Nation Network Prospect Profiles: #40 Paul Bittner

Skates quite well for a player of his size, showing good growth in that area over the past two seasons…his stride is long but could use a bit more power in the way he uses his edges, especially in acceleration…footwork is still a bit clunky, especially his first few steps …skating fundamentals are quite good…at full speed his stride has good length to it and his top speed is well above average for a player of his stature…possesses a fantastic shot…has a quick release with his wrister, also possessing that heavy quality that teams like to see…understands shooting lanes and angles and how to get in the proper shooting position against tight gaps or good sticks…isn’t shy about going to the front of the net to use his length to obstruct the goalies sight lines…is good at finishing plays from in tight despite his long limbs…while he has a shooters lean to his game he’s not afraid to make plays…his long arms help him find open lanes to dish the puck…passes the puck quick and doesn’t seem to over-think things when he has it on his tape…his arm length and lanky lower body also allows him to protect the puck well along the walls…is fantastic on the cycle and can generate chances in this manner…is strong on the rush but seems more like a set up and cycle type of offensive producer when projecting his game at the next level…felt that his hockey sense and positioning were standout features for him as a 16 year old but they haven’t been as prevalent or impressive the last couple of years…still plays a fairly complete game and isn’t afraid to block shots or do the little things defensively…defensively he could still stand to play with plenty more fire and assertiveness…doesn’t throw his weight around as much as one might expect or want to see from someone who is 6’4…have seen him take some big runs at smaller players but doesn’t always engage with guys closer to his weight class…has all the tools to take over a game but continues to leave me wanting a bit more, especially in the physicality department…isn’t your typical 6’4 power winger but still understands how to use his size and reach to his advantage although that consistency is a definite area of concern regarding his overall game

A big-bodied power forward that plays with tenacity and an edge. Relentless on the forecheck and is able to bully his way to the net with his size and speed. Has a good stick around the net and has an accurate rocket of a shot. Thinks the game well and is able to frustrate opposing players while playing physically. All-in-all, an impact player that uses his size and skill to his advantage. Gaining consistency will be integral to his future success.

Bittner is a good, effective winger who complements top line players. He’s smart and reads the play very well and understands how to take advantage of his linemates’ skills and at the same time contribute with his own. A good passer with a good shot and utilizes his size to gain advantages.  The combination of skill and size is always coveted.

Bittner is much older than guys like Jansen Harkins or Anthony Beauvillier, being born in late 1996, so he has that physical advantage of just being slightly further along in his development. Adjusting for age, his scoring is still okay for a low-end first round prospect, but it’s far from great. 0.9 Age Adjusted points per game put him in roughly the same group as Anthony Stewart, Kyle Beach, and Zack Kassian, but Ryan Getzlaf is also in there. Granted, Getzlaf is a massive, massive outlier rather than a representative sample of what guys who score at that rate can become.
The big concern is that Bittner undoubtedly played in the single most favourable situation any forward in the WHL could have had: on the wing with Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The two diminutive WHL superstars lit the league on fire this season, with Bjorkstrand finishing the year as the first WHLer to score over one goal per game since Pavel Brendl did it in 1998-99, and Petan leading the league in assists per game once again.
Certainly, Bittner was put in a position to not only score, but score a ton. So it’s more than fair to pose the question if Bittner’s already not-earth-shattering offensive numbers were even a result of his abilities, or the abilities of his two superstar linemates.
For all Bittner’s physical tools, Corey Pronman has concerns about his on-ice intelligence, citing occasional lapses in judgement and bad reads. Cody Nickolet also mentions Bittner missing an element of competitiveness or “big body-ness” in his game, which should immediately remind Canucks fans of the ongoing battles they’ve had with Zack Kassian in this regard.