QMJHL [Jun-06]: NHL Draft List and Profiles

NHL Draft List and Profiles: (posted 6.14.06)

by Chris McCluskey, Mike Chisholm and Chris Parsley

1. Derick Brassard - Remember his play at the world juniors? That's right, you don't, - and he was cut. My eight ball says he won't exactly jump right to the NHL, but if the number 117 means anything, there's someone out there with a top-20 pick who has him pegged as their future set-up man. The success of others like Brad Richards and Daniel Briere raise the stock of a slight, but speedy and explosive playmaker like Brassard.

2. James Sheppard - We have all exhausted the talk about the fact this sure thing does not come with great wheels. The real discussion surrounds the professional transferable abilities he does have. A safe pick. Questions around skating and intensity, but he could be a force with pro players around him.

3. Jonathan Bernier - It might be the new NHL and goaltenders carry that stigma of developing late, but why not take gamble on Bernier's upside in this draft pool? If you do not pick him, consider who your next available goaltending option is. Someone will grab the best Q goalie in the latter part of the first round.

4. Ivan Vishnevsky - Sandis Ozolinsh. As long as you know what you're getting. Awesome skater with a flair for end-to-end rushes, but he'll have to learn some defensive discipline.

5. Claude Giroux - Rarely have we tried so hard to find something positive to say and come up empty except he produces. You cannot ignore the season he had with Gatineau, he'll have to get much stronger and round out the other areas of his game.

6. Brad Marchand - Another tireless worker. We want to say he was buried on a Moncton powerhouse roster, but 66 points prove otherwise. Having said that, it still hampered his exposure. Here's to hoping he can stay healthy. Another typical smaller Quebec league forward with playmaking skills. His Memorial Cup appearance won't hurt him.

7. Joey Ryan - Are we really that excited about a player who finished with 24 points and is under 200lbs? Question marks will be answered next year, but fact is we're drawing this conclusion based on limited ice. A good Memorial Cup showing could push him into the first round. Think Francois Beauchemin.

8. Bryce Swan - Everyone likes a hard worker, and in a draft year of questionable depth (and consistency in terms of the play of the prospects available), this aspect of a player's game could be the biggest deciding factor for a lot of GMs. Big winger also plays in the middle was crushed by injury this season. A decent playoff performance will help his stock.

9. Ryan Hillier - Hockey has to be the only sport you consider drafting a player who can't stand on his feet in the first couple of rounds. Above average hands and vision, and he'll shore up his troubles maintaining his balance this summer. Intelligent, smooth skating winger should be the Mooseheads' best player next year.

10. Andrew Bodnarchuk - Does many things well, but no aspect of his game is particularly of note. Work ethic is strong and his package holds enough credit for a third to fourth round selection. Clever defenseman plays a smooth, safe game with plenty of offensive upside.

11. Francois Bouchard - Better conditioned teammates make lazy teammates look bad. If you catch my drift. Slick set-up man who could turn into more of a goal scorer. Some think he'll be as good as Sheppard.

12. Mathieu Carle - Consistency is the key, and we're counting on him finding it. His improvement from 04-05 to 05-06 was vast, so there's reason to believe there's a good chance he might. Big, strong offensive defenseman could go earlier than Vishnevsky, but Carle's hockey sense is questioned.

13. Stefano Giliati - Citing the minute amount of recognition he's received from scouts, one could build a case we're all xenophobes. A standout for the QMJHL's only club south of the Canadian border, Giliati has some pro-transferable talents. An intelligent NHL club will take a chance on him in the first half of the draft. Solid on his skates, he adds a nice physical dimension to decent hands around the net.

14. Benjamin Breault - It is a make or break summer for this highly talented, but physically weak sniper. I still have mental images of what he could be with the right conditioning. Come on been, make me look good. and find your two-way game too.

15. Jiri Suchy - A team can always use a little feistiness on the blueline - that kind Darius Kasparaitis build his reputation on. And his skills aren't very bad either (but certainly not to the level of Kasparaitis).

