DRAFT: Chiasson thankful for support during difficult draft year

EDMONTON, AB - Navigating the turmoil of the 2020-21 season that was as a draft-eligible prospect was no easy feat to accomplish. Jake Chiasson can attest to that.
Luckily, he wasn't alone. The Oilers fourth-round draft choice will tell you it took a village to have the privilege of hearing his name called on Day 2 of the NHL Draft following a breakout campaign with the Brandon Wheat Kings in '20-21.
"We were pretty aware by the end of the summer what our season was going to look like," said Chiasson. "We had really good communication with Brandon, which thankfully allowed me to stay focused.
"I had the guys around supporting me and handling my stress a bit with the draft. I had the best guys around me in Brandon and I can't say enough about the coaching staff and team there that supported me through this journey and my first few years there."

Chiasson thanked the Wheat Kings for their support during a challenging season in his post-draft interview, and was appreciative of the Chilliwack Chiefs - a Junior-A club close to his hometown of Abbotsford, B.C. - for helping him get as much ice time as possible during the quiet months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's exemplary of the humble approach of Chiasson, along with his enticing skillset as a two-way power forward, that the Oilers scouting staff no doubt took note of in pre-draft interviews with the Abbotsford, B.C. product.
Oilers Director of Amateur Scouting Tyler Wright and his staff were given more opportunities than most to observe the 6-foot-1, 165-pound winger during the WHL bubble in Regina. "They played 22-24 games in Regina and we had a scout between myself and our Western guys at probably all 22 or 24 games that were there. We covered it really thoroughly, to say the least," said Wright.
Chiasson posted five goals and 15 points in 60 games during his first full year in Brandon before exploding from a .25 point-per-game pace to an impressive .87 last season with nine goals and 20 points in 23 matches.
"I'm definitely a two-way forward with offensive upside," Chiasson said. "I'm a playmaking guy and like to play with shooters. I feel that I have a good sense of vision and passing ability. As I continue to grow into my frame, I've put on a couple of pounds here since the end of the season and what NHL Central Scouting had me weighed in at."

In addition to his offensive returns, Chiasson is putting extra focus on improving his skating and the aspects of his game that make him an effective power forward in a similar realm to that of Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm - a player he admires for his playmaking, shooting, and ability to hold his own at both ends of the ice.
"I'd like to continue on my power forward game, improving my skating and physical play in the coming season and find improvement there until I'm comfortable with where my game is at to give me the best possible opportunity to make the jump to the National Hockey League," he added.
"I definitely want to improve my skating. I feel like that's something that's going to be something that will allow me to be a more dominant force."
No doubt, his teammates and coaches in Brandon can help him achieve those goals next year.
"We have a pretty similar group coming in next year," Chiasson said. "A lot of guys are willing to buy into the system, and I'm just excited to get back with them and show what we can do as a whole and make some noise in the league."