Mac Swanson | When genetics don’t cooperate
Throughout the 2023-2024 NHL season, TSLH Prospects shares observation reports and prospect profiles on young players eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft. Similar to the past four seasons, the columnists produce texts on a significant number of prospects to provide a comprehensive overview of the cohort and its progress. Today, the focus is on Mac Swanson, a forward playing in the USHL.
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Personally, I don’t necessarily believe that teams refrain from drafting players of smaller stature anymore. Whether it’s defensemen or forwards, when a player is under 5 feet 10 inches, it brings a lot of challenges for professional hockey. Furthermore, consistently in the discourse of observers or insiders, we emphasize the importance of physical strength and toughness.
Thus, when I analyze a prospect with a problematic size, I often don’t have a positive bias starting the process. It is true that it’s not that much of a problem for wingers, but I always keep in mind that climbing the ranks will be more difficult than for a hockey player a few inches taller. For Mac Swanson, who measures 5 feet 7 inches, it’s a debate that will always rage around him. The American prospect has undeniable qualities on the ice, but is his potential high enough to compensate for his main flaw?
Apart from his size, there are certain aspects of his mobility that could keep NHL teams at bay. Indeed, Mac Swanson is not the most explosive skater, especially when in possession of the puck. I find that the young player tends to slow down in transition. That’s possibly why we don’t often see him with the puck in the neutral zone. He prefers to delegate with solid puck touches to redirect it to a teammate. This allows him to participate in breakouts intelligently but also to somewhat mask his limitations.
Fortunately, the prospect is very involved in the action with a motor that never stops and a agility well suited for maneuvering. With a low center of gravity, Mac Swanson disrupts his opponents in one-on-one battles by positioning himself under contacts. He has no choice but to go in with intensity because passivity would automatically result in turnovers or failed recoveries. In the USHL, this is not a problem for him, but I doubt it will be as easy in the NHL. We’ll have a good indication next season with North Dakota in the NCAA.
Offensively, Mac Swanson is versatile and capable of doing a bit of everything. Despite his stature, most of his goals are scored in the slot or not far from traffic. I must admit he has courage, and his puck tracking is excellent. This allows him to constantly retrieve rebounds by catching opponents off guard and easily identifying open spaces to be an option for a pass. The good thing is that the young player doesn’t need much space to challenge goaltenders. His shot is quick and he can release it rapidly under pressure. Is it a diversified shooting arsenal that is dangerous from everywhere? No. He has to be near the net to be threatening, indicating a lack of strength (which is normal and can be corrected).
As for creating scoring chances, once again, it’s done intelligently on the periphery or in the heart of traffic. Mac Swanson is capable of attracting opponents to him and manipulating the defense at will when given the puck after entering the zone. He’s also a winger who heavily utilizes his defensemen while attacking and knows how to recognize the time he has under enemy pressure. When his strategic moves don’t work from the outside, it’s not long before the prospect brings it all back to the net with a shot. Thus, generally, his puck management is good and rarely harmful, regardless of the zone.
At the draft, Mac Swanson has the talent to be selected in the first three rounds, but I don’t believe it will happen. There are too many risks regarding his size and skating. We appreciate his involvement and his vision of the game in all three zones. However, in the best league in the world, I’m not sure it will be easy. Could teams like the Lightning or the Hurricanes be interested since they are not in a hurry to graduate their prospects? We’ll see.
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