Tanner Henricks
2023-24 Team: Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Date of Birth: July 25, 2006
Place of Birth: Mission Viejo, CA, USA
Ht: 6-foot-3 Wt: 194 pounds
Shoots: R
Position: Defence
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
Tanner Henricks is a big-bodied defenseman with an advanced skill set for his age. While he scored just nine points in 59 goals for the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL — the United States’ premier junior hockey league — he provided glimpses of strong offensive talent. The strongest part of his offensive game are his hands; he makes precise passes through the defensive and neutral zones to move the puck down the ice.
He is a strong skater who drives plays in the offensive zone. He reads the ice very well, making timely passes with errors far and few between. At the 2023-24 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he spoke to USA hockey, naming fellow American, right-handed defenseman Adam Fox as a player he emulates and models his game after. While Fox is just 5-foot-11, the similarities are evident.
Related: THW 2024 NHL Draft Guide
While Henricks has yet to translate his offensive talent to the scoresheet, recording just one assist in five games in the tournament, he plays a similar style of hockey to Fox. Both are smooth skaters with great hands who provide consistent offensive opportunities. While Henricks does not have the caliber of shooting talent as Fox, that is a skill he can work on as he embarks on his collegiate journey with St. Cloud State University, expected to begin in the 2025-26 season. It should be noted Henricks does not turn 18 years old until late July of this summer, so he is crucial months behind in development compared to many of his fellow 2024 draft-eligible defensemen.
Moving forward, his offensive game is bound to improve. He was a rookie this past season in the USHL and is expected to return to the Stars for next season. Just like he improved offensively in his second season at Shattuck St. Mary’s in 2022, and with the Anaheim Jr. Ducks 16U AAA in 2023, a similar offensive jump should be expected next season. While he is unlikely to develop into a point-per-game defenseman, 5-plus goal, 40-plus point seasons should be in the cards for the young blueliiner.
The most important part of a defenseman’s game is their defense, and Henricks is no slouch. He uses his big frame to block shots and his long reach to contain the opposition to the perimeter….
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