Michigan State's Shane Vansaghi Preparing for Upcoming NHL Draft

Still, depth chart placement may not matter much for the 6-foot-2, 216-pound winger. Vansaghi finds ways to stay involved — physically, emotionally, and on the scoreboard, which is why he’s such a favorite among coaches and scouts.

A wrecking ball on skates, Vansaghi throws his body around with reckless abandon. In EliteProspects' Ultimate Draft Guide, EP lead scout David St-Louis was floored by his physical style, noting:

“Vansaghi has some special in his game. ... Few are this willing to engage, this violent in their game, and one NHL team is going to be very happy to have him. It’s not just the hits. Vansaghi shows every part of the physical play chain.”

At the NHL Combine, Vansaghi compared his game to Josh Anderson — a bruising power forward who uses his body to create space and establish dominance.

"I play one way and one way only, and it's big and physical, and it's a hard-nosed game, and it's in your face, and I'm not going to change the way I play," Vansaghi said.

Physically, Vansaghi already looks the part of an NHL regular. At the Combine, he finished top-five in four different categories — first in both right and left-hand grip, tied for second in pull-ups, and fifth in bench press.

On the ice, he has solid instincts to match his motor. His first collegiate goal was a tipped puck in traffic — a sign of excellent hand-eye coordination and timing.

The biggest concern is his skating. Vansaghi lacks explosiveness in transition, and in today’s NHL, skating ability can be a make-or-break trait. If his speed catches up to his frame and feel for the game, Vansaghi could easily sneak into the top 15.

Even so, a late-first round projection is nothing to sneeze at.

Michigan State will likely deploy him similarly to last year, especially with Howard and Lindstrom leading the way. But Vansaghi’s physicality, tenacity, and natural tools make him an ideal complementary piece for a national title contender.

If the skating comes around — and with Vansaghi’s work ethic, there’s reason to believe it will — he’ll be making life miserable for NHL opponents before too long.

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