Scouting Ryan Mooney
He’s young, a 1998 birth-year defenceman who leads his Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team in scoring — and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 scouts are taking note.
Strong and sturdy at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Ryan Mooney of the Rayside-Balfour Canadians is also smart and skilled with a good set of hands.
Thus, it’s little wonder that more one representative from a Division 1 school has called for particulars and information on the 17-year old Mooney, who has retained his NCAA eligibility since becoming an Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the Sudbury Wolves in 2014.
Then there is Tom Farnquist, who has scouted for the Soo Eagles through their time in both the NOJHL and the North American Hockey League. Farnquist doesn’t hold back in his assessment of Mooney.
“He is the best D in the league,” offered Farnquist. “Actually, he is one of the best D that I have ever watched in the NOJHL. He is very, very skilled and plays with poise. The D1 scouts should be watching him. Mooney is the real deal.”
It should be noted that one former NOJHL defenceman who Farnquist is quite familiar with is Owen Headrick, a 1997 birth-year freshman and the youngest player on the Division 1, Lake Superior State Lakers.
At any rate, should Mooney advance to the NCAA level at some point, he would be following in the footsteps of his dad, Mike Mooney, a former Division 1 defenceman with the Alabama Huntsville Chargers.
As for the younger Mooney, going into action tonight, he is tied for the Rayside-Balfour scoring lead with 5 goals, 13 assists, 18 points in 14 games.
PHOTO: Ryan Mooney of the Rayside-Balfour Canadians slips through a pair of Timmins Rock defencemen in NOJHL action from earlier this season.
Great Articele! Ryan is going places we agree on that. He has all of the good trates as you say RR and hope fully he gets an offer from a good D-1 School Program.