C/W Jonathan Drouin - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL 2013 Draft)

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Tripod

I hate this team
Aug 12, 2008
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Don't listen to these homers.... They probably haven't watched any WHL games. Jones is the proper pick for #1

Erik Johnson
Chris Phillips
Bryan Berard
Ed Jovanovski
Roman Hamrlik

These are the D-men to go #1 overall in a draft the past 20 years. They were once thought of as the "next great D-man" I like Jones, but history for D-men scare me.
 

Use the Schwartz*

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Nuts that he has almost as many points as those guys and has played almost 20 games less.
 

lavoy

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Nov 3, 2011
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How do you compare him to Giroux? Since you lot more about him than most of us

IMO ... Similar size and hockey sense .. I see the same ability to control the play and see things others don't in Drouin, as I saw in Giroux in junior ... And now in Philly ... I can also see Drouin being a 25+ goal scorer like Giroux with a great nose for the puck and decent shot ... Giroux has a bit more of a "mean streak" and willingness to throw his weight around too.
 

TheTechNoir

fall 2021 bull, probably
Feb 18, 2013
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Yeah indeed, I'm pretty sure that for the past three quarters of the CHL season he has led the whole league (nation wide I mean) in points per game with the obvious exception maybe of someone with a few games like 5 pts in 2 games or whatnot.

I'll have to copy/paste another e-mail I sent my father not long ago referencing some numbers and discussing the depth of the team... The depth over their 4 offensive lines is just mind-boggling... I really hope that come Memorial Cup time they are still in it so I can drive to Saskatoon to watch the games.


Anyway - I like that you ask that - about Giroux. When I mentioned him in terms of Giroux's last QMJHL playoff performance I was only talking in terms of productivity not play style, however I do think Drouin is very similar to Giroux as a player too.

For those that don't know:
Claude Giroux
007-2008 Gatineau Olympiques-QMJHL GP 19 G 17 A 34 PTS 51 +/- 33

It really was a sight to see... I almost didn't mind watching my life long favourite team getting swept in that series because of how incredible he was playing and how fun he was to watch.

I may be off base but from my obsersvations Drouin has very powerful legs. He isn't a large guy, and unlike MacKinnon he doesn't have as powerful of a center of gravity. He can toss his weight around a little but not a lot and at the NHL level it will definitely not be a strength. However, similar to Giroux his ability to protect in the offensive zone and maintain possession while players change, or players catch up into the zone, etc. is phenomenal despite lacking the big physical edge or board play.

The benefit of his strong legs is that he is a very explosive skater. That skating ability combed with his beautiful hands and high confidence allows him a good amount of breakaway opportunities. Or for example when breaking out of his zone he has the ability sometimes to skate around a defender towards the boards and cut back into the middle alone with the goalie. When he is there, his hands do the rest and he has a high likelihood of scoring.

I think the other big thing that really stands out about him is his release. He has a VERY quick shot release. He isn't exactly like Giroux but I think that would be one of the closest professional comparisons. The fact that he is a natural winger could also help him as I think there are more teams looking for quality wingers than teams looking for quality centers.

It's always so hard to tell but I have a feeling at the NHL level his team mates will be fairly important, or line-mates. If he were to play with poor line-mates I think he could put up respectable numbers but he would never be like a Nash or Kovalchuk who can play with nobodies and still amass points. He isn't a selfish player and like Giroux can score more than he does if he were to shoot more often instead of passing - not necessarily a bad thing mind you. Either way I expect he will fall into more of an offensive/play-maker forward role. He plays responsible defensively at the QMJHL level but he is on quite likely the best team in the CHL with a deep-line-up filled with players who are pretty well rounded. I don't expect him to be a defensive liability but I don't think he will excel in that area in the NHL either.

He seems to be a clutch player and step-up later in the season or as the games get more important. If anyone wasn't aware, when the Mooseheads staged their come from 3-0 games behind in the playoffs against Quebec last year Drouin scored their game 7 winner. I think that will happen again this year and transition into his NHL career as well.