16. Pier-Alexandre Poulin - Finished with a mere 13 points. having seen him play several times this year, it seems as though it should be a misprint.

17. Chris Culligan - It is time to start talking about Culligan more, and James Pouliot less. now if only he could gain some weight.

18. Michael Dupont - Well, good thing he wasn't available last year because I would have picked him in the first three rounds.

19. Jean-Christophe Blanchard - He had a glorious opportunity in Moncton, and let us all down Blaine Lacher style. Lanky goalie got plenty of starts once he moved to the Tigres, and while stats weren't much, he's agile for such a tall netminder.

20. James Pouliot - Can anyone else find the obscene overestimation of his potential offensive (and not in the goal scoring sense?

21. Felix Schutz - Diminutive pinball type player scoots around the ice with ease and is a great stickhandler.

22. Hugo Carpentier - Strong centre put together an excellent offensive season and he has something most other 2006 Q forwards don't have - size.

23. Alex Lamontagne - Mean, physical blue liner isn't skilled, but is very difficult to play against.

24. Pierre-Luc Lessard - Offensive defenseman who needs to add a lot of meat to his bones, he'll be a dominant PP QB next season.

25. Jakub Bundil - Did not have the season that his Maineiacs '06-eligible teammates had, but this is a monster on skates.

Risers

Pierre-Luc Lessard - Lessard shows good skill level with no real glaring weakness in his game. He plays a smart, positional game in the defensive end prefers the finesse style by making smart defensive decisions in the slot area. Makes mature decisions with and without the puck, moves the puck very well, and has the skill to rush it or the good first pass out of the zone. A good, mobile skater with quick feet that gets in the right position. Will be a great late round addition for any team looking for a promising defensive prospect.

Brad Marchand - His endless work effort, and smart hockey will gain allot of attention by scouts at the Memorial Cup. A pint tank on the ice Marchand gives 110% each shift can be counted upon to be a key defensive player in important game situations. Plays high tempo upbeat game, can be aggressive and get under the opponents skin. Always keeps his feet going can deliver solid hits along the boards, is well balanced and tough the knock down. Has a quick hard release that makes him an offensive threat when in the offensive zone.

Honorable Mention - Francois Bouchard The younger brother of Pierre-Marc is coming good showing at the Under 18. Always driving towards the net, he looks to be a talented power forward type player in the making.

Fallers

Ryan Hillier - Slow and inconsistent play down the stretch and invisible in the playoffs, Hillier's stock will have taking a small drop knocking him out of first round consideration. Hillier's smart puck handling skills are still among the best prospects available making him an effective playmaker and passer. A good, promising forward who skates and maneuvers well but needs to improve his balance and leg strength, which is closely reachable. Should still see him picked up in the mid spots of the second round.

Mathieu Carle - Carle is a pretty good QB Style defenseman, and potentially could be a #4 or 5 defenseman at the next level. However he can be very flashy, has good size but a few glaring weaknesses he will need to fist over come. Those being he is not very mobile and he tends to become lazy at times on the ice, giving up on the open when they get the best of him. when he does now fall into these slumps he makes the safe and simple plays and isn't afraid to throw his weight around, his biggest asset is his offensive instincts, delivers good first passes out of the zone and can lead the rush

Dishonorable Mention - Felix Schutz became lost in the shuffle down the home stretch of the season.

Wildcard

Stefano Giliati - Plays an intense gritty style 2-way game. Shows great ability in the defensive zone. Plays an aggressive constant fore-checking game, does the small things well. His skating is only average but that should not hold him back as he is always well positioned. His hockey awareness makes him an offensive threat.

Jean-Christophe Blanchard - Along side Jonathan Bernier, J.C. is the next best goalie from the 'Q' weak pool of goalie prospects this year. His size, and reputation of "Q" goalie he will likely draw some attention in the late rounds on the draft. J.C. is a butterfly goalie that relies upon his size and reflexes down low. Need to gain more recovery time speed and some fine-tuning of his technical game to regain the status as a top-flight goalie prospects he once drew.