Hockey Prospects, NHL Draft, Hockey Scouting,OHL Draft

Virtually every young boy that laces up his skates dreams of one day playing in the National Hockey League, but not all of them are lucky enough to play alongside a future first overall pick.

Perhaps that provides some explanation as to why Colton Sissons, 18, of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets appears poised to be selected early in the 2012 entry draft.

“I played some midget hockey with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins [in 2008-2009],” Sissons says. “We were linemates there and we became pretty close buddies. Coming from playing with him, I took away his work ethic; he works harder than anybody I ever came across. His work ethic is second to none, so I’ve really taken that in stride the last couple years in junior hockey and it’s starting to pay off just like it did for him.”

Scouts aren’t enamored with Sissons for the same reasons they fell in love with Nugent-Hopkins, but Sissons possesses some rare qualities for a junior player that could cause some scouts to fall in love with him.

Even if some aren’t convinced that Sissons will put up elite offensive numbers as a professional, HockeyProspect.com regards Sissons as among the best two-way forwards in the draft.

“Defensively, Sissons is one of, if not the best draft eligible forwards in his own end,” HP’s Western Canada Scout Charles An wrote in the HP January newsletter. “He makes very good reads and makes himself very useful in any situation. Not only does he read the plays well, but his intensity without the puck is what makes him one of the best two-way forwards in the WHL. He backchecks hard, plays a physical game and fearlessly blocks shots on a game-to-game basis.”

Sissons’ maturity and team-first attitude were key reasons why Kelowna named him team captain just a couple of weeks into the season.

“Coming into your 18-year-old year and being captain really shows the coaches have a lot of respect for you and they trust you to lead their team,” Sissons says. “I think that leadership aspect bumps me up that much more in the draft in some scouts’ eyes and it’s a big responsibility no doubt, but I’ve felt I’ve handled the pressure pretty well.”

Sissons emerged as a rookie last season when he posted 17 goals and 24 assists to go with an impressive plus-15 rating, but it’s his newfound scoring punch that has sent him rocketing (excuse the pun) up draft boards.

“I’ve been scoring a lot of goals this year which is a nice change of pace from last year,” Sissons says. “[I had a] much better start, so I’m feeling really confident this year, really strong that I’m producing for my team.”

Sissons has racked up 36 points (25 goals, 11 assists) for the third place Rockets, including 12 tallies on the power play.

“For the most part I’ve been stuck in front of the net,” Sissons explains. “That’s where I’ve made my office this year, if you want to call it that. I just get in front of the goalie’s eyes and bang home a couple rebounds. I’m not afraid of getting in the greasy areas and banging them home, so that’s where I score most of my power play goals.”

The NHL’s Central Scouting Service took notice of Sissons’ breakout season and ranked him 14^th amongst North American skater in the midterm rankings released earlier this month. HockeyProspect.com has Sissons ranked 15^th overall in their latest rankings released January 15^th.

“It’s always a nice feather in your cap when you get recognized for your hard work,” Sissons says. “But I’m just kind of taking it in stride, not letting the numbers get too much in my head. It’s definitely an added boost of confidence for me. I’m really happy about it and I’m just going to continue to work away and hopefully keep climbing up the rankings.”

Sissons stands at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds and plays a hardnosed power forward game that makes him a nightmare for opponents.

“I’ve got a bigger frame than some guys so I definitely use my size to an advantage,” Sissons says. “Physicality is a huge part of my game that really wears down the opposing defense so I’m always on the body and I’m always looking to finish my hits.”

He likens his style to Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler and Los Angeles’s Mike Richards, two players that Sissons admires specifically for their ability to play in all situations.

And like his idols, Sissons also possesses a high hockey IQ.

“To be honest I think it’s kind of a natural thing for some guys,” Sissons says. “I haven’t really been taught to see the ice the way I do, it’s just kind of a natural thing and I just see the play before it happens which really helps me make plays quicker and make smart plays with the puck in general.”

Sissons believes he’s still growing and admits that the weakest part of his game is his skating. But as you might expect from an 18-year-old captain, Sissons has been working tirelessly to improve in that area.

“I could work on my foot speed,” Sissons admits. “I’ve been working on it a lot this year with my coaches and I’ve been trying really hard to improve that… Mostly leg strength is where all your speed and agility comes from. So that’s a huge part of it, working on my leg strength and my explosiveness in my lower body for sure. That helps a lot with your quick starts and your crossovers, getting moving really quick.”

Sissons’ draft stock may continue to fluctuate this year depending on his continued offensive production, but there’s little doubt that a player with his unique abilities and character will hear his name called early in the 2012 draft.

“It’s a pretty big deal, but I’ve done a pretty good job of just kind of keeping it tucked away in the back of my mind for now and just going out and playing hockey and having some fun out there and not getting too stressed about it,” Sissons says. “When the draft comes it will be full frontal, right in front of my eyes, but for now I’m just playing the game and working hard every day.”