Being a 17 year old officially listed at 5’7, for the time being, Mac Swanson is put into a category of player that is more prominent now than it ever has been, the undersized forward. That doesn’t necessarily make it any easier for players of his stature to make an impact in the NHL. Our job in scouting these players is to evaluate how they might do that.

Just like any other, the ability to make the jump to that next level is based on the individual’s ability to put a variety of attributes together that NHL teams find valuable. Size is a highly valued commodity, so for smaller players the task is to make sure you have enough of the other valued attributes. For Swanson I don’t think that is an impossible task baring a few developmental hurdles. As a player not eligible until the 2024 draft, he’s got time to hone in on the specifics.  

Let’s take a look at his stats from the past couple of seasons.

One of the stronger aspects of his game is his ability to read the ice. During my viewings of him there weren’t too many times he looked lost out there, he was very attentive in almost every situation he was placed in. I think this particular aspect of his game is the biggest reason there was such a connection there between him and his Fargo line mates Bret Link and Cole Knuble, the latter having a very solid draft year and is expected to join Notre Dame next season in the NCAA. The trio made up the top line of USHL regular season champions, all putting up around a point per game. 

From left to right – Swanson, Knuble, Link

Swanson has a very active stick, he’s constantly changing the angle of his blade, pulling it closer to his body or extending farther away depending on the situation. Fargo often puts him in the low slot area for their power play setup. Swanson’s active stick is a big reason for that, he benefits off of players like Knuble drawing the attention of the opposing team as a shooting threat and then feeding him in that low slot space. Whether it’s a goal or simply getting the puck on net, it’s a play that Fargo goes to occasionally and an option that Swanson creates for them. 

Playmaking is one of Swanson’s stronger assets, he is a great facilitator and doesn’t hold on to the puck for very long once it hits his stick.

Making the safe play is something that he does on a more than consistent basis, not taking many risks with the puck. I don’t think that’s very uncommon at this age, more than likely its something that has been drilled in to him by the coaching staff. While it’s never the worst decision to make the safe play, you’d look for him to take more risks with the puck come next season, especially with a bigger role on the team. 

Taking risks comes more naturally when you’ve got more games played under your belt, and I think we’ll see that happen as Swanson transitions from more of a complementary role to an offensive driver next season. In order to see him go higher in the draft there definitely needs to be a goal scoring bump as well. Its a bit too early for a draft round prediction, but if the right steps are taken I think we see him going closer to the beginning of day 2 than the end. 

Video courtesy of FloHockey.com