On Sunday January 12th we saw Saint John play Baie-Comeau in Saint John. Here are the Prospects who caught our eye;
Brady Burns (4 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C+) Forward
Though smaller, listed around 5’8 and 150 pounds, Burns is an effective and highly skilled player who makes a big impact. His hands are his best asset, letting him create time and space with moves through defenders sticks, and avoiding contact with his shiftiness. The NHL CSS 188th ranked skater in North America is having a great season for the Sea Dogs, posting a point a game on average. His goal against the Drakkar was a nice one, where he jumped on a loose puck in the neutral zone, took the open space to the net, and chipped one home in tight over the goaltender’s shoulder–showcasing great hands for his 22nd of the season. He added an assist on an attempted pass to the slot. Burns’ size may be a factor, but his skilled style of play works well with his quickness and hands. Game Grade: A-
William Villeneuve (4.5 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — A-) Defense
Villeneuve is an important piece of the Sea Dogs back-end. The right-shot D-man wears an “A” for Saint John and is eligible for the NHL Draft this June, where he is ranked 108th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Villeneuve showed why in this outing, showcasing his skating ability, solid and efficient puck-movement, talented puck-handling, and a willingness to play a physical game in his own end. He skated for exits when there was ice in front of him, and found teammates with pucks with a good first pass. His skill with the puck stuck out offensively, showing good hands and vision to set up teammates for scoring chances. Used in all situations, Villeneuve is versatile and has good hockey sense. Game grade: B+
Charlie DesRoches (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B+) Defense
DesRoches is another talented right shot D-man for this Saint John team. Also ranked by NHL Central Scouting for this June’s Draft (169th NA), DesRoches has the mobility and defensive ability to have his name called this summer. His feet were impressive, allowing him to create shooting lanes from the point and get pucks through to the net. In his own end, his skating and stick work helped him to defend the rush well and carry the puck up the ice for zone exits as well as entries into Drakkar territory. His first pass was OK here, sometimes forcing pucks, but that is not unusual for a young player. Game Grade: B
Josh Lawrence (4.75 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — C) Forward
The draft-eligible forward had a good game here for the Sea Dogs. Lawrence worked well with his line mates and worked hard away from the puck. Though his stride isn’t the prettiest, he gets around well and his work rate makes up for it. The right-shot forward takes draws though he is listed as a winger, adding an assist from a defensive zone draw win in the 1st period. Lawrence was confident in possession, particularly after he scored his team’s second goal in the 1st period, handling the puck well and carrying through open space up high in the offensive zone. His goal came on a nice shot low to the goalie’s blocker side, scoring from the slot following up the play. The smaller forward showed good energy and was effective as a penalty killer. He made smart and patient plays to get to scoring areas, logging four or five high quality chances for his team. Game Grade: A-
Joshua Roy (4.5 Star Amateur Rating, 2021 NHL Grade — B+) Forward
Roy, a left-shot forward with good size and an August 2003 birth date, showed some positive attributes in this match. His play in the offensive zone stood out, where he made smart passes on entries and around the net for chances for Saint John. The rookie forward has good strength and is hard to knock off the puck when he is in possession. He has a knack for offensive play, tallying an assist in the first period making a play on the puck in the slot after he drove the net. The 1st overall pick in the 2019 QMJHL Draft this past summer, Roy has a bright future ahead. Game Grade: B