Jagger Tapper commits to RPI
The '04 forward adds versatility, a great shot and a highly-skilled game
A couple weeks ago, RPI continued to stay hot on the recruiting trail as they picked up a commitment from Jagger Tapper, an ‘04 forward listed as 6’0” and 171 LBs. Tapper is in his first season of draft eligibility and also his first season of junior hockey. He is playing for the Okotoks Oilers in the AJHL after dominating midget hockey. So far this season, Tapper has played both center and right wing, showing off his versatility, and scored 2 points in the first 4 games. Last season, he led the entire AEHL U18 league in scoring when he had 20 goals, 31 assists and 51 points in 35 games.
Tapper is capable of playing center and wing, which is a valuable skill that coaches love in their players. Beyond that, he has a high skill-level, which allowed him to score so much in midget hockey. Tapper was named Athlete of the Week by a Calgary news station and had a short biography done on him because of it. They interview him and his coach and show some footage of him from practice, where you can see him show off his skills. According to his coach, Tapper “is obviously a highly, highly offensive, skilled hockey player. He’s a guy that anytime he’s on the ice, I mean he’s got the ability to create opportunities for himself and his teammates. Anytime he’s on the ice, he’s got the ability to change a game if he’s got the puck on his stick.” Additionally, his coach categorized him as a player who “plays in all situations” meaning he’s responsible in his own end and can kill penalties in addition to his clear offensive talents.
The Okotoks Oilers also posted this video to supplement his commitment announcement with highlights from the preseason. In this video, Tapper scores a few different goals, which shows a great shot and a player who can rip the puck. These two videos are what we have to go off of for his scouting report because Neutral Zone has not evaluated him unfortunately.
Overall, Tapper has lots of versatility with his positional flexibility and his ability to play in all situations. This versatility fits right in with the players that RPI tries to recruit as the Engineers like players who are able to play a 200-foot game. More importantly though, Tapper brings a lot of skill and a great shot giving him high offensive upside when he arrives in Troy. With his late ‘04 birthdate, I project that Tapper will spend two years in junior hockey and enroll at RPI in 2024. I can’t wait to watch how he develops the next two years with his skill set. Congratulations to Jagger and his family!