Some Random Thoughts

Rather than focus on one specific point, I figured best to go over everything that has happened since the last post. And so, here we go....

Playoffs

- First, a big tip of the hat to the Châteauguay Patriotes for their courageous playoff performance. Short on size but big on heart, they kept working and working and working no matter what the obstacle. In what would prove to be their last game, they came back from a 3rd period deficit against the Collège Antoine-Girouard, only to see the Gaulois score the game winner on a fluke play in the closing seconds. They truly deserved a better faith, and the quality of the team bond was not lost on those in attendance. Congrats Patriotes.

- This year's Cinderella story was the Lac St-Louis Lions. Driven by the strong performances of their 15 year-olds (and ok, a veteran or two), they far exceeded expectations, particularly in eliminating the Collège Charles-Lemoyne Riverains. Defenseman (and I use the term losely, as he spent the finals on the wing) Michael Matheson cemented his status as a first round draft pick, and an early pick at that. His consistent progression throughout the season was very, very impressive and he ended the season as not just a good player, but a dominant one.

- Dillon Fournier justified why I have him so high in my rankings, being an anchor on that blue line. He's got size, smarts, mobility, puck skills, hockey sense and I feel he still has some untapped potential. A terrific prospect.

- How did the QMJHL's CSR rank Patrick Walsh as a second round prospect, I'll never know. This guy is money, but seems to get little respect from the CSR (most notably, being handed a jersey with his name mispelled at the CSR Challenge). Remains as the top Quebec prospect amongst forwards as fas as I'm concerned.

- Gaulois defenseman Simon Desmarais' play was solid all through the playoffs, and he was employed in all situations. While not a quarterback, he's rock solid in his own end and will be ready to step into a QMJHL line-up next season. He should be a second round prospect, but I feel teams are hoping to steal him in the third or higher.

- Defensive forward Sébastien Sylvestre got the 'Rodney Dangerfield' treatment in being ranked in the 9th to 12th status by the CSR, but was a vital part to the Gaulois' playoff success. He could always be counted on for superior performance on the penalty kill and chipped in some timely goals for his team.

- The Collège Antoine-Girouard's championship doesn't really come as a surprise, as they were the best team in the league. They were physically too big and too strong for the rest of the teams. That level of physical maturity is really what set them apart. They were even winning games without playing 60 minutes of hockey, as whenever they needed a goal, they could charge up and get it. Game 4 against the Lions in the finals is the only game I can remember them needing a goal and not getting it. This ability to win games this way probably turned out to be the best and worst thing that could happen to them, as on one hand, it meant they could always walk away with a win, and on the other, in brought about a lack of attention to detail. I know their coaching staff enjoys saying they bring attention to detail in their program, but when you compare to what Marc-André Dumont was doing in Châteauguay before, the Gaulois really don't. And while it won them a league championship, it probably cost them the TELUS Cup.

CSR Challenge

- Luca Ciampini: While some were criticizing his inability to answer the question marks, I say nonsense to that. By now, you should know what kind of player he is, i.e., a goal scorer with all the tools. He may not be a franchise player, but I don't recall the Flyers ever complaining about what they got out of John LeClair, and Ciampini will be competing for the league lead in goals pretty quickly.

- Marc Biega: Consider me officially off the bandwagon. After seeing him show some competitive drive all the way to the finals, the hockey world also got to see him show a complete lack of desire in the finals, of all places. The coaching staff kept throwing him out there, because they really needed him, and all too often he just refused to compete. He basically saw a better team on the other side of the ice and conceded defeat. To then see him not compete again at the CSR Challenge (and wearing one of his brother's Harvard equipment at a QMJHL event) proved just how much of an inflated ego he now has. He's got talent, the game comes easy to him, but if I was going to war, I wouldn't want him in the foxhole next to me.

- Mathieu Lemay: He had a really good showing. Pretty much everybody always seems to put teammate Christophe Lalonde ahead, but he showed that while Lalonde was ahead at the start of the year, Lemay is the leading one at the end.

- Raphael Lafontaine: The Gatineau forward impressed (a lot!) with the improvements in his skating. I can distinctively remember a game earlier in the year where he rarely ever got there, but now he was flying all over the ice, and zooming past Maxime St-Cyr in the rankings.

- Julien Lepage: Already filled with lots of potential, he had a strong showing that could put him in the first round. One of the players with the most to gain with extra strenght (currently at 157 pounds), he proved he has the talent for junior, and with the extra muscle masse he'll put on in the coming seasons, he'll be a force to be reckoned with.

- Maxime St-Cyr: A disppointing showing, sadly. Already had a lot of question marks to answer because of his lack of size & speed, but now it's hard to see him going before the fourth round. Stock is sinking ....

- Victor Provencher: The tank that everybody seems to love (and with tools like that, it's understandable), but I worry about how much he does accomplish. He's a reliable player, no question about it, but he's looking more like a strong supporting cast player rather than the central piece everyone seems to make him to be.

- Loic Leduc: The 6'4 Midget Espoir defenseman had a very strong showing. Playing that way against players in Midget AAA while he himself having been in Midget Espoir says a lot of good things about him. The second round is looking more and more like a possibility for him.

- Jonathan-Ismael Diaby: Having only limited viewings of him, he was a player with lots of upside earlier in the year. Well, to his credit, a lot of that upside has come out during the season, and he no longer looks like a player in need of polishing. A very impressive campaign.

- Mackenzie Vézina: Another who had a strong showing that just may leap him ahead a round or two.

- Jérémy Fraser: A man amongst boys, his level of physical strenght is just off the charts. But I'm still not as sold as I would want to be on his hockey sense. It's not bad, but not great either. There are also durability concerns with him, so, were I drafting in the first round, I'd hope somebody ahead of me takes him.

