A year ago, Chaz Lucius was the 2021 NHL Draft’s top goal-scorer. While several others showed comparable shooting skills and similar instincts, none had Lucius’ resume.

Through 25 games with the USNTDP U17 squad, Lucius scored 24 goals. Sure, some were against weak competition, but plenty more came from steamrolling the under-17 World Hockey Challenge and constant impact in the USHL. Inevitably, Lucius’ production cooled off, scoring just seven over the next 32 games. But it didn’t really matter: The stage was already set; Lucius just needed another hot streak to work back into top-five discussion.

Unfortunately, Lucius missed all but 13 games, mostly from recovering from knee surgery. But in that handful of games, he averaged a goal per game, reminding everyone that his finishing ability can’t be ignored.  

So, what makes Lucius such a dangerous scorer, and how can he maximize his impact?