Quentin Musty is one of the more intriguing prospects in the upcoming entry draft. Musty was drafted into the OHL by the Sudbury Wolves in 2021 with the first overall pick. Soon after, many people were putting him down as one of the top prospects for this draft class back in 2021. Musty did keep a high ranking for some time, but from the end of the 2021–22 season to the start of this past season, he ranked around the mid to late twenties and at this current time, he is expected to go somewhere between 15th and 25th overall.
2023 NHL Draft Update: Quentin Musty was selected 26th overall by the San Jose Sharks.
Who is Quentin Musty?
| Player | Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quentin Musty | LW | Left | 6’2″ | 190lbs |
Quentin Musty’s on ice production
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | D-3 | 14U AAA | Buffalo Jr. Sabres 14U AAA | 14 | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| 2020–21 | D-2 | AYHL 16U | North Jersey Avalanche 16U AAA | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 2021–22 | D-1 | OHL | Sudbury Wolves | 50 | 12 | 19 | 31 |
| 2022–23 | D+0 | OHL | Sudbury Wolves | 53 | 26 | 52 | 78 |
Quentin Musty’s production is very limited. You can only go as far back as his D-3 year where in 14 games, he produced at just over a point per game with 15 points. Fast forward to his D-2 season and due to the global pandemic, Musty only played four games where he had great production for the small sample size with seven points.
In 2021, Musty finally made his OHL debut after choosing to commit to the Wolves. In his freshman year, Musty used his size and skill to put up 12 goals and 31 points in 50 games with the Wolves. Unfortunately, the Wolves missed the playoffs and Musty wasn’t able to display his talent when it mattered most.
Moving on to this past season, Musty saw a huge rise in point production from the previous year going from 31 to 78—an increase of 47 points. His 78 points were good enough to be second on his team and 23rd in the league. When you look at points per game, things look even better for Musty as he placed 11th in the league for that category. Musty and the Wolves made the playoffs, but they were swept by the Peterborough Petes who are currently one win away from an OHL championship. In the four games he played, Musty put up four points which was tied for most on his team.
Musty has represented his country of the USA once so far in his career. He played for them in Red Deer at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The USA didn’t receive a medal at this tournament, but did place fifth after beating Slovakia in the fifth place game. Musty helped the Americans reach fifth with his five points in four games.
Musty’s strengths
Shooting
Quentin Musty’s best quality is quite easily his shot. He possesses this hard and accurate wrist and snapshot that screams “goal scorer.” Long or short range, it doesn’t matter, Musty will get an effective shot off. He has a tendency to place his shots higher which comes in clutch when the goalie is screened. When receiving a pass, he can quickly settle the puck and absolutely rip it on net. His one timer is as well hard and accurate and could create threats on the power play if utilized properly. He always seems to get shot off, even under pressure or if the puck is bouncing.
Passing
Musty’s passing game can be simple or it can be flashy, either way he gets the job done. He can quickly create passes before the opportunity disappears, leading to some great scoring chances for his teammates. Musty will often make short passes that are just enough to reach his teammate and uses this to his advantage when he’s about to be checked. Finding and creating passing lanes is essential and it’s something Musty excels at. He loves to make these passes that make it seem like he has eyes on the back of his head, often leading to highlight reel plays.
Puck control
Puck control is another skill that is obvious Musty is good at. To start, he can protect the puck insanely well. He uses his size and balance to create difficulty for the opposing players to knock him off the puck. He also shields the puck from opponents, allowing him to make drives to the net and create scoring chances. Alongside puck protection, Musty has some really fast and nice hands. He uses the quickness to deke out defenders, leaving them confused, making space for himself that he then uses to launch a puck on net or on to his teammates stick. Cutting through smaller gaps becomes an option for Musty due to a combination of both his silky hands and puck protection.
Musty’s areas of improvement
Skating
Musty has average skating that can definitely be improved upon and if developed properly, can be come a strength. As mentioned, he can stay strong on skates and balanced allowing for good puck protection, but his stride is where the major concerns come in. The style of stride he has can really hold him back. It’s choppy and slow, in a way it looks like he’s attempting to run on skates instead pushing off them. This style causes him to have low confidence in his pivoting and turns. His top speed is quite fast, but it takes him some time to reach it.
Consistency
There’s a couple of areas in Musty’s game, while a strength, he could be a lot more consistent with. In the offensive zone, he’ll try to force plays causing weak shots or intercepted passes. One game he seems like he can always find the best scoring position, but then the next game, he’s struggling to get open and can’t find a scoring position at all. Sometimes he’ll make a strong backcheck, but then he’ll glide in the defensive zone providing zero coverage. Other times, he’ll just completely ignore his defensive assignment. He has a strong want for the puck and uses his abilities to get it, but at times, it seems like that want has just disappeared.
Musty’s comparable
In a way, Quentin Musty reminds me of Jason Robertson. Both are power forwards who have really strong shooting abilities with some great playmaking, but have skating problems. This isn’t to say Musty will be as good as Robertson, but definitely a similar style.
Fit with the Flames
Quentin Musty will most likely be available when the Flames are on the clock at 16th overall. Musty doesn’t necessarily fit a positional need, but I would still highly consider him. His shot and pure skill make him a very intriguing player to take. Musty seems to have a couple questions surrounding him, why doesn’t he score many goals with his shooting and will he be able to use his size to his best abilities?
Musty won’t be the replacement for Matthew Tkachuk, but he should at least be a good power forward in a top-six role. If the Flames think they can crack the questions with him, then they’re in for a treat of a player.
Summary
Quentin Musty is a highly skilled player with some question marks. His shooting and playmaking abilities alongside his puck skills make him a very exciting prospect. It’ll interesting to watch where he goes on draft day as he could range from top 10 to top 25 or even out of the first round. If Musty reaches his top potential, he could be a star, but he will likely be a good top-six player.
Risk: 2.5/5
Reward: 4.5/5
Projection: Top-six, power forward
All TWC 2023 NHL Draft Profiles
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Connor Bedard | Matvei Michkov | Adam Fantilli | Leo Carlsson | Zach Benson | Andrew Cristall | Oliver Moore | Will Smith | Ryan Leonard | Eduard Sale | Colby Barlow | Axel Sandin Pellikka | Dalibor Dvorsky | Brayden Yager | David Reinbacher | Nate Danielson | Riley Heidt | Matthew Wood | Quentin Musty | Mikhail Gulyayev | Calum Ritchie | Gabe Perrault | Jayden Perron | Ethan Gauthier | Dmitri Simashev | Samuel Honzek | Lukas Dragicevic | William Whitelaw | Otto Stenberg | Gavin Brindley | Daniil But
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