2025 NHL Draft Scouting Report #1:Jack Murtagh, C/LW, USNTDP
Background
Murtagh is a 6’0” 183 pound center, but predominantly left wing that is a New York native, and Bishop Kearney alum. Murtagh first got onto the radar of scouts when he was only 14 years old, debuting on BK as arguably their best player and making it all the way to the U.S. National U15 Camp. There, he’d have an impressive showing, showcasing his high-end speed, skill and shot. Due to his late August birthday, after putting up an impressive 101 points for BK at age 15, Murtagh would travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he would take an immediate role on the USNTDP’s U17 team. His draft stock would continue to rise after he flashed at the World U17 Hockey Championships, scoring 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 7 games. Heading into his draft year, Murtagh would make his official commitment to Boston University where he will play after this season.
Skating
Murtagh is a very good north/south skater, and has high end top speed. What stands out the most, is his explosive crossovers that he often uses to generate speed all over the ice. With his size, his speed makes him all the more dangerous in the offensive zone as he can simply lower a shoulder and blow past a sleeping defender. The weak spots in his skating come exactly where you would expect a bigger player to have shortcomings, that being both his stride and agility. In the small areas of the ice, Murtagh often has the right idea when it comes to evading pressure with quick pivots, but all too often simply can’t execute them to a consistent degree, because he’s leaning far too much on his outside edge. His stride, although very powerful, is short and when he’s under duress can be choppy at times. With that being said, his overall skating shouldn’t be looked at as a weakness, and with some small detail work on his edges and lengthening his stride fully, could become an elite skating power forward.
Offensive Game
Murtagh’s biggest strength is by far his play between the opponents net and the opposing blue line. He’s highly skilled, especially on the rush and possesses great hands that he can use to dipsy-doodle around defenseman. His combination of speed, stick handling and strength is what makes him so dangerous in all areas of the offensive zone. What he’s easily most known for is his shot, and his aspiring-to-be Alex Ovechkin one timer from the strong side dot, which makes him deadly on the power play. Although his shot is nowhere near the level of the great eight’s, Murtagh’s nose for the net is both extremely high end, and quite impressive. What makes NHL teams blush over him, is that he’s not scared of going to the dirty areas of the ice which, despite his size, is an attribute that is often lacking from skilled players’ games. His attitude and physicality in and around the scoring areas of the ice is usually what gives him the edge over the opponent. Wearing his emotions on his sleeve is a patent for Murtagh, although they may get the best of him at times. The confidence in his game is also impressive, he has the mindset that no matter where he is on the ice he’s the most dangerous player, and is constantly looking for chances to spring into an offense-first mindset.
Defensive Game
Murtagh’s evidently not the strongest defender, nor does he have the strongest defensive mindset. There are times where he can get lost in the defensive zone, daydreaming about potential scoring opportunities while the play is still being battled out in the corner. He’s great at giving full effort once the puck is clearly in front of him along with the puck carrier, but it isn’t uncommon for him to get caught puck watching. His defensive awareness will be a major focal point for improvement moving forward if he wants any hope of being a center in the NHL, let alone a top six forward. He is great at using his skill to move the puck, and generating/using his speed to carry the puck out of the zone, but can sometimes hold onto it a little too long in search for the perfect play.
Hockey IQ
I certainly wouldn’t consider Murtagh the smartest hockey player, especially when considering his defensive game and positional awareness. At times, he can look lost; making turns into oncoming traffic instead of away from it, not shoulder checking, and making errand passes that would’ve otherwise hit their targets if he had made the pass a half second sooner. Despite this, he’s very good at timing his curls in the defensive and neutral zones so that he can reach optimal speed when the puck is on his stick. Of course, I can’t forget to re-mention his nose for the net, which has as much to do with his skill and shot as it does his timing and IQ. Knowing when to shoot the puck, at what depth to shoot the puck, and where you need to be in order to get the best shot off is a product of his hockey sense.
NHL player comparable: *(an extremely raw) Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins