NHL Draft 2014: Carolina Hurricanes select Haydn Fleury with No. 7 overall pick

Fleury, 17, has spent the last three seasons playing for the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League. Selected with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft, Fleury has accumulated 65 points in 140 games with Red Deer. Listed at 6’3, 203 pounds, Fleury is described as an imposing defenseman who is capable of playing in all situations. He has represented Canada on multiple occasions, including at the 2013-14 U18 World Junior Championship where he was named the tournament’s best defenseman.

The ISS has the left-handed shooting defenseman ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect in this year’s draft class and the second best defensive prospect behind Aaron Ekblad. The ISS describes Fleury as a reliable two-way defenseman who has promising upside in the offensive and defensive components of the game:

Next to Ekblad he is regarded as the best defensive prospect in this Draft class. He’s big, mobile and intelligent positionally. Fleury is competent around the puck and makes sound and safe decisions consistently, in all three zones. He shows excellent understanding of containment physics around his own net and controls the middle lanes effectively with regularity. He is a mature and poised defender who can keep pucks in at the line, pinch in and join a rush or provide a big blast from the point when needed. He could still improve the consistency of his physical play and can still improve the quickness in his feet.