The future of the QMJHL is upon us. Going strictly off the QMJHL CSR’s Final List, I dive into some quick analysis on the 2023 draft class. In this edition I will be providing some analysis and scouting reports on players listed from the 1st to the 3rd round QMJHL’s CSR List
1 Caleb Desnoyers F St-Hyacinthe Gaulois: Ultra-competitive, highly skilled playing making and scoring forward who can play both forward positions with relative ease, has all of the tools to be an effective power forward at the next level and beyond. Tons of pro potential, type of player that can skate for days and really drive offensive opportunities based on skill and will alone. Creates time and space for himself and teammates with his exceptional talent and puck skills in traffic, amazing edge work, speed for days, processes the game extremely well, great two-way presence, isn’t scared to go to the dirty areas, if anything this player embraces the challenge of one-on-one puck battles in all three zones. Desnoyers has dynamic release, it’s hard and accurate shot, This kid is about as Q ready as anyone I’ve in quite some time within the league, His touch around and soft hands in tight and around the net is next level, Caleb Desnoyers is going to be a difference maker for the team that selects him. It’s easy to make comparisons to that of his brother Eliott, but there’s no question he’s forging his own path in the game. The one comparable that is most noteworthy is no doubt his will to compete, character and drive. It’s those intangibles that have set both Desnoyers’ brothers apart from their counterparts.
Graphic Content Courtesy the QMJHL
2 Emile Guite F St-Hyacinthe Gaulois: dynamic skating creative power forward who has great offensive instincts, his edge control and agility are incredibly impressive, like many young power forwards, he will have to focus on the other side of the puck and his defensive game to ensure he reaches his full potential at the next level, especially to earn the coaches trust to put him on the ice in key situations when the game is on the line, Guite possesses game breaking qualities and can really take over games with elite offensive instincts and vision and passing ability, his puck skills are off the charts, just needs to bring more urgency to his game at times on the defensive side of the game especially back tracking to pucks
3 Zachary Morin F Detroit Little Ceaser’s: prototypical power forward, skates extremely well for his size, great vision and puck skills, pass first mentality which is great to see, always spots the open teammate, great passer and playmaker, great with the puck in traffic, tons of confidence and poise in those situations, phenomenal pro release, skates well enough and distributes pucks at an elite level to play the middle at the next level, but is definitely a natural when it comes to playing the wing position, his ability to find and accelerate into space and quiet areas of the ice in order to receive the puck is next level stuff which also showcases hockey IQ and awareness for the position and game. Doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas of the ice, complete player who is only going to get better and better with reps and experience at the next level, type of player who will continue to elevate his game when challenged, sky is the limit for this player
4 Matteo Nobert C Lac St-Louis Lions: good skater, high hockey IQ, solid two-way center, great vision and passing ability, will need to get stronger from an upper body perspective to ensure he wins his share of puck battles at the next level, doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas, will need to work on his explosiveness to win more puck races and battles at the next level, good stick in all three zones, great pucks skills and a very solid accurate release, great in the face off dot, tons of potential in this player, will be a solid piece to build around and will sure up the middle for the organization that drafts for many years
5 Alex Huang D St-Eustache Vikings: good skater, good agility, tremendous gap control and stick positioning, takes great routes to pucks, very confident and composed with the puck on his stick, solid puck skills, physical, two-and half zone defender, tremendous release, definitely projects to be a top tier defender almost instantly, jumps into the player very well, has great instincts to do so and really picks and chooses his spots very well, might need to work a little in lateral speed from a pivot perspective in one on one situations to reach his full potential at the next level, he won’t light the world on fire offensively, but he’s another player that can step in almost instantly and make any backend better, will sure up the team who drafts him defensive structure for many years to come
6 Nathan LeCompte C Chateauguay Grenadiers: Fantastic skater, amazing edge work, speed for days, processes the game extremely well, great two-way presence, very good in the face off dot, great stick offensive and defensive instincts, isn’t scared to go to the dirty areas of the ice to create time and space, solid release. Hard and accurate shot, will have to get a touch stronger upper body wise to make sure he wins his share of puck battles at the next level, his offensive instincts and ability to get to the net and create time and space coupled with his grit will definitely translate to the next level almost instantly, this kid is going to be a massive point getter, every time he’s on the ice, he creates and the puck has a way of finding him
