The sky’s the limit for Nick Lardis after incredible 2023 NHL Draft season

Nick Lardis (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

Credit: (Photo by Steven Ellis/Daily Fac

On May 21, Nick Lardis wasn’t on the ice celebrating with the teammates he started the season with. He was watching his good friends lifting the trophy he always dreamed of.

And it might have been the best thing for him.

The Petes traded Lardis, Sahlin Panwar and a pair of draft picks in exchange for Avery Hayes and Gavin White. The Petes wanted to go all in for the Memorial Cup, and Hayes and White were going to help them achieve that. That meant starting over for Lardis, leaving the only OHL team he ever skated for.

The Petes took him with the sixth pick at the 2021 OHL Draft, and he had a decent rookie season with them a year ago. But a slow start this year meant a change of scenery was needed. The Petes won the OHL title and advanced to the Memorial Cup, while Lardis was thrust into a big-time scoring position for a Hamilton Bulldogs team amid a retool.

That trade on January 7, 2023 changed Lardis’ life forever.

After putting up a measly 19 points in 36 games with Peterborough, Lardis exploded for 25 goals and 46 points over his final 33 games with the Bulldogs. He was the only Hamilton player to break the double-digit barrier during the playoffs with 10 points through six games. He wasn’t the highest-scoring addition for the Bulldogs this year – Panwar (52 points) edged him out – but he led the team in goals, and was far and beyond one of the most impressive second halfs by any draft-eligible player.

“It was a great season, kind of hitting the reset button,” Lardis said about his wild campaign. “I got a lot of opportunities in different situations to become an impact player on a young team. I ran with that opportunity.”

So, what gives? Going deep into Lardis’ game, dating back to his days with the Oakville Rangers program that also produced first-round prospect Calum Ritchie, the shot was always there. In the first round, there aren’t many players with a shot as dynamic as his. He can shoot from anywhere, but he needed the confidence and the opportunities to make it happen. That’s exactly what occurred in Hamilton, and that made him one of the biggest risers in the entire draft.

Lardis is especially strong on the power play. Give him time and space to work with and he’ll put the puck exactly where he needs to be. NHL defenders won’t give you those opportunities, but his shot looks pro-ready already. Lardis has also started adding some creativity to his game, and can get shots off at speed, making him tough to defend.

A considerable part of a goal-scorer’s makeup is confidence. That’s obvious when watching his games after the move to Hamilton. It was like he had to prove, not only to scouts, but himself that he could get the job done. And when it started to work, he only kept getting better.

“He’s going to get 50 next year, no question about it,” an OHL scout said.

Lardis has worked with famed shooting coach Josh Wrobel, who has worked with a host of NHLers and other top prospects. Lardis credits him for helping him figure out how to utilize his cannon as often as possible.

“(Working with Wrobel) has helped my scoring chances and generating in the offensive zone a lot more,” Lardis said. “The curve and the specs of the stick are kind of what you learn from him, too.”

In his own words, Lardis believes his biggest strength is his speed. Good junior players use their skating to create scoring chances, and his ability to blow past defenders on the rush was apparent this year. Not everyone can shoot at high speed, but that’s how Lardis beats goalies most often.

When Lardis is on his game, he’s so difficult to contain. He had a hat-trick at the U-18 World Championship in the second game against Germany but eventually saw his ice time continue to drop. Canada won bronze, but he only played 4:44 in that game. And that can be attributed to a few things: mainly, Lardis’ strengths really rely on offensive zone possession. In his own zone, or in physical situations? That’s where he starts to fall short.

“He’s not a big kid, and it shows,” a scout said about the 5-foot-11, 168-pound winger. “You’ll see him beat kids with speed, get along the boards and then get knocked off the puck and the play ends. If he can’t beat someone with his motor, he doesn’t have much else to work with.”

That’s where Lardis’ work ethic could step up a bit. He’s prone to giving up on plays against bigger competition, something that’ll only be amped up against pros. But at 18, a big thing for him this year was focusing on ironing out his goal-scoring ability. Lardis nailed that, so the next stage will be refining the other elements of his game. That’s a pretty typical development path for a prospect his age.

At this point, Lardis looks like a fringe first-rounder with the potential to be a solid middle-six scorer in the NHL. Scouts want to see him improve his defensive support and add a bit of muscle to his game. He’ll be a leader with the Bulldogs, now playing in Brantford, in hopes of taking the team far in the postseason once again.

If he falls to the second round, he’ll be a perfect complimentary piece for a team picking early on Day 1. If we’ve learned anything from Lardis this year, he might still have more to unlock. Arm that with a lethal shot, and who knows how far he’ll take his game?

If your team selects Lardis, you’re going to be thrilled. Book it.

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The sky’s the limit for Nick Lardis after incredible 2023 NHL Draft season

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