2004 Quebec Midget Draft.......James Sheppard ..........

[hockey observer]

Been watching this site for months now and felt it was time to make a comment. I have never seen Brealt, Corsi or the defenseman Legault play and people are saying that they will go in the top 3 this year in the draft.
But, we have had the pleasure of watching James Sheppard play with the Subways this year and one thing is for certain.....the other 3 guys must be very good because to put them ahead of Sheppard makes them great players as well. James is a towering player at 6-2 and somewhere around 200 pounds and is by far the best overall 15 year old in Atlantic CAnada. He is a great kid, with incredible skills, sees the ice very well and pound for pound is a player that any team in the Q , would want to build their team around.
It is my opinion that James will go first overall in the draft this year because he is the total package.....seeing him score over 200 points in Bantam AAA last year and come to the Subways this year and concentrate on his defensive responsibilities has made him the complete player. Unless a team is desperate for a good defenseman, Sheppard will be the best forward available in the Draft this year and should go first overall.
Watching the Mooseheads play this year, there is no doubt that Sheppard could of played and been their best player on the ice . He doesn't choose what day he comes to work, he brings it everyday and leaves it on the ice. With Halifax picking second or third next year, I don't believe Sheppard will be available when it comes their turn to select their player.
*************Again, I have not seen Breault,Corsi or Legault play but we hear good things about them. What I would like to hear is how good these guys really are and why people feel that they will go so high in the Draft!!! One thing is for sure >>> James Sheppard is the" total package" and he will be the rookie to watch in the Q next season.

Click to read more...

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Halifax will pick either 1st, 2nd or 3rd with the Lotto.

James has a shot at #1, but he isnt a lock. I think hes a lock for top 5.

Jonathan Bernier, is the best goalie available and he could crack the top 3 as well.

Breault -- very skilled player, small, quick, good hockey sense
Legault -- big offensive dman, 50% chance of going #1.
Corsi -- droping in my book.

But i agree with everything you said about Sheppard.

 

[Laurentides]

Halifax will pick either 1st, 2nd or 3rd with the Lotto.

James has a shot at #1, but he isnt a lock. I think hes a lock for top 5.

Jonathan Bernier, is the best goalie available and he could crack the top 3 as well.

Breault -- very skilled player, small, quick, good hockey sense
Legault -- big offensive dman, 50% chance of going #1.
Corsi -- droping in my book.

But i agree with everything you said about Sheppard.

I have never seen Sheppard play but in my opinion Legault should go #1. I have seen him maybe 4 times this year and what a great player. Im not gonna compare him to any NHL defenseman but he can move the puck very well and is a pp specialist. His skating may be his biggest weakness but he is 6.2 215 at 16 years old.......

Ive been to every game in Laval this year and one of the biggest dissapointment this year was the play of Corsi in the second half of the season...he wasnt there! He will be falling in the draft i think because of that. One of the reason why the team in general played poorly in the second half of the season is the head coach, Gérard Gagnon. This coach seriously affected the young players minds all season long. His decisions from the start of the year were stupid : he didnt want Francis Gagnon ( Gatineau Olympiques )at the begginnig of the season, even if there wasnt any other QB type defenseman, because of his ¨attitude¨ . After that he didnt selected any forward who were more than 6 feet. His checking line was fine but if any of the players cought a penalty, they were benching or he would have given them Lines ( in french des copies ) to do for the day after.......


John Bernier is probably the most overrated player i have seen all year, he is good but i dont think he has been better than Michael Dupont ( Normand Dupont' s son ). Bernier should still go out in the top 5 or 10 but mostly because of his reputation.

I could still do a player by player description i you guys are interested

 

[LaLaLaprise]

I have never seen Sheppard play but in my opinion Legault should go #1. I have seen him maybe 4 times this year and what a great player. Im not gonna compare him to any NHL defenseman but he can move the puck very well and is a pp specialist. His skating may be his biggest weakness but he is 6.2 215 at 16 years old.......

Ive been to every game in Laval this year and one of the biggest dissapointment this year was the play of Corsi in the second half of the season...he wasnt there! He will be falling in the draft i think because of that. One of the reason why the team in general played poorly in the second half of the season is the head coach, Gérard Gagnon. This coach seriously affected the young players minds all season long. His decisions from the start of the year were stupid : he didnt want Francis Gagnon ( Gatineau Olympiques )at the begginnig of the season, even if there wasnt any other QB type defenseman, because of his ¨attitude¨ . After that he didnt selected any forward who were more than 6 feet. His checking line was fine but if any of the players cought a penalty, they were benching or he would have given them Lines ( in french des copies ) to do for the day after.......


