Jack Studnicka

December 2019 – Studnicka currently sits second in points for Providence with 21 through 26 games. He has also managed 10 goals thus far in his first pro season, with fantastic game-by-game consistency. His impressive start earned him a two-game stint in Boston, where he tallied an assist in his NHL debut and largely looked as though he kept pace with hockey’s best players. While he has been pivotal to Providence’s successful AHL season to date, Studnicka will likely be called upon for additional NHL action with Boston before long. Chris Mazza

September 2019 – Unquestionably one of the team’s top prospects, Studnicka will be one of the most intriguing young players to watch during Boston’s 2019 training camp. His skillset and demeanor entering camp is that of a player deserving of an NHL roster spot, however limited forward positions available could result in him beginning the season with Providence. While he would manage to contribute immediately as a winger in the NHL, the Bruins seem intent on allowing him to develop at center, which could ultimately determine his fate to start the year. If he can win the role of third-line pivot out of camp and force others onto the wing, Studnicka would likely retain this role permanently, until such a time that he is ready to usurp a first- or second-line job. Chris Mazza

May 2019 – Studnicka’s OHL campaign ended with a second round exit at the hands of his former club, the Oshawa Generals. He concluded the playoffs with a solid 11 points in 11 games, in addition to 52 shots on goal and a very respectable 51.2% faceoff success rate. After his junior season was complete, he joined the Providence Bruins for their first round playoff series, managing two points and nine shots through the team’s four postseason games. With nothing left to prove in the OHL, Studnicka will push for a spot on Boston’s roster in 2019-2020, but will likely spend his first pro season offensively pacing the AHL Bruins. Chris Mazza

March 2019 – After a January trade from Oshawa to Niagara, Studnicka has caught fire in the OHL with 17 goals and 33 points through 21 games. His remarkably consistent faceoff percentage has continued with his new team (currently sitting at 54% on the season), but the most important improvement has been his power play production. After managing just 14 goals on the man advantage over his first 22 OHL games, Studnicka has scored 11 power play goals with his new team. He will be an important contributor during Niagara’s upcoming playoff run, and his Ice Dogs should be poised for a shot at the OHL championship. Chris Mazza

January 2019 – Studnicka managed four points in five games for Canada at this year’s WJC. He usage varied each game, however he was managed to be an effective player with the ice time he did receive. All four of his points came in just two games, including a goal and an assist in Canada’s 14-0 dismantling of Denmark. Studnicka showed off his impressive speed and puck protection skills throughout the tournament, and will return to the OHL where he is expected to be traded to a championship-hopeful team for the remainder of the season. Chris Mazza

December 2018 – Studnicka has been invited to Canada’s U20 WJC camp and will be fighting for a spot on the team this month. His OHL season has been consistent, but perhaps a bit lacking in terms of development over last year. Studnicka sits between 25th and 30th in the OHL in points (right where he finished last year). While his primary assists per game played are near the top of the league a lot of that is due to his massive amount of ice time and points on the power play. This is evident when comparing the same stat per 60 minutes played at even strength (67th in the league). Studnicka is centering Oshawa’s top line as they currently sit 4th in their conference. Studnicka will no doubt look to make the WJC team and improve as the year goes on, however he hasn’t taken the strides many expected him to take in his draft plus 1 year thus far. Stuart Hall

September 2018 – Studnicka was sent back to junior for another year, where he should be given every opportunity to dominate offensively for Oshawa while developing his all-around game. During this preseason, Studnicka had the opportunity to play with star forward Brad Marchand who highlighted the young prospect’s speed and vision as two elements that will make him an NHL player sooner rather than later. Studnicka uses this speed and his large frame effectively to shield the puck and create offense, and should be in a position to compete for a roster spot during the 2019-2020 campaign. Chris Mazza

April 2018 – Studnicka was fantastic for his junior club in Oshawa this season. He led the team with a new “C” on his jersey but also surpassed the 20 goal mark for the first time in his junior career. He finished with 72 points. That gave him 20 points more than his draft year and was good enough to lead his club. After Oshawa was bounced out of the playoffs in the first round he was signed to an ELC by the Bruins and landed in Providence to end the year. In his first taste of AHL action he a point per game going five in five.

Jack will most likely return to Oshawa next season and lead his team in points again. He is a smooth skater, has silky soft hands and isn’t afraid of buzz-sawing his way to the goal. Studnicka is versatile and capable in any situation: PK, PP or five-on-five. The Bruins are blessed with depth which will give him time to hone his game in junior. A few years away from the NHL, Jack is still a worthwhile prospect to keep in your pocket.

June 2017 – Studnicka is a strong two-way player but doesn’t have as much offensive upside compared to some who were still remaining on the board at this point in the draft; his skill set makes him more suitable for a role as a third-line center rather than a top-line forward. He was rated as high as #42 by ISS Hockey and as low as #120 by NHL Central Scouting.

For Oshawa this past year, Studnicka enjoyed relative success in the regular season posting 52 points in 64 games to go with a mediocre-at-best minus-six rating. That being said, Studnicka has shown the ability to step up when the games matter most, posting 15 points in just 11 playoff appearances. Jack has got good speed and great defensive awareness for a forward at his age. The main knock against Studnicka at this point is his size. At 6’1” and only 174 pounds, Studnicka needs to fill out a bit before he can make a run at the big leagues. We’ll expect to see Studnicka back in junior for a while yet. Mike Drover