Critics are very quick to point out a perceived lack of production when it comes to overagers across the QMJHL, especially if they are not flashy or a top point getter. There hasn’t been a lot of fan fair, attention or press surrounding the Moncton Wildcats three overagers this season.
Olivier Boutin, Oscar Plandowski and Connor Trenholm are about as low maintenance players as there could be. This amazing trio of leaders and savvy QMJHL veterans have never craved attention or recognition, they just punch in every day and go to work. Boutin, Plandowski and Trenholm are fierce character players that play the game the right way every time they lace them up. When it comes to the critics, they never take into consideration the situations overagers are put in or the roles they are expected to take on or assigned.
From an offensive standpoint, Plandowski has already surpassed a career high in points, while Boutin is only two points away from eclipsing his career best of 36 points. Plandowski and Boutin have probably seen perhaps less than one percentage of power play time this season for the Wildcats. Again, that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of running a power play, that just means they haven’t been put in that role. Boutin and Plandowski are no doubt averaging close to 25 plus minutes a game. Eating massive minutes on the backend is something that these two defenders are accustomed to and they also looked upon to provide grit and physicality.
As for Trenholm, he hasn’t seen any power play time this season at all as well, he’s 14 points away from eclipsing his career high from a season ago but has been asked to take on a completely different role this season than last. The 2022 Memorial Cup Champion has played every conceivable forward position with seemingly every player in the Cats forward group this year for Dan Lacroix. Obviously, Trenholm is a lot more than just a “utility player” he’s a heart and soul player and outstanding leader that has always put the team first instead of individual success just like Boutin and Plandowski.
It’s never been about points or offence with this trio, but clearly, they are more than capable of generating more offence if called upon or if assigned a more significant or specific offensive role.
897, that’s how many QMJHL games of experience is shared amongst this trio.
(Trenholm 290 Plandowski 315, Boutin 292)
Coming down the stretch and heading into the playoffs, we could all assume Lacroix will elect to use his overagers in even more important roles to ensure the Cats have success. With all of the experience and diversified and key roles that this trio has taken on over their time in the league there’s still an element of untapped potential that still exists with Olivier Boutin, Oscar Plandowski and Connor Trenholm.
Right place, right time, right situation. That’s what having key overagers in your lineup is all about.
Quiet leaders setting out on their final stretch of their junior careers, Olivier Boutin, Connor Trenholm and Oscar Plandowski still have so much to offer the Moncton Wildcats. Quiet leaders, low maintenance, heart and soul players the Wildcats overage trio will be there when it matters most for a team with very high expectations.
FDS Sports Blog 