Nick Moutrey

History

2010-11: Nick Moutrey played for the York Simcoe Express midget minor team and skated for Team Ontario in the 2011 Canada Winter Games. In 40 games for the Express he score 43 goals with 46 assists. He had 1 assist and 4 penalty minutes in six games at the Canada Winter Games. Moutrey was selected by Saginaw in the first round (15th overall) of the 2011 OHL Priority Draft.

2011-12: Moutrey skated in 66 games for Saginaw as a 16-year-old in his first OHL season. He scored 2 goals with 7 assists and was minus-12 with 46 penalty minutes. The Spirit finished third in the West Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Moutrey was minus-2 with no points and 4 penalty minutes in 12 playoff games.

2012-13: Moutrey displayed an offensive component to his game in his second season with Saginaw. He scored 16 goals with 27 assists in 65 games and was plus-2 with 44 penalty minutes. The Spirit made the playoffs, finishing fourth in the West Division, but were swept by Memorial Cup-bound London in the first round. Moutrey was scoreless and minus-5 with 12 penalty minutes in four playoff games. He was ranked 58th amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings and was selected by Columbus in the fourth round (105th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft.

2013-14:  Moutrey attended the Blue Jackets training camp before returning to Saginaw for his third OHL season and was one of five players to skate in all 68 regular season games for the Spirit. He scored 15 goals with 26 assists and was a career-best plus-13 with 82 penalty minutes. Saginaw finished third in the West Division and lost to first-place Erie in the first round. Moutrey had 3 assists and was plus-2 with 2 penalty minutes in five playoff games.  

2014-15: Moutrey attended his second training camp with the Blue Jackets before returning to Saginaw for his fourth OHL season. Traded in mid-season to North Bay, he was with the Battalion during their run to the Eastern Conference Finals against Memorial Cup champion Oshawa. In 62 regular season games between Saginaw and North Bay he scored 25 goals with 38 assists and was +19 with 54 penalty minutes. Moutrey scored 7 goals with 6 assists and was +1 with 12 penalty minutes in 15 playoff games. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus in March 2015.  

2015-16: Moutrey skated for Columbus AHL affiliate Lake Erie in his first pro season. Steadily adjusting to the jump from junior hockey to the AHL, he struggled offensively at times but made progress in his first season. The Monsters reached the AHL playoffs, finishing fourth in the Central Division.

Talent Analysis

Moutrey has the size of a prototypical power forward but he does not consistently play the type of game that would make him command attention. With some offensive elements to his game he was more active in his third year of junior hockey and it is hoped that he is beginning to put the elements of physical, technical and tactical play together. His size and strength will likely garner him a long look but he would appear to be more of a long-term, David Clarkson-like project at this point.

Future

Moutrey skated for Columbus AHL affiliate Lake Erie as a 20-year-old in 2015-16. In his first season of pro hockey, he struggled to crack the lineup and had the common ups and downs of a player making the jump from juniors to pro hockey. A solid two-way forward who competes on both ends of the ice, he projects as a third or fourth line winger.