- PEI Rocket: And finally, I have to jeer PEI's scouting staff, all of whom had left the CSR Challenge before the conclusion of the last game, and I don't mean when there were 5 minutes to go, I'm talking with 20 minutes + left. I just find it a complete lack of profesionnalism on their part.

Rankings - Forwards

So it's now time to have a look at the forwards. Sadly, I wasn't able to beat the CSR to the punch, but, it will allow me to comment on where they had their guys versus me. As stated earlier, Collège Esther-Blondin and Collège Notre-Dame only had limited views, so for the former, I go with what I have, and for the ladder, I prefer not speak rather than speak of ignorance.

If nothing else, you certainly are getting an independant opinion.

Forwards

1) Patrick Walsh - LSL

It's unbelievable to me that anybody would have him anywhere but as the top ranked forward. He's money in all three zones.

2) Frédéric Gamelin - CHA

A dynamic offensive force with terrific vision. Made Ciampini a better player.

3) Luca Ciampini - CHA

Certainly the most hyped prospect is the draft. The Hockey News already had him as one of the top 5 prospects for his NHL Draft. I agree that he is quite a prospect with all the tools, but, for the duration of the playoffs, he only got going once Gamelin did. Once in motion, he was a force, but he wasn't visible as long as his centerman wasn't.

4) Nicolas Dionne - AMO

A very skilled forward who can step right in. He would fit terrificly well on a team a little further ahead in its development curve.

5) Charles Hudon - STE

Terrific hands and speed, but can be a little shy about going into traffic.

6) Maxime St-Cyr - TR

Like a grand master chess player, sees the game two or three moves ahead. Just has terrific hockey sense to compliment very smooth hands. Definitely lacks in size, but with his eyes, he'll play around the problem. I predict he'll progress into junior the same way Brent Aubin did... a rough start but will lead his team in scoring by the end.

7) Marc-Olivier Roy - STE

I might be the only person in the world who has him this high, but he's an explosive skater who can play in all situations. He may not score, but he'll help you in a lot of other ways. Plus, he's one of the players who most needs to gain strenght, so when he does, look out...

8) Louick Marcotte - CCL

Hard to pinpoint a specific skill that sets him apart but he puts it all together very well. Most likely will be a headache free player that will play in the Top 6.

9) Mathieu Lemay - STE

I just love his potential. He'll need some seasoning, but down the line, you're looking at a player who will contribute in all three zones.

10) Victor Provencher - CCL

Built like a tank. Small, but very powerful and hits like a ton of bricks. Junior ready, but I wonder how much better he can become, seeing as he is already so strong.

11) Alexandre Larouche - SSF

An ongoing project. He didn't 'wow' anybody last year, but really contributed offensively this season. He really needs to keep getting stronger but there's a lot of hockey in that frame of his and it is slowly coming out. Players that tall tend to need a little more time for their coordination to catch up to them. Took a huge step forward in his development this season.

12) Raphael Lafontaine - GAT*

A playmaker plain and simple, but not the fastest guy around.

13) Angelo Miceli - LM

An upgrade but almost a clone of teammate Emilio Audi. Small guy, great hands, great vision, good straightaway speed but lacks the ability to change directions. Audi was a top scorer this season, and Miceli will certainly be that if he comes back next season, but I wouldn't expect him to put up big numbers in junior until after he's old enough to vote.

14) Félix Chamberland - LEV

One of the bigger player's available who can move and also has good hockey sense. May not be more than a 3rd liner, but a 3rd liner who helps out you a lot.

15) Sébastien Carré - SSF

Passed over in last year's draft, but I really like this player. He was regularly put on a line with the worst players on his team and he just carried them. He's also very good in his own end. Should be killing penalties in no time.

16) Dwayne-Bradley Tessier - AMO

He's got good size, good wheels and makes good reads. Should be a middle range 3rd liner.

17) Félix-Antoine Bergeron - TR

The hardest worker in the draft, bar none. He has a motor that won't quit and he should make a junior roster on that ability alone. He's small, but speedy and certainly not afraid. An energy player at worst.

18) Alexandre Poulin - SSF*

Not much offense left, but Poulin should be a 3rd liner that can chip in every now and then. Defensively aware, can skate well and he's got good size.

19) Charles Poulin - LEV

A little small, but certainly not shy about using his shoulders.

20) Olivier Caouette - MAG

A poor man's version of Victor Provencher. Plays the same game, but needs to add more strenght.

21) Sébastien Sylvestre - CAG

A defensive forward who can chip in offensively. Very silently goes about his thing, yet so reliable. Ready to step in right away.

22) Samuel Courtemanche - MAG

I might be the only person to have him this high, but he can be hard to get a read on. He's got good wheels and sound defensive positionning, however, the puck never seems to come to him. Too bad, because he does have surprinsingly good puck skills.

23) Christophe Déry - STE

A defensive forward who would rank a little higher if he were a little bigger.

24) Michael Gagnon - JON

May be a steal or a complete bust. On the one hand, he has very good hands and makes things happen offensively. I can remember a period vs LM where he created a scoring chance on every shift. But, his entire game lacks another gear and you wonder if he'll be able to step it up for the higher ranks.

25) Ryan Eardley - LSL

The Lions best penalty killer not named Walsh. Better upper body movement (which is pretty easy to fix) would give him a little more speed. Having a solid playoff.

26) Jérémy Carignan - AMO

Not the biggest guy, but a hard worker with good wheels. Defensively responsible.

27) Toliver Bergeron - CHA

Burried behind the stars on his team, but silently played the wing on the first line. Needs to raise his game to play in the Top 6 in junior. May only be able to play such a role on a rebuilding team.

28) Christophe Lalonde - STE

Always uses the shortest route into corners no matter what and works very hard. I'm still not sold though, as he doesn't accomplish as much as I'd hope.

