Jordan Gustafson

July 2023 – It was the strong skating and Hockey IQ that spurred Vegas to trade up and select Gustafson in the third round of the 2022 draft, and those same refined skills helped him to play an important role through the Thunderbirds Memorial Cup run. His offensive numbers were almost comically stagnant as he recorded the exact same goal and assist per game rates as his draft year. The meat of Gustafson’s game is not so much offensive flair as it is situational awareness and strong decisions with the puck in all zones. Gustafson is not a true play driver who will create goals and controlled zone entries all on his own, but he will be the guy to chip and chase until he finds the space that he needs, and who will see the small coverage gaps when they arise. He will return to the WHL in 2023-24, where an increased role will likely give a better indication of his offensive ceiling as a pro. Taylor Davis

July 2022 – Gustafsson was drafted 79th overall by the Golden Knights. Pat Quinn

March 2022 – Gustafsson is a speedy, north-south forward with solid IQ and offensive tools, currently playing for Seattle of the WHL. He is one of the highest producing draft-eligible scorers in the WHL and what he lacks in size and strength, he makes up for in his skating, skill, and IQ.

Gustafson uses efficient, quick crossovers to gain speed and keeps his knees bent at the proper angle, adding power to his stride. He supports his teammates well in all three zones, staying in the middle of the ice to ensure defensive positioning while also being able to take advantage of turnovers and offensive opportunities. An underrated part of his game is his vision and passing ability, which he shows off in tight spaces, finding his teammates for scoring chances. He has a good blend of speed and skill to build on in the future, but his physical build and strength, as well as his tendency to overhandle pucks at times, rank him a bit lower than some of the other top draft-eligibles in the WHL. Gustafson has been a streaky scorer throughout the season, producing points in bunches and then disappearing from the scoresheet for a couple of games. If he is able to keep pace or produce at a high rate going into the playoffs, he has the potential to sneak into a late first-round selection, but he is a consensus mid-round pick as of now. Evan Pace