If Patrick Mahomes played hockey: right wing, rated 89

Patrick Mahomes as a hockey player: scouting report

Patrick Mahomes would play right wing, and he would be one of the most dangerous scorers in the league. On the football field he has made a career out of throwing from every arm angle, sidearm, on the run, without looking and even with his left hand when the play breaks down. That creativity translates directly to shooting from anywhere on the ice: a quick wrist shot off the rush, a one timer from the circle or a backhand in tight. Shooting is the best thing on his card.

His passing is right behind it, which makes him a nightmare to defend. A winger with his vision can freeze a goalie by looking off a pass the way he looks off a safety, then thread the puck through a crowd to a teammate at the back door. He also played baseball at Texas Tech, so his hand and eye coordination is elite. He has won NFL MVP honors and led the Kansas City Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles in five seasons, and his defense grade shows he brings that same competitiveness back to his own zone.

Physical play is the one weak spot, so he is better off avoiding the hardest board battles and letting linemates retrieve pucks. Center is almost as good a fit, and left wing is a strong third, so he can slide anywhere in the top six. Draft him early, give him a heavy left winger who can win the corners, and put him on the half wall of the top power play unit, where he can choose between shooting and passing on every possession.

Plays like A creative sniper who can score or set up from any angle

Put Patrick Mahomes in your lineup

8 rolls, a starting six and a bench, 82 games. Can you go 82-0? Free, no account.