QMJHL: Soaring Eagles

The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles were one of the most balanced teams in the QJMHL this season, featuring a mix of veterans, youngsters, speed and size. Led by goaltender Olivier Roy who has been closely followed by many NHL scouts this season, Cape Breton did very well during the playoffs but the loss of veteran Robert Slaney was a big blow for them. McKeen's contributor Rick Springhetti looks at several prospects from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

Etienne Brodeur (Phx) D, Cape Breton

Huge defenseman that basically takes care of things in his own zone .. has the confidence of the coaching staff who will not hesitate to put him on the ice in crucial game situations .. uses his big body to win battles along the boards or protect the puck, but needs to play with more nastiness in front of the net .. very choppy stickhandler when he moves up the ice, that he tends to lose the puck at times .. average skater, which prevents him from using all his physical tools to his advantage

Joey Haddad (Pit), RW, Cape Breton

Laboured skater but surprising acceleration, he keeps his feet moving all the time in the offensive zone . complicates things for opposing players by constantly moving his upper body around, which tends to hide his intentions well with the puck .. finishes all his checks when he has the chance .. draws many penalties by antagonising, but his feistiness leads to his own penalty problems at times .. works hard enough in his own zone but suffers from brain cramp at times, especially against teams that cycle the puck well .. not a great passer, but a very good finisher.

Robert Slaney (Tor) C, Cape Breton

Good-sized centerman that manages to play a physical game without getting into too much penalty trouble .. speed is average but he does well along the boards by staying on his feet .. good shot on net with a quick release .. uses his size to his advantage by cycling the puck very well .. smart enough to know his limitations so he will try and play a simple game .. has improved his hockey IQ, as his junior hockey career progressed and should continue to do so in the future .. excellent work habits and a player that can play through injury.

Michael Ward (TB), D, Cape Breton

Very graceful skater, he moves very well in every direction, in particular when he skates backwards .. keeps his head up at all times .. very good short passer, he makes quick decisions when he has the puck .. average physical defender, he keeps his stick low and in movement at all times .. aware of the fact that at times, he needs to get out of the way and let the goaltender make the save, so he makes sure that he has the front of the net covered .. doesn't create too much offence from the backend.

Nicolas Chouinard (2009), C, Cape Breton

Works very hard when forechecking and is effective due to his skating, especially his lateral mobility .. can pick up a lot of speed going forward and his turns are very sharp .. effective at spotting open teammates in traffic .. not much strength behind his wristshot .. manages to handle the puck very well without slowing down his skating, but keeps his head down a little .. needs to get stronger, as he still loses too many battles in the corners or along the wall.

Francis Meilleur (2009), D, Cape Breton

Gets pucks out of his zone very quickly but needs to be careful when skating up the ice, as he does get caught by opponents at times .. anticipates the play well in his own zone .. moves with decent speed both forwards and backwards, but balance and pivots are areas he could improve on .. initiates contact but is careful not to get caught out of position .. will need to get a lot stronger to be able to contain bigger forwards .. capable of making quick decisions with the puck, although he does not show much imagination, opting for the safe play

Olivier Roy (2009) G, Cape Breton

Agile goaltender, he gets up very quickly once he goes down .. although not a very big goaltender, he does covers the net well .. stays very cool under pressure .. does not over commit to the shooter .. excellent positioning, he is very aware of where he is at all times around the crease .. anticipates plays well .. can get a little careless when handling the puck around the net .. never seems to be scrambling for position .. he is the type of goaltender a coach can count on, as he was very consistent throughout the season.