7 Cole Chandler C Dartmouth Steel Subaru U18 Solid skater, great puck skills and patience with the puck in all three zones, great hands in tight or in one on one situations, good in the face off dot, great on the forecheck, really hunts down pucks effectively, solid two way player, good vision, good passer and distributor of the puck, Will need to work on some explosiveness to excel and be a top center at the next level, but definitely possesses all the tools to be solid point getter and key contributor at the Q level,
8 Shawn Carrier C Trois-Rivieres Estacades : Good skater and solid edge control, will have to get more explosive to ensure he wins races at the next level, Smart player, good hockey sense, solid playmaker and possesses good individual skills, relentless on the forecheck and in all three zones, hunts pucks, solid two-way presence, good in the face-off dot, good escapability and puck skills in traffic, hard accurate shot, will need to get stronger from an upper body perspective to ensure he excels at the next level and wins puck battles at the center position,
9 Olivier Lampron F St-Eustache Vikings: strong skater, quite agile for his size, good puck skills, good on the half boards in his own zone, power forward potential, plays a heavy gritty two-way game, definitely a player that can play up and down the lineup and fulfill any role or identity when called upon. Possesses a good release, and good hands in tight, as the potential to score a ton of goals by going to dirty areas of the ice every time out.
10 Owen Conrad D Weeks Majors
Saying Owen Conrad has pro potential is a massive understatement. He’s a tremendously strong skater who has solid puck skills, his first pass and vision are off the charts, he transitions pucks extremely well and isn’t afraid to skate the puck out of trouble if needed. His mobility and edge control are amazing for his size and stature, his composure with and without the puck definitely stands out, his ability to make plays along the offensive blue line and instincts to jump into the rush are also outstanding. He has a very good stick in all three zones, His gap control is unique, he will need to refine his first step slightly when skating backwards, but has developed that aspect of his game as the season progressed. The sky’s the limit for this kid, it doesn’t take long to notice you’re watching a future pro when you see Owen Conrad play the game and position, Lists are lists and rankings are rankings, it’s surprising to see Conrad ranked at the 10th position, that’s not taking anything away from others, but Owen Conrad has the potential to go a lot higher in the draft, there’s no question he’s probably a lot higher than that on many QMJHL teams lists and at the end of the day that’s all that matters,
11 William Lacelle G Lac St-Louis Lions Very square netminder, incredibly composed, athletic, and very good technically, challenges the shooter well, down a little early at times, but is extremely quick and agile, good rebound control and solid downlow, will have to continue to work on his recovery, might need some refinement on his blocker side, a very skilled netminder
12 Xavier Villeneuve D Pittsburgh Penguins U15’s : Plays a very similar style to that of Charlottetown Islanders defender Marcus Kearsey, actually Villeneuve is probably more explosive than Kearsey, he’s an extremely gifted skater, very smooth operator when it comes to the transition game, great hands and puck skills, great instincts to jump into the play and join the rush, needs to pick and choose his spots a little better so he doesn’t get caught up ice at the next level, solid gap control and active stick, good release from the point position, will have to get stronger to make sure he wins puck battles below the dots at the next level. Like all young offensive defenders, will have to find the balance between trying to drive offence and taking care of his own zone. Projects to be a full three zone defender at the next level, if he continues to work on his physical aspects of the game
13 Liam Kilfoil F Salisbury Prep Strong skating forward with great offensive instincts, plays a solid two way game, good on the half boards of his zone, great speed and has the ability to play both forward positions, but looks more comfortable on the wing, really hunts pucks down on the forecheck, active stick in all three zones, good vision and solid passer, fantastic release, lethal shot, solid puck skills in traffic, needs to get a little stronger upper body wise so he will be able to bounce off checks in one on one battles downlow,
14 Will Murphy D Kensington Wild Murphy plays a similar style game to that of Drummondville Voltigeurs defender Matteo Rotondi, Murphy isn’t flashy at all, but this kid can really play, Murphy is extremely composed with the puck in all three zones, thinks the game well, and transitions the puck very well, he will need to get a little quicker, more knee bend and a lengthening of his stride might help in that area, He’s extremely engaged in all three zones, great stick positioning and plays the game with tons of grit, he’s tough to play against and plays a in your face style of d-man, Murphy takes a lot of pride in playing the position and game the right way
15 Jonathan Prud’homme D Chateauguay Grenadiers : solid skater, good puck skills and good first pass, great poise on the offensive blueline, creative with the puck, good gap control and very active stick, will have to get a little more explosive to reach his full potential at the next level, but possesses all the tools to be a solid two and half zone defender at the Q level. Needs a little bit more urgency to his game on puck retrieval and taking better routes to pucks, Good instincts to jump into the play, very good heavy shot from the point position, will need to work on getting stronger upper body wise like any young defender making the junior level to ensure he wins one on one battles below the dots and in front of the net.
