How did Drummondville’s 2020 NHL Draft prospects look against Acadie-Bathurst on February 29th?
Thimo Nickl (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — A-) Defense
Game Grade: B, Nickl is a great skater. The 6’2 Austrian is a long and lanky, yet strong and balanced. He is able to accelerate with the puck on his stick to generate space for himself to skate for zone exits and move pucks up the ice. He looked more physical here than in past viewings, finishing a few guys along the wall with authority. He did have a few shots blocked while on the power play, but moved along the blueline very well to get his shots on net in 5 on 5 situations. One of his better assets is his puck-movement and decision making while on the power play, where he makes good passes especially while running the umbrella and was able to pick up a secondary assist on pretty Voltigeurs goal. Nickl is highly skilled right shot defender who Neutral Zone has ranked at number 54 and the 51st Ranked Skater in North America by NHL Central Scouting.
William Dufour (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Forward
Game Grade: B+, Dufour big strong winger who can also take the occasional draw. He is a powerful player–with a strong skating stride and an ability to win puck battles along the wall. He also showed off a good puck management skills — making plays at high speeds on zone entries for quality shots on goal. We liked his resiliency in this game — he had an awkward collision while racing for a 50/50 puck where he fell head first into the wall. He got up favoring his back while being escorted off the ice, and the next shift he carried the puck at top speed through the neutral zone, made a move quick pass at the offensive blue line to create a give and go and sniped one up high to open the scoring. We liked his work on the forecheck, both with his stick and his body, and he got to smart areas offensively. He assisted on the game-winner in overtime. With his skill-level and strength, we feel that Dufour will be selected by the middle rounds come June.
Xavier Simoneau (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Forward
Game Grade: B, Simoneau is an undersized center who is listed at 5’7, but he has a huge heart and plays much bigger than that. He is always working, plays every shift at maximum effort and he plays in every situation for Drummondville. He makes good reads, battles on the forecheck, works to get back defensively and takes a majority of the draws for his team. He managed two assists in this one, one on a whacked puck in tight to the net and one on the game winner in OT. We like that he is always around the net and always giving a full effort. In his second year of NHL Draft Eligibility, Simoneau is listed at #211 on NHL Central Scouting’s list of prospects, but Neutral Zone has him currently ranked at number #148.
Jacob Dion (4.5 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B) Defense
Game Grade: B-, Dion is a two-way defender who plays a big role on the Voltigeurs back end. He moves the puck well, is able to find his teammates with breakout passes and also make the right plays in the offensive zone up at the blue line. He is willing to activate offensively, jumping into the rush and even helping to outnumber the opponent down low in the offensive zone on the PP. He also has some bite defensively — boxing guys out in front of his net and winning puck battles along the walls. He finished this one a +3 with one assist on the power play. He is a stockier guy who is strong on his feet while carrying the puck and although he isn’t all that fast he is quick in tight quarters. Dion has racked up an impressive 51 points in 60 games this season.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Game Evaluation: William White