What does Berkly Catton need to improve?
Size is one issue, but that’s something he can spend a few years working on, building his physique slowly, which will allow him to retain those game-changing attributes we were talking about earlier. But the slight frame leaves Catton prone to relying too much on stick lifting and less on body checking, making him hesitant for contact.
He’s shown flashes of having good compete, but Catton can get a little too excited defensively and overskate plays. Because he’s such a good skater, he can get back into position to make a heroic recovery, but that won’t be so easy when he eventually reaches the higher levels.
Catton can also do the opposite at times and get lazy in the defensive zone, to the point he takes himself out of the play by skating around and opting to take on nobody. He can also hesitate to block shots and even use his stick to deflect pucks when there is a rebound.
There are also times when he calls his own number, trying to do everything himself when it just isn’t necessary. This will cause Catton to be responsible for turnovers. Or, there are times when he has too much confidence in his passing ability and processing, which will lead to turnovers that can subsequently turn into breakaways.
(Statistics powered by Elite Prospects)