16 Philippe Veilleux F College Charles Lemoyne Riverains : Highly skilled gritty two-way winger with great speed, doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas of the ice to create time and space for himself, really drives offensive opportunities with his speed and precision on the forecheck, extremely high compete level coupled with great puck skills, thinks the game incredibly well and does everything at top speed, phenomenal release, here’s a player that coaches can trust to put on the ice in any situation, definitely a player that can play up or down the line up, definitely a player that can score and contribute at the next level, given his shot, he will excel as the trigger man on any power play,
17 Zachary Wheeler F Moncton Flyers: Rankings are rankings and lists are lists, some people will say that Zach Wheeler regressed as the season went on, it’s easy to look at faults or negative aspects of a players game especially when scouts have seen a player a lot, With Wheeler playing as an underager and being a key contributor of a National Championship winning team a season ago, some scouts might say they wanted to see Wheeler drive things more this from an offensive side of things and be a more dominant force this season, his point production was very good as expected, but when you’re a player that is called upon to play in every situation imaginable and log astronomical minutes, it’s extremely difficult to bring you’re “A Game” night in night out.
Let’s get one thing straight, Zachary Wheeler is one hell of hockey player, period. He thinks the game at an elite level, has incredible release, competes hard in every one-on-one situation in all three zones, he has an incredible stick and ability to strip players of puck, he’s solid on the forecheck and is a pass first play making forward that distributes pucks very well from the center of the ice. Wheeler played through the middle all season long, which is good that the player has grown accustomed to playing the position, but there’s no question, Wheeler will become a high end elite level point getter from the wing position at the next level.
Wheeler played a ton of hockey over the last calendar year, which probably led to some of his perceived struggles, There’s areas of his game like his skating and strength that the player will definitely work on over the off season that will only make him that much better for the start of the QMJHL season in the fall. Zach Wheeler is a competitor, he’s unrelenting in his pursuit to get better, there’s no shortcuts to his game, again he was asked to play an incredible amount of hockey this season, and really worked on becoming a more complete player, which will server him well stepping into the QMJHL.
It’s always tough for “exceptional” underage players to live up to the hype, Zach Wheeler has generated points at every level, that will certainly continue at the next level and beyond, It’s really unfortunate to see Wheeler drop in some rankings as of late,
People need to continue to consider the complete body of work that player has accomplished over the last two seasons, I think Zachary Wheeler will be an amazing major junior hockey player,
Present performance or projected performance?