29) Philip Zielonka - LSL

Another forward in the Brent Aubin mold. Skating sadly lacks another gear, but has the hands and eyes to make good things happen.

30) William Cochrane - CEB*

31) Samuel Hodhod - CHA

When he's on his game, you see a dynamic forward. When he's off his game, you see a very, very small forward.

32) Simon Tremblay - JON

A lower end goal scorer. He has a touch around the net, but the rest of his game may not be elevated enough for junior hockey.

33) Thomas Gobeil - CAG

A competitor who helps out in his own end, but doesn't 'wow' you with anything.

34) Érik Longtin - MAG

He's got decent size and he's pretty responsible. I question how much offense he'll bring at the next level though.

35) Jimmy Vaillancourt - TR

A reliable forward, but a little small for the role he'd play in the bottom six.

*Denotes players who got limited views. Séminaire Saint-François didn't get as many as I would wish, so some players are most likely left off because of it.

Rankings - Goaltenders and Defensemen

So as promised, here are rankings. Time restreints are forcing me to split the forwards from the rest, but you got to start somewhere, and there's no better place than between the pipes.

Goaltenders

1) Antoine Bibeau - Trois-Rivières
He has all the tools and puts them together quite well.

2) Marc-Olivier Daigle - Collège Charles-Lemoyne*

3) Philippe Trudeau - Châteauguay
Uses that big frame of his very well. Few are the goalies of his size who have his mobility, but he can have trouble with his blocker.

4) Derek Clavet - Lévis
A small framed goaltender who emulates J-S Giguère big time.

5) Carl Hozjan - Amos
A pretty big framed goalie who had a big year.

6) François Tremblay - Jonquière
His tools are just as good as Bibeau's, but he has trouble putting it all together.



Defensemen

1) Dillon Fournier - Lac St-Louis
A BIG reason why the Lions have had the playoff success they've had. He can do everything and he still has some untapped potential.

2) Dominic Poulin - Séminaire St-François
Started the season as an early favorite, but never developped as well as I'd hope for. But still, he's got all the tools and the toolbox. However, he has made it known he will be going to the States, which means either he wants to play in the NCAA or he says he'll play in the NCAA until the Remparts draft him.

3) Marc Biega - Lac St-Louis
Finally started working in the second half, and while he was very good, he still leaves you on your appetite a little bit.

4) Jérémy Fraser - Gatineau
Some say he'll be a safe stay-at-home type, but I don't buy it. I see a stallion like Jack Johnson or Shawn Belle back in his junior days. His tools are off the charts good, but he lacks some hockey sense.

5) Simon Desmarais - Collège Antoine-Girouard
A safe blueliner who progressed very well this season. Probably the most ready to make the jump to junior hockey, even if he won't be the best one in 3 years.

6) Michael Matheson - Lac St-Louis
He was having a big playoff until injuries sidelined him. Not as good defensively as Desmarais but has more offense in him. Not a finished product but one with tremondous potential.

7) Julien Leduc - Châteauguay
A smart offensive defenseman that lacks only in size.

8) Jordan Côté - Trois-Rivières
His tools are amongst the best in the draft (if not the best), but his hockey sense is nowhere as sharp as Biega's.

9) Julien Lepage - Jonquière
A smart defender but whom really needs to gain some strenght. His frame is much too frail for the next level. This would make him a project, but one with terrific upside.

10) Mackenzie Vézina - Gatineau*

11) François Michaud - Amos
A defensive defenseman with very good mobility. Makes a good first pass and should step into a junior line-up very quickly.

12) Cameron Romoff - Châteauguay
A poor man's version of Julien Leduc. Plays the same game, just a noth below.

13) Jonathan-Ismael Diaby - Collège Esther-Blondin*
Still a very raw prospect who needs to have his skills smoothen out to reach the next level.

14) Bruno Leblanc - Gatineau*

15) Austin Hardie - Collège Charles-Lemoyne*

16) Matthew Martin - Magog
A defenseman without a glaring weakness but without a 'bread and butter' strenght either. He has the potential to grow into a junior defenseman, but he'll need to bring his game up a notch.

17) Sébastien Latendresse - St-Eustache
Progressed very well in the second half of the season. He'll need some seasoning, but it could allow for his offensive upside to develop.

18) Guillaume Cloutier - Collège Charles-Lemoyne
A big framed offensive defenseman with all the right tools. He only lacks that 'quarterback' mentality of taking the puck and initiating a rush/play. He tends to let others bring it to the net and he'll rush there without it.

19) Alexandre Bergeron - Collège Antoine-Girouard
Has a small frame but some very good strenght, which allows him to win battles against larger opponents. Makes good reads and moves the puck well. He's only this far because I question how much better he can become.

20) Charles-David Beaudoin - Magog
Not an exciting prospect, but has enough hockey sense he could help a team out.

21) Elliot Bisson - Collège Charles-Lemoyne*

22) Jean-Philippe Lebrasseur - Jonquière
His tools (size, skating, puck skills) are all of the junior level, they truly are. But his hockey sense is a major red flag, and if he's having trouble making good reads at the Midget level, imagine junior....

23) Ugo Fontaine-Lefebvre - Collège Charles-Lemoyne
A big sized defender who enjoys joining the rush, those tools might entice a junior team to try and develop him but I just don't see him raising his game to a junior level.

24) Anthony Cortese - Lac St-Louis
Spent a LOT of time at forward, even if he is much better suited to be a defenseman. He works hard but you have to wonder about all that lost development this season he'll have to catch up on.


*Indicate a player whose ranking is based on very limited viewing. I don't want to rank people based on stats, but truly on an informed opinion reached through a sufficent amount of views. Some I sadly don't get to see too much of, so I rather be upfront about it. Also, it should be noted that both Collège Esther-Blondin and Collège Notre-Dame only got very limited viewings. So, for the former, I am going with what I have, but for the ladder, I rather not pronounce myself rather than speak of ignorance.

