LA Kings Draft: Jack Bar 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

LA Kings (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LA Kings (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
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Jack Bar enjoyed a successful first year in the USHL with the Chicago Steel and would be a great selection for the LA Kings in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Following up on last year’s selections of defensemen in the second round, the LA Kings could follow suit this year with the selection of Jack Bar. From the same town as second overall pick Quinton Byfield, Bar went from St. Andrew’s College prep school hockey in 19-20 to the Chicago Steel of the USHL.

He helped the Steel win their second Clark Cup in franchise history this past year. During the regular season, Bar tallied 15 points in 34 games. Watching his film, he bought into the Steel’s system quickly, understanding his responsibilities defensively. That said, he timed his offensive opportunities well to join in the rush.

Bar skates well and can carry the puck through all three zones. At just 18 years of age, his physicality may already be his best trait. He’s set to join LA Kings 2020 third-round pick Alex Laferriere at Harvard next season.

Related Story. Laferriere earns team MVP and Offensive POTY honors. light

We recently had The Draft Analyst’s Steve Kournianos on the podcast to talk about a number of prospects in the 2021 NHL Draft, including Jack Bar.

“He’s mean. He’s mean, aggressive, angry – he just loves to hit everything. He’ll hit anyone, anywhere. The thing about Bar is he has puck skills. He can skate. He has size. He has really good hands. He’s always aggressive. The big thing with him is how tough and physical he is.”

You can listen to the full scoop on Bar in our most recent episode of The Hockey Royalty Podcast.

Jack Bar, D

Vitals

  • Age: 18
  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 194 lbs
  • Shot: R

Rankings

  • Ranked #40 by FCHOCKEY
  • Ranked #24 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
  • Ranked #50 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
  • Ranked #84 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
  • Ranked #51 by SMAHT SCOUTING
  • Ranked #58 by TSN/McKenzie
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Scouting Report

March 2021 – Bar made the jump to the USHL this season and has looked more comfortable with each passing game. He has managed to put up solid offensive numbers with the Chicago Steel, usually playing second pair minutes with limited powerplay time. He will continue his development next season in the NCAA where he is committed to Harvard University. Bar has an intriguing combination of size, skating ability, and offensive skill. He has good mobility for his size, able to elude forecheckers before firing a clean breakout pass or skating the puck out on his own and he likes to join the rush to create odd-man situations for his team. One of Bar’s greatest attributes is his proficiency on puck retrievals in the defensive zone. He protects the puck well, shielding off forecheckers with his big frame while controlling the puck in his feet and more often than not, he is able to escape pressure by spinning off his check or dishing the puck to a teammate and getting open for a return pass. He can try to do too much at times, however, and will skate himself into trouble on occasion. He has good defensive instincts and defends the rush well but he can struggle with his change of direction when puck carriers attack with speed. Still a raw prospect, Bar has potential as a second pairing puck mover but his floor as a solid number five or six defensemen at the NHL level feels pretty safe. Dobber Prospects/Richard

Production

  • 19-20: 18G, 34A, 76 PIM in 49 games for St. Andrews College (CAHS)
  • 20-21: 5G, 10A, 52 PIM, +2 in 34 games for Chicago Steel (USHL)
  • 20-21: 0G, 1A, 2 PIM, +2 in 7 playoff games for Steel

Video Highlights

Pro Comparison

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