Where’s Zachary Wheeler going to be at 19? Probably a dominant elite level scoring winger at the QMJHL level. One can look at any player and pick apart certain aspects of that players game, there are areas of Wheeler’s game that need to improve, I think a lot of people are overlooking this young player’s character, self-awareness, compete level, drive and will to get to the next level and excel, everyone can see the potential and incredible skill of this player, but it’s the intangibles he brings that will continue to set him apart from his counterparts,
18 Jordan Labelle F St-Eustache Vikings : Prototypical power forward, skates well for his size, will have to work on explosiveness and agility in tight areas of the ice to ensure he reaches his full potential at the Q level, hunts pucks on the forecheck, nasty to play against which is great to see, good stick in all three zones, thinks the game well and has good puck skills, Won’t light the world on fire when it comes to the offensive side of the game, but is incredibly reliable and thinks it well enough to play up and down any line up, good passer, north and south type of player that can definitely generate energy and grit to any line up, Labelle is the type of player that brings tons of value when it comes to the intangibles of the game and what it takes to win hockey games at the next level, strong heavy accurate release, will have to work on getting his shot off a little quicker at the next level,
19 Emile Ricard F Magog Cantonniers : speedy gritty two-way winger, who thinks the game very well, high compete level, great on the forecheck, good stick in all three zones, solid on the half boards of the defensive zone, very good puck skills, passing ability and vision, does everything at top speed, energy player extraordinaire, drives offensive opportunities in open ice and definitely has a knack for the net, great release, this kid is engaged from the drop of the puck, always finds a way to get involved, tons of potential and tons of offensive upside, Ricard is going to great things at the next level, can play in any situation
20 Louis-Francois Belanger F College Notre-Dame Albatros : strong skating winger, thinks the game well, good on the forecheck, will need to get stronger upper body wise to reach his full potential at the next level, needs to tighten things up a little in his own zone from a coverage perspective which can be said about a lot of young draft prospects, great speed to the outside, always gets to the net, has a good shot, willing to go to the dirty areas of the ice to create and is a good passer of the puck in high traffic areas on the ice which speaks to his creativity and hockey IQ.
21 Justin Blais College Notre-Dame Albatros LSD
Good skater, good edge control and gap control, active stick in all three zones, good instincts for the position, processes the game very well, jumps into the play effectively, skates well enough to play both sides, but more natural on his strong side good puck skills and first pass, plays the game with grit, will need to get stronger upper body wise to win battles below the dots in his own zone, good release from the backend, needs some work on fitting pucks through with accuracy, but all young defenders need to work on that aspect of their game,
22 Luke Foley Valley Wildcats LSF Good skater for his size, plays a solid two-way game, good puck skills, needs to continue to work on playing in traffic, good passer and vision, processes the game well, prototypical power forward, like all power forwards, needs to keep his feet going and be active and engaged in all three zones to reach his full potential at the next level, good on the forecheck has a long reach, has a good release, energy player with offensive upside, has the skill and ability to play in a top 6 role at 18 and 19 at the next level.
23 Elliot Dube College Notre-Dame Albatros LSF: strong skating forward, power forward potential, plays with tons of energy and grit, decent in the faceoff dot, good puck skills and distributes pucks well, needs to work on quickness and explosiveness, good shot, has a knack for getting to the net, tons of potential here if he continues to refine his skating, definitely could play the wing as well and might started there and then get moved to the middle halfway through the season, projects to be a solid checking line two-way center with offensive upside, could definitely contribute on any power play downlow or net front presence, has good hands in tight
24 Olivier Groulx Chateauguay Grenadiers LSF : strong skater, will need to improve his quickness and first step, especially when he receives the puck on regroups and open ice to reach his full potential at the next level, good two-way winger, good on the halfboards and in one on one battles, good puck skills, solid in traffic in the offensive zone, here’s a kid that could put up big numbers and be a strong power forward if he refines his skating at the next level, has a good quick accurate release,
25 Bo Damphousse Lac St-Louis Lions RSD: processes the game very well, He’s an extremely efficient and effective transitional defender. He has good edges and mobility; he has solid puck skills and doesn’t panic with the puck in all three zones, He takes good routes to pucks and picks and choses the right times to jump into the rush. Good gap control, and good stick, It’s all about getting stronger and making sure he can win one on one puck battles against bigger opponents, projects to be a solid two-zone shutdown defender, has a good shot from the point, but isn’t going to light the world on fire offensively, he’s not that type of defender, he will lock things down and be tough to play against in your face defender at 18 and 19 at the Q level.
