Luca Pinelli dropped to the 4th round in the 2023 NHL Draft, but Columbus got a good one as the pure goal scorer hit the 40 goal mark in just 53 games.
Ottawa 67's forward Luca Pinelli has had a sensational season since being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets last summer. Pinelli dropped to the 4th round in the 2023 NHL Draft, but continues to prove that he should have been taken higher.
Pinelli's size was a concern heading into the NHL Draft. Sitting at just 5-foot-9, he lacks size — especially for a player who lacks some straight line speed.
That being said, Pinelli's compete level is off-the-charts and his shot is lethal.
Pinelli has 40 goals this year for a reason — he can rip the puck better than most. He shoots it well from far out, and he's able to catch goaltenders off-guard with his shot power. Whether it's a one-timer or a wrister, Pinelli is putting everything he can into each shot.
His release is lightning quick as well. When he gets the puck in any shooting area, it is coming off of his stick as soon as possible.
Pinelli gets himself into open shooting areas often, and no range is too far for his release. A large reason why he has 40 goals is because of his spatial awareness to sneak behind and through defenders to find open space to receive passes.
Not only can he shoot, but Pinelli has high hockey sense and a high compete level. These two go hand-in-hand, as he knows where to attack to create turnovers and win puck battles. He may be 5-foot-9, but he plays a much bigger game and he will never shy away from contact or a physical battle.
Columbus was able to steal Pinelli in the 4th round, and that is looking like a very good pick thus far.
Luca Pinelli is the brother of LA Kings 2nd round pick Francesco Pinelli, who played his major junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers. The two brothers have their hockey sense in common, as a lot of their success is built upon their minds for the game. In other ways, Luca and Francesco are very different.
Francesco Pinelli is more of a playmaker and is able to create more off the pass, where Luca has a shoot-first mindset. Both have bright futures at the professional level.
At the NHL level, Luca Pinelli will be able to play a lot of different roles. Sure, he has his shooting ability — which if he hits his ceiling will make him a second line scoring winger. But his compete and work ethic will allow him to be effective in the bottom-six of a professional lineup too.
The Ottawa 67's may have not had the season they originally expected as contenders, but Luca Pinelli creates on a nightly-basis. The Blue Jackets prospect makes anything possible when the 67's reach the playoffs, and he has the ability to change a series.