SCoC Draft Profiles: Giovanni Vallati is a quietly productive defender with plenty of room to grow

Player Analysis:

...Okay, so there is more to him than having an italian-as-hell name. A lot more.

Giovanni Vallati is on his second year as a Kitchener Ranger, and has been one of their quietest yet more productive defenders they’ve had, showing up as their 2nd highest point-getter from the blueline last year with 26 points in 65 games, and had 4 points in 19 OHL Playoff games.

Vallati is more of a playmaking defender than a scorer, as most of his points in any kind in his last three years as a player were assists, and given how aggressive both Kitchener and Boston are with their defense entering plays, there’s a lot to like in him recognizing 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th chances in getting a shot on net.

Vallati also appears to respond well to team challenges like injury well, as he joined the Kitchener Rangers practically full time in the wake of injury and excelled, with their coach calling him the most-improved player in 2016-17 in his rookie year. He also employs a cool, calm and collected approach to hockey that has served him very well over the past pair of years, keeping aware, but not panicking in the face of oncoming pressure.

Where Vallati needs improvement the most is in the size department. He’s 6’1 and 185 pounds. Which is fine, but could do with improvement over the next few years, as he’s only 18. Another area he could stand to improve to supplement that is in taking his offensive game to the next level, as he’s been praised for having all the individual elements that make a good mobile defender (fast, good skater, good stickwork, jumps in when necessary etc.), he lacks the killing instinct right now that could make him a real menace on the blueline, as sometimes he telegraphs his passes and takes shots that aren’t meant to be shots and end up just being really fast passes.

Drafting Vallati will be a matter of coaching and development to make the most out of the guy. Which, thankfully, any team who drafts him will have.

Player Rankings:

57th by NHL Central Scouting amongst North American Players