26 Samuel Meloche Chateauguay Grenadiers LCG : solid technique, square to the shooter, very agile and moves well, challenges the shooter and cuts down the angle well, down a little early at times, good lateral mobility, battles hard in there, good compete, solid rebound control, but that aspect of his game does need some refinement, solid glove and good downlow,
27 Drew Allison South Kent Selects LSD: Strong skating defender that can play both sides of the ice, good gap control and puck mover, good puck skills, projects to be a solid two and half zone transitional defender at the next level, good offensive instincts, processes the game very well and knows when to pick and choose his spots, will need to get stronger upper body wise to win more battles, defends well, needs to add a little grit and edge to his game while defending below the dots, good shot from the point and distributes pucks well in all three zones, tons of potential here, smart player that knows the position and game very well,
28 Brady Peddle Bishops Kearney Selects LSD: very good skater, good edges, needs to work on getting pivots a touch quicker in one on one situations, needs to get stronger upper and lower body wise, but that will come with age, good stick, skates well enough to play both sides, but seems more natural on the right, solid gap control, takes good routes to pucks on puck retrieval solid first pass, confident with the puck in all three zones, defends well and does have an element of grit and push back to his game which needs to come to the surface more often at times while defending.
29 Zachary Hachey LSD College Charles-Lemoyne Riverains: shutdown stay at home defender, solid puck skills and good gap control, active stick, needs to work on his skating, pivots and lateral mobility to reach his full potential at the next level, can play both sides, but better suited to be on his strong side, good shot from the point position, can definitely play a nasty in your face style of game, but definitely needs to work on his skating ability and quickness to be able to close in punish opponents coming out of the corners.
30 Anthony Allain-Samake LSD Ottawa Senators U18 AAA: phenomenal skating transitional defender, good puck skills, good gap control, will have to get stronger upper body wise to be able to handle stronger heavier players at the next level, he is winning puck battles with skating ability and edge control right now and has great escapability, great poise with the puck when under pressure in all three zones, good shot from the point, when this kid gets stronger, look out he will be a dynamic two and a half zone defender at the next level,
31 Jabez Seymour RSD South Kent Selects Academy: Prototypical power forward in the making, good skater for his size, very agile and possesses great puck skills, great in traffic and extremely effective on the forecheck, could be a dynamic force at the Q level if he gets a touch quicker and more explosive, great shot, drives the net incredible well, creates time and space for himself and teammates, plays with a ton of grit and on the edge, good stick and is responsible in his own zone, will have to refine some aspects of defensive game to excel at the next level in a top 6 role, solid on the halfboards, great hands in tight,
32 Lucas Beckman LCG Laval-Montreal Rousseau Royal
Solid technically, square to the shooter, plays deep in his net, moves well laterally, will have to get a touch quicker to reach full potential at the next level, pretty solid downlow, needs to tighten up that area, good rebound control, but like all young netminders needs to refine that aspect of his game, good compete and battle, tons of potential here, needs to get stronger which will help his quickness and movements, needs to challenge more and fight for space from perimeter shots.