MacKinnon on the other hand is a very well rounded player. He actually is very similar in height/weight right now to Drouin although his strength and weight are distributed differently and MacKinnon may end up growing more than Drouin. MacKinnon has improved his only real weakness of face-offs this year. I see him as more of a two-way fwd/power fwd. He shows no real remaining weakness and because he can play the body I think this is very appealing to scouts. His release isn't as good as Drouin's, nor are his hands. He isn't quite as fast either, at least not straight out of the gate. But if he continues to develop all areas of his game he will be a more complete player and I think he will be more like the previously mentioned Kovalchuk or Nash in that he could play on a very weak team and not have it make a big impact on his productivity. Both players have high hockey IQ.

It really remains to be seen but it is likely that MacKinnon finds more NHL success. Although Giroux was never expected to amount to much either (not that he found himself projected so high - but to be fair if it weren't for MacKinnon being on Drouin's team and Fucale as well, he likely wouldn't have gotten the WJC camp invite and generally wouldn't have as much notice taken of his abilities).
 

daver

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I agree 100% with this. I've been saying Drouin is better since October and it's my personal goal between now and June to help get him the credit he deserves!

Let's see what happens in the playoffs. Coming into the season, Nate was clearly ahead and still may be from a prospect point of view. After his great season last year, he hasn't had as much to prove and the team hasn't needed his offense as much this year. His improvement in his all around game gets overlooked. He looks like a solid two way player who could put up some elite numbers.
 

jigsaw99

Registered User
Dec 20, 2010
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The 06 Chicoutimi team was something ... Lascek a 2ppg player, Max Boisclair who achieved the rare goal-per-game mark, and David Desharnais centering the line ... The least productive ends up being something lol.

what happened to Lascek
 

Dipsy Doodle

Rent A Barn
May 28, 2006
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Anyone know when was the last time someone from the QMJHL had a PPG over 2?

I think the last time a draft-eligible junior player scored over 2 PPG was Patrick Kane (though Tavares had scored at that pace the previous two years).

Pretty elite company if he can pull it off.
 

TheTechNoir

fall 2021 bull, probably
Feb 18, 2013
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IMO ... Similar size and hockey sense .. I see the same ability to control the play and see things others don't in Drouin, as I saw in Giroux in junior ... And now in Philly ... I can also see Drouin being a 25+ goal scorer like Giroux with a great nose for the puck and decent shot ... Giroux has a bit more of a "mean streak" and willingness to throw his weight around too.

Hah this is neat. It seems like we both saw something similar... I happen to be a Flyers fan so I was THRILLED when they picked Giroux. And it seemed like for his entire rookie year he was somehow kept a secret from most of the league/fans but anyone who had a basic understanding of hockey and watched a few Philly games that year knew he was going to be something very special. He was already my favourite player at this time. The year that they went to the Winter Classic against Boston I actually got the WC authentic jersey and got custom so I had Giroux's name and the Captain crest. Fan-boyish and silly I know, and it wasn't that I predicted Richards would be traded but I just liked it like that.

He showed that just like in the juniours he was a beast in the playoffs right off the bat. Then in his first full season I expected him to really break out. Of course, playing limited time out of position and with Aaron Asham and guys like that doesn't really allow anyone to be a point per game or better player! Regardless he was no disappointment in the stat categories and watching him play, it was the same thing... knowing he was destined for greatness. Then his third season I was saying to people how I truly believe he can be a ppg player. He of course went on to lead the flyers, and this was still with much of their old roster in tact (sans Gagne who was out with injury often anyway) pre-roster blow-up so he didn't get the main reigns and he nearly did just that, over 0.9 ppg.

Then last year I commented to people how I expected him to a ppg player and could quite possibly be a 100+ point player or at least close. Again, he did nearly just that with 93 pts and playing 77 games.

