2027 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Joaquin Geras (LD)

Joaquin Geras (Kamloops):Projection/Archetype: Bottom 4 – Defensive DefencemanStrengths: Skating, Defensive stick, Willingness to sacrifice bodyWeaknesses: Defensive Lapses, Lacking Offensive upside Analysis:Joaquin Geras is the textbook definition of defensive defenceman. When the puck is in his own zone, he does everything in his power to prevent his opponents from scoring a goal. The most noticeable attribute in his game is his phenomenal defensive stick abilities. He uses his long reach to disrupt his opponents coming down on him with speed, maintains an active stick to deter passes through open lanes, and has great hand-eye coordination to knock away dangerous passes to the slot or to opponents waiting for one-timer opportunities. He combines his stick skills with his smooth and agile skating, allowing him to keep up with opponents trying to outmaneuver him along the wall or race for loose pucks that are either dumped in or knocked off his opponents’ sticks by him and his pressure. He is also willing to use his body to block shots and box out opponents both in front of his own net and along the boards in board battles. Though many of his defensive attributes are better than average, he still has a few defensive faults in his game. The primary one for me would be the existence of defensive lapses in his game. Though nobody is perfect, someone as well-versed and understanding of the defensive game as Geras is, he still has a few too many defensive lapses in his game for my liking. Several times a game he falls out of his defensive positioning, doesn’t notice his partner has switched assignments with him, or reads the play wrong and leaves his opponent too much open ice to utilize for free. The other major flaw in his game currently is his lack of offensive upside. Though he is capable of making a sneaky back door pass or getting a good shot through traffic from distance, he doesn’t do it consistently enough to consider it a real weapon in his arsenal.