Montreal Canadiens: What Makes Shane Wright Special?

Despite these strengths that make him the virtually consensus #1 prospect this year, Wright still has weaknesses in his game. The main weakness is the aforementioned lack of dynamism, as it is what will hold him back from becoming a top-10 player in the NHL. Wright has demonstrated a lot of confidence in interviews but still lacks a bit of that swagger he demonstrated as a 15-year-old.

With a boost in confidence and some work on his hands and skating, which both grade as a bit above average (which is good but not sufficient for a player with Wright’s ceiling), this dynamism could still improve, and his upside could look better and better as a result. This will be an opportunity for the Habs’ new development staff to shine. It’s important for organizations to be able not only to develop prospects into NHLers but also to develop their stars into the best possible versions of themselves.

The second “weakness”, if you want to call it that, is his lack of an elite defensive game. Many have talked Wright’s defensive ability up so much that fans see him as the second coming of Patrice Bergeron… which he isn’t. Wright’s defensive positioning is sound, sure, but he is often static and not all that effective in actually blocking the lanes he stands in, with passes regularly flowing through him.