33 Tyson Goguen RSF South Kent Selects: powerful skating scoring winger, phenomenal release, highly accurate as well, processes the game very well, knows how to find the soft or quiet areas of the ice and can bury and execute, lethal shot, can play both positions, but definitely projects to be a high scoring top 6 winger at the next level, great vision, great passer, brings tons of energy, hunts pucks on the forecheck, good stick, needs to get a little stronger upper body wise, but is definitely Q ready and can step in and contribute offensively right away, needs to tighten up some aspects of his defensive play, but that will come with reps and experience,
34 Nathan Wright RSD College Esther-Blodin Phenix: good skater, agility and mobility, good gap control, active stick in all three zones, needs to get stronger to ensure he wins puck battles, but definitely plays with an edge and grit, solid puck skills, but needs to show more confidence and patience with the puck,
Processes the game well, but just needs to take his time and hang on to it a little longer, takes good routes to pucks on retrieval, and skates well enough to beat the first man on the forecheck or make them miss, solid passer, projects to be a solid two zone defender at the next level, good shot from the point,
35 Robin Benoit RSD Bakersfield Roughnecks Premiere: strong skating winger, not a flashy skater, but from point A to B can get there, good speed, good puck skills, reliable two-way winger, Playing junior in the USPHL, against older players at 15, doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas, good release, good hands in tight, processes the game very well, needs to get a touch stronger, but can definitely step into the Q and contribute, a player that can definitely play any style and can play up and down any line up
36 Nathan Quinn RSD College Charles-Lemoyne Riverains
Very good skating two-way center/winger, processes the game well, good puck skills, distributes pucks effectively and efficiently, can play both forward positions, looks more comfortable playing through the middle, will have to get stronger to ensure he wins puck battles if he plays through the middle at the next level, type of player coaches trust to play in any situation, great release, great one timer and very very accurate,
37 Maddox Labre LSD Ecole Secondaire Chene-Blue M18 D1: solid skater, good mobility for his size, great puck skills, raw talent here, needs to work on his explosiveness and agility to reach his full potential, but has the capability to be a lockdown stay at home two-zone defender. Great first pass, good gap control, Tons of potential here for this player,
38 Alexis Fortin LSD Lanaudiere Pionniers M17 AAA: strong skating defender, good mobility and edges, good lateral mobility for his size, needs to continue to work on his pivots, very active stick, plays with an edge, skates well enough to play both sides, probably better suited for the strong side at the junior level, solid puck skills, will have to work on that area and gain a little more confidence in that aspect of his game to reach his full potential at the next level, but that will come with reps and experience, good skater, but will continue to work on his explosiveness or first step, solid routes to pucks on retrieval, tons of potential here for this player as well, if he continues to trend and work on certain aspects of his game,
39 Rory Pilling LSF Rothesay Netherwood: Skilled gritty two-way forward, great skating ability, good hands, plays well in traffic, hunts pucks down on the forecheck, needs to get stronger, but isn’t shy to go to the dirty areas to create time and space for himself and teammates, can definitely play both forward positions with relative ease, natural center though, projects to be a strong two-way center at the next level, if he continues to trend in the direction he’s heading, solid release, processes the game very well,
40 Carter Arnold LCG East Coast Blizzard: solid technically, very square to the shooter, good mobility, a little deep at times, needs to telescope out a touch more frequently, incredibly confident and comfortable playing the puck up to defenders which is rare trait these days, needs to work on his lateral quickness, great compete and battle between the pipes, solid rebound control, good glove and good downlow,
41 Louis-Alex Tremblay RSD Seminaire St-Francois Blizzard
Good skater and two-way presence, good first pass, processes the game well, solid puck skills, good composure and confidence with the puck in all three zones, very active stick, good gap control, projects to be a solid two-zone defender, not flashy at all, takes pride in playing the position and game the right way, has a good shot from the point position, needs some work on getting pivots on puck retrieval quicker and more explosive, solid foundation of skill, won’t light the world on fire offensively, but is the type of 5th or 6th defender that can lock things down at the next level, doesn’t backdown from the dirty areas given his size, solid compete level, willing to take a hit to make a play
42 Benjamin Amyot LSD Chateauguay Grenadiers verygood skater and transitional two-way defender, good first pass, processes the game very well, good vision, can play both sides of the ice, looks more comfortable on the right side, no panic in his game, tons of composure with the puck, plays with an element of grit, good shot from the point, shoots with purpose and fits pucks through,
