From Habs EOTP:
The Habs turned to the QMJHL early in the draft with Kidney, a player who had a dominant postseason with the Titan, notching 17 points in 9 games which certainly helped bolster his draft stock.
Bio
Centre
Shoots: Left
DOB: March 25, 2003 – Halifax, Nova Scotia
Height: 5’11
Weight: 168 lbs
Scouting Reports
Hockey Prospect: We love players who have a top-notch hockey IQ, and Kidney fits that category perfectly. If he can improve his speed and his dynamism on the ice, he has the potential to become a good pro down the road. He’s more of a long-term project at this point, as he’s still fairly physically immature and it’s going to take some time before he improves this. There’s a lot to like with this player, though.
Corey Pronman: He has good speed and skill, with the ability to make plays on the move but neither attribute is truly dynamic. He works hard, winning battles, being hard on pucks despite his size and being not afraid to make skilled plays into the hard areas of the ice. He has pro-level playmaking ability and I can see him creating offense versus better players, even if his game lacks finish. Kidney isn’t a player you will want to filter out. In a sentence, Kidney projects to play NHL games due to a well-rounded toolkit, but may lack enough for an undersized player to stick in a lineup.
Future Considerations: The Acadie-Bathurst center has elite vision and decision-making skills. He’s tidied up his defensive zone play, become reliable on faceoffs and showed that he can carve through defenses with agility and deception. It’s Kidney’s ability to read the play, make adjustments and see opportunities that others can’t that makes him such an interesting prospect and someone I’m high on.
Elite Prospects: The winger’s tools, especially his puck-handling abilities, and his offensive habits — the way he attacks at a high pace, scans before getting the puck, and receives every one of them in motion — kept us watching over the course of the season. He has real problem-solving skills; you see him bounce the puck off his skates and instantly dangle through defenders.
First Star Scouting: A pure playmaking center with good intelligence and skill, Kidney is not a dynamic skater or puck handler which may be a concern for a player his size, but his ability to see the ice and deliver the puck to teammates is fantastic. A clutch performer who works hard in both zones and is an excellent facilitator of possession with how well he distributes to teammates.
The Draft Analyst: Kidney is a fairly effective 200-foot center who can take big faceoffs, kill penalties, and combine an active stick with a pesky mindset. You probably won’t ask him to shadow a top scorer or neutralize an opposing power-play by himself, as it appears that offense is at the front of his mind most of the time. Still, Kidney does not shy away from his responsibilities as a checker, and he likes to pressure the points while keeping his stick active or join in on a board battle when support is needed. But he’s most useful in transition and is exactly the player you want with the puck once it squirts free from the opposition.
McKeens: A highly intelligent playmaker, Kidney possesses very quick hands and feet, allowing him to manipulate space very effectively despite some limitations as a skater (explosiveness and power). He routinely gains the offensive zone and elevates the play of those around him.
DraftPro Hockey: A very smart two-way player. Riley has great senses on the ice, always being in good position either offensively or defensively to help his team. He’s involved at both ends of the ice, showing great competitiveness whenever he plays. He’s also a very good playmaker, using his vision to find his linemates around the offensive zone. Top nine potential with playmaking upside.
LWOS: An undersized forward, Kidney will need to work on his skating to make it to the next level. However, he has every other tool that one would want in both ends of the ice. He is a good stickhandler who can protect the puck and wait for his teammates to get open. When they do, he can open a passing lane with a quick fake, and then set up a scoring chance.
Rankings
Future Considerations: 76
McKeen’s: 107
Central Scouting: 49 (NA Skaters)
Bob McKenzie: 70
Recrutes: 33
The Hockey News: 93
Draft Prospects Hockey: 70
The Draft Analyst: 87
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