It’s early, it’s really early to throw comparisons out there, but Lincoln Waugh is definitely deserving of all the attention he’s garnering in the hockey world around the Maritimes and NB/PEI Major U18 circuit.
Simply put the Charlottetown Knights rookie defender is a special player.
Waugh isn’t physically intimidating he’s not going to terrorize his opponents with gut wrenching checks, or overpower them with breakaway offensive speed and finesse even though he could.
Lincoln Waugh is going to play the game the right way every shift, let the game come to him, he picks his spots to be the dynamic defencemen he is and that is what makes him so special.
So many young elite level prospects can turn it on at times and excel, but lack the consistency, Waugh doesn’t have to flip the switch it’s always on, and the most important aspect of this is he plays that way without sacrificing any facet of his game.
Waugh is a savvy defender, who effectively and efficiently plots his way around the ice.
He makes plays in all three zones with relative ease. His head is always and I mean always up, which is extraordinary rare in this day and age at the U-18 level. He’s not the biggest most physically intimidating rear guard, but he seemingly never loses a puck battle due in large part to his tremendous edge control, agility and smarts.
Scouts will no doubt try to pick a part his game, just to see something that won’t always translate to the next level and in many ways that’s our job. Nonetheless, Waugh is a very intriguing prospect.
Of course he will have to get a little stronger, of course he will have to work on his explosiveness, gap control and stick positioning in the defensive zone, but name one 15 year old defender that doesn’t.
I will say this, I know it’s early, really early, but I haven’t seen too many defenders at the Midget ranks in my time that are as ready as Lincoln Waugh is for the next level.
One other player comes to mind, but like I said it’s too early for comparables, it’s just not fair for the kid and his path in the game right now.
Do I think he will get there and be a similar player to whom I’m thinking of, yes most definitely.
Lincoln Waugh is the type of player that will continue to get better every game. You don’t have to watch him too long to realize that he’s taking in all of his opponents tendencies, studying them “in game” to find out all of their subtle nuances to gain the upper hand defensively.
He doesn’t cheat offensively, he picks and chooses his places, he moves the puck extremely well, as great patience with it on the offensive blueline and when it comes to shooting the puck, he’s next level.
Lincoln Waugh epitomizes the meaning of a full three zone defenceman.
I know it’s early, but Lincoln Waugh is a player to watch now and in the future, this kid is going places in the game.
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