QMJHL: Poulin Emerging From Fog

The expansion St. John's Fog Devils currently sit in the basement of the QMJHL's Eastern Division yet have high hopes for the future with prospects such as Pier-Alexandre Poulin (2006) and Jean-Simon Allard (2007).

Pier-Alexandre Poulin (2006), LW

Impressive-looking player who appears to be one of the few Fog Devils having fun out there .. displays excellent puck control skills .. quick on his feet though could still benefit from lengthening his stride .. makes sharp passes coming out of his zone and displays very good patience with the puck .. not afraid to plant himself in front of the net, and is often the first one to jump on a loose puck .. uses his body effectively to ensure possession while being pressured .. logs lots of icetime with linemates Maxime Langelier-Parent and Philippe Cote, and is also used on both special teams .. smart presence on the penalty-kill, adept at blocking shooting lanes against opposing pointmen .. more offensively inclined though is also efficient in his own zone .. will need however to develop more of a physical game as he grows into his lean frame .. very intelligent player with the puck though and should progress into a top offensive threat sooner rather than later.

Jean-Simon Allard (2007), C

The fourth-overall pick in the 2005 Midget Draft has the look of a fresh rookie was the go-to player for his AAA team, however is having some difficulty making the transition to major junior .. seems slightly overwhelmed at times and has had trouble adjusting to the quicker pace .. will be limited to a fourth-line center until he can gain strength and confidence .. really lacks strength on the puck at this stage, can't compete physically and gets manhandled in the corners .. can be a smooth stickhandler and playmaker when he has the proper time and space .. also possesses a sneaky wristshot that he gets away in a hurry .. however he gets impatience with the puck and needs to make quicker decisions and develop better poise at both ends .. gaining strength is the biggest key for him though.

Ilia Ejov (2006), G

A tall, lanky netminder who likes to play on his knees .. usually down on his pads whether he's facing a shot or has to move laterally across the net .. unfortunately doesn't have a whole lot of defensive help yet on the expansion Fog Devils, so will have to learn to corral rebounds more efficiently as he struggles in this department .. usually stays square to the shooter, at least until he has to move .. does not display particularly good lateral movement, another area that need further attention .. loses his form as well at times, will opt to dive to the other side of the net rather than move his pads across in a more compact and prepared manner.

Oscar Sundh (2006), LW

'86-born Swedish winger making his North American debut .. not really a player who can be expected to carry a huge offensive load, however he does have nice instincts and is able to contribute .. boasts a big lanky frame but seems to lack some of balance on his skates .. not particularly that solid on his feet .. shows good awareness at both ends though and often sneaks behind opposing defenders undetected to accept long passes .. likes to carry the puck through the neutral zone and boasts decent top speed for a player of his size .. also displays a good first step .. balance is his major issue and one that seems to prevent him from fully utilizing his crafty stickhandling abilities .. smart positional player who always seems to be in the right spot .. wins battles along the boards due to his skill.

Brett Beauchamp (2006), D

St. John's best defenseman on this night, though that might not be saying all that much .. still, he is a competitive Q-caliber defenseman .. boasts a hard shot from the point that makes it through traffic .. a solid skater with good speed .. doesn't take unnecessary risks defensively though sometimes lacks some energy on the ice .. rushed the puck a few times but received little help and ran out of options .. decent player though likely not pro material.

Matt Boland (2007), D

Did not see much of the physical defenseman as he lost a fight decisively to the Mooseheads' Kirk Forrest .. got nailed with a devastating punch to the jaw and stumbled off the ice for help.