Returning Winterhawk Profile: #42 Layne Viveiros

(Editors Note: In the countdown to the season opener on September 19th; I am looking, individually, at each Winterhawks returning player).

Next Up (In Numerical Fashion): #42 Layne Viveiros

Born: 8/4/1995
Hometown: St. Albert, Alberta (Is Austrian/Canadian)
Position: Defense
How Acquired: 9th Round Bantam Pick (#196 Overall) in 2011

NHL Drafted: Eligible in 2015. Was passed over in 2013 and 2014.

Stats:
-2011/12: 39 Games Played, 0 Goals, 3 Assists, 3 Points, +4, 11 Penalty Minutes.
-2012/13: 22 GP, 0 G, 5 A, +2, 10 PIMs.
-2013/14: 63 GP, 3 G, 17 A, 20 Pts, +21, 32 PIMs.
              Playoffs: 7 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts, 0 PIMs.

Analysis:
-Viveiros, in his 3 seasons so far with the Hawks, has been a depth Defenseman, whose poor decision making has caused his coaches to not trust him enough to give him regular ice time, especially in the playoffs. Over the last 2 seasons, as the Winterhawks season wore on, he got healthy scratched more and more. Viveiros fits into the Winterhawks system well, as he is a a smooth skater, with decent offensive ability. When in the attacking zone, Layne is a confident playmaker who has played some as a power play quarterback. While in his own zone though, he struggles when placed under pressure and does not use the boards enough to get the puck out. He also needs to work on clearing out bodies from in front of his own net.

Outlook:
-Viveiros has enough offensive upside that he was placed on Central Scouting's "Ones to Watch" list before last season. If he maintains consistency in his improvements this seasons, there's no reason why a team wouldn't take him with a later round draft pick. He can improve the odds of this happening by lighting up the relegation part of the World Junior Championships in early December, He played forward for Austria last year and could be placed in a similar role by His Father, who is the coach, this year too. For the Hawks though, he may finally be counted on to play top 4 pairing minutes on the back end. If he can keep from turning the puck over in his own zone in bad areas, he could stay in this role and improve on his offensive numbers. He already has proven his toughness and although fighting is not his best asset, he doesn't hesitate when it is needed. With him being placed in a leadership role this season, this may be needed more.

Previous Returning Winterhawk Profiles: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Dominic Turgeon, Alex Schoenborn, Nic Petan, Tyson Predinchuk, Keegan Iverson, Adam De Champlain, Chase De Leo, Paul Bittner, Josh Hanson, Ethan Price, Anton Cederholm, Brendan Burke