From Colchester (UK) to Austria, Sweden and Seattle.
The Seattle Thunderbirds opted to select a UK-born defenseman with their 86th pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.
According to attributed quotes, Leon Okonkwo Prada has been a player the WHL club has been keeping a keen eye on for the last two import drafts.
Okonkwo Prada has spent his junior career exclusively developing away from the UK.
He has played for the RedBull Hockey Academy at U16, U18 and U19 levels before switching to Sweden during the 2019-20 season.
The right-handed defenseman has been with the Rögle BK J18 team.
The fact he has been able to hang in Swedish junior hockey should not be underrated.
Although limited to eight games in total through the contracted season due to the global pandemic, Okonkwo Prada ranked tenth on his team in scoring. He led all defensemen to boot, with a goal and six assists.
The English native has a skillset that appealed to Seattle and it is not surprising they took what many perceived to be a risk.
First off, the young man has excellent skating ability.
No surprise because you simply will not last on the bigger ice surface in Sweden if you’re unable to keep up with the pace of play.
He has owns high-end offensive instincts, is happy to carry possession and create a zone entry, capable of either laying off a pass in the neutral zone or wiring a perfect breakout pass.
I have a feeling a few WHL teams might underrate Okonkwo Prada’s shot, at least to begin with.
He owns a heavy slap shot but there is still room for improvement in the shooting department.
The 17-year-old will need to adapt to defending in the North American style on the smaller ice surface.
He has already shown he isn’t afraid to play a physical brand of hockey.
That should suit him well in the WHL, a league that often has a reputation for being a very bang-and-crash league. With a frame listed at 6’1” and 201lbs, he is built to cope with more scope to grow.
Three of seven defensemen Seattle dressed from the most recent campaign could be graduating. Therein lies the opportunity for Okonkwo Prada if Seattle opts to sign him as an import player for 2021-22.
If signed by Seattle and then suiting up for a game, Leon Okonkwo Prada will become the second-ever English player to compete in the WHL.
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