2021 Draft - 1st Pick: Xavier Bourgault (F)

[nabob]

yes ?

You mad?

 

[Rpenny]

Still hate the pick. You look at the trade down a few picks later? 2 seconds. This guy would have been available later

 

[McTonyBrar]

Comparable? Benoit Pouliot. That's what they didn't do this year!

Benoit pouliot had no hockey iq. This kid has plenty

 

[CycloneSweep]

Still hate the pick. You look at the trade down a few picks later? 2 seconds. This guy would have been available later

No way of knowing that. Especially in a draft like this

 

[Giggleplex]

Kind of a Eberle 2.0?

If his first NHL goal is 80% as good as Eberle's I'm buying his jersey.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Still hate the pick. You look at the trade down a few picks later? 2 seconds. This guy would have been available later

You don’t know that.

 

[McTonyBrar]

TBH I expect Koskinen to have a bounce back year next season. Also I would not be surprised if Ken gives Freddy a 1 or 2 years show me-deal.

f*** Koskinen. The players don’t have faith in him. Games when this guy were in net showed how scared the team was when he played

 

[McTonyBrar]

Hope he can develop further as a center like Holloway has. A right shot center is very valuable.

I wouldn’t mind him at wing

 

[McTonyBrar]

Back from average Joe's and can finally talk a little bit more about Bourgault who I'm a big fan of.

The kid lead his team in scoring in his Draft -1 with 71 points in 63 games. Yes he was playing with some good players but he wasnt carried by them either. When his linemates were away he was the guy that took the team on his shoulders and kept them afloat.

I've seen some scouts and fans call him vanilla because he doesnt wow them but just because he isnt a sexy pick doesn't mean he is a good player. I think hes much more dynamic than people give him credit for. He makes things look easy out there and capitalizes on his opportunities. He gets the puck off his stick quickly and can pick his spots as a shooter but I think hes an ever better playmaker. He does little things like turn his body off the rush or hold up a slight second to find the open plays and use his exceptional vision. He thinks the game at a high level and hounds players to create opportunities for himself. He is incredibly fast but has an awkward stride. Hopefully he can work on that with coaches so add some more explosiveness to his game. He needs to work on his lateral movement but moves well up the ice and a slick stick handler. Defensively hes okay and in the right position but can be a bit too aggressive sometimes and isnt as effective as he could be if he put on some more muscle.

Finally his best attribute is his work ethic. Kid shows up every night and is always working on improving his game.

Hes already dominated the junior level and just needs to work on his game so he can adjust to bigger stronger players at the next level.

I really do think his upside is Claude Giroux if he is able to get stronger and work on his skating.

Was dusty lying last night when he said he has a poor work ethic? That guy needs to grow up

 

[LTIR]

Sounds like a Nuge/Ebs hybrid

 

[McTonyBrar]

A blind, mentally handicapped, baboon randomly picking lotto balls out of a machine to receive droplets of sugar water on its tongue would have a better drafting history than us.

Lavoie Savoie Holloway Leon Nurse McLeod Broberg Bear Jones eberle Tullio etc. Okay

 

[McDNicks17]

What's the main issue with his skating? He seems to do ok other then falling down when 2 people are swinging at his shins/skates(granted I only watch that highlight video in the first post). As far as picking magic beans go this looks like a good one, he can shoot/pass/has hands and doesn't seem scared to go to the net. Give the kid a few years of working on his game with professional development staff and plans and we could end up with a very solid top6 player. I guess that can be said about every pick, but what I'm trying to say is he doesn't look like an awful pick for being taken 22nd in a weird draft.

I think that Smaht Scouting report did a good job explaining where he lacks in skating.

He has a really wide stance that limits his speed/quickness, but also causes him to struggle with edge work. They also said he struggles with skate recovery(basically reloading your leg after a stride to stride again). His leg doesn’t make it all the way back and he falls.

Definitely correctable stuff with some work. The wide stance/reaching stuff is something I think Pulju improved on by a ton.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I wouldn't call Bourgault an elite sniper. He's a solid finisher, but his shot isn't that good.

His intelligence is his calling card. He knows where to be on the ice and makes a lot of clever plays with the puck.

 

[Game 8]

Lavoie Savoie Holloway Leon Nurse McLeod Broberg Bear Jones eberle Tullio etc. Okay

First round picks do not count, you can throw darts at any draft subscription service and have success in round 1 to add to that the oil have had many failures at the very top of the first round. What counts is 80% round 2 and then picking up something in the subsequent rounds after if possible. Round 2's have been a disaster for Edmonton for decades. That lack of success is paying dividends now in no defensive defenseman or lines 3 and 4, not to mention struggling to have a goalie prospect climb the ranks.

 

[McVirginOil]

 

[nuck]

I like it. I wanted a goalie but so did the Wings. I like to see things like relentless and dynamic in a scouting report.


Xavier Bourgault's Player Profile


Adam Kimelman - NHL.com - July 12th: "His skating and speed are standout qualities and he showed a knack for finding the soft spots in defensive coverages to create scoring chances for himself and his teammates."

Mike Morreale - NHL.com - July 12th: "Bourgault is a dynamic offensive player who is relentless in his puck pursuit."