John Bernier is probably the most overrated player i have seen all year, he is good but i dont think he has been better than Michael Dupont ( Normand Dupont' s son ). Bernier should still go out in the top 5 or 10 but mostly because of his reputation.

I could still do a player by player description i you guys are interested

Legault is 6'00 205...he was listed at 6'02 for a lot of the year, but none the less he is still good. West Island converted him to Forward in the playoffs, not sure how that will effect the draft.

Corsi has flopped and im not sure why, maybe he started to believe he was the best player, for whatever reason i can see him being rated mid-low 1st rd by CSR in April.

About Sheppard, the thing that seperates him from other forwards, especially this year, is his size. If you look at all the top forwards coming out of Quebec you have:

Ben Breault - 5'10 175
PJ Corsi - 5'10 160
Dany Masse - 5'10 170
Yannik Reindeau - 5'08 145
Vince Remmillard - 5'10 170

Sheppard is 6'02 215! And he uses his size well, he hits everything, he is pretty damn good in his own end, for his age. He has a shot, great vision, I truely believe he is the real deal, and a more well rounded package than any other forward coming out of Quebec.


About Jon Bernier, yes he may be over rated, but there is not much goalie depth coming out of this draft. He could be a hot commodity come June.

 

[PEli*]

I would have liked to get the chance to see Sheppard play this year. Things got busy and I never made it out to watch. The more I hear about him, the more I like his game. If the other forwards are that small, does Sheppard's size advantage give him an advantage in the draft? Like, will he go higher than a guy like Corsi or Breault because a team needs a player with skill AND size rather than just skill.

I'd love to see Patenaude use his pick on Shep. Not just because he's a local boy but because it would be great to have another solid young player to use next year. He would probably get Kenzie Sheppard-like minutes. Maybe more. But I'd expect that McKenzie would use him on the PP and stick him in front of the net.

I would trade the chance of a pick like this for the playoffs any day of the week though. It sucks to be on the outside looking in.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

I would have liked to get the chance to see Sheppard play this year. Things got busy and I never made it out to watch. The more I hear about him, the more I like his game. If the other forwards are that small, does Sheppard's size advantage give him an advantage in the draft? Like, will he go higher than a guy like Corsi or Breault because a team needs a player with skill AND size rather than just skill.

I'd love to see Patenaude use his pick on Shep. Not just because he's a local boy but because it would be great to have another solid young player to use next year. He would probably get Kenzie Sheppard-like minutes. Maybe more. But I'd expect that McKenzie would use him on the PP and stick him in front of the net.

I would trade the chance of a pick like this for the playoffs any day of the week though. It sucks to be on the outside looking in.

Well Dartmouth is still in the playoffs. Just watch the newspaper and come out to a game.

I think size does give him an advantage because its more rare. A team can pick Shep rd 1 and pick a smaller forward later because there is a lot of them.

If Halifax were to get Shep he wouldnt play much. Too many players ahead of him. PP is almost out of the question.

 

[PEli*]

Well Dartmouth is still in the playoffs. Just watch the newspaper and come out to a game.

I think size does give him an advantage because its more rare. A team can pick Shep rd 1 and pick a smaller forward later because there is a lot of them.

If Halifax were to get Shep he wouldnt play much. Too many players ahead of him. PP is almost out of the question.

Might try that. It'd be cool to get to see what the fuss is about.

Do you think Patenaude will keep the 1st? Obviously, a few recent threads would suggest that it may be involved in a deal for Urquhart or some other overager at the draft but if Beaulieu, Sparre and Guenette are all going to be back, why waste picks on a guy you can't play every night?

Keeping the 1st would probably be the best bet if the team wishes to contend past 2006. Even after the upcoming year's Mem Cup run, Cabana, Lomanno, Sheppard and Saulnier will all still be 19 and under. The overagers would consist of Sharrow, Vrana, Steber, Brine, Picard and Bernier. That's a decent crop of 20s to choose four from.

Would it be wrong to say that the Mooseheads will contend near the top for the next two years and still remain in the middle of the pack after that?