Les Gaulois du Collège Antoine-Girouard

A quick note before I begin, as I know I have some of you saying 'well, this is all great, but where are the rankings?' I really want to get mine out before the CSR gets theirs out (I'd hate to be accused of plagerism), so I'm getting the final touches done on mine. Expect some 5 goaltenders on it, 20-something defensemen, around 40 forwards and a much different opinion than what those paying services on the Internet are charging you for.


But now, on to the Gaulois, in what should be a much shorter analysis than the last team I covered.

On top of the list is defenseman Simon Desmarais, who really shot up the charts this year. Early in the season, he showed a lot of promise but was a very raw player. His skills still needed some 'smoothing' out, and did they ever do just that. The player he is at the end of the season is a much improved one from the start, as all those abilities in that frame of his came out. One of the bigger players available amongst top prospects, he's got some good wheels and decent puck skills, just not of the 'offensive wizard' category. But, he's still smart enough and dependable enough to be used in all situations and contribute positively in them. It's just that at the next level, while he'll still be a valuable penalty killer, he'll probably see his power play time cut down. He could still help out, but there will be other, more skilled blueliners for those specific situations. It's obvious he's spent a lot of time doing defenseman-specific drills and it's really paying off for him. A headache free defenseman who'll go in the first round.


Desmarais' progress this year also brings up an interesting point. He was a raw prospect who got the benefit of developing on a strong team this year (i.e. practicing with very good players all season long). This situation really brought out the best in him, and I can't help but wonder what some other players on weaker teams would have looked like had they been on stronger teams. I'm not sure how much more natural talent Desmarais has over Jonquière's Julien Lepage for instance, but their level of play differed quite significantly at season's end. This brings up the question of how much better of a player Lepage would have been had he been practicing with the Gaulois all season long. While there will always be teams better than others in any league, this situation makes me wonder if the Midget AAA league wouldn't benefit from cutting down a few teams in order to help elevate the level of play of weaker teams and thereafter, the entire league. Just some food for thought .....


By now, you've probably figured out that I love the idea of drafting 16 year-olds who are a year older, more mature and more ready to step into the line-up than a 15 year-old. So, like I usually do, I want to touch on a 93' birthday, in this case, forward Sébastien Sylvestre. He is truly a terrific defensive forward, the best one on his team, who has the smarts and size to step right into a junior line-up and contribute. While not an offensive machine, his pucks skills are still good enough that he was seeing power play time and tied for second place on his team for power play goals with four. Not bad for a defensive specialist.


Some random notes:

- The Quebec Remparts sure did get a steal in the fifth round last year with Dominic Beauchemin. The depth of Quebec allowed them to send Beauchemin back down for the season and the move agreed with the development of the player. He'll be able to step right in next season.

- I would fully expect a team to take a chance on D Alexandre Bergeron. While not the biggest blueliner, he has good speed, is very strong on his skates, handles the puck confidently, doesn't shy from the rough stuff and makes good reads. He has a good chance at grabbing a depth role next season in the mold of a player like Francis Bouillon.

- A general team observation. The Gaulois are by far the most impressive team in the league size-wise, and their big bodies sure can move. But they truly lack that perfectionist mentality. They compete hard, but if someone misses a pass, the receiving player always seems to stop working for a second to shrug his shoulders, and then it's back to competing. This stoping in the middle of the action happens a number of times during the course of a game and it definitely hurts them. If they had that perfectionist mentality to do everything right every time, they would cut down on these incidents and even start discovering how good they can be. For instance, in their playoff series against Châteaguay, they are much too big around the net for the Patriotes to handle them, yet they only seem to wait for a 3 on 2 or 3 on 1 to go there. That series tied at 2 should have been a sweep, but the hard working Patriotes are making the Gaulois pay for that lack of attention to the smallest details. As a team, taking that next step mentally would move them from a very good team (that in spite, should still be league champions this year) to a great team (that could be the best in Canada).

Les Vikings de Saint-Eustache

It's hard to think of a team that has been more enjoyable to watch game after game than the Vikings, but sadly for them, they just seemed to peek at the wrong time. But still, as a team with some talented 15 year-olds and two 14 year-olds, the developments of the season were very interesting to say the least.

To start things, it only seems appropriate to discuss Charles Hudon. A small-framed center, Hudon has what some described as 'the best hands in the league', and it is a claim with some definite merit. Plus, to back it up, he has excellent vision on the ice, regularly playing the point on the first power play unit which allowed him to make the most of his abilities. He is a speedy forward, but seldom uses it to create offense. Instead, he slows the game down to better see his options and then pounce on the opposition. It is nothing to worry about, as the best goal I saw all year came with him using his speed and his hands. As a matter of a fact, I would argue that his slowing the game down is a major point in his favor, because I fell that he can now add the ability to create offense with his speed thus making him even more of a threat. A player with good vision and smooth hands whom can slow the game down with the man advantage and create havoc with his speed five on five is one dangerous offensive weapon. However, there are some draw backs, in that he can sometimes be soft. His passes can get very soft on the power play and there are some nights where he will shy away from physical play, and that is a major red flag. Junior hockey is nowhere as forgiving as Midget AAA hockey in this regard, and some teams will prefer players who compete harder when confronted with physical play. Still, once passed the early picks, a team looking for some offense will grab him, knowing they will surely have to push him a little, maybe even give him some size on his wing, because he can set them up and finish like few can.

