QMJHL Report: Defensive Breakdown

Mckeen's correspondent Rick Springhetti looks at a trio of defensemen, Guillaume Cloutier, Troy Vance and Garrett Clarke all of whom have started to become important parts of their respective teams.

Guillaume Cloutier (2011), D, Chicoutimi

Safe and reliable defenseman who is seeing a lot more icetime after being traded from a stacked Saint John team to a rebuilding Chicoutimi one .. doesn't have great peripheral vision for the passing game, but has a strong wristshot that hits the net and gives him some secondary minutes on the powerplay .. tries to engage physically, especially defensively, but needs to improve his overall strength .. very responsible in his own zone .. stays disciplined in one-on-one situations .. willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the team be it by blocking shots or sacrificing personal stats .. keeps his stick active and well-positioned.. needs to be paired with a good puck-moving defenseman, as he has trouble getting the puck out of his zone effectively .. very good overall effort on a consistent basis, but would just like to see him control the puck a little more instead of immediately moving it to a teammate.

Troy Vance (2011), D, Victoriaville

Big defenseman, Vance started the season with Philadelphia of the EJHL but joined Victoriaville after his rights were picked-up from Rouyn-Noranda .. picks-up decent straight-ahead speed but his footwork needs some work .. has trouble moving laterally and with his pivots, which is to be expected considering his size .. can produce some offense when he uses his heavy shot .. intelligent when doing so, as he will sacrifice power if it means getting the shot to the net .. makes an effective breakout pass, as long as he keeps it simple .. tendency to make bad reads, especially at center ice .. protects the crease well .. will answer with authority when challenged physically .. uses his lower-body well when dishing out a hit .. starts to run around a little when the play breaks down in his zone .. as he gains experience, he is starting to make safer plays when he needs to.

Garrett Clarke (2011), D, Acadie-Bathurst

Busy year for Clarke, as he was sent home by Halifax at the beginning of November after falling out of favor with the coaching staff due to his inability to discipline himself on and off the ice .. was traded to Shawinigan later in the month who in turn traded him to Acadie-Bathurst in January .. excellent puckmover who can make a very good breakout pass .. makes quick decisions once he has the puck .. good straight-ahead skater but could improve laterally .. frustrating habit of taking himself out of position to make a hit .. not seeing as much icetime in defensive situations since joining Acadie-Bathurst due to the team's depth .. has a hard shot on net just has to use it a little more .. relies too much on his natural abilities and has to start thinking the game better.