 

[hockey observer]

Sheppard in the Q...........

Might try that. It'd be cool to get to see what the fuss is about.

Do you think Patenaude will keep the 1st? Obviously, a few recent threads would suggest that it may be involved in a deal for Urquhart or some other overager at the draft but if Beaulieu, Sparre and Guenette are all going to be back, why waste picks on a guy you can't play every night?

Keeping the 1st would probably be the best bet if the team wishes to contend past 2006. Even after the upcoming year's Mem Cup run, Cabana, Lomanno, Sheppard and Saulnier will all still be 19 and under. The overagers would consist of Sharrow, Vrana, Steber, Brine, Picard and Bernier. That's a decent crop of 20s to choose four from.

Would it be wrong to say that the Mooseheads will contend near the top for the next two years and still remain in the middle of the pack after that?

 

[hockey observer]

Sheppard in the Q........

Usually, a team like the Mooseheads with that many kids returning, don't have room for a rookie to step in and play right away. Watching Kenzie Sheppard and Saulnier play this year, it is obvious that their inconsistency was a main reason as to why sometimes they would only get so many minutes of playing time. Seeing powerplay after powerplay and not be able to get the puck out of your own zone,tells me that there is room for a #1 pick to step in and contribute. I believe that J. Sheppard can step in right away and not only get playing time, solidify that second line and take the heat off the top line.
Hearing that Legault was moved up to the forward position for the playoffs tells me that he is an all round player who could of been playing on a team with not much depth in the forward position. This would scare me a little if I was choosing between one of two players, as I would be looking for the player that was going to make the biggest contribution right away in his position. Watching the Mooseheads play this year, they will have a lot of depth next year, and I believe that they will use that depth to trade for a couple of defensemen.It almost looked like they sacrificed a part of the season to develop some of those young kids . As far as I am concerned, they will now analize their young talent, see what they need to get to the top quarter of the league, trade some of those that don't fit into their long-term plans and build their team around their first round pick in the upcoming draft.
Sounds like to me that Breault is a little small and Corsi for some reason has fell off the pace . That leaves Legault and Sheppard as the two players who should go 1 and 2 in the draft this year. I wonder what the odds were of 2 kids (S. Crosby and J. Sheppard) , who live basically next door to each other, going #1 in the draft , 2 years in a row.
And a final point, there is another very skilled player coming up in Halifax by the name of Steven Anthony. Leaving a PeeWee Division into Bantam next year, he is 3 years away from the 2007 Midget draft, but he looks more and more like a young J. Sheppard everyday.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Might try that. It'd be cool to get to see what the fuss is about.

Do you think Patenaude will keep the 1st? Obviously, a few recent threads would suggest that it may be involved in a deal for Urquhart or some other overager at the draft but if Beaulieu, Sparre and Guenette are all going to be back, why waste picks on a guy you can't play every night?

Keeping the 1st would probably be the best bet if the team wishes to contend past 2006. Even after the upcoming year's Mem Cup run, Cabana, Lomanno, Sheppard and Saulnier will all still be 19 and under. The overagers would consist of Sharrow, Vrana, Steber, Brine, Picard and Bernier. That's a decent crop of 20s to choose four from.

Would it be wrong to say that the Mooseheads will contend near the top for the next two years and still remain in the middle of the pack after that?

Yeah man the subways are loaded with Talent...watch these players:

#15 - Sheppard
#19 - Gallagher
#4 - Bona
#9 - Hillier
#10 - Marchand

All 5 are 1988 born, and all should be drafted this summer.

If Patenaude trades for Urquhart, you will see Beaulieu plus younger players and pics traded for a #1 dman, because we need one, and to make room for Urquhart.

2004/2005 the Mooseheads need to make trades, so the 2005/2006 season we will be eitehr below .500 or just at .500 depending how many assets we deal. We have some holes to fill and the only way you can fill those is by trading for players.

Depends what deals Patenaude does.

 

[99999]

james sheppard

The problem I have with James Shpppard is he has't seen any competion in his hockey career,The N.S. Major Midget was a very week league and he didn't hit a hundred points,He was at the U-17 tryuots last year and he had a hard time keeping up with the 87's also Galagher was a bust. Before I get on their bandwagons they will have to do a lot of proving to me

 

[LaLaLaprise]

The problem I have with James Shpppard is he has't seen any competion in his hockey career,The N.S. Major Midget was a very week league and he didn't hit a hundred points,He was at the U-17 tryuots last year and he had a hard time keeping up with the 87's also Galagher was a bust. Before I get on their bandwagons they will have to do a lot of proving to me

Steve Dixon had 60 pts in the same league and he made the WJHC team at age 18.

