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

[Stoneman89]

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

You forgot McDavid.

 

[Zaddy]

Well all anyone has is how these players look in juniors. Could easily say the same about Walls, he could be the next Pogue.

This kid can shoot and can hit a one timer. We need both of those things. Perhaps we can develop his skating like we did with Drasaitl. He's got some straightline ability, the agility and edges can take time. Hes a couple years away at least, but so would the goalie have been.

I don't think you really understood my point. There are guys who are amazing in juniors and then never does anything in pro, and then there are guys that have fairly modest numbers in juniors but end but being very solid pros. So when you look at a player in juniors you can't just look at how dominate he is on the ice or how many points he scores. You need to pick apart each and every aspect of said player's game and evaluate them individually and look at how each thing would transfer to the next level.

Basically what you need to do is to try and figure out and project how the things he excels at in juniors will look like against bigger, faster, smarter and tougher players. Players in the Q are small and soft, so it's a league that is very friendly to skill and where it's easy to look good.

On the contrary you have a guy like Pierre-Luc Dubois who even struggled in the Q in his post-draft season, simply because he is not a natural skill guy who is shifty and has crazy dangles. But you could see with him that his game would translate excellent to the pros even if his production in the Q wasn't fantastic. Like PLD at the same age as Bourgault this season had 55 points in 48 games whereas Bourgault had 40 points in 29 games, yet PLD was a much better prospect.

It's not a bad thing that Bourgault has a lot of skill though of course, but he has a lot to work on if he wants to be an NHLer. So for his (and the Oilers) sake I hope he has a relentless work ethic.

 

[Stoneman89]

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

But how do you tell if a baboon is mentally handicapped?

 

[KingKhron]

Sounds like a Nuge/Ebs hybrid

The scouting report just a few posts up used Brendan Gallagher as his main comparable and Cam Atkinson as another.

 

[Zaddy]

It's kinda funny because we got into a bit before we picked him. I think it's a fair criticism but I think you're being too harsh on the kid. Were drafting 22nd, not in the top 10. At this point in the draft you're gonna come across players that need to work on something or have warts. I think it's fair to say hes been a dominant junior player but as it stands right now wont project to the NHL level. He does need to work on his skating and get bigger and stronger before he makes the jump to the pros.

Some scouts say "you cant teach size". For me you cant teach his work ethic, vision and smarts. I think hes got terrific offensive instincts and underrated playmaking ability. I will agree with you that he doesnt stand out the way some other players do (like Broberg Holloway do with their speed). I think this is a big area where we disagree because I dont think you take a guy just because hes really good at one thing. I also dont think size is as important as it used to be. I just see a really good player with good work ethic. Hes a finesse guy willing to go to the dirty areas and those signs are very encouraging. I dont see a perimeter player or someone that tries doing it all himself. He utilizes teammates well and puts the puck where it needs to go.

I mean I can definitely see why people like him. There are things to like for sure, but I'm a pretty tough crowd because I think it's crazy difficult to reach the NHL, let alone be a good NHLer, so I always look for the worst in a prospect pretty much and try and pick them apart as much as I can instead of just focusing on the things they do well. I believe that's a more sound approach to player evaluation. Most prospects (especially in their draft year) are vastly overrated and their respective future's are looked at through rose-colored glasses a lot of the time. It would actually be interesting to go back through the drafts and see how many prospects actually lived up to what they were projected to be by scouts. My guess is that number is very low.

 

[SOLR]

Sounds like a Nuge/Ebs hybrid

Nope. Lots more intense. I feel like this team would benefit a lot from someone who tires the other team out. *Mcdavid finishing them*

 

[North Cole]

I don't think you really understood my point. There are guys who are amazing in juniors and then never does anything in pro, and then there are guys that have fairly modest numbers in juniors but end but being very solid pros. So when you look at a player in juniors you can't just look at how dominate he is on the ice or how many points he scores. You need to pick apart each and every aspect of said player's game and evaluate them individually and look at how each thing would transfer to the next level.

Basically what you need to do is to try and figure out and project how the things he excels at in juniors will look like against bigger, faster, smarter and tougher players. Players in the Q are small and soft, so it's a league that is very friendly to skill and where it's easy to look good.

On the contrary you have a guy like Pierre-Luc Dubois who even struggled in the Q in his post-draft season, simply because he is not a natural skill guy who is shifty and has crazy dangles. But you could see with him that his game would translate excellent to the pros even if his production in the Q wasn't fantastic. Like PLD at the same age as Bourgault this season had 55 points in 48 games whereas Bourgault had 40 points in 29 games, yet PLD was a much better prospect.

It's not a bad thing that Bourgault has a lot of skill though of course, but he has a lot to work on if he wants to be an NHLer. So for his (and the Oilers) sake I hope he has a relentless work ethic.

