2016 NHL Draft Profiles: Jordan Kyrou
Jordan Kyrou – 6’0, 178-pound center/right winger from the Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Jordan Kyrou Rankings
- Ranked #28 by McKeen’s Hockey
- Ranked #34 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
- Ranked #29 by Craig Button
Jordan Kyrou Scouting Report provided by Brock Otten of OHL Prospects
Jordan Kyrou Strengths
- Kyrou is a better player than his numbers would indicate. His 51 points had him 14th among draft eligible forwards from the OHL this year and only a few points ahead of the likes of Jonathan Ang and Alan Lyszczarczyk. But you have to watch him play to truly realize what he brings to the table.
- Kyrou is one of the best skaters in the OHL, demonstrating not only elite speed, but agility too. He cuts/changes direction as quick as any player in the league. That allows him to be a true puck hound defensively, and an offensive dynamo off the rush.
- Kyrou’s skill with the puck is also among the best in this draft class, as he possesses the ability to make defenders miss and create a ton of time and space for himself to operate.
Jordan Kyrou Weaknesses
- At times he can be prone to overhandling the puck and needs to make safer plays, but his creativity is refreshing.
- Sarnia was a pretty low-scoring team this year, so you have to take that into account. But Kyrou does have his flaws. He needs to shoot the puck more and will need to work on his shot if he wants to be a more complete offensive player. Defenders tend to play him for the pass and he needs to be less predictable.
- Kyrou also needs to continue to add strength so that he doesn’t have to rely on his speed alone to win loose puck battles.
The Verdict
The best way to evaluate Kyrou is against his peers. At the Hlinka in the summer, and at the U18s, I thought Kyrou was one of Canada’s top performers. That has to count for more than his average production this year.
Jordan Kyrou Career Notes
- Drafted round 2, #38 overall by the Sarnia Sting in the OHL Priority Selection Draft.
- Named to the GTHL Prospects Game in 2013-14.
- Won an OHL Gold Cup silver medal in 2013-14 with the Mississauga Senators.
- Won a Hlinka Memorial Gold Medal with the Canada U18s at the 2015 Hlinka Memorial Tournament, contributing one goal and one assist in four tournament games.
- Scored five goals, eight points in seven games for Team Canada in WJC U18 competition.
- Named to the CHL Top Prospects Game in 2015-16.
Experts Take on Jordan Kyrou
HockeyProspect.com’s Ryan Yessie on The Pipeline Show in November:
He kind of burst on the scene as Sarnia went on their playoff run [in 2015]. He was a second round pick for the Sting, but by the end of the year he was looking like a first rounder.
He’s got unbelievable hands. He’s extremely quick. He can carry the puck. He can hold the puck for a long period of time without losing it. One of his greatest assets is his playmaking ability. That’s something that I wish I could see more of. While it’s one of his best assets, he needs to do it more because he has a tendency to try to do too much with the puck or hold onto the puck too long and he’ll end up getting stripped.
He’s another kind of smaller guy, so when he gets to a higher level he’s going to need to move the puck a little quicker than he is right now. That’s my big frustration with him. You see him on a line with guys like Nikita Korostelev and Pavel Zacha, guys who have excellent shots, but he’s not giving it to them as much as he needs to. I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for him moving forward — moving the puck more frequently. He’s another smaller guy that needs to get a little bit stronger. The size is a bit of a risk, but he’s got unbelievable hands, he’s a good skater, and he’s got a lot of skill going for him.
Jordan Kyrou Interview
Courtesy of The Pipeline Show from February:
On his growth since his rookie year:
I feel like I am a lot faster this year and I’m able to get around the D. I’m a bit stronger and faster.
On describing his style of play:
I’m a fast, agile, skilled player who likes to use his skill and speed to his advantage. I like setting up my teammates.
On overcoming his tough start to the season:
I tried doing too much. I wasn’t really playing my game or moving my feet enough. I wasn’t winning the battles in the corner; just the little things like that. I felt like I started doing that more and focusing on that more.
On participating in the top prospects game:
I felt I had a really good game. I followed Travis’ [Konecny] advice from last year. He played in it and obviously had a really good game, and after that he played really well. I’m just trying to follow him and what he does. He said, “just play your game. There are going to be a lot of scouts there, but don’t worry about that. Just go out there and do your best. After that, you’re going to feel a lot more confident playing in the league.”
Jordan Kyrou Statistics
| SEASON | TEAM | LEAGUE | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | +/- | | | POST | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | Mississauga Senators Mn Mdgt AAA | GTMMHL | 33 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 8 | | | Playoffs | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014-15 | Sarnia Sting | OHL | 63 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 12 | 8 | | | Playoffs | 5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | -1 |
| Canada White U17 | WHC-17 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | | | |||||||||
| 2015-16 | Sarnia Sting | OHL | 65 | 17 | 34 | 51 | 14 | 13 | | | Playoffs | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Canada U18 | WJC-18 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 5 | | |
