QMJHL Report: Victoriaville Tigres

The Victoriaville Tigres are one of the small-market teams in the QMJHL, but by making smart moves at both the entry and import draft, they have become a model for other organisations to follow. Mckeen's correspondent Rick Springhetti reports on some of the draft-eligible players that have taken on an important role for Victoriaville this season.

Phillip Danault (2011), LW, Victoriaville

Local player, Danault played for Team Canada at the 2010 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge where he impressed with his overall play .. used in all situations this season .. fairly quick skater who always keeps his head up when he's in movement .. keeps his stick down and ready at all times to either receive a pass or steal the puck from opponents .. constantly goes to the net and takes advantage of scoring opportunities in the crease area .. has an effective backhand shot that he likes to use if it helps him gain better position .. still needs to continue working on his shot, both in terms of release and velocity to make him as effective as he can be .. defensively, he gets himself involved in the hard areas .. quick to support his defensemen if they are in trouble .. will need to get stronger to play his style at the next level .. very good work ethic .. courageous player who plays through pain and injury.

Philippe Maillet (2011), C, Victoriaville

Excellent skater with impressive breakout speed .. able to jump into openings quickly without missing a beat .. constantly in motion giving opposing defensemen a tough time trying to keep their position on him .. excels at gaining the opposing blueline making him an asset on the powerplay .. has a solid wristshot that he uses with regularity .. smart player in all areas of the ice .. communicates well with his teammates .. needs to improve his overall strength .. easily pushed off the puck .. good vision, he distributes the puck well but needs to do so with more authority, as his passes still tend to get cut-off at times .. not a very physical player due to his size but not afraid to go in traffic areas either .. has to improve his play in the faceoff circle, which would give him the opportunity to see more ice-time in defensive missions.

David Honzik (2011) G, Victoriaville

Czech goaltender playing in his first season in the QMJHL .. played for his national team at the 2010 World Under 17 Challenge where he did not have a great record but did not get much support from his defensemen either .. has an impressive physical frame .. well-positioned, he keeps his body crouched over taking up a lot of room in net .. quick blocker and glove .. competent puckhandler but prefers to stay in his crease .. plays a hybrid style .. capable of keeping his balance well for such a big man .. covers the corners of the net well on wraparound attempts .. doesn't move around too much in net but will just make sure that the puck hits him .. can lose focus when he is not facing many shots .. starts to scramble a little when he is pressured .. still has some work to on his lateral mobility .. very raw goaltender with some interesting tools to work with.