Shep had like 70 some pts.

Plus Shep isnt all out offense. He is the Complete Package. He is big, plays physical, is a leader and is great in the defensive zone.

Cape-Breton is picking him #1 if they can work out a school agreement.

Also how can you call Gallagher a bust? He is 15 and yet to even play a game in Major Junior.

 

[Cayouche5]

Steve Dixon had 60 pts in the same league and he made the WJHC team at age 18.

Shep had like 70 some pts.

Plus Shep isnt all out offense. He is the Complete Package. He is big, plays physical, is a leader and is great in the defensive zone.

Cape-Breton is picking him #1 if they can work out a school agreement.

Also how can you call Gallagher a bust? He is 15 and yet to even play a game in Major Junior.

whats up Laprise i think you follow the Midjet a bit i just want to know what do you think of the goalie Sebastien Dube who is rated to be draft in the 4th round of this year draft ?

 

[LaLaLaprise]

whats up Laprise i think you follow the Midjet a bit i just want to know what do you think of the goalie Sebastien Dube who is rated to be draft in the 4th round of this year draft ?

He had a strong CSR weekend. He has decent size and he is quick in the net. He is raw and played Espoir this year but i think he will make for a good 4th or 5th rd pick. He will surely head back to AAA next year.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

There is an article about the first overall pick in the Cape Breton Post. They only mentioned Breault and Sheppard but say the Eagles narrowed it down to 3 players.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

There is an article about the first overall pick in the Cape Breton Post. They only mentioned Breault and Sheppard but say the Eagles narrowed it down to 3 players.

Legault is the other.

He played Forward and Defense this year. Pascal Vincent said if they draft Legault they will use him as a Forward.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Legault is the other.

He played Forward and Defense this year. Pascal Vincent said if they draft Legault they will use him as a Forward.

Well we still have a good defense for next year. Our forward group should still be extremly strong after the trade is done.

Dixon
Tessier(OA)
Demers(OA)
Asselin
Beland
Lambert
Bertrand
Thériault
1st overall player

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Vincent said he wont trade Demers but Tessier will be dealt.

he also said he expects a line of Beland/Berrand/Lambert to be like a 2nd line.

Dixon said himself he is coming to Halifax so not sure.

That leaves Demers and Asselin on the #1 line probably with Sheppard.

The bottom lines will be filled out with other draft picks and Ouimet and Therirult (2003 picks).

Defense is strong.

Pardy/Smith
Fontaine/Sawyer
Zaore/Gallant

And of Course 2 good goalies, Houle and Proteau.

Probably a .400 team

 

[RyanM]

Well we still have a good defense for next year. Our forward group should still be extremly strong after the trade is done.

Dixon
Tessier(OA)
Demers(OA)
Asselin
Beland
Lambert
Bertrand
Thériault
1st overall player

That's not extremely strong. It's good, but not great. And Tessier will not be back.

Dixon, Demers, Asselin are the only above average players. Beland could hit 20 goals with enough ice time. Lambert and Bertrand are good 3rd liners but they're far from impact players. And Theriault and Sheppard will be rookies so you can't expect much from them. Almost every team in the league has that type of forward depth coming back basically. In our own division Moncton brings back Bernier, Gagne, both euro's, Pelham and Graham; Halifax has Vrana, Guenette, Bernier, Sparre, Cabana and Brine; Bathurst has Beauregard, Laplante, Roy, Cote, Clendenning(they're still 1 year away from all being impact players though imo); and P.E.I has Lapierre, Laliberte, Bureau, Bonneau, Charron plus god knows what will happen with Lambert and Urquhart.

Where we're ahead of the rest of the weak teams is D and in goal. Throw in an impact Euro up front and we'll have a shot at .500 but if we're 3rd in the division that'll be considered a success.

EDIT: There are also still strong Dixon to Halifax rumors so we wont know till the draft who is actually coming back

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

What I meant to say is we have a strong team considering the players we will lose. What will Tessier bring back in terms of a pick? 2nd or 3rd rounder?

