2002 NHL Entry Draft

JAKUB KLEPIS

OTTAWA • ROUND: 1 OVERALL: 16

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Previous Team: Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)

Pre-Draft Rankings

NHL Central Scouting: 16  Midterm Rank: 24

The Hockey News: 19    Red Line Report: 37

Vital Statistics

Position: C • Height: 6-0½ • Weight: 200 • Shoots: Right
Birthdate: June 5, 1984 • Hometown: Prague, Czech Republic

Pre-Draft Notes

Central Scouting Report: A good fluid skater with impressive agility, balance and deceptive speed ... an excellent playmaker with strong hockey sense and good passing skills ... has very strong puck-handling skills and works well in heavy traffic ... a very unselfish playmaker ... has a very good wrist shot and hard slap shot ... sees the ice very well and is very effective at reading the play ... a face-off specialist who is often assigned to special teams ... primarily a finesse player but does not shy away from the physical aspects of the game and has shown signs of a mean streak ... holds his ground in front of the net and in the corners ... a good team player.

THN Draft Preview: Teams in the hunt for a penalty-killing specialist may look no further than Jakub Klepis, because that's what he is best suited at doing. Klepis doesn't have the size to be an effective player on the top two lines, but as a third-line center/specialty team specialist, he has a future. Klepis's strengths are his fluid skating and agility. He's strong with the puck and is willing to go into traffic to get it. His instincts are sound, and he has a mean streak if opponents try to manhandle him. He is particularly effective on face-offs and penalty killing. If this was another year, Klepis would be a late second-round pick or worse.

Red Line Report: Czech center is skilled an unusually feisty. Has exceptionally quick hands and a soft passing touch. Excellent playmaking skills; could be a 30-40 assist man in the NHL. One big problem: couldn't score in a whorehouse. Lacks finish around net. Has a hard shot, but tends to think pass first. Used as a PP point man by Czechs in international play, and he's in love with his 50-foot, one-timers. We'd be in love too, if he ever hit the net with them. Good all around skater with decent acceleration and speed. Plays with some grit and isn't afraid to go into the corners. Is an underrated penalty killer. Will have to improve his mental game -- needs to eliminate frequent bad penalties and use his shooting skills more.
Projection: 2nd-line playmaking center, penalty killer. Style compares to Jozef Stumpel.

Pre-Draft Quotes

Jakub is a very talented playmaker who, when he plays the game at his top speed, can be a very effective offensive force. He's also physical and plays the game with an edge and cares about his defensive contributions as well. He's very coachable and unselfish, he just needs to learn that sometimes the quick shot is his best option rather than waiting for a better play.

-- Mike Williamson, Head Coach, Portland Winter Hawks

He's another dependable forward. He's what we call an honest player. You know what you're getting and you're satisfied with that.

-- Anonymous NHL Scout, Hockey News Draft Preview

There's nothing fancy here. He's dependable and has a good work ethic. He'll play, but you'll never notice him. There are a lot of guys like him. That's the trouble with this draft.

-- Anonymous NHL Scout, Hockey News Draft Preview