Simon Despres
- Thread starter #1GuinFan
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Dread Clawz
LAWSonic Boom
I really don't understand it. Has to be the most underrated defenseman eligible for this draft. I think as the season wears on you'll see him climb the rankings, as long as he keeps his play up. I really can't see him not getting picked in the first round, I really can't.
He plays in the Q, plain and simple. That said, I too think he'll be a first rounder.
On a completely other note: How come the QMJHL broadcasts games for free on the net, but most of the top talent (lately, anyway) has been playing in the WHL or OHL?
On a completely other note: How come the QMJHL broadcasts games for free on the net, but most of the top talent (lately, anyway) has been playing in the WHL or OHL?
Despres will undoubtedly be one of those picks that most fans will say "who? why didn't we pick 'Prospect X'?" and then in four or five years time be pleasantly surprised (and likely quiet about their previous doubts) when he establishes himself as a solid shutdown defender for their team.
SergeConstantin74
Always right.
- Jul 7, 2007
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*cough* Marc-Edouard Vlasic *cough*
Després is on a stacked D with Grant, Sauvé, Stich and Amyot, so maybe that's why he doesn't get the recognition he derserves.
Després is on a stacked D with Grant, Sauvé, Stich and Amyot, so maybe that's why he doesn't get the recognition he derserves.
Amyot is D #5 for SJ (and likely trade bait)...honestly, with how well Simon has played, Beaulieu may switch Stich-Despres and Grant-Sauve around and let Simon and David take on the big boys...
CertifiedPublicGuin
Registered User
- Oct 21, 2005
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Plays in the Q, that is all there is to it.
Despres will be an excellent prospect and I like him in the top 30 quite easily. I also don't think too many people (especially draft junkies) will be saying "who?"
Despres will be an excellent prospect and I like him in the top 30 quite easily. I also don't think too many people (especially draft junkies) will be saying "who?"
scoutman1
Twitter - scoutman33
he has all the makings of a star defenseman...he is big, a slick skater with great skating speed, excellent slick puck handling skills, great passing out there, QB's a power play great, has a good shot from the point, he is smart, is exciting to watch somtimes and does it at both ends of the rink, he is now really coming on and seems to be realizing his talent level...I think when all is said and done he will be a first rounder.
I don't think it has much to with being in the Q as it is about being early in the year. A lot of the players who've made jumps in their play from last year haven't hit everyone's radar yet such as Despres, Bubnick, Holland etc.
Not sure if it's much of a jump in play for Despres. In my opinion, he was better than Sauve in his own end last year.
Well, you'd know better than me. But he has already matched his point total from last year, I'd imagine at the very least his offensive game has taken a jump.
does anyone have a link to a more indepth report on Despres play. I'm interested in his play but haven't seen or read much about him. I thought the lack of attention aimed at him this year originated in him not living up to the hype of being a no.1 pick the qmjhl-draft but according to posters in this thread that don't seem to be the case...
I don't have my notes with me, but scoutman1's assessment of him is pretty accurate. He spent last year playing more of a defensive role and looked like a steady veteran as opposed to 16-year-old rookie. On a team with a number of names on the blue line, he really impressed me last season with his smart, safe, simple game in his own zone.
I've only seen him once so far this year, but he's getting a bigger opportunity. Not only seeing the opposition's top lines, but also seeing come chances in offensive situations. You can tell he thinks the game well, has that vision on the ice where he can see things develop, anticipate the play and react appropriately. This benefits him at both ends of the ice. He's a good skater, picks his spots well and has some nice decent size, although he's more the "tie up a forward" type as opposed to "drill him through the boards."
That's all I got off the top of my head.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
I am not impressed with Despres all that much. You can see he has nice hand and a great stride but everything else doesn't come together. He looks weak on his skates for a 6`3 defensmen, has an average shot and doesn't play a power game. He isn't smooth with the puck in his own end, he panics and handles the puck like a bomb. Even with 3 assists in the first game in Sydney he didn't stand out near as much as Sauve, who in my opinion looked like a gem.
If you don't mind me asking (and the OP doesn't mind a bit of a thread-jack), could you give a more detailed scouting report on Sauve. As a Western-Canadian Canucks fan, I'd like to know a little more about his development because all I have to go on are stats.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
Sauve is the allround package. His hockey sense is only average offensivly so that may limit his roles offensivly. He has a rocket of a shot from the point, he was taking one timers in warm ups and the shot made a different sound off the stick. Even his snap shots were very powerful. he is a big body, strong on his skates and likes to throw hard checks. The thing I liked most about Sauve is his lateral movement, I thought he got beat wide and he covered 12 feet like nothing and destroyed the player with a hip check. His speed is above average for a big man. In the defensive zone his coverage seemed solid, he eliminated his man most mtime along the boards.
I don't like to bring this up but he looks a little like Luc Bourdon. Not as offensive but smarter defensivly. The only reason I could see him droping is hockey sense, even though I don't see that being a problem for him.
I don't like to bring this up but he looks a little like Luc Bourdon. Not as offensive but smarter defensivly. The only reason I could see him droping is hockey sense, even though I don't see that being a problem for him.
How often have you seen Sauve and Despres because to me Sauve might be an NHL guy some day but doesn't have the skills that Després has. To me Simon Després is a really good d-man in the making and I can only hope the Habs get him.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
I seen both in the two games on the weekend in Sydney. Despres did get 3 assists on friday but only one was really noteworthy. Like I said, Despres can handle the puck and skate well but there are a lot of holes in his game. I still don't think he will ever be an offensive weapon on the blueline at the NHL level. 32 points for a defensmen is not much going into the draft. He certainly doesn't have a great shot either.
Sauve doesn't have the puck handling skills or smooth speed that Despres has, but he will make it as a shutdown defensmen in the Witt mold.
STAALing
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- Aug 30, 2006
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Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
I meant in terms of a prospect depth chart or the reason "why" he dropped last year.
As a SJ fan, I have to say that Sauve has occasional fits of trying to do too much (and cover everyone), but other than that, he is solid in his own zone...he put up almost the same number of points as Simon without the PP time...and when he does something, he does it hard...he'd hit more, but he started getting penalties from the noise...
As for Despres, he is far less flashy...he is always in position defensively, he is incredibly agile (slightly better than Sauve who is a year older)...he needs to work on getting slapshots through (though the creativity is obviously there)...
To compare the two, Sauve plays similarly to Phaneuf (do everything hard), whereas Despres is a lot like Scott Niedermayer in his own zone (in that you never really notice what he's doing but look at the stat sheet and he is a + night in and night out)
As for Despres, he is far less flashy...he is always in position defensively, he is incredibly agile (slightly better than Sauve who is a year older)...he needs to work on getting slapshots through (though the creativity is obviously there)...
To compare the two, Sauve plays similarly to Phaneuf (do everything hard), whereas Despres is a lot like Scott Niedermayer in his own zone (in that you never really notice what he's doing but look at the stat sheet and he is a + night in and night out)
I'm assuming you mean physically/defensively, so, is his defensive awareness and positioning really as bad as Phaneuf's?