If Charles Hudon finished the season as the top ranked prospect, it certainly didn't start off like that. During training camp, it was Marc-Olivier Roy who was wowing the crowds. Sure he was another small forward, but he possessed an explosive skating stride. He quickly demonstrated he was a quality player in all three zones and a skilled stickhandler, but that was during training camp and the season didn't go as well as any hoped it would. It started well and he was quickly emerging as a first round player, as he was progressing very well during the first few weeks of the season. I can remember a September game against Collège Esther-Blondin where Roy was the best player on the ice for either team. His explosive skating was getting better (if you can believe it) and he was pulling some great dekes with the puck. But, shortly after, he seemed to hit a wall. His skating lost all of its explosion and made it hard for him to produce anything offensively, as everything he created came from using those wheels of his. The whole situation seemed an awful lot like Alexander Semin's a few years back when he played through a lower-body injury in the first half of the season. To Roy's defense, he seemed to start getting his step back right before the holidays, but never back to a level where it was as dominant versus his opposition as it was before. This severel limited his offensive effectiveness because:

A) as previously mentionned, he creates offense with his explosiveness
B) for all the stickhandling skills he has, he is not a goal scorer. Lack of finish is real hole in his game, his points mostly being assists
C) He lost his spot on the power play for a while and even dropped to the bottom of the line-up, cutting into his icetime on a number of nights

In the end, he projects as Jan Bulis-type player, and I really mean that in a very flattering way, because he will do everything you can ask of a player and do it quite well, except score. Were I drafting, I would seriously investigate into him having suffered and played through an injury (because it sure smells like it... players just don't lose explosive skating). If so, the masses would project him as a later pick for 15 year-olds and some team will be getting a steal.

Somewhat lost in the shuffle was Mathieu Lemay, who did draw some attention early on but really came out late in the year. A jack of all trade but master of none, he had a strong playoff series against Châteauguay. Not flashy by any means, but if you follow him around, you can appreciate his reliable contribution. But what makes him quite appealing is his potential. There is a whole other level of hockey inside that frame of his that needs to come out, and while Christophe Lalonde had the better season between the two, down the line, Lemay should be better player. I say this based on the facts that Lemay has more tools but simply lacks polishing, while Lalonde has fewer tools, but the ones he has are further ahead in their development. For instance, Lemay competes and goes into traffic, but Lalonde just foes into corners with little regard for his well being. But, the end result is that Lalonde accomplishes only a little more than Lemay, because Lemay makes a better read. I would classify Lemay as a project type player who needs some seasoning but that can become a valuable asset by age 17.

Speaking of Lalonde, I do respect the fact he had a strong season this year, but I am not sold. I would hope some other team picks him up as I question just how much better of a player can he become. He progressed this year, but not by much in the second half of the season and that worries me. Here's hoping he proves me wrong.

But, one player who did progress quite well was defenseman Sébastien Latendresse. Starting off the year as defensive defenseman, his mobility continously progressed as the season went along and he started chipping into the offense more and more because of it. By season's end, he was a very useful player and should definitely go once the draft gets to the 16 year-olds. He might even make it as a bottom defenseman at 17, but will most likely need some seasoning.

And another '93 birthday who will get his name called is forward Christophe Déry. While not a goal scorer, he is a responsible two-way forward (whom killed his fair share of penalties) and can move the puck very well. Think of a poor man's Niklas Sundstrom.

Some random observations:

- G Francis Desrosiers was the best goalie in the league this year on every level except on shots to his glove hand. He has trouble catching pucks and a lot (if not most) goals scored on him were glove side (including overtime winners). The rest of his game is top notch however.

- From the moment he showed up for his first game this season, it was obvious D Vincent Richer lived in the gym last summer. He showed up a lot bigger than last year and the results paid off. When he used his size, he was just crushing opponents like an adult would a child. But, it was understandable that he got sent down from PEI as he would only compete for one or two shifts a game. He eventually got called up and when sent down again, he came back a different defenseman. Second time around, he was competing hard every shift. The stint in PEI did him some good and I would fully expect that he step in a QMJHL line-up next season. For the fans of the team he does this for, expect an Al Iafrate-type guy, for whom when the engine starts pumping, is a real threat from the back end.

- Here's giving some recognition for Matthew Boudreau's tremondous progress this season. I must admit, I never would have expected him to compete for the scoring championship, even if he was a returning veteran, but he did. For Halifax fans, Boudreau is a center that may not 'wow' you with flash & dash, but he slows the game down on the power play and just picks you apart.

- Two 14 year-olds an a team is quite an accomplishment, and to the Vikings credit, both Philippe Venne and Justin Vanier-Guenette looked like they belong. Expect them to cause a lot of dammage next season and make Florian-Guindon arena a scouting hot spot.

Les Patriotes de Châteauguay

It seemed inevitable Châteauguay was going to be covered, doesn't it? So .... Gamelin or Ciampini, Ciampini or Gamelin?

Well, first things first. Mainly, recognizing how they are two very different players. Luca Ciampini quickly rose to the top of the charts and seemed like an early favorite to go first overall. Most reports on the QMJHL have him going in the top two or three picks. But I say .... not so fast. There is a lot to love about Ciampini, after all, the hardest thing to do in hockey is score goals, and this guy is a pure goal scorer if nothing else. He has some of the best size available in this year's prospects and he has very good straight away speed to compliment that heavy shot of his. He's responsible in his own end and his hockey sense seems to be very underated, because that's how he scores his goals. A scorer like Ovechkin will deke 2-3 guys then the goalie (before climbing the glass) but Ciampini goes about it another way. He instead uses his hockey sense to find holes on the ice and gets there before his opponent. In this way, his goal scoring is very reminiscent of Simon Gagné, who just has a knack for popping out of nowhere in a spot left open by the opponent. Traditionnally, offensive players in Quebec have a lot of flash to their game, but not Ciampini. As a matter of a fact, you sometimes really have to follow him around to truly appreciate everything he does. He's the type of player that may not 'wow' you on the spot, but then you look at the scoring summary the next day and see he popped in two goals. But, those two goals are an important part of the story, because they weren't just tip-in garbage goals, he went ahead and used his heavy shot to burry the puck.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Frédéric Gamelin. If at the start of the year there was some doubt as to his stand-alone ability (as opposed to being a star player's sidekick), he erased all those doubts. I can distinctively remember a home game where Ciampini was ejected 15 seconds into the first period, much to the disappointment of every talent evaluator in attendance, only to see Gamelin seize control of the situation. There's a lot of flash to his game, the typical small-framed, offensive dynamo. Terrific wheels (amongst the best of any player available in the draft), super smooth hands (top notch playmaking ability) and a motor that just never quits. I would go as far as to wonder if he didn't make Ciampini better rather than the other way around, because I can distinctively remember a number of shifts where Gamelin controled the play in the offensive zone before Ciampini finished it off on a nice set-up. In all likelihood, there will be at least one team on the draft floor trying to keep these two together, but they both will go early enough that it shouldn't be possible.

