Game Evaluation: Quebec Remparts vs Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (1/3/2020) NHL Prospects
Theo Rochette (4.5 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B) Forward
This was our first viewing since his trade to Quebec;
Highly touted prospect for the upcoming draft, Rochette did not have one of his better games in this one. Rochette was most noticeable on the half wall on the power play where much of the plays started from him. He slinged a couple of nice passes cross box along with some nice soft feeds to the man in the bumper position. It’s evident that the talent is there- he understands the game well, his vision is elite and his awareness with and without the puck is quality. However, in this game he did not show much compete or a sense of urgency in his play. His skating is average, with decent edge work in tight areas. On a positive note this is always an area he can work on- he will need to gain strength in his lower body which will allow him to fight off checks or beat defenseman wide on zone entries. After being traded by Chicoutimi, Rochette is adjusting to the new system and style of play of the Remparts. Rochette has had a rough start to the season as well missing time due to mono. Hopefully he can bring his game to another level in the latter half of the season. Game Grade: B (Projected round 3-5)
Nick Savoie (3.75 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C) Defense
Played with energy all night throwing his body around to separate his opponent from the puck. He shows a willingness to battle every shift and gets into the tough areas of the ice. Playing on a younger team, Savoie is relied upon in many different situations, most notably the penalty kill. His footwork and lateral movement is decent allowing him to get to pucks or beat the fore-checker to the puck. I admired his willingness to hop into the rush as well- after making an outlet pass Savoie would join the attack and make himself available as an option. Moving forward I would like to see more poise in his game. Taking an extra second to dish the puck or holding onto it and skating out of trouble will help his game tremendously while adding an extra element to his play. Game Grade: B (Projected 5-7)
Game Evaluation by: Sotiri Athanasopoulos
Photo Credit: Werner Krainbucher / Derek O’Brien / IIHF