43 Julien Bonnet LSD St-Hyacinthe Gaulois: Good skater, solid pivots and gap control, needs some work on the explosive side of things, but that will come with more strength and reps at higher levels, active stick, good first pass, good compete level and grit to his game, solid two way presence, good release from the backend, good puck skills, obviously not going to bring a ton of offence and doesn’t need to, he projects to be a shutdown, stay at home defender
44 Anthony Flanagan RSF College Esther-Blondin Phenix Strong skating forward, good speed, has the ability to play both positions, projects to be a solid middle six energy winger at the Jr level, hunts pucks on the forecheck, responsible two-way winger, active stick in all three zones, processes the game very well, goes to the dirty areas of the ice, Will have to get stronger upper body wise if he wants to play through the middle at the Jr. level, skates well enough to play there, solid heavy release and accurate shot, good puck skills in traffic and good quick release,
45 Jayden Lazare RSD Lac St-Louis Lions: solid skater, good gap control, needs some work on his pivots, getting quicker from a lateral mobility perspective, but he does have a good foundation, good puck skills and composure with the puck in all three zones, solid two way defender, good shot from the point position, raw talent here, but definitely some good talent here, won’t light the world on fire offensively, transitions pucks well, great composure on the offensive blueline, needs to work on getting more pucks through especially when taking slapshots,
46 Olivier Duhamel RSD College Charles-Lemoyne Riverains: Solid skater, good pivots and mobility, thinks the game well, good instincts offensively to jump into the rush when needed, good gap control, active stick in all three zones, willing to take a hit to make a play, plays with some grit, good puck skills and patient with the puck especially along the offensive blueline, can quarterback a power play at the U18 level, has the skating ability and mind to do it at the Q level as well, needs to get stronger and more assertive at times, good shot from the point position,
47 Antoine Pilotte LSF Laval-Montreal Royal: good skating winger, energy player, reliable two-way presence, can play in any situation, active stick, good on the forecheck, thinks the game well, solid puck skills, needs to get stronger and a touch quicker to be even more effective in a checking/energy line role at the next level, not a flashy prospect by any means, takes pride in playing the game and position the right way, good shot, needs to get to the middle more frequently, so a little more engaged at time would be good to see, those aspects of his game will improve as he gets stronger,
48 Connor Sturgeon LSD Moncton Flyers
Sturgeon has all the tools to be an effective shutdown nasty two-zone defender at the next level, critics will key in on his skating as a weakness, he does need some work on his mobility and agility from a backward skating perspective, but let’s look at all the positives he brings to the table, he has a good stick, great shot from the point, solid gap control, At 6’3, he moves very well for his size, he has a good first step, is a very good forward skater, good vision and good first pass,
From a gap control perspective that area needs some refinement, but you could say that about a lot of young defenders, At times his positioning, routes to pucks and pivots are problematic which causes him to get caught in between especially in the neutral zone, Critics will say this is caused by his skating, getting caught in between is problematic playing against speedy opponents, on the surface that’s perhaps why his skating doesn’t look the greatest at times, he needs more knee bend and needs to work on his backward skating agility and pivots, but again this kid has tons of potential, Some of his games and performances throughout the season were outstanding, others were a struggle, a less is more approach and small refinements in his game and skating will definitely serve him well at the next level, he will excel within a shutdown role at the Jr level, he will bring a ton of value to any team that selects him, he’s skilled enough with the puck to be on the weakside for the power play to set up for one timers, he’s a good penalty killer with a good stick, scouting is all about projecting and developing, where will Connor Sturgeon be at 18, 19 and 20? There’s tons of potential here and that’s what matters most.
49 Logan Quinn RSD Pictou Weeks Majors Quinn is very solid defensive prospect, good pucks skills and solid first pass and gap control, he has a good stick in all three zones, Quinn is a powerful raw skater, he will have to continue to refine his edges and agility, but you can tell he’s invested in getting better every day. Less is more for many young defenders and Quinn meets that criteria as well, when he simplifies his game he’s very effective, he processes the game well and has the potential to be a nasty shutdown two-zone defender. He has a solid shot from the blueline. There are flashes of his game that really jump off the page, which shows great potential, less is more right now for Quinn, this player has tons of potential and is trending in amazing trajectory, he could surprise a lot of teams on draft day, and become a steal for any team. Logan Quinn possesses the intangibles to be a very effective defensive prospect at the next level, there’s be solid progression in his game throughout the season which is the critical factor in projecting his full potential.
