QMJHL: Lord Byron

McKeen's correspondent David Burstyn looks at a handful of prospects from both the Gatineau Olympiques and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, including New York Rangers prospects Antoine Lafleur and Buffalo Sabres draft pick Paul Byron, who is currently among the top-10 in QMJHL scoring.

Hubert Labrie (2009), D, Gatineau

Graduations have thrust the second year defender into the top pairing .. mature beyond his years, he is already wearing a letter and looks comfortable in a leadership role .. fluid and swift in his skating stride and style .. skates very similar to Duncan Keith .. decent vision but has not been able to produce points .. he lacks strength in his shot but to his credit he gets into the middle of the slot to get it on net .. he is often forced to log the puck up by himself .. can find his outlet under pressure but requires more finesse skills to be considered an offensive-minded defender .. plays a rugged game despite his obvious size issues but he gets worn out on account of trying to do too much .. at his best when he plays a simple game, however considering the team is in rebound mode he needs to over compensate due to the shortage of talent/depth both on the backend .. his lack of physical strength and the fact that he habitually gets beaten to the outside against stronger players is alarming at this point.

Paul Byron (Buf), RW, Gatineau

The loss of linemate Claude Giroux has not slowed down Bryon this season, as he has developed wonderful chemistry with Chabot and Quesnel .. the trio are all among the top 18 scorers in the league and on a team that relies heavily on their one line, they have produced .. speedy with sensational first-step explosiveness .. he sets up so well on the half boards and the move to wing has allowed him to exploit his speed .. moves effortlessly with the puck and at top speeds .. small in stature, he plays a big game and is not afraid to charge the net and is remarkably strong on his stick in traffic .. takes a hit to make a play .. has a great individual skill set who thrives on the PP with additional time and space .. he is just as likely to pass as he is to shoot, making him a dual threat .. still slender (5-8, 140), he will need to add some upper body weight for the pro game .. his balance helps him at this level, however at the pro ranks when 6-foot-4, 220-pound defenders are leaning on him, he may have issues .. plays a game similar to Nate Gerbe, small yet talented and quick.

Maxime Clermont (2010), G, Gatineau

Has assumed the starting goaltending duties and played admirably considering the team in front of him and lack of defensive support .. learned last season while on the bench for the Memorial Cup but also from his Under 17 experience, where he spilt duties with Roy for Team Quebec .. quick and lively pads but surrenders too much in terms of rebound control .. he can be over aggressive and tends to cheat on his short side when challenging forwards .. modest size and puts it to good use in his constant attempts to skate outside his crease .. a solid athlete whose concept of playing the position is not always on display .. his limbs are everywhere when he is making a save .. plays a butterfly style but stays down too long and literally needs to be propped up .. ok puckhandler, he will need to be more selective in his decision making .. has a good package of skill and athleticism.

Antoine Lafleur (NYR), G, Rouyn-Noranda

Following a trade from the PEI Rocket, Lafleur has flourished with his new team .. a hybrid goalie that prefers to catch and play shots in front of him .. relies primarily on his size, as his style is unsavoury .. technically, he is unorthodox in his movements and angle play .. in many cases his size bails him out of potential windfalls .. a no-nonsense goalie who does not excel in any particular area but somehow manages to make saves .. should be given a chance based on his draft position but overall lateral movement and mechanics will need to be revamped.

Nicolas Deslauriers (2009), D, Rouyn-Noranda

Raw defenseman who has been seeing his icetime increase considerably this season .. boasts good size and strength, however many facets of his game need upgrading .. struggles to make a first pass, as he lacks adequate puck skills to be an offensive threat .. turns and overall lateral agility need refinement as well .. displays some patience with the puck and utilizes his defence partner often to help him eliminate forechecking pressure .. not overly physical .. a tweener at this point that may get a sniff in the last round.