John Mustard’s sophomore season at Providence has been a noticeable step forward. He already has 12 points through 16 games, and is on his way to surpass last years production if he can keep things up. Mustard stands out for his skating as being one of the fastest players in the NCAA and he pairs it with strong hands and a heavy wrist shot. That combination makes him dangerous off the rush and a consistent threat in transition. His scoring is keeping pace, already matching last season’s seven goals with plenty of the year left. He’s shaping into a reliable middle-six option who can drive play, contribute offensively, and impact the game with speed and skill. The rest of the season will be telling, but the trajectory is promising.

Mustard is off to a steady start in his freshman season at Providence College, posting 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) across 37 games. The NCAA has been a good for Mustard’s transition from the USHL. He still has room to grow, especially in developing a more aggressive shooting presence and creating more scoring chances. As he progresses through his college career, Mustard’s two-way game and vision will be crucial in determining how much he can elevate his role and fit within Chicago’s promising prospect pipeline. His offensive ceiling likely sits as a reliable middle-six forward who can fill depth needs.

Mustard was selected 67th overall by the Blackhawks and will certainly hope to catch up to the NHL level eventually.

Mustard had definitely hit a bit of a wall as his USHL season came to a close. The dynamic winger has already done everything to prove he can carry pucks and score off of them, but as he started playing more of a team-game Mustard’s flaws came into focus. Primarily, how raw of a talent he truly is and how lacking his playmaking game currently is. To facilitate his passing, Mustard’s trademark speed had to be taken several notches down and he was tunneling in picks and drop passes then he was at saucers through the slot. He struggled to adapt, and he struggled to score, but his intensity didn’t waver. An encouraging sign, that Mustard is able to put in the effort to diversify his game without getting discouraged at the growing pains. Mustard is still very raw and really needs to get a handle on diversifying his offence and being a full 200-ft player, but the reward for a patient team could be tantalizing, there’s a lot to be excited about in the speed, skill and combativeness that Mustard already brings.

One of the more entertaining players in this year’s draft. Mustard has exploded onto the scene in his first year in the USHL. He’s one of the finer skaters in the draft and can beat defenders with elusiveness, simple dekes, or just raw speed to an unsuppressable level. Not to say he’s all sparkle either, he’s got a lot of upper body strength that he uses to win puck battles, extend offensive possessions or provide some old-fashioned grit. He tends to tunnel-vision at times which leads to him not being the total triple-threat he otherwise would be. Still, he’s one of the younger players in this year’s draft and the progress he’s made is nothing short of staggering. We really might just be scratching the surface of what he’s capable of.

(Fun Fact: He and Trevor Connelly are both committed to Providence. Defenders in the conference, beware.) –