50 Eddy Doyle LSD Kensington Wild: Eddy Doyle could surprise a lot of people and teams. Critics will look at his size and strength as a potential drawback, but this kid can really play, he thinks the game very well, does everything at top speed, he can definitely be a solid transitional two-way defender at the Q level. Eddy skates very well, just needs to get stronger so he can win his share of puck battles downlow at the Jr level, he transitions pucks well, knows when to jump into the rush and support it, he also knows when to lug the puck and can skate out of trouble, needs to work on closing the gap at times and getting more engaged with his stick below the dots in his zone, but that will come with more reps and experience, you can tell this kid loves the game and is committed in getting better and better every day, here’s another player that delt with an injury this season, which shouldn’t be held against him, this kid is driven to get better and reach his full potential
51 Olivier Bertrand Metcalfe RSF St-Eustache Vikings Strong skating two-way center, energy player, good speed and a very active stick, hunts pucks on the forecheck, good puck skills, solid in traffic, good in the faceoff dot, jumps to open ice, can find those areas of the ice, hard working forward, skates well, but will have to get a little quicker and more agile to reach his full potential playing in the middle at the Q level, relentless work ethic, can play in any situation, another great example of the size of a player holding him back in some people’s minds, this kid can really play and probably could be ranked a lot higher, he will need to get stronger, but could be a very effective player at both positions at the Jr level,
52 Charles Desmet RSF St-Eustache Vikings : strong skating winger, two-way presence, energy player, hunts pucks on the forecheck, very effective on the forecheck, solid puck skills, ok in traffic might need some refinement in that area, processes the game well, good passer, good hands in tight, can play both positions, projects to be a solid two-way winger or a bottom six checking/energy center at the next level, good heavy release, can definitely step in right now in a bottom six role and contribute, he’s physically ready to contribute, skates well enough and brings energy
53 Noah Collette LSD Moncton Flyers
Noah Collette is great skater, puck mover, offensive transitional two and half zone defender with the potential to be a full three zone defender at the next level, he does need some work on this defensive side of things, but you could say that about every other defender in this years draft, he has a great stick, at this point it’s all about getting stronger and taking good routes to pucks on puck retrieval which he does, a late season injury probably kept some people from seeing him vs top end similar talent, which is unfortunate, especially when some people perhaps moved him down their lists or “rankings” because of it, which is total bull shit if you ask me, this kid can flat out play, just needs to keep working on his positioning and intensity on the defensive end of things so he can reach his full potential at the junior level and beyond, Will have to continue to use his smarts and know how to use leverage and his stick to his advantage to win battles at the next level, which will come with more reps and experience, this aspect of his game was also naturally occurring throughout the season based on his hockey IQ
Collette does have a lot of similar traits to that of Lukas Cormier, but it’s incredibly hard and perhaps unfair to make comparisons like that for any young player. It’s ok to say he plays a similar style to that of Cormier, but not the exact same as Cormier, that’s just not fair. Noah Collette is Noah Collette and he is trying to forge his own path within the game, His skating is exceptional, his processing of the game and overall skill set is off the charts, his edge control and agility are second to none, he has an excellent first pass, and has great instincts when to jump into the play and drive offence, he has an active stick in the D zone, but I would like to see him engage more and close in on players in one on one battles below the dots in his own zone. He has a great shot, and composure on the offensive blueline,
Obviously, one perceived notion that might be holding Collette back would be the perceived lack of size, His smarts, skating and edges are so good that he wins battles in all three zones based on that his skill, it’s evident he will have to get stronger to reach his maximum potential at the next level, but clearly I wouldn’t bet against Noah Collette, because this kid is driven to get better and better,
54 Logan Roop LSF Pictou Weeks Majors: solid skating winger, good feet for his size, two-way presence, reliable player, can play in any situation, good hands and puck skills, good in traffic, needs to get stronger which will help his explosiveness from a skating perspective and being stronger on the puck in one on one battles, no question has power forward potential, needs to drive the net more and get to the middle with more regularity and consistency, great passer of the puck, tons of potential here, processes the game very well and finds quiet areas of the offensive zone and bury from those areas because of his shot,
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