Height: 6’
Weight: 170 pounds
Date of birth: March 7, 1999
Hometown: Guelph, Ontario
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
OHL Draft: Round 1, 16th overall, 2015 Priority Selection
Ottawa 67’s silky smooth forward Austen Keating played his minor midget hockey for the Guelph Jr Gryphons putting up 30 goals and 30 assists in 36 games as captain. The 67’s made Keating a first round pick, sixteenth overall at the 2015 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.
The following season, Keating made the jump to the OHL and completed his rookie season with 13 goals and 19 assists in 50 games. He also added two goals and two assists in six games for Team Canada White at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17.
The 67’s entered this season requiring and expecting a major boost in Keating’s offence and to date, the six foot, 170 pounder is delivering. Keating has already surpassed his 19 assists (with 24) from a season ago while notching seven goals in his first 35 games, good for second in scoring for the 67’s.
While Keating is not exactly small, adding bulk, and especially muscle and strength, will be key for him. He doesn’t possess elite skating to make up for the lack of his physical attributes. He lacks that explosive first step and top end speed, but he’s made strides in his skating and it continues to be a work in progress.
What Keating does possess is excellent hockey sense with excellent anticipation and an ability to read plays which makes him a formidable offensive threat. He thinks the game very quickly and is always one step ahead. He easily identifies his options and his execution of those options are highly successful.
Keating also possesses a very good shot with an excellent release, weapons he’ll need to learn to use more often. It’s not a tool he turns to as often as he should. Keating had consistency issues last season, and like his skating, finding that consistency continues to be a work in progress.
Keating is a dangerous offensive threat on the powerplay. He has the ability to run the powerplay from any position with his vision, anticipation and creativity. It should come as no surprise that 3 of his 7 goals and 10 of his 24 points have come with the man advantage.
Defensively, the lack of strength has an effect on Keating. He can lose battles in his own zone to stronger players. But the effort is there and it can only improve by adding that strength.
Austen Keating
This is the profile page of Austen Keating at http://www.eliteprospects.com
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