Filip Mešár
2021-22 Team: HK Propad (Slovakia)
Date of Birth: Jan. 3, 2004
Place of Birth: Spišská Belá, SVK
Height: 5-foot-10, Weight: 172 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: W/C
NHL Draft Eligibility: First-Year Eligible
Rankings
Filip Mešár is a Slovak forward who plays for HK Propad in Slovakia’s top pro league. He finished the regular season with eight goals and 16 points in 37 games and has so far totaled three goals and four points in six playoff games. He also has 12 points in seven games for Slovakia’s U-18 team across all international competitions.
The first thing that stands out about Mešár’s game is his high-end skating ability. He has a sound stride and good top speed, a bit similar to Seth Jarvis as a draft prospect, though not to Jarvis’ level. Because of his high-end skating, Mešár is quite efficient in transition and gaining the offensive zone with puck possession. Though he’s capable of playing on the wing or down the middle, his effective transition play could make him a prime candidate to play center for an NHL club. When at his best, this is what his skating can result in:
His series against Simon Nemec and the Nitra squad is now even at 2-2 https://t.co/LvG3Xi5iGr
Mešár’s skating isn’t the only positive trait of his game. He’s a sneaky good stick-handler and is quite elusive as a result. His playmaking is good, and he has an underrated shot. The only issue with his shot is that he’ll shoot from just about anywhere in the offensive zone, so his shot quality will have to improve. That is an easily correctable issue, though, and could come in time as he adds weight to his frame and becomes more comfortable attacking high-danger areas.
Another thing to like about Mešár is his versatility. His transition game makes him a good candidate to play center, but that also works on the wing. As someone who’s covered the New Jersey Devils for a while, having someone who can transition the puck on the wing a la Jesper Bratt can go a long way in helping a team form a strong top-six.
Related: THW 2022 NHL Draft Guide
Mešár may not be receiving the attention that other Slovak prospects Juraj Slafkovsky and Šimon Nemec are getting, but he’s not that far off from either in terms of upside. Though the World Junior Championship got canceled due to COVID-19 (they will try again in August), Mešár stood out in the two games Slovakia played. He didn’t total a point in either game, but his skating and transition ability were noticeable in a good way.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Filip Mešár — NHL Draft Projection
Most rankings have Mešár projected as a top 20 pick, but for me, he should be an easy top 15 selection. There’s a lot to like about his offensive potential, especially because of his top-notch skating ability. His weaknesses are easily correctable (shot selection, adding strength, overhandling the puck), making him a worthy prospect to take a chance on in the top half of the first round.
Quotables
“Mesar is a highly-skilled, creative offensive player who excels as a puck carrier. He has a smooth skating stride and scans the play with the puck on his stick, identifying his options to attack space and utilize his open teammates. His shot is deceptive, and he can let it go from multiple release points but needs to get it off from dangerous areas more consistently. Mesar is a high-end puck handler who has the ability to beat defenders one-on-one, but he can get caught between trying to do too much on his own or spending too much time playing on the perimeter…” – Nick Richard, Dobber Prospects
“Mešár has the potential to be a steal at the NHL Draft. His transitional play, skating/edges and his passing ability make him a constant threat. He is a well-rounded player and will continue to get stronger. The top-six upside potential is there, and while his production isn’t high in Extraliga play, I’m confident that when Mešár is ready to make the next step and move to North America that the scoring will come. Just a matter of time.” – Josh Tessler, Smaht Scouting
“Mesar is a versatile forward who can be used in all situations, impacts the game in all three zones, thinks the game extremely well, and has outstanding offensive skills. He is a very good, smooth skater. He displayed especially his great mobility and edge work. Mesar can turn and cut quickly with the puck on his stick while waiting for support or looking to open a passing lane.” – Miroslav Simurka, FC Hockey
“Gifted offensive player who moves around the ice well with good edge work and acceleration.” – Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet
Strengths
- Skating
- Transition game
- Playmaking
- Shot
- Versatility
- Stick-handling/elusiveness
Under Construction — Improvements to Make
- Shot selection
- Adding strength to his frame
- Not overhandling the puck in the offensive zone
NHL Potential
Mešár doesn’t have the offensive upside as some of the other top forwards in this class (Brad Lambert, Slafkovsky, Matthew Savoie, to name a few), but there’s a lot to like about his game. With the kind of makeup he has, it’s easy to see him turning into a second-line forward who can play either the wing or center in the NHL while having a positive impact on the power play.
Risk-Reward Potential
Risk – 2.5/5, Reward – 4/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 8.5/10, Defense – 6.5/10
Filip Mešár Statistics
Video
Alex Chauvancy is a New Jersey Devils writer for The Hockey Writers who has a penchant for advanced stats, prospects, signings and trades. He previously wrote for Devils Army Blog, a New Jersey Devils fan blog, from 2015-2017