Rena Laverty/USA Hockey
BORN March 31, 2003, Barrington, Ill.
2020-21 U.S. NTDP POS D
HT 5-10 WT 176 SHOOTS L
INTERNATIONAL SCOUTING SERVICES No. 48
While most of the public’s attention was focused on Luke Hughes, scouts were also falling in love with Behrens, the University of Denver commit who sometimes played on the same pairing. “Size is his only deficiency,” said one scout. “He plays in all situations, and he controls the play. Hughes had freedom because of the way Behrens plays. He has a great stick, he’s elusive, good in transition, and he can play on the power play. He’s going to be a great college player.”
And obviously, the hope is Behrens can be a great NHL player, too. Sure, he’s only 5-foot-10, but with the way the game has evolved, there is a place for a mobile defenseman of his caliber. “He has an awesome compete level,” said another scout. “Every time he comes over the boards he wants to have an impact on the game. And he’s not scared to play physical despite a lack of size, he doesn’t make it a deficiency. He seems to have a knack to make things hard on the other team’s best players.”
With Hughes injured prior to the world under-18s, Behrens became even more integral, and he responded with points and big hits at the tournament.
BEST CASE | Nate Schmidt
This excerpt is from The Hockey News’ Draft Preview issue. Purchase a digital copy of the issue here or subscribe to The Hockey News here.
