Marching to their own Drumm

Despite the loss of coach Guy Boucher and players such as Dmitri Kulikov, Yannick Riendeau and Dany Masse, last years QMJHL Presidents Cup winners - the Drummondville Voltigeurs continue to win. McKeen's correspondent Rick Springhetti has notes on several Voltigeurs including a trio of prospects for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, as well as Montreal Canadiens prospects Gabriel Dumont and Philippe Lefebvre.

Jonathan Brunelle (2010), LW, Drummondville

Complete player who tries to do many little things that a team needs to win .. hard hitter along the boards, although he does not necessarily play a consistently physical game .. smart player defensively who keeps his composure under pressure .. comes back hard to support his teammates .. average skater in terms of speed but does hit his max in only a few strides .. angles the puckcarrier well on the forecheck.. very limited vision or imagination with the puck, he is mostly concerned with getting it to a teammate as soon as possible and then go hard to the net .. has a quick release on his shot .. corrals passes very well and manages to get a shot on net that hits his target.

Alexandre Comtois (2010), C, Drummondville

Small center who picks up speed quickly .. uses a strong lower body to do so and to get to loose pucks .. moves his feet at all times .. stickhandles well with confidence in tight quarters .. able to win faceoffs with regularity .. not a very effective puck distributor when he is in movement but is improving .. does a much better job on the powerplay where he has that little bit of extra time he needs .. likes to make the cross ice pass ..has trouble receiving passes at times taking away the possibility of using a one timer.. not a very physical player .. tries to use his speed defensively but has to learn how to better cut down passing lanes.

Sean Couturier (2010), LW/C, Drummondville

Has been making noise as a possible top-five pick for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft .. plays a very mature and complete game .. used in every situation by the coaching staff .. can manage to distribute pucks effectively in all directions with excellent accuracy .. shot is hard and precise .. understands positioning in all three zones .. footwork and skating speed are still a work in progress but he is improving quickly .. defensively responsible .. anticipates opponents' moves well .. uses his size and reach to limit options for the opposing puckcarrier .. wins important faceoffs when he is used at center .. can also man the point well on the powerplay .. will be a dominant force once he grows into his body and fills out his lanky frame.

Gabriel Dumont (Mtl), C, Drummondville

Missed a lot of time due to a major knee operation during the off-season .. showed an incredible amount of courage during the Memorial Cup playoffs last season where it was common knowledge he was playing with multiple injuries that should have kept him out of the lineup .. still playing a hard game but he is not just throwing his body around with reckless abandon but is starting to think the game better .. showed some improvement in his skating, especially his first few steps and his lateral mobility ..has taken on a more offensive role with the loss of some veterans and has not disappointed .. shot is just a little quicker than last season and it has made a big difference .. thinks the game better, especially his ability to anticipate the play .. doesn't have great vision but passes the puck a little more making him a little less predictable for opponents .. not getting as many retaliation penalties as last season .. incredible work ethic and willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of the team.

Philippe Lefebvre (Mtl), LW, Drummondville

Complete player who does not really excel in any one area .. average speed but only takes a few strides to get there .. very strong player who is difficult to contain down low .. could improve his release a little .. seems to tense up when scoring opportunities arise .. showing more confidence in his puckhandling abilities .. is confident to make plays and fully commits once he does so .. works hard defensively to do the grunt work .. plays the puckcarrier aggressively .. takes a hit to make a play .. makes sure he safely gets the puck out of his zone when his team is being pressured.