time those stick checks precisely and eliminate the chance. His timing and gap control when defending the rush is effective, and is a big part of his defensive awareness.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Fibigr's ceiling projection fits as a top four defender who can play a lot of minutes in various situations at the next level. He's an effective utility player from the back-end. He plays well paired with more offensive defenders, like Chas Sharpe has been this season, but he can also take charge offensively himself.
I think he can be a 2nd-3rd round pick with his variety of skill sets. He may not project as a 50-point-scoring defender at the NHL level, but there are a lot of shoes he can wear, and a lot of roles he can fill.