 

[99999]

gallagher sheppard

Steve Dixon had 60 pts in the same league and he made the WJHC team at age 18.

Shep had like 70 some pts.

Plus Shep isnt all out offense. He is the Complete Package. He is big, plays physical, is a leader and is great in the defensive zone.

Cape-Breton is picking him #1 if they can work out a school agreement.

Also how can you call Gallagher a bust? He is 15 and yet to even play a game in Major Junior.

Gallagher will not play Major Junior Shep is not the total packages he is soft and did you look at is points in the playoffs when the going got tough and again the major midget league was basically a glorified Batam league

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Gallagher will not play Major Junior Shep is not the total packages he is soft and did you look at is points in the playoffs when the going got tough and again the major midget league was basically a glorified Batam league

Sorry i dont look at points when comparing players.

Gallagher may go NCAA but that doesnt mean he isnt good enough for the QMJHL.

This argument reminds me last year when some guy on here was telling me Justin Saulnier couldnt play in the Q ever. Well at 16 he played regularly and had about 25 pts.

Sheppard is in fact the Full package, well me, every other scout and Pascal Vincent (CB GM) seem to think so.

Major Midget isnt as strong as the Quebec MAAA league but it is much better than what you are saying. Look at the QMJHL rosters and look and see just how many players on those 16 teams played in the NS MAAA league.

For your first couple posts you havent picked the best of fights.

 

[99999]

Sorry i dont look at points when comparing players.

Gallagher may go NCAA but that doesnt mean he isnt good enough for the QMJHL.

This argument reminds me last year when some guy on here was telling me Justin Saulnier couldnt play in the Q ever. Well at 16 he played regularly and had about 25 pts.

Sheppard is in fact the Full package, well me, every other scout and Pascal Vincent (CB GM) seem to think so.

Major Midget isnt as strong as the Quebec MAAA league but it is much better than what you are saying. Look at the QMJHL rosters and look and see just how many players on those 16 teams played in the NS MAAA league.

For your first couple posts you havent picked the best of fights.

Speaking about scout Iwas told by scouts that were at the prospects game in New Brunswick That their wasn't a player there that was ready for the Q also to set the record straight I think Shep and Galagher are good players and if they get into the Q and they fight,score hit and do a good job Iwill call them the total package like Saulnier

 

[hockey observer]

Steve Dixon had 60 pts in the same league and he made the WJHC team at age 18.

Shep had like 70 some pts.

Plus Shep isnt all out offense. He is the Complete Package. He is big, plays physical, is a leader and is great in the defensive zone.

Cape-Breton is picking him #1 if they can work out a school agreement.

Also how can you call Gallagher a bust? He is 15 and yet to even play a game in Major Junior.

 

[hockey observer]

Just seeing this post about Gallagher now...Blake started slow this year but by xmas had adjusted and settled in.....I think he had a good year and would probably have gone in the top 20 if he had committed to the Q....i WOULD NOT SAY he was a bust by any means...He had a great second half and will have an even better season with DArtmouth next year.....I wonder if the right team took him by round 5.....lol,,,

As far as Mr. Sheppard goes....he only scored 70 points this year.....he could of had 150 if he wanted but in my opinion, he made him self a better all round player and will be rewarded because of this....I believe he has had good advice>>>he has used the league to market himself not only as a player but a quality person as well and is ready to deliver at the next level....

As far as the Dartmouth Subways goes this past season...Brad Marchand was probably the most consistent player who scored lots of goals on his own ability(and will look good in a Moncton uniform), Sheppard was Sheppard; Hillier is very skilled ,will go in first round,but will have trouble adjusting away from home; Bona rode the pines late in season and cannot figure out why he is ranked so high>>whoever takes him early will have to give him 18 months to adjust because I think that is how long it will take; and Bonderchuk has turned out to be a very good player who should be a steal for whoever takes him this year...

That is my opinion....and by the way, the NS MAAA awards banquet is this afternoon...watch for Sheppard and Marchand to go to Rookie team....Chris Wall to get top goalie who was 22-0 ay one point, Sheppard to get top rookie and quite possible MVP in the whole league.....However, there is also the possibility that they wouldn't give it to a one year kid... lol enjoy....have a good mother's day be kind to your mom and keep it friendly,,, but real.....