So which one to take first? Ciampini has more size and finish, Gamelin has more flash and playmaking ability. Almost everyone recognizes that Ciampini will go first because of his size advantage, and I agree on that point. Between the two, teams will be more tempted to take the bigger of the two. However, I am uncertain as to how much of a good decision that really is. Ciampini did progress a little this season, but not as much as Gamelin, who progressed by leaps and bounds. He seems to be the one with the most upside, and he's the one who will be probably the more dominating player by the time they reach 19 (even if Ciampini will probably be the better player in their rookie season's). Plus, Gamelin's smaller frame makes him more likely to stay in junior hockey until the age of 19, should they progress at a rate allowing to make the jump to the NHL before then. But, it would take incredible courage for a team to select Gamelin first, and I just don't see a team finishing in the cellar taking such a risk. Because of the size factor, Ciampini is a much, much safer pick, and with a top pick... why risk it? A failure here could set back the rebuilding process by an entire season or two... minimum. So the conclusion is that Gamelin should be ranked ahead... even if they won't get picked that way.

The good news for scouts with the Patriotes this season (other than the Ciampini/Gamelin brain teaser) is that there are a few other quality prospects available.

In the year of the defenseman, Châteauguay chipped in by developping Julien Leduc. Not the biggest player available, but what a talent. And at the risk of shoking some, you could argue he's the best power play quarterback available in this year's draft. His value starts with him being a right handed shot (always hard to find) with some real puck skills (even harder). His playmaking ability is second to none, he sees the ice extremely well and his mobility is top notch. Lack of size is the only thing you can repproach him, but in no way should this prevent a team from grabbing him in the first round. While he doesn't have the physical tools Jonathan Racine had in last season's draft, everything else in Leduc's game is at a more advanced level, meaning Leduc should have no trouble stepping into a team's line-up to go on to play a Brian Rafalski-like role.

Three pics in the first round is a good crop by any standart, but that doesn't mean the Patriotes are done there. A few other players should hear their name called later on.

In the second round, Toliver Bergeron should see his rights claimed. A versatile forward who can play center or wing, the speedy (but diminative) forward brings a solid work ethic and underated offensive skills. While he won't anchor an offense, he can definitely chip in a Top 6 role (he'll just be in that 4-6 slot, not 1-3). It'll be interesting to see how his draft goes, because teams may be more tempted at less skilled but bigger players (therefore, safer bets to play junior hockey). Bergeron will most likely need a little seasoning before graduating, but he should get there. Think mid/late-second rounder.

Center Samuel Hodhod should be drafted even earlier, but the first round might be stretching it a little. He may not be any bigger than Bergeron, but Hodhod's play is a notch higher and it's very easy to love his speed and skill. His ability to finish is pretty much equal to his playmaking skills, both of which are currently sorely missed by his team in the playoffs. He'll step into a Top 6 role pretty quickly, no doubt there. Think of a reliable, skilled #2 center.

And finally, I feel the need to talk about giant sized goaltender Philippe Trudeau, who is currently having a great playoff. His mobility is impressive (especially considering how quickly he grew into such a big body) and it is mind boggling to think he wasn't picked up last year. He keeps his composure in pressure situations, has the ability to make key saves and uses his size not just to block pucks, but as a bit of an intimidation tool towards his opponents. A team looking for help between the pipes will definetely grab him and don't be surprised to see him jump immediately to junior hockey (even if it will probably be in a back-up role to start).

Les Forestiers d'Amos

In a bit of an upset, Amos was sent packing in this year's playoffs by the Lac St-Louis Lions. The good news for scouts is that the Lions' prospects previously discussed here played pretty well. Biega was the stud we all expect him to be, Fournier was on top of his game, Matheson took his game to a new level, Zielonka was producing and even Eardley was chipping in.

The disappointing part was in not seeing Amos go a little further, because they have some pretty good prospects of their own. This team had some big bodies who could really skate, and yet, they just couldn't seem to seize control of the game. This is a situation that is becoming more and more common for opponents of the Lions as Lac St-Louis keeps on winning these types of games - which is completely to the Lions' credit.

At 16, Nicolas Dionne took his game to a whole new level this year, winning the league scoring championship, and believe me, he doesn't fly under the radar, you notice him! He's got a big frame with good wheels and some smooth hands. You look at him and he looks like a guy who would lead the league in scoring, he just has that many tools. Expect him to go early because:

A) He kept progressing all year
B) He can step in right away
There's no question that a team out there will be looking for some immediate help. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in Val d'Or, which would line him up with last year's #1 selection Olivier Archambault. The dammage both these '93 birthdays could do, in a way, would be very remisniscent of the Simon Gamache-Brandon Reid days, which would sit very well with their fanbase.

