QMJHL: Boutin off to hot start

PEI goaltender (and Tampa property) Jonathan Boutin has been on his game to begin the season. Also off to strong starts are teammates Slava Trukhno and Marc-Andre Gragnani.

Jonathan Boutin, G (Tampa Bay), PEI

Older and improved .. only last year he looked lazy, often out of position and consistently allowing soft goals; thus far he has been the best junior netminder in the country .. looks to be in tip-top shape, positional game has been solid and play-reading skills look sharp .. swift crease movement .. very economical and poised; makes hard saves look easy .. quick glove hand, nimble legs down low .. keeps his cool in traffic .. rebound control has improved considerably .. stopped 36 of 37 shots against Halifax to keep the Rocket undefeated so far.

Slava Trukhno, F (2005), PEI

Has a wide array of offensive weapons including good wheels and soft hands .. showed a predator instinct, a certain fire in his eyes lights up when the puck is near his stick .. smart and deceptive; he can beat you with his speed and his hands, with the patience and composure to ouwait his man when in possession .. excellent vision and makes his linemates better .. creates freely on the fly and moves well into position .. defensive game is still full of holes, but showing better all-around habits after battling some nerves in the pre-season .. amassed a goal and two assists against Halifax, including a highlight drop-pass feed to the trailer for a fast-break marker.

Marc-Andre Gragnani, D (2005), PEI

Used in all situations on the ice, including a fair amount of qb duties .. moves the puck with a lot of poise and recovers well after a bad play .. prefers safe, low-risk plays .. deceptive in style, he does all the little things right .. strong positioning and angling in the defensive zone .. takes away passing lanes effectively, but does not use his body to a high degree.

Rane Carnegie, F (FA), Halifax

Newcomer in Halifax (out of the OHL) and has been impressive thus far; one of the team's strongest players and a crowd pleaser .. a strong skater with good acceleration and agility .. excites with nifty puck skills, but tends to overhandle the puck .. decent vision; made on-the-mark feeds .. impressed with effort along the boards; uses his body, is sufficiently gritty, drops the gloves .. capable defensively; worked hard on the backcheck.