2019 NHL Draft Profile – Thomas Harley
The 2018-19 campaign was a breakout year for Thomas Harley as the budding blue-liner finished with 11 goals and 58 points in 68 appearances with the Mississauga Steelheads, good for a 43-point improvement on his rookie season. That performance earned him a spot with Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship, where he impressed with four points in seven games. Off the ice, Harley also excelled as he was recognized with the Bobby Smith Trophy, awarded to the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year. Harley is the 11th-ranked North American skater in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Draft Rankings.
Harley describes himself as a two-way defenceman with good ability to take away time and space. While he can play a shutdown role, he is best known for his ability to join the rush and create offense. Harley compares his playing style to that of Saint John Sea Dogs graduate Thomas Chabot. His offseason goal is to further refine his defensive game.
“A brilliant skater with good size (6-foot-3, 183 pounds), Harley has risk in his game,” writes Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino, “But a lot of that is because of how many minutes he plays and how much Mississauga needs him to produce.”