Doesn't really sound like PLD was better prospect, just different. The NHL is heading in the direction of being a smaller and softer league, granted when you get into the playoffs things change and the big teams like MTL excel. In an 82 game season, MTL was trending down so heavily I'm not even sure they make the playoffs. You'd think a bigger guy like PLD would excel against smaller opponents in a softer league, but you're saying it was the opposite.

I did understand your point, my point is that it applies to every prospect so it's not that revelatory. You still need to look at the goalies and try to project the things they excel at and how that will translate to the NHL too. The idea he's the next Vasy is pretty extreme and premature. I think dropping two spots for a 3rd was decent.

I just find it pretty crazy that Walls was the projected best goalie in the draft, but everyone thinks Yzerman is a genius for trading up to get Cossa first and in doing so passes on Walls. We pass on Walls and everyone thinks we are trash and our mgmt doesn't know what it's doing. Either Yzerman is the most overrated GM out there, or people are just way too emotional when it comes to our drafting. What about the 19 other teams that didn't want the guy? In a vacuum he's probably a better player than Borg, but forwards develop faster and we need help sooner rather than later. We also have a couple of decent prospects, I would say Kono is much closer to be on our team than Walls.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Never heard of him. Then again, I'm not familiar with any of the players in this draft.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

I know this is unrelated, but it's pretty funny nonetheless.

 

[nturn06]

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?

I'm actually affraid that we trade him (or buyout and he signs with a different team) and he bounces back, sorry I should had made that clear.

 

[CycloneSweep]

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.

Good read. His acceleration definitely could use some work....which he can ask Draisaitl about. When Drai added that to his game he exploded. It added that last piece to his game.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Good read. His acceleration definitely could use some work....which he can ask Draisaitl about. When Drai added that to his game he exploded. It added that last piece to his game.

I quip I would say myself except i'm now thinking Playfair/Tippett might be the only thing helping this team at the moment.

edit; ...also...McDavid and Draisaitl....

 

[Joey Moss]

From clips he reminds me of Giroux. Third line upside seems like selling him short which I’ve seen a few scouting reviews say. The skill, skating, and shot are very good.

 

[McJC]

From his YouTube highlights he kinda reminds me of William Nylander

 

[fuswald]

I know this is unrelated, but it's pretty funny nonetheless.

 

[Spawn]

Who is the best French Canadian Oiler of all time?

Must say, I love the accent.

 

[Reginald Dunlop]

Who is the best French Canadian Oiler of all time?

Must say, I love the accent.

Gotta be Kevin Lowe.

Really tho, sounds like a great kid on with Bob now. Says McD, Leon and Nurse have already text him to welcome him to the team. Leadership group indeed.

 

[Spawn]

Gotta be Kevin Lowe.

I know he speaks French, but I had thought he was an anglophone Quebecer.

Either way, he’s definitely the best Quebec born player I had forgotten he was from Quebec.

 

[Reginald Dunlop]

I know he speaks French, but I had thought he was an anglophone Quebecer.

Either way, he’s definitely the best Quebec born player I had forgotten he was from Quebec.

Haha yeah I figured, was just a poor joke attempt on my part. Would Big Georges be the real answer?

 

[Spawn]

Haha yeah I figured, was just a poor joke attempt on my part. Would Big Georges be the real answer?

Martin Gelinas perhaps. Or Vinny Damphousse although he only played the one season.

Either way it’s been a heck of a long time since we’ve had a real good Quebecois player.

 

[McDNicks17]

Martin Gelinas perhaps. Or Vinny Damphousse although he only played the one season.

Either way it’s been a heck of a long time since we’ve had a real good Quebecois player.

The utter disrespect for JDD.

 

[McTonyBrar]

You forgot McDavid.

First overalls don’t count lol

 

[McTonyBrar]

You forgot McDavid.

And oh damn! I forgot our boy JP!

 

[Spawn]

The utter disrespect for JDD.

He was no Matthieu Garon

 

[KenLinsemanFanClub]

I think too many people out there look at Bourgault and evaluate him based on how he looks in juniors rather than what he may look like in the NHL down the road. It's clear that he's a very good player at the junior level but my gripe with him is that I look at him and don't see any traits that is going to stand out at the NHL level (except maybe his shot). That's very concerning to me. He's not a big guy, he's not a great skater, and he really only has his shot that is NHL quality. So where does that leave him?

I've seen lots of players like him come through the junior circuit where they look really good and can even make you jump out of your seat at times, only for them to struggle massively once they turn pro. Maybe Bourgault could break that mold, but I wouldn't bet money on it. I also don't think very highly of the Q as a league.

The same things were said about Mike Bossy. Came out of the Q and had a pretty good career. In a Covid year where he only played 29 games he netted 20 goals. The scouting reports I've seen describe him as a smart, deceptive, versatile player with a good motor. I haven't seen him play but I'm looking forward to camp to see what we actually have here before writing him off.