Canadian prospect has above-average intelligence

The 5'11, 168 pound young center isn't the biggest, or fastest on skates, but his above average hockey IQ allows him to play a very mature game for a player his age. His ability to read and control the game makes him a player that makes his teammates better, and pleases his coaches.

"Riley is able to process information very quickly and really makes his coaches' lives easier," said Acadie-Bathurst Titan head coach Mario Durocher. "I trust him explicitly in almost every situation. One of Riley's greatest qualities is his ability to dictate the pace of play. With his puck skills and intelligence, he can slow down or speed up the game depending on what is best for the situation."

In 33 games last season in the QMJHL, Kidney had 38 points, including 13 goals. However, only nine of those points came on the power play, proving that Kidney's five-on-five game is already well developed.

"He's a terrific playmaker," said Jerome Berube, head scout for hockeyprospects.com. "He's very good at 5-on-5, one of the best players in that area eligible for the draft. What he does at 5-on-5 is very impressive."

Berube is also impressed with Kidney's intelligence, and he believes the Habs couldn't have made a better choice than to select a player who can take advantage of that.

"It's never a bad idea to go with smart players," said Berube. "The older they get, the bigger the challenge and the more adaptable they are to situations. There are a lot of players available in the draft, but those who manage to get their hands on a smart player, who is progressing well, improve their chances of seeing them reach the major leagues one day."

Kidney is also a player who knows how to take his game up a notch when the stakes call for it, as evidenced by his 17 points (two goals) in just nine short playoff games in the last few series. However, Berube believes this is more of a normal progression for him, which may be a good indication of things to come for him.

"I think it's a normal progression in his case," he said. "They didn't get to play a full season and there were a lot of breaks in the schedule. It was hard to find his rhythm during the season."

"He really took his level of play up several notches," Durocher said. "You could really see his talent. That's what I loved about Riley during the playoffs: when we needed him, he showed up in a big way."

Finally, Berube took the time to play the comparison game, and there is no doubt that his deductions will have Canadiens fans dreaming. He drew several parallels between Kidney's game and that of the Habs' new first center Nick Suzuki, who also has an excellent hockey IQ.

"There's a little bit of [Nick] Suzuki in Kidney," said Berube. "He's calm, he's not spread out, he knows where to go and when. He pays a lot of attention to detail. When it comes to hockey IQ, he's exactly where you want him to be."

"He really reminds me of Suzuki," said Durocher. "He's smart and he has great vision. There isn't a player on the team who wouldn't want to play with him. Obviously Suzuki is a great player and Kidney has some work to do in the defensive zone to match his defensive skills, but there are a lot of similarities in their game."

In short, even if he doesn't necessarily have the same offensive potential as Suzuki, this comparison can still serve as an indication that Kidney has the potential to one day play an important role in an NHL team.