QMJHL Report : Val-dOr Foreurs

The Val-d'Or Foreurs are one of the QMJHL small market organizations that must rely on their drafting and player development to compete against the bigger QJMHL markets. McKeen's hockey correspondent Rick Springhetti focuses on four young Foreurs hoping to take this organization to the top.

Julien Leduc (2012), D, Val-d'Or

Two-way defenseman, Leduc is a quick skater who only needs a few strides to hit his top speed .. moves well going backward and keeps his stick well positioned .. has some trouble with his lateral mobility so he has to make sure opponents don`t get a jump on him on the outside .. can make questionable decisions at the blueline .. in his own zone, his positional play and overall mobility make him a very effective defenseman .. showing more willingness to hold on to the puck and create plays .. not a very effective puck distributor .. does have a very hard shot, although his tendency to rush his plays makes it a little erratic .. not overly physical but he will defend his teammates.

Vladislav Shalimov (2012), C/LW, Val-d'Or

Not a very graceful skater .. stride is labored but his powerful lower body makes it possible for him to pick-up good speed .. strong player who can power through opponents to the net but doesn't do it enough .. catches his opponents off-guard with his ability to make a strong backhand pass .. quick puckhandler .. slightly improved effort on his defensive game as the season has progressed but he still can't be considered a very effective player in his own zone .. has a tendency to be individualistic with the puck .. keeps himself open when his team gains the blueline on the rush .. not very effective in the faceoff circle .. doesn't bring much in terms of a physical presence .. in fact, his effort level has to improve in the corners or against the boards .. has some abilities but has to learn to make plays at a quicker pace to be effective.

Francois Tremblay (2012), G, Val-d'Or

Drafted by Val-d'Or at the 2010 QMJHL draft - 4th overall .. has grown into his body quite a bit in the last two years .. good frame, he takes up a lot of space .. tends to play deep in his crease .. gets back into position quickly .. good leg movement ..kicks are fast and controlled .. will need to anticipate the play better, as he still gets caught off guard on some shots .. very reliable with both the blocker and the glove .. surprising flexibility for such a big goaltender .. will poke check the puck at times .. can get frustrated when letting in a bad goal .. lateral movement not as smooth as can be yet .. has some very good tools but results are not quite what some hoped for.

Matt Murphy (2013), D, Val-d'Or

Drafted 5th overall at the 2011 QMJHL draft .. good first-step quickness .. smooth skater with smooth pivots .. can get the puck out of zone effectively either by skating it out quickly or by making a good lead pass .. keeps his stick active in the defensive zone .. aware of where his teammates are on the ice .. confident in himself, he will go for stretch passes when he sees the opportunity to do so .. shot needs to be stronger but he does hit the net regularly .. his game can sometimes go quickly in the defensive zone .. has a lot of tools, he can become a dominant defenseman once he gains more experience.