And speaking of duos, this would be a good chance to speak of two forward prospects who spent some time together on the same line, Dwayne Bradley-Tessier and Jéremy Carignan. Bradley is a centerman with some good wheels and size, but he just doesn't seem to have enough finish in him for a Top 6 spot (well, maybe at 19, but it'll take some time). I would project him more as a top end third liner, playing two-way hockey and chipping in every now and then. Carignan is somewhat the same, with less size but a bit better wheels. Carignan is more of a play maker and Bradley more of a finisher. In that regard, Bradley's style and contribution will most likely end up being that of a Mike Fisher type. I would expect that he'll get picked first of the two -think late second round, after a guy like Matheson- because of Bradley's size advanatage but that Carignan won't wait much longer after. I wouldn't even be surprised if they got picked up by the same team.

The final 15 year-old forward on the team is Pierre-Marc Rail, but he may go undrafted. He has good size but it's hard to project a role under which he can thrive at the next level. Rather than take him in the third and fourth round, I fear teams will be more inclined to grab 16 year-olds who can step in right away, which may be Rail's faith next year if he can have a solid season.

Also, one player with the Forestiers who will go pretty early -maybe even in the first round- is defenseman François Michaud... but what else would you expect in the year of the defenseman? A right handed blueliner (always hard to find), Michaud won't dazzle you with his offensive prowess, but he is a very mobile and steady defender. He also makes a good first pass, adding to his defensive value, he just doesn't have that 'quarterback' mentality with the puck. It wouldn't surprise me if it did end up growing a little bit out of him, in the same way it did for Dominic D'Amour when he played for Gatineau, but just like D'Amour, I wouldn't expect this side of him to come out until his last year's of junior hockey. But in the mean time, there is a team that will be getting a steady defenseman that could step into a line-up right away (maybe not a top 4 role, but still, he'll be in the line-up) and stay there as his role grows bigger and bigger over time. While some teams must be hoping to steal him in the second round because of the depth of defensemen in this draft, I feel that to get him, someone will have to step up because some team picking in the late stages of the first round will be all too happy to get a guy who can play right away as they rebuild.

And finally, I just have to show some love for two 16 year-olds. First, another defenseman, by the name Alex Bouthillette. It seems impossible to think that a defenseman of that size will go undrafted for the second straight year, but he may have to wait until the middle rounds because he remains a very raw prospect. Like most players who grow up a little faster, his skills are far from smooth and he'll need a little bit of time for his coordination to completely catch up to him, but he can contribute at both ends of the rink, so there's a team out there willing to grab him as a project type player. The reward could definitely be worth the risk at those stages of the draft.

The other '93 born player is goaltender Carl Hozjan, who truly had a great year. Sure he may be 16, but he outplayed Val d'Or drafted goalie Derek Fortier and that says something good about Hozjan, because Fortier is good goalie in his own right. Hozjan has some good size and mobility, and really shined at the Midget AAA Challenge. His playoff performance was just average, but he still did enough to get everyone's attention. He'll play junior hockey, no problem there, I just don't believe he'll be a top flight goalie though. But in a draft so weak in goaltenders, he'll be one of the first to be drafted, with the team selecting him hoping to build him up to 1/1-A level. Expect him to go in the middle of the draft, or just before for a team desperately looking for some help between the pipes.

The Lac St-Louis Lions - Part 2

As promised, here's a little more insight on the Lions.

Yesterday, when discussing Biega, I brushed on how blueliners have been used on the wing this season. Well, Michael Matheson is another one of those defensemen to spend time upfront. But, it is on the back end that you truly can apprecite his contribution. There honestly is nothing flashy about his game, as he happens to be one of those defensemen who is playing his best when you don't notice him. But if you do follow him around for a bit, you truly begin to appreciate what a steady and reliable player he is. He spent little time on the wing in the second half of the season, and his game started to blossom as a consequence, on some nights forcing you to take notice of his play. He seemed to need a little bit of time to adjust when he was shuffled back and forth. While not a power play quarterback, he's got a heavy shot that he started using more and more in the second half of the season, and his consistent progress is a great sign for a player of his age. He'll need some more seasoning before making the jump, but he's looking like a solid second rounder.

A little later in the draft, when everyone starts running after the 16 year-olds, two Lions should find themselves in high demand. The first would be forward Philip Zielonka. He seems to have truly benefited from the coaching change and has been a solid player for his team this season. What he lacks in size and speed (that surely scared off teams last year), he sure makes up for it in smarts and smooth hands (which should get him drafted this year). While he won't have the junior career Alex Bourret had, I would fully expect Zielonka to be able to contribute to a team's offense in much the same manner. Think of him as a poor man's Brent Aubin.

And finally, because somebody needs to kill penalties on a team, I have to bring up Ryan Eardley's name. While he may only chip in occasionally offensively at higher levels, there is no denying his defensive prowess. He's got good size, good eyes and the proper work ethic to succeed in his own end. He's been a mainstay on the Lions penalty kill and there's no reason to think he won't be able to bring the same dimension to Junior hockey. Some team will probably be looking to steal him with some later round pick, because he'll be ready to challenge for a roster spot at the very next training camp. I would expect the team to step up will be one looking for a player who can fill in immediately a defensive-oriented roster spot. It'll be interesting to see what happens on draft day.

To conclude on the Lions, and this has nothing to do with the players and all to do with management, as someone who saw the Lions win championship after championship when they played at the Verdun Auditorium way back when, it sometimes saddens me to see some of the things I now see. This was once the model organization in the League, but now not so much, and I feel the people running the ship have their part of the blame to take over this. For instance, the Lions run their own hockey school. I've actually seen this program, and talked to one other person who sees it on a regular basis, and we both agreed. The guy on the ice with the kids, Karel Svoboda, for the lack of a better word..... is a nut. The curriculum is pretty solid, nothing special but certainly better than a lot of those other 'developmental' programs, but never have we seen a coach talk/scream in such a condensending way to kids. After a few sessions, these kids confidence level must be shattered. You can't be spoken to in that fashion for that long without having an impact on you. And the worst part is... the kids are actually pretty good players.

