David Drake
| Birthday: 1995-01-07 | Position: D |
| Eligible for draft: 2013 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: 2013 | Height: 6-4 |
| Acquired: 7th round (192nd overall), 2013 | Weight: 170 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2011-12: David Drake played for the Indiana Junior Ice U16 team. He scored 1 goal with 4 assists and had 22 penalty minutes in 18 games. In five playoff games he scored 1 goal with 3 assists. The Junior Ice captured the NAPHL National Championship.
2012-13: Drake made his USHL debut in February, skating in 12 games for Des Moines, and played for the Chicago Fury U18 team in the Midwest Elite Hockey League. He had 1 assist and was -13 with 6 penalty minutes for the Buccaneers, who missed the USHL playoffs after finishing seventh in the Western Division. Drake scored 2 goals with 4 assists and 16 penalty minutes in 40 games with the Fury. He was scoreless in two MWEHL playoff games. Not among the 210 North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings, Drake was selected by Philadelphia in the seventh round (192nd overall).
2013-14: Drake skated in 51 games for the Des Moines Buccaneers in his first full USHL season. He had 5 assists and was minus-17 with 26 penalty minutes. The Buccaneers finished sixth in the Western Conference; missing the playoffs. In April 2014 Drake committed to playing college hockey at the University of Connecticut in 2014-15.
2014-15: Drake skated in 32 of 36 games for the University of Connecticut in his freshman season. He scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was -15 with 14 penalty minutes. The Huskies finished tied with Maine for ninth in their first season in Hockey East and were swept by New Hampshire in an opening round series in the conference tournament.
2015-16: Drake played 25 games for UConn in his sophomore season, missing 11 games with an injury that kept him out until March. A consistent fixture on the blue line before getting hurt, he was a much-improved +1 with 5 assists and 10 penalty minutes. The Huskies finished eighth in Hockey East and were swept by the University of Vermont in an opening round best-of-three playoff series.
Talent Analysis
Drake has the ideal size for a shutdown defender and is fairly mobile for a player of his size. He can move the puck and has the mindset and stamina to play large amounts of ice time. Drake's positional play is inconsistent at times and he has shown little inclination to participate in the attack. Both areas should develop during his college career.
Future
Drake skated for the University of Connecticut as a sophomore in 2015-16. Slowed by an injury that kept him out of 11 games, Drake continues to log significant ice time as the Huskies program makes the transition from Atlantic Hockey to the more competitive Hockey East conference. He projects as a solid, stay-at-home defenseman at the pro level.