Like you, since the Juniors I have seen something in him and kept expecting more and more than was expected of him and he kept delivering consistently. That has also been the same with Drouin for me, and sounds like that is the case for you too. Cool. :)
 

TheTechNoir

fall 2021 bull, probably
Feb 18, 2013
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I'll have to post the full e-mail later (it takes some effort because I copied/pasted images I made of numbers and such in it with outlook but they aren't saved so I can't upload them right away)

anyway an exert from an e-mail on Feb. 1st:


This is off the top of my head but I think I have it right,
Usually:
Drouin-MacKinnon-Frk Pts: 66/65/53 GP: 32/36/36

Ashley-Boudreau-Ciampini
Pts: 50/49(team leading 30 goals)/47
GP: 48/48/47
Solid first line for many teams
Ryan-MacAulay-Fournier
Pts: 29/47/54(had lots of ice time earlier in the season winging Drouin/MacKinnon, team captain)
GP: 40/48/47
Sure can’t complain about this third line!! With the top line out of the picture, they fit in more than fine on the second line and their production went up with their ice time.

Beauchemin-Andrews-Falkenham
Pts: 24/32/21
GP: 41/48/45
Of note… Beauchemin has the lowest goal output on their fourth line with 9 goals scored! The other two have 10 each. This might be the deepest and most consistent offensive line-up in recent memory. Also Ashley/Boudreau/Ciampini have excellent line-chemistry.


EDIT: I meant the 4 lines were off the top of my head, not the pts/gp stats. lol I don't remember stats that strongly.
 

Ryan English

@ryanenglish_FC
Nov 14, 2010
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Did some analysis of Mackinnon and Drouin stats and found that when they play together, 76% of Mackinnons production involves Drouin.

However only 61% of Drouins production involves Mackinnon.

Just some food for thought.

Look for the full article/stats analysis at The Scouting Report in the near future.
 

leafsfuture

Registered User
Mar 30, 2008
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I dont care how good this kids team is, he is turning in one of the best 17 year old seasons ever in the CHL.

When you look at recent seasons, the only 17 year olds with PPG's in his vicinity are Sam Gagner, John Tavares and Sidney Crosby. Now lets look furthur. Sam Gagner was riding 3rd wheel on a line with Patrick Kane, another star, and Sergei Kos. Gagner was amazing that season no doubt, and he's shown himself to be a very good NHLer, but Kane and Kos helped his stats a lot.

John Tavares is a star in the NHL, and one of the greatest junior players of all time, and Sidney Crosby is Sidney Crosby.
 

King Mapes

Sub to My YouTube Blocks_4_days
Feb 9, 2008
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I dont care how good this kids team is, he is turning in one of the best 17 year old seasons ever in the CHL.

When you look at recent seasons, the only 17 year olds with PPG's in his vicinity are Sam Gagner, John Tavares and Sidney Crosby. Now lets look furthur. Sam Gagner was riding 3rd wheel on a line with Patrick Kane, another star, and Sergei Kos. Gagner was amazing that season no doubt, and he's shown himself to be a very good NHLer, but Kane and Kos helped his stats a lot.

John Tavares is a star in the NHL, and one of the greatest junior players of all time, and Sidney Crosby is Sidney Crosby.

While the team is extremely good, people who use that argument also say he is a product of Mackinnon. Heh, Mack is sure helping him these days :sarcasm:
 

George Maharis

Risk Taker
Feb 6, 2011
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Did some analysis of Mackinnon and Drouin stats and found that when they play together, 76% of Mackinnons production involves Drouin.

However only 61% of Drouins production involves Mackinnon.

Just some food for thought.

Look for the full article/stats analysis at The Scouting Report in the near future.

I may be confused, but is that meaning that Drouin is carrying Nate more than the other way around? Obviously neither is actually doing so, but you get my point.

Bit more food for thought as to how they fare without one another.

Nate without Drouin
Games: 6
Goals: 8
Assists: 3
Points: 11
+/-: +6
PPG: 1.83

Drouin without Nate (so far)
Games: 5
Goals: 6
Assists: 8
Points: 14
+/-: +12
PPG: 2.8
 
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