Dallas Stars draft prospect report: Isaac Ratcliffe

When the Dallas Stars picked at No. 25 in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft they took a big and gangly-looking left winger with real potential, but still needed some work.

If Dallas wanted to double down in that area after taking Riley Tufte in 2016 they could select Guelph Storm left wing Isaac Ratcliffe (if he’s still available) with their pick at No. 29 later this month.

Ratcliffe has similar measurables to Tufte. Both are listed at 6-foot-5 and have lighter weights for such a large frame — Tufte was listed at 200 pounds heading into his draft year, Ratcliffe is listed a 195.

Because of that Ratcliffe becomes a bit of a project, but it’s more of an off-ice project than anything. A couple scouts said the biggest challenge they see for Ratcliffe is hitting the weight room and adding muscle to his frame, because on the ice he’s on the right track.

Ratcliffe’s skating is smooth for a larger player and he has good speed, which can be a scary combination with his potential full frame after some time in the gym. He’s very balanced on his skates and it’s difficult to move the winger away from the front of the net.

And in front of the net is where Ratcliffe could really make a living in the NHL. In addition to his obvious size, which flustered goalies — particularly on the power play — in the OHL, he uses his long stick effectively and does a nice job tipping pucks and reaching for rebounds. Of all the players in the draft he and Michael Rasmussen are amongst the best at establishing dominance in front of the net.

Ratcliffe has a good, but not great shot, and makes smart passes within the offensive zone. He creates the occasional chance by carrying the puck into the zone, but most of his offense comes from taking up space below the circles and allowing teammates to work around him.

Defensively Ratcliffe’s game has taken nice strides over the past two seasons. He’s smart with his positioning and he uses his extra length to break up plays and clog passing lanes. He was used in big situations by the coaches in Guelph and he also had a strong defensive showing at the Under-18 World Championships.

Because of last year’s draft Ratcliffe might not be on the Stars radar. After taking Tufte last year, Dallas will likely look in another direction — in the first round at least — but could take a chance on the big winger if he’s still available when Dallas picks at No. 39.