Inside Wheeler’s Shocking Summer 2025 NHL Prospect Rankings: Who’s the True Future Star?
I actually think he’s a better skater than he has been given credit for in conversations I’ve had with folks about him too, but it’s his puck skill, quick release, shot variety — he can rip it in motion or standing still, and he’ll make goalies guess wrong in alone because of how fast his hands are — and sneaky strength (when he uses it, which he has started to do more) that have allowed him to score with relative ease against his peers. But how easy that part of the game has always been for him has also created some bad habits. He can frustrate, and scouts desperately wanted to see him round out his game and improve his play selection in his draft year (which I also thought he made progress on at BU). I’ve seen progress in his playmaking and off-puck detail with the Terriers, frankly. He can be a little careless and selfish with the puck, but he actually has good vision when he looks for it as well. He can get carried away trying to do too much: stickhandling into trouble, shooting into shin pads, forcing shots from bad spots on the ice or trying to be too cute. He does the hardest thing in the sport to do better than anyone his age, though.
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