Two Hockey East teams are getting quality production from a pair of players who were chosen later in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in a pair of juniors with Northeastern and UMass Lowell.
Bay Stater Aidan McDonough’s 11 goals lead all players in the Hockey East, while Andre Lee’s team-leading 10 points in 11 games have been integral in helping the River Hawks get off to a 5-1-1 start in the conference.
From Milton, Mass. the 6-foot-2, 200-pound McDonough has done it in just 14 games, matching his single-season high set as a freshman (31 games). It certainly looks like the Canucks stole the former Thayer Academy star with the 195th overall selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
For McDonough, a late-born 1999, he had already been passed up in 2018 despite a big year for the Tigers with 59 points in 29 games. The following season, he scored 21 goals for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the USHL, and it paid dividends in the seventh round.
“With his size and shot, he’s showing that he has the potential to take it to the next level,” an Eastern Conference NHL scout said recently. “With that big body of his, he can get to the front of the net and fight through heavy traffic in front. Defenses are having a tough time matching up with him, and it shows with the kind of start he’s had.”
Since arriving at Northeastern, McDonough has been a consistent scoring presence for the Huskies. He is around the puck a lot, but he also gets to the net and shows a knack for finding the soft spots in the defensive zone that give him the time and space to unleash his hard, heavy and accurate drive. The results speak for themselves.
For McDonough’s part, he’s grateful to be in a spot that has allowed him to play and develop from day one.
“I think the coaching staff has been huge,” McDonough said earlier in the new season. “I think believing in me in high school by recruiting me was the first thing. I knew Coach (Jim) Madigan growing up and looked up to him because he was up the street from me. And I think the development in terms of sticking with me through juniors- I had some bumps, some ups and downs near the end of the season- and as soon as I got here my freshman year, I got to see what it’s all about. We have all the resources and all the opportunities to get better. It’s really up to us to put in the work., and I think I contribute to that.”
McDonough- known as “Dunzo” to his teammates- has put action behind his words and should continue to terrorize opposition goalies. His nickname could also be foreshadowing to what comes next on St. Botolph St. He has one more year of NCAA eligibility left, but expect Vancouver to make a push to bring him into the fold. As a player who had to overcome disappointments of being passed up and having to grind his way up the ladder to becoming a top goal scorer in college hockey, it’s a great spot to be in.
“I’m fortunate to be around so many great teammates,” McDonough said. “I’ve played with a lot of good players over the years, with a really good coaching staff, very good strength and conditioning coaches. I’ve had really good support people around me that’s really helped me, and I think the best is yet to come and I’m right where I want to be.”
NEHJ projection: Watch for McDonough to get a chance to play NHL games right away whenever he turns pro. He has top-2 line upside at the highest level, but will likely need to work his way up as a middle-of-the-roster type.
Lee, an import from Sweden, has an even bigger frame than McDonough. Listed at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, he’s been an impact player for Lowell since arriving from the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede. A member of that team’s 11-1 playoff run to the 2019 Clark Cup championship, Lee parlayed a 20-goal regular season and 11 points in the playoff run to the 188th overall selection in the draft by Los Angeles.
With his height and length, he moves pretty fluidly for such a big man and has a powerful shot that he is able to get off quickly. In the offensive zone, he’s an asset in puck possession, as he is able to effectively shield the puck from opponents by using his height and reach.
“Lee isn’t a dynamic offensive player, but he’s smart and has such impressive physical tools,” the scout said. “I don’t see the same kind of natural scoring touch in Lee that McDonough has, but he’s a reliable two-way forward who does a lot of the little things that add up. He’s a horse, and when he has the puck on the cycle, he’s effective and can make a lot of plays.”
Like McDonough, Lee has already matched his previous season-high in goals (8), previously set as a freshman in 33 games. Even if offense isn’t a staple in his game, he has the physical package and versatility/awareness to become a reliable complimentary piece at the NHL level one day.
NEHJ projection: A high-floor, lower ceiling (offensively) NHL prospect, Lee has the tools and mental makeup to be a solid forward at the top level one day, likely on a team’s fourth line. He’ll probably need some seasoning in the minors, but to get a player of his caliber so late in the draft speaks well of the job the Kings scouting staff did to identify him.
