With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Koehn Ziemmer?
1 year ago
Picking a power forward in the second round is never a bad choice.
Today, we’ll be looking at Koehn Ziemmer, a right-winger who plays for the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.
There are several right-wingers in the organization, with the best currently being Raphael Lavoie, who scored 25 goals and 45 points in 61 games in the American Hockey League last season. Drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft, the 22-year-old may find himself pushing for a spot on the Oilers this season.
Their 2021 first-round pick Xavier Bourgault may have the highest ceiling of all right-wing prospects..The 20-year-old made the transition to the American Hockey League in 2022-23, where he scored 13 goals and 34 points in 62 games.
Tyler Tullio was a prolific scorer in his final season in the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 42 goals and 86 points in 65 games. Like Bourgault, he made the transition to the AHL and put up 13 goals and 26 points in 63 games.
Their only other natural right-wing prospect is Jake Chiasson, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. In 2022-23 with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades, he had 20 goals and 58 points in 70 games. Matvey Petrov played with the North Bay Battalion in 2022-23, but played left-wing, despite being a right-handed shot.
Out of any forward position, the right wing is something the Oilers need to improve on, both in the farm system and on the main roster.
NHL DRAFT CONTENT PRESENTED BY BETWAY
Koehn Ziemmer Scouting Report and Profile
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Canada
Date of Birth: December 8, 2004
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 202 lbs
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Ziemmer broke out during the 2021-22 season with the Prince George Cougars, scoring 30 goals and 57 points in 68 games as a 17-year-old. He was a bit quiet in the playoffs, only assisting on two goals as the Cougars were swept in the first round.
The power forward had an even better 2022-23 season, scoring 41 goals and 89 points in 68 games. His 89 points ranked behind teammates Chase Wheatcroft (an overager) and Riley Heidt, who is ranked anywhere from 17th to 37th in the 2023 draft. Overall, he finished ninth in points and seventh in goals. Moreover, he had a much better playoffs, as he scored three goals and seven points in 10 games.
According to his Eliteprospect site, scouts have him ranked anywhere from 32nd (Craig Button) to 75th (Smaht Scouting), with his consolidated ranking coming in at 45th.
Ziemmer understands how to use his size, as he’s excellent at protecting the puck. He isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas by driving to the net and has no issues standing in front of the goalie looking for deflections. On top of being a big body, Ziemmer is considered to have high-end playmaking, due in large part to his intelligence on the ice. Not just that, but he has one of the best shots in the draft and is able to pull off moves at high speeds.
Even defensively, he has upsides. Due to his hockey IQ, he is good at knowing where the puck will end up and stealing it. Along the boards, he uses his size, and he has good positioning at the defensive end. There are questions about his shot-blocking, but I mean, you’re picking at tiny things at that point.
One question mark that The Hockey Writers had for him was his consistency when it mattered most. As mentioned early, he only had two assists in the four games he played in the 2022 playoffs. However, three goals and seven points in 10 playoff games as an 18-year-old is nothing to scoff at.
If Ziemmer is available when the Oilers pick 56th overall, there’s a good chance he’ll be the best player available. In terms of what he does well, he has a great shot, he is a high-end playmaker, he is a good skater, and he does a tremendous job protecting the puck. In terms of what he needs to work on… not much in all honesty.
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Previously in this series…
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Felix Unger Sörum?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Caden Price?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Hunter Brzustewicz?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Scott Ratzlaff?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Carey Terrance?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Luca Cagnoni?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Jacob Fowler?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Alex Čiernik?
- With the No. 56 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers could select… Lukas Dragicevic
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