Scouting Report: Brian Lee

by Evan Rawal.


From the second Brian Lee was drafted, people have questioned his selection. Taken 9th overall in 2005, with the Sens earliest draft pick in 4 years, Lee was an unknown to many in Ottawa at the time. Not only did he have the pressure of being selected before Canadian junior stars Marc Staal and Luc Bourdon, but he had to watch then GM John Muckler declare that he better be ready for the NHL in two years. Anyone that looked at Lee when he was drafted probably considered him crazy.





Lee's draft year put him on the map. While he was a high school hockey star in Minnesota, very few knew about him. That was, until Team USA surprised everyone and selected the tall and lanky Lee to their World Junior team, ahead of the highly touted Jack Johnson. Although Lee rarely saw ice time during the tournament, it put him on the map, and afterwards, went back to the Minnesota high school league and was named Mr. Hockey as the top senior high school hockey player in the state. Over the course of his draft year, he also played 12 games in the USHL, putting up just 3 assists, but adding 5 points in 4 playoff games.

Lee's post-draft development has not been ideal for a top 10 selection, but the strides are there. The most noticeable flaw from just looking at Lee when he was drafted was his lack of strength. While listed at 6'2"/6'3", Lee weighed in the 170's when he was drafted, and looked even smaller. 4 years after being selected, he now sits at 203 pounds, and while he is getting stronger, it will be a few more years before we see the finished product with Lee.

The University of North Dakota was Brian Lee's destination after being drafted. While Lee was labeled as an offensive defenseman from the moment he was drafted, his all-around game developed probably a bit faster than people expected, and remains the underrated part in his game. Even as a freshman, Lee was playing big time minutes in all situations, including 1st unit penalty kill time. While his offensive numbers his first year weren't staggering, for a freshman campaign, it was considered a great success. It was his sophomore year of college that put some doubt in the minds of many Sens fans, who were skeptical to begin with. His offensive numbers didn't progress as much as many had hoped, and his all-around game appeared to have taken a hit. Both of these years, he played for Team USA in the World Junior Championships, but while his role was bigger than the first time, he was still stuck behind the far more hyped Erik Johnson and Jack Johnson and didn't get a ton of ice time.

It was the summer after his sophomore campaign when he surprised many and signed a professional contract with Ottawa. Would John Muckler's forecast of Lee being ready in two years actually come true?

Well, it didn't, but it did come as a pleasant surprise to Sens fans that Lee was eager to accelerate his development. While he went into training camp with very slim chances of actually making the team, he did impress and show the skills, and was sent to AHL affiliate Binghamton to start the year. Perhaps benefitting Lee the most in the AHL was playing with veteran Lawrence Nycholat, and Lee flourished his first year down there, being named to the AHL All-Star team and registering 25 points in 55 games and playing in every situation.

When an ankle injury sidelined Lee for over a month in February, many figured his chance to make a jump to Ottawa very small. However, after playing only 1 AHL game after missing a month plus of hockey, Lee got the call when Wade Redden was injured. Lee didn't waste any time impressing the brass. His first game was stellar, displaying perfect one on one defensive ability, an ability to jump into the rush, and even playing a little goalie by saving a sure goal. The next day, Murray declared Lee an NHL'er, and he finished the year off in Ottawa, playing 6 regular season games and 4 playoff games while racking up 1 assist.

Lee came into this season with high expectations, but with new coach Craig Hartsburg unwilling to give him a lot of chances, or let him play with the partner he excelled with at the end of the previous year (Chris Phillips), Lee struggled, and was sent down abruptly after only 5 games. He went to Binghamton, and if you listen to their fans, didn't exactly look good. Many wondered if he would get another chance this season, but when injuries to Filip Kuba and Anton Volchenkov hit the Sens, Lee was recalled, and given a bigger role. He excelled. Playing 20+ minutes a night, often leading the team in ice time, Lee looked far more confident and was initiating instead of reacting. Because of this, he looks to have carved himself a full-time NHL gig. While he's currently in the AHL, it doesn't appear to be long-term, as it was done to clear roster space and Lee was just a casualty because of his two-way contract. Expect to see Lee called up post-trade deadline and play big minutes for the Sens, with perhaps a playoff run with Binghamton at the end of the year for experience.

Following his selection in 2005, John Muckler claimed that the Sens had Lee rated as the 5th best player in the draft. He doesn't have skills that jump out at you, but you can see why he was so highly thought of by the Sens. His hockey sense is through the roof, and is perhaps his greatest attribute. He reads the play well, he understands what to do with and without the puck, and is just an incredibly intelligent player in general. For a big guy at 6'3", Lee is a terrific skater, perhaps the best skating defenseman the Sens currently have (although he doesn't have much competition). He's a real good puck mover, and is starting to skate more with the puck, which will only help make him more dangerous. On the other hand, he still has his flaws, the most obvious being his lack of strength. He still gets outmuscled in the corners, which isn't surprising at his age, but it will continue to improve. His lack of strength also limits his offensive game, as his shot is below average, at best. He'll need to continue to fill out in order to reach his full potential.

The future looks bright for Lee. At only 21, he's already shown he can play 20+ minutes a night in the NHL, and he will only continue to get better. He looks like a sure bet to be a top 4 blueliner in this league, but the question is, what is his top end potential? I personally believe he can be a top pairing guy. Probably not a #1 defenseman, but he has all the makings of a good #2. He's got the size, he's got the skating ability, he can move the puck, he can jump into the play, and he can play in any situation. If he fills out even more, you've added yet another element to his game.

Nearly 4 years after his draft, Sens fans have good reason to be excited about the 9th pick in the 2005 draft.