Ty Nelson

July 2022 – Nelson was drafted 68th overall by the Kraken in the early third round. Pat Quinn

December 2021 – Selected first overall in the 2020 OHL Draft, Nelson was robbed of his first season as the OHL canceled their season due to the pandemic. He has been making up for lost time, however, playing a prominent role for North Bay and holding a significant points lead among draft-eligible OHL blueliners.

Don’t be fooled by Nelson’s small stature – he is a sturdy, physical defender who displays an attacking mindset all over the ice. He is a strong skater with good balance and quick feet, allowing him to defend rushes aggressively. Nelson deploys an active stick and pounces on opposing puck carriers at the first sign of hesitation to disrupt possessions. Not only does he lead with his stick to attack the puck, he makes a habit of finishing with the body to try and eliminate his man from the play. His aggressive nature shows up offensively as well as he is always eager to join the rush or push play with a long stretch pass from his own zone. Like the rest of his game, Nelson’s shot packs a punch and he does a good job of finding space to hammer one-timers from the point. Though his size may present more challenges as he progresses, the Battalion blueliner seems to have the mental makeup to overcome those challenges and reach his potential as a top-four NHL defenceman. Nick Richard