Russell Morgan
8. Akil Thomas – 22 y/o – F – 2018 Round 2 #58 overall
Previous ranking: 8
It was a rough start to the hockey season last year for Akil Thomas. After a long recovery from bilateral shoulder surgery, Akil didn’t make his season debut with the Ontario Reign till December. With only two points in his first 25 games, there’s no doubt frustration began to settle in. But once he gained his stride, we started to see the type of player that warranted a second-round selection.
Akil finished last season with 11 points in 14 games for the Reign. Highlighted by a hat trick performance on April 20th against Colorado. He then carried that momentum into the Calder Cup Playoffs with four goals in four games for Ontario.
Steven Ellis The Daily Faceoff
“Thomas’ short playoff run was promising, but he needs to do a lot more during the regular season to take his game further. The fact he cut his offensive output in half last year was disappointing, and his opportunities won’t get easier going forward. I did like his improved 200-foot game, though, and he has value as a penalty killer. He projects to be a bottom-six center, and I feel like if given the opportunity, he can make things work, but I’d like to see him generate more on the scoresheet.”
JFresh Hockey’s Prospect Card
Thomas’s versatility is what will give him the edge over his fellow LA prospects. He has the capability to play almost any position on the ice, literally.
With the Ontario Reign losing key veterans Brett Sutter and Martin Frk over the offseason, new leaders will have to emerge. Head coach Marco Sturm will look upon a player like Akil to grab that responsibility. We started to see some of that leadership displayed from Thomas during the Rookie Faceoff, where he wore a letter as one of the few alternate captains during the series of games.