Another example was the situation with the head coach last season. The way Danny Dupont was acting behind the bench, he was making Mike Ditka look like he's reading the paper. It was incredible to watch a coach shout so much.... and never over anything positive. I will give the devil his due and admit that he is a good tactician, but there is a lot more to coaching than Xs and Os. And in that regards, it was just awful to watch. The yelling, the complaining, the gesturing ... and everything in a completely 'over the top' way. And I assure you that if a coach loses control, you can be pretty sure the next people to lose it are the players on the bench in front of him, and on a lot of nights, it is exactly what happened. Which was too bad, because they had a pretty good team, and started the year strong because of that talent. But as soon as other teams coaching started kicking in, the Lions started sinking despite having more talent than their opponents. That season might have been the first time I ever heard of parents holding meetings to see what could be done about replacing the coach. And my sympathies to those parents, who had to spend 4 digits to have their kid play on the team to only be forced to watch that nonsense going on behind the bench.

While I realize this will not be the most popular point of view, I write it sincerely hoping the Lions can better themselves and find their way again, to once more become the model franchise it deserves to be, because I truly feel the players deserve it.

The Lac St-Louis Lions

It's been a tough year for the Lions, but things did pick up in the second half (keep an eye on them in the playoffs - they've been finding ways to win lately). The weird thing with the Lions is that the 15 year-olds were terrific, generally it's the 16 year-olds who didn't do their part. From a scouting perspective, performing 15 year-olds are a God send, so the Lions were a popular destination this season.



With Halifax finishing last and the Maritimes supposedly producing one or two spectacular talents, I'll play along and say the Mooseheads will draft the local kid first overall. But sooner or later, someone will have to draft a Quebec player, and if the first Quebec player drafted isn't Dillon Fournier, that team will have a lot of explaining to do.

Fournier is really a terrific defenseman. A large framed, smooth skating, puck moving defenseman with the hockey sense to back it up. I actually like him better than I did Simon Desprès in his QMJHL draft year. Dillon is just that impressive. He competes very hard every shift, never shies away from physical play (but sadly doesn't initiate it often enough - because when he did, he truly flattened out some players) and what I like best about him, is that he simply kept getting better as the year went along. He went from a skilled defenseman to one who can take control of the play is his own end - truly impressive.

This consistant progress as they year went along also happened to be the undoing of Marc Biega. Playing as a 14 year-old last season, he started the year as an early favorite to go first overall. However, while still maintaining first round status, he has long fallen out of the race for first. With Biega, it isn't a question about tools, because his skill level is probably the highest of any Quebec AAA player, it isn't about hockey sense, because he actually makes smart decisions look easy. No, with Biega, it's all about hard work (or lack thereof). From the start of the year until Christmas, Biega was on the ice working only to make it seem like he was working. When he made a soft pass that became a turnover, you would see him smash his stick as if he was upset. But next shift, he would go back out there with the same indifference in his play, completely lacking intensity. And when he'd get burned, he'd go back to acting upset, with no response in his play to follow. He really was working to just make it seem as if he was working.

I heard a number of different theories over this -he's just bored with the caliber of play, he's hiding an injury, the new coach doesn't push him like the old one- but I don't buy any one of them. My feeling is he simply let his status go to his head. But, when the second half of the season started, his work ethic began to show progress. Playing on a team that dresses 7 defensemen (with one playing the wing), Biega found himself on some nights as the designated defenseman to go play the wing. And while it did little to spark his play in the first half of the season, the best hockey he played in the second half came with him playing the wing. Most notably, in one of the best games I saw this season pitting the Lions against Séminaire St-François, Biega was on the wing and setting the standart for hard work. While his hockey sense is definetely better suited for the blue line, that intensity with his skill on the back end equals one dominant defenseman. And for that reason, he will be a first round pick, but, by not competing, he sure missed out on a lot of development and even saw some players pass him by (most notably, Dillon Fournier).

The final Lion I want to touch on today (got to save something for next time) is Patrick Walsh. Simply put, this guy is money. Now I can already hear some of you telling me that 29 points in 37 games is nothing special, but that's because the numbers don't tell the whole story. Walsh is the best two-way player out there, bar none. I've seen him play with success at both center and left wing, and at 15, he's already a skilled penalty killer with good size and speed. Lost in the shuffle would be his skill set. Don't be fooled, this guy can finish, and I have seen him raise his game to dominant levels on some nights. He's got early first round pick written all over him, because the demand for a hard working, two-way player who can score is always there. He's not the offensive dynamo Quebec usually produces in top end players, but he's just so reliable. Plus, he's pretty sure to go early, because he's exactly the type of player Pascal Vincent wants to build the Montreal Juniors around, and if he's there when they pick, they'd be nuts not to grab him, and since they're picking no later than mid-first round ....

I'll make sure to cover the rest of the prospects next time.

Introduction

So after a season of enjoying terrific hockey games in Midget AAA rinks (with the playoffs just beginning), I wonder what the general opinion of these prospects is. To my great disappointment, all I see are websites charging money for their services. While I understand that selling their product is how they pay their bills, I can't help but feel that there should be a source offering a free opinion, sharing with others the wonderful talent playing in Quebec Midget AAA hockey. It is a truly wonderful league, with players competing with great drive and determination, and seeing as there isn't anyone out there willing to just share their findings, I figured I would do it.

And before you fill my e-mail box with accusations of being some 'wannabe' scout, I feel I should give you a little bit of background info. I used to scout, travelling to games and tournaments to find players and recruit them. I was even able to recruit a few good ones! One thing nobody ever says about scouting is how lonely of a job it is, and so now I coach. I find myself at a rink almost everynight, and honestly .... what could be better?