Jack Van Volsen
2023-24 team: Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Date of Birth: January 12, 2006
Place of Birth: Brooklin, Ontario, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 187 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Center
Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
Jack Van Volsen’s struggles in the Ontario Hockey League have been unfortunate to see after the high hopes he had heading into his junior career. He was a highly sought-after prospect heading into the 2022 OHL Priority Selection after scoring 110 points in 57 games for an incredibly strong Toronto Jr. Canadiens team. He dominated the U-16 age group with the Jr. Canadiens on a team that included a future first-round pick in this year’s draft Michael Hage and a future first-round pick in next year’s draft Porter Martone.
Related: THW 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Van Volsen had such a strong season as a 15-year-old that he was selected sixth overall by the Peterborough Petes. After scoring 11 points in his first 29 games, the Petes loaded up for a big playoff run and decided to trade Van Volsen and Justin Dezoete along with four draft picks to Mississauga for Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck. He moved closer to home to play with the Steelheads and scored 14 points in 32 games with his new team, a slight improvement over his games in Peterborough. He was hoping to produce more this season with Mississauga but was not able to have the season he imagined only scoring 32 points in 62 games.
Although Van Volsen has not gotten off to the best start in his junior hockey career, that doesn’t mean he is unable to develop into an NHL player. He has great hockey IQ and is always able to find the open spaces on the ice for either a shot or a pass to one of his teammates. He may not be one of the fastest players, but his vision through the neutral zone is one of his biggest strengths as he can help his team enter the offensive zone without losing possession of the puck.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Jack Van Volsen – NHL Draft Projection
Van Volsen does not project to be a top-round pick in this year’s draft as he has not produced at a consistent rate in the OHL as of yet. But the former minor hockey star still has time to grow into his game and develop under one of the best coaches in the OHL in James Richmond. Based on what he could be, I could see a team selecting him in the fifth-seventh round in the upcoming entry draft.
Picking Van Volsen is a risk for some teams…
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