With the No. 14 pick, the Oilers select… Kaiden Guhle?
By Cam Lewis
3 years agoLeading up to the NHL draft, I’ll be profiling 10 players who the Oilers could consider taking with the No. 14 pick. Today, we have Kaiden Guhle.
On Friday, I profiled Dylan Holloway of the University of Wisconson, a prospect that Corey Pronman had mentioned that he had heard scouts mention as a possible pick for the Oilers at No. 14. Pronman also mentioned Kaiden Guhle as another name that the Oilers might be looking at here.
While Holloway seems like a sensible fit for the Oilers at No. 14 given where he’s ranked and what Edmonton’s needs are, Guhle would be a bit more off the board. McKeen’s and ISS Hockey have Guhle ranked at No. 14 but other services have him in the 20s. Also, Pronman himself had Guhle ranked at No. 38 on his draft board.
Teams do go off the board and there’s always the possibility that the Oilers could trade down from their spot at No. 14. So, let’s take a look at Guhle.
Kaiden Guhle
Date of Birth: January 18, 2002
Country: Canada
Position: Defence
Height: 6’3″ / 191 cm
Weight: 187 lbs / 85 kg
Ranked #21 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #25 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #14 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #24 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #14 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #18 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #14 by TSN/McKenzie
“Guhle is an absolute menace when he’s on. He’s constantly moving his feet and closes with such speed and force that he regularly dispossesses his opponent of the puck right at the defensive blue line. Guhle creates by activating off the rush or joining the second-wave of the attack. That’s where his strengths lie.” – EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide“Guhle was the No. 1 pick in his WHL Bantam Draft, and after a limited role in 2018-19, he emerged as a top defenseman in his age group this season. Guhle is appealing because of his physical attributes. He’s 6-foot-2, he skates quite well and he knocks opponents off the puck with high frequency. His gap control is excellent, closing on checks with force and showing a preference for playing the body. The question on Guhle will be how much offense he has and whether he can move the puck at the NHL level even after his 40 point season. I think he can, but with the caveat that he’s not an NHL power play type. He has enough skill and IQ to make a good pass, and he shows some creativity off the offensive blue line. He can create more with his feet than with his skill.Alan Millar, GM for Canada’s U18 team, on Guhle: ‘He’s a high-end skater. He has a solid well-rounded game. He’s smart, he’s competitive, he plays with an edge. He’s a high character type.'” – Corey Pronman’s 2020 NHL Draft Board, The Athletic
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A local product from Sherwood Park, Guhle was the No. 1 selection in his year’s WHL Bantam Draft.
In his first full season with the Raiders, Guhle recorded 17 points in 65 games, serving as a depth defender on the team that ultimately went on to win the WHL Championship. In 2019-20, Guhle broke out as Prince Albert’s top defenceman, recording 11 goals and 40 points in 64 games.
Though his numbers were quite solid last season, offence isn’t Guhle’s calling card and he doesn’t project to be a high-producing defender at the NHL level. Guhle’s game is more oriented to his incredible skating ability, as he can close the gap quickly and effectively on attacking opponents while also joining the rush with his speed.
If Guhle’s offence comes around, he has top-pairing upside, but it seems more likely that he’ll slot in as an effective second-pairing guy who’s used in a defensive role. Think Colton Parayko without the big slapshot.
As I said earlier, it would be somewhat surprising if Edmonton chose to use another top pick on a defenceman given the fact they’ve drafted Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg in their past two drafts.
The Oilers have quite a bit of prospect depth on the blueline as it is, so it seems more likely that they’ll draft a forward at No. 14. But if they believe that Guhle is a quality prospect they want to add to their system regardless of his position and their organizational needs, they could consider trading down to select him later on in the first round.
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