Sonny Milano Top 30 NHL Draft Prospect
The Stanley Cup may be won tonight which will make the next few weeks extremely tough to bear ahead of the NHL draft. However, we’re still here breaking down the top prospects for the first round of the NHL draft in June and today we’re looking at Sonny Milano.
Once again we have another top notch prospect coming out of the United States development league in Sonny Milano. Much like the other 2 prospects from the United States development league we’ve covered over the last few days, Milano is already committed to Boston College for the next four seasons. With the USDP this season Milano recorded 86 points in 58 games and added another 10 playing for team USA at the World Juniors.
Milano is an exceptional forward talent who has the potential of being a first line centre whom a team can easily build around. When he gets the puck just sit back and watch him work his magic, because it’s very unlikely he will be losing it in the near future.
What Will A Team Get If They Draft Him?
“He’s so dynamic, very good with the puck in traffic and in open ice and can make defensemen look silly. He enjoys chirping at other players too. He likes to get under your skin. He certainly has the potential of becoming a complete player.” ~ David Gregory of NHL Central Scouting
Any team that drafts Sonny Milano is going to get a top notch forward with insane puck-handling skills. Watching him with the puck in the offencive end is like watching poetry in motion, the things he can do with the puck are jaw dropping. His soft hands make his moves even more dangerous and keep defenceman guessing every single time he comes down at them. In addition to his dazzling speed and puck handling abilities, Milano is also a very spirited player who thoroughly enjoys chirping at his opponents when they’re left looking silly from his moves.
His slick hands and impressive moves make him the ideal playmaker with his ability to draw defenceman out of position and open up passing and shooting lanes right to the net. He is truly a defenceman’s worst nightmare on the ice. He can also be rather versatile playing both centre and left wing depending on where he is needed. His offensive goals are two fold. He likes to make a play all by himself, yet he also likes to make plays in order to make his teammate better and help his team win. He’s the perfect mix of selfish and unselfish all in one package.
His puck control and poise with the puck is also something to be noted. When he is on the offence look out, he can burn you with his quick and fancy dekes, with his creative playmaking or with his shot. While he’ll play in one of the best school for the next four seasons, his talent is virtually ready for the NHL.
His Underrated Skill
For Sonny Milano his underrated skill is pretty hard to find. His stick handling and puck handling are leaps and bounds ahead of others and his speed is also right up there. Mix that in with hockey IQ and vision on the ice and you have the complete forward that is Sonny Milano.
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If I had to chose his underrated skill would be that of grittiness. At only 5 foot 11, Milano is a little undersized but he doesn’t let that slow him down. He uses his advantage of shortness to be agile and nimble and keep much larger and slower opponents guessing. He also doesn’t let that stop him from mixing it up along the boards and in the corners. If there is an opportunity to create offence than Milano will be there battling hard no matter where it is on the ice. He’s not afraid to throw the body either which when mixed with his chirping makes him the perfect character player.
What Needs To Be Worked On?
As with most young players Sonny Milano could use a little more work on his defencive game. He shows a great commitment and willingness to play defence, however, his defence isn’t quite at the level most teams are looking for. If he can improve his defencive game and learn a little more about playing without the puck it will only improve his game. He is so determined to win that with time and effort, any defencive worries should fade away as he overcomes those shortcomings in his current game.