So, this week has been pretty interesting. Saturday will cap off a 7-day stretch that was nothing short of epic for the QMJHL, starting with Saint John’s Memorial Cup win on Sunday and ending with the midget draft on Saturday morning. Throw in a team folding, a dispersal draft, a Memorial/President’s Cup parade and rally, and more in the middle and it’s been one of the busiest weeks of the year for the league.
There shouldn’t be any surprise attached to the first name called on Saturday. Cole Harbour’s Nathan MacKinnon will be the first pick, for good reason, but it’s not entirely clear where he ends up. Baie-Comeau holds the first pick and have never wavered from their intention of picking MacKinnon, despite not receiving a commitment from him to this point. A draft day trade is possible, perhaps putting Halifax or Rimouski in a position to pick him. The Drakkar may indeed pick him and if he still refuses to report, ship him elsewhere before training camp.
I had the chance to see MacKinnon play multiple times at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax in February, along with a handful of other prospects who figure to don new jerseys on Saturday. Here are my thoughts on some of the top players that really stood out to me as we head into the draft:
Nathan MacKinnon – CSR #1 – RW – Shattuck St. Mary’s (US Prep)
One MacKinnon shift is enough to convince anyone that he’s a remarkable hockey player. He has an array of tools that would make Batman jealous, and makes his presence felt every time he steps on the ice. He has explosive speed that set him apart from virtually everyone else at the Canada Games, and he knows when to use it to get into scoring positions or reach loose pucks. He’s very sturdy on his skates, and is more than ready to engage the opposition physically to win puck battles. He has great puck skills, a killer shot, and the vision and hockey sense to make terrific plays. He is the total package, and will likely turn the Q on its head starting next year, in one city or another.
Jonathan Drouin – CSR #2 – C – Lac St. Louis (QC AAA)
Drouin didn’t have a particularly great Canada Games. He still picked up six points in six games, but he wasn’t as impressive as some of his teammates who are ranked lower. He is a diminutive but very flashy forward. He has terrific hands and can make defenders look foolish with both his moves and his speed. I found that a lot of his rushes, while spectacular, would end with one too many moves and a turnover, with no significant scoring chance resulting from it. Small sample size, of course, so take it with a grain of salt. He was terrific in Midget AAA all year.
Anthony Duclair – CSR #3 – C – Lac St. Louis (QC AAA)
Duclair, in my eyes, is the second best prospect available. He has great vision and can put the puck in the net, and has a great two-way game as well. He works tremendously hard and was one of the most impressive players throughout the Canada Games, with nine points in six games en route to a silver medal for Quebec. Problem is, he appears committed to the NCAA route, which is a shame since he could step in and be an impact player in the QMJHL immediately.
Jeremy Gregoire – CSR #4 – C – Magog (QC AAA)
Gregoire captained Team Quebec at the Canada Games, and showed off an impressive two-way game. He took care of most of the defensive responsibilities on his high-scoring line, but still chipped in with some big goals, finishing with five goals and six points in six games. He doesn’t possess the high-end offensive game that the first three may have, but he’ll be a guy who can get it done at both ends of the rink in the Q.
Anthony De Luca – CSR #7 – W – St. Eustache (QC AAA)
I came away extremely impressed with De Luca’s game. He’s small, but built like a fire hydrant, listed around 5’8 and 190 lbs. He uses that strong core strength very well down low, fighting for pucks along the boards. He created a ton of offense by banging pucks loose and throwing them to one of his linemates, Duclair and Gregoire, and finished with 10 points in six games. That type of game likely won’t be as effective against bigger, stronger opposition in the Q, but he is a very hard working player and should still make an impact. He also appears bound for college, though.
Some quick hits on a number of other players that I got a few looks at:
Guillaume Gauthier – CSR #5 – C – St. Eustache (QC AAA)
Gauthier had six points in six games for Quebec, but was an absolutely critical piece in their journey to the gold medal game. He scored shootout winners in both their opening game and the semi-final, as all but one of Quebec’s wins came in the skills competition.
Alexandre Belanger – CSR #6 – G – Magog (QC AAA)
His numbers weren’t great, but he still finished with a 3-1 record and stood tall in the shootout on several occasions. Likely to be a franchise goalie in the Q.
Justin Guenette – CSR #9 – St. Eustache (QC AAA)
Offensive defenseman who can bomb it from the point. Scored two huge powerplay goals in the semi-finals against Alberta.
Fredrik Gauthier – CSR #10 – C – Esther-Blondin (QC AAA)
Just a huge kid at 6’4 who plays a strong two-way game. He’ll throw his weight around as well, as you could imagine.
Bronson Beaton – CSR #11 – W – Pictou (NSMMHL)
The only player on Nova Scotia who was really able to keep up with MacKinnon at almost all times. He plays a gritty game and has a nose for the net. And an awesome name.
Ryan Graves – CSR #15 – D – South Shore (NSMMHL)
A hulking shutdown defenseman who is adept at separating his man from the puck and getting a bit physical.
Ryan Falkenham – CSR #38 – W – Halifax (NSMMHL)
Centered MacKinnon for much of the games. Extremely hard worker, can probably step in as a checker/energy player immediately. Captained team Nova Scotia.
Jacob Fancy – CSR #46 – G – Halifax (NSMMHL)
His numbers were poor, but he had many shining moments, keeping Nova Scotia closer than they should have been in many games. Tended to get shaken and give up quick goals.
Cole Murphy – CSR #49 – W – Dartmouth (NSMMHL)
Hard worker, chipped in some offense with seven points in seven games. Has some offensive talent but more likely to be a bottom-6 type.
Thomas Stavert – CSR #59 – W – Notre Dame (Sask AAA)
Had a very strong offensive showing for PEI with nine points in six games, albeit against weak competition in the C Division.
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Those are just some of the players that I noticed. Quebec was stacked with a lot of high-ranked kids, but I didn’t get a great read on a lot of the players who were used in smaller roles. It should be great drama, especially when it comes to MacKinnon, at the draft. Hopefully this helped you get primed.
Photo credit: Halifax Mooseheads Twitter
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