Josh Bell of FC Hockey - July 8th: "Bourgault is a highly-dynamic offensive player with impressive intelligence. He’s an above-average skater with excellent positioning and awareness."

Andy Lehoux of FC Hockey - July 8th: "He enjoys expressing his imagination with brilliant dekes and flashy moves, yet his play flows in harmony with the offence through his simplicity"

Brayden Olafson - Dobber Prospects - July 7th: "His blend of technical and cognitive strengths result in a player who consistently creates synergy among his linemates and he is capable of elevating his play to exceed and overcome the style of his opponents."

Scott Wheeler - The Atheletic - June 22nd: "Bourgault’s game doesn’t leap off the ice at you but he’s dangerous in a variety of ways, with a deceptive release that comes off of his blade early in his shooting motion and stance to surprise goalies (off of either foot or from awkward postures, too) and good playmaking instincts inside the offensive zone."

Steve Kournianos - The Draft Analyst - May 24th: "A exceptional stickhandler with buttery-soft hands and a quick-strike mentality, Bourgault has to be in the running for the flashiest wingers available in the draft. "

Sam Cosentino - Sportsnet - May 12th: "An excellent finisher who works best in the offensive zone. An underrated playmaker, too."

 

[MettleMcOiler]

I wouldn't call Bourgault an elite sniper. He's a solid finisher, but his shot isn't that good.

His intelligence is his calling card. He knows where to be on the ice and makes a lot of clever plays with the puck.

I'm just curious who you are comparing him too?
What is his potential, can he grow into an elite sniper? Or do you think he has peaked already?

 

[Drivesaitl]

I don't see a weak skater in the highlights video.

Does anyone see David Perron in this kid?

Yeah.

Intelligent player. This is a guy reading the ice. He's not slow, he's letting the play happen and timing entries, finding open ice. I mean people here think Drai is slow when he's actually reading coverage and looking for spots. See some of this in Xavier. Its not how fast you skate, its how fast you can decision or move the puck or protect it until something opens up. I like the way Bourgault swims through traffic and uses body to shield the puck. He's finding a lot of open ice there and creating in zone.

The Oilers have really lacked players like this with confidence on the puck to play in our topsix. Other than the usual 3. Could see him being up in the lineup quicker than people might think. Cerebral player, good to great with the puck. Can skate through traffic. Exploits D like crazy and persistent. Looks like a guy that leaves it all on the ice and is involved in a lot of plays.

How Bourgault reads hockey, you can't teach that. Well not at later age. Some players develop this from a young age. He knows what the defensive coverage is giving him most of the time. I like this kind of player.

Bourgault reads openings well with or without the puck, and when he spots an opening he delivers. Sneaky screen shots too and seems good at picking his spots. Not a lot on the shots, but there doesn't always have to be.

 

[LMFAO]

You mad?

yes?

 

[McTonyBrar]

Yeah.

Intelligent player. This is a guy reading the ice. He's not slow, he's letting the play happen and timing entries, finding open ice. I mean people here think Drai is slow when he's actually reading coverage and looking for spots. See some of this in Xavier. Its not how fast you skate, its how fast you can decision or move the puck or protect it until something opens up. I like the way Bourgault swims through traffic and uses body to shield the puck. He's finding a lot of open ice there and creating in zone.

The Oilers have really lacked players like this with confidence on the puck to play in our topsix. Other than the usual 3. Could see him being up in the lineup quicker than people might think. Cerebral player, good to great with the puck. Can skate through traffic. Exploits D like crazy and persistent. Looks like a guy that leaves it all on the ice and is involved in a lot of plays.

How Bourgault reads hockey, you can't teach that. Well not at later age. Some players develop this from a young age. He knows what the defensive coverage is giving him most of the time. I like this kind of player.

I like this analysis

 

[Stoneman89]

TBH I expect Koskinen to have a bounce back year next season. Also I would not be surprised if Ken gives Freddy a 1 or 2 years show me-deal.

Interesting take. So they just signed Smith, and you think they might sign Anderson. And no one out there wants Koskinen. So, where do you think he has his bounce back season - Bakersfield? Finland? KHL?

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

A blind, mentally handicapped, baboon randomly picking lotto balls out of a machine to receive droplets of sugar water on its tongue would have a better drafting history than us.

Use comical analogies if you like but park using mentally handicapped as part of it. That’s f***ing trash.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

I'm just curious who you are comparing him too?
What is his potential, can he grow into an elite sniper? Or do you think he has peaked already?

I think he can grow into a 20-25 goal, 50 point scorer if everything goes right, specifically in terms of his skating development.

Really not sure about a player comparable. Maybe a Reilly Smith?

 

[Broberg Speed]

I noticed the dekes and the release. Some heady passing as well. Like any young player he will have to increase his strength and defensive awareness. He has the hands and the skill to be a top six winger. Very aggressive on the offence.

 

[Ementy]

f*** Koskinen. The players don’t have faith in him. Games when this guy were in net showed how scared the team was when he played

"DIVE IN FRONT OF HIS GLOVE" was the best defenseive play when he was in net.