QMJHL: Latendresse NHL Bundle

Drummondville's Guillaume Latendresse is starting to find his groove after a disappointing start this season. We have game notes from a recent QMJHL contest featuring Latendresse and a pair of intriguing prospects in Peter Pohl (CBJ) and `06 draft-eligible Derick Brassard.

Guillaume Latendresse (2005), RW, Drummondville

Wears an 'A' and plays on top line with standout rookie Derick Brassard and Buffalo draftee Louis-Philippe Martin .. blessed with huge, thick frame that is made for hockey .. excellent agility and quickness for a big man .. got open in the first period using a quick burst and unleashed a high, hard shot that the goalie struggled to stop .. drove hard to the net and banged away at the rebound, which Brassard eventually netted for the opening goal .. skates hard to get back on defense, however he sometimes fails to recognize his assignments right away .. his line was eventually victimized on two goals in the third, which cost them the game .. at one point, Latendresse failed to win the puck along the boards in his own end, which led to a scoring chance against .. sees limited time killing penalties .. displayed an excellent shot and moved the puck smartly on the power play, earned an assist .. adequate at faceoffs, which he often takes for Brassard .. did lose an important draw late in the second in his own end, but did a good job tying up opposing center and allowing his goalie to view the incoming pointshot .. flashed a nice burst of speed to create a breakaway, forcing the defender to take a hooking penalty .. showed quick hands picking the pocket of Gatineau captain Sam Roberts for a clearcut breakaway, but couldn't beat goalie Riley Whitlock with a strong deke move .. owns the body of a power forward, but plays more like a skilled winger .. his defensive awareness and work effort away from the puck need work, and, given his tremendous size, it would be nice to see more aggression .. still, he's an above-average skater with a pro body and some elite offensive skills, which should all translate into a top NHL draft pick.

Derick Brassard (2006), C, Drummondville

Centering top line and leading team in scoring in just his first full season (39-16-26-42) .. selected 18th overall in the `03 QMJHL Midget Draft, the Voltigeurs second pick after Latendresse (taken second overall) .. benefits from two fine linemates in Latendresse and Martin, however, Brassard's creativity with the puck is an integral component of the unit's success .. game is built on speed and puck skill .. generously listed at six feet and weighing only 170 pounds .. doesn't have the strength to win many physical battles, but is a plucky player who gets stuck in regardless of his size limitations .. scored opening goal by crashing net and banging home a rebound in traffic .. converted an easy tap-in later in first period when the goalie coughed up the puck on a shoot-in .. must improve his faceoff proficiency if he hopes to continue as a center, as he defers important draws to linemate Latendresse .. also needs to hone his defensive play as his line was victimized during a third-period collapse .. negatives aside, Brassard has been a revelation this year .. he possesses the offensive instincts and imagination to develop into a top pro prospect, but could use a growth spurt and plenty of muscle to aid his cause .. misses eligibility for the `05 draft by eight days.

Petr Pohl (CBJ), RW, Gatineau

A dynamic player who loves to dart through the offensive zone with the puck .. short, stocky skater with superb quickness and straightaway speed .. made no mistake converting a shorthanded breakaway in the second period, firing the puck home after making a nice head-fake to fool Isles' draftee Sylvain Michaud .. while a supremely talented puckhandler, Pohl's propensity to overhandle the puck is maddening however .. he opted not to pass the puck to open teammates on a number of occasions on the power play, instead trying to drive to the net himself past two or three defenders .. invariably he turned the puck over before getting a shot on net .. an exciting player with excellent offensive potential, however, Pohl needs to expand his repertoire and learn how to utilize his teammates better before taking the next step.

Francis Wathier (Dal), LW, Gatineau

Overager was instrumental in tonight's comeback effort, providing excellent shot-blocking, timely offensive contributions and a determined effort .. blessed with great size at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, which was the main reason behind his sixth-round selection by Dallas in `03 .. not overly skilled and possesses a slightly awkward skating style .. however, his size and ability to play in all situations makes him a valuable contributor .. a consummate team player who is willing to sacrifice his body and play the game full-out every shift .. sent Peter Pohl away on a shorthanded break with a nice cross-ice pass .. made a great sliding shot-block while killing a penalty in the third with the game tied .. his strong efforts were rewarded with some powerplay time in the final period .. sealed the victory with an empty-net goal .. earned first-star honors for a three-point night plus some fine defensive work.

David Tremblay (Phi), G, Gatineau

The Flyers' fifth-round pick from `03 struggled early in this contest, failing to control rebounds and looking sluggish in his crease .. after giving up two quick goals in the first period, Tremblay was yanked by coach Groulx and replaced by Riley Whitlock .. not a banner performance by arguably the top goalie in the QMJHL.