Game played on 12/06/2024.
Carlos Handel (D, R, 6’1″, 168, Halifax Mooseheads, 03/31/2007)
Grade: B+
Comments: Carlos showcases strong defensive instincts with a quick stick that allows him to chip pucks away effectively. He’s not afraid to step into opponents along the boards, using his physicality to disrupt plays. Calm and composed under pressure, Carlos handles the puck well, taking his time to make smart decisions. Offensively, he displays slick hands and good instincts, jumping into the zone at the right moments, though he could benefit from shooting more often. His skating is generally smooth, enabling him to maintain control of the puck, but his narrow stride limits quick turns and hinders his mobility in tight situations. On defense, Carlos works hard along the boards, tying up puck carriers, and he made an excellent read to intercept a cross-ice pass, laying out to block a dangerous backdoor chance. While his 2-on-1 coverage needs improvement—evidenced by a misplay leading to a goal—his hustle and long reach allow him to maintain puck possession in the offensive zone and transition quickly through the neutral zone with sharp, precise passes.
Liam Kilfoil (C, L, 5’11”, 170, Halifax Mooseheads, 03/21/2007)
Grade: B+
Comments: Liam is an effective playmaker with excellent puck movement skills, highlighted by his quick and deceptive little drop passes. He takes on a heavy workload in the faceoff circle and excels at tying up opponents to win possession. Offensively, he is a smart shooter with quick lateral movement, followed by a hard snap shot that forces challenging saves from goaltenders. His acceleration is a standout feature, allowing him to lean on opponents and gain possession deep in the offensive zone. Liam’s speed makes him a relentless forechecker, disrupting the opposition’s ability to clear the puck and creating turnovers. On the power play, he works tirelessly to find open ice, constantly moving to draw defenders toward him, which opens up opportunities to feed his defensemen. His aggressive, high-energy style of play makes him a significant asset in both ends of the ice.
Patrick McNab (C, L, 5’11”, 182, Halifax Mooseheads, 08/29/2007)
Grade: C
Comments: Patrick embraces his role as a fourth-line checking center, demonstrating physicality with a big open-ice hit in the neutral zone that effectively disrupted the opposition, even though it left him momentarily out of the play. While he brings energy and effort, he struggles to maintain puck possession along the boards in the offensive zone, often allowing opponents to break out. His game is well-suited for a checking role, but to elevate his impact, he needs to improve his speed and refine his offensive skill set to become a more complete player.
Shawn Carrier (LW, L, 5’10”, 185, Halifax Mooseheads, 03/14/2007)
Grade: A-
Comments: Shawn is a dynamic skater with explosive speed, capable of blowing through defensive coverage and drawing penalties with his acceleration. He is a high-volume shooter on the power play, but he would benefit from more patience to avoid firing into defenders. Offensively, Shawn excels on the forecheck, using a quick, aggressive approach and an active stick to disrupt puck carriers and create opportunities. A notable example was his hard forecheck, where he lifted an opponent’s stick to generate offense. He also showcased strong playmaking instincts with a well-timed drop pass on the rush, drawing a defender out of position to create space for his linemates. Despite his offensive presence, his passing game needs improvement, as several off-target or rushed passes led to turnovers. Shawn was particularly dangerous in the third period, using his speed and puck skills to consistently challenge defenders, though he struggled to finish his chances. With refined passing and greater physical engagement, Shawn has the tools to be a significant offensive contributor.
Evan Depatie (D, R, 5’8″, 165, Val d’Or Foreurs, 08/19/2006)
Grade: B+
Comments: Evan is a skilled and agile defenseman with strong skating ability, highlighted by his ability to find an extra gear under pressure. He displays smart offensive instincts, recognizing and exploiting small openings to place the puck effectively, and he has a quick release on his hard snap shot. Defensively, Evan is effective at stepping into lanes to block shots and demonstrates excellent pursuit of loose pucks, often being the first to retrieve them and transition play with quick, accurate clears. However, his size limits his effectiveness in physical battles and in high-traffic areas. While he is generally composed with the puck, a poorly thought-out pass in the defensive zone led to a turnover and a scoring chance against, indicating a need for better decision-making under pressure. Evan’s offensive skill set and skating make him a valuable asset, but added physicality and improved decision-making could elevate his overall impact.
Raphael Laviolette (LW, L, 6’2″, 195, Val d’Or Foreurs, 02/20/2007)
Grade: C+
Comments: Raphael is a center who contributes with quick, effective passes during zone exits, enabling his team to transition through the neutral zone with speed. While he puts in effort in the corners, he needs to develop greater lower-body strength to be more impactful in physical battles. In the defensive zone, Raphael’s awareness requires improvement, as moments of puck-watching have allowed opponents to capitalize on loose pucks near the net. With enhanced physicality and quicker defensive reactions, Raphael has the potential to be a more well-rounded and reliable two-way center.
Jordan Labelle (LW, L, 6’4″, 193, Val d’Or Foreurs, 05/07/2007)
Grade: B+
Comments: Jordan is a powerful left winger known for his tenacity on the forecheck, using his size to separate opponents from the puck and his long reach to regain possession. He battles fiercely for pucks in front of the net and is difficult to contain in tight spaces. A physical presence along the boards, Jordan consistently lays big hits, forcing defenders to rush their decisions and often throw pucks away. While his skating isn’t his strongest asset, and his feet can feel heavy during quick starts, he makes up for it with his exceptional strength. As a power forward, Jordan dominates physically, bulldozing through defenders, driving hard to the net, and establishing a strong presence in front that’s tough to move. His combination of size, power, and determination makes him a challenging player for the opposition to handle.
Philippe Veilleux (LW, L, 5’9″, 170, Val d’Or Foreurs, 03/26/2007)
Grade: A-
Comments: Filip is a highly skilled offensive threat who can be dangerous whenever he’s near the net. He shows excellent positioning, sneaking into the slot to unleash a quick wrist shot off a nice pass, narrowly missing the goal with a shot that hit the crossbar. When he chooses to play physically, Filip becomes a tough player to handle, using his strength along the boards to pin defenders and work hard to dig out pucks. His elite offensive abilities were on display when he made a perfectly threaded pass from his own blueline to the far blueline, springing his teammate for a partial breakaway. Filip’s forechecking is relentless, staying on top of his man and forcing him to retreat, then using a quick stick lift to steal possession behind the net. His combination of offensive talent, physicality, and smart defensive play makes him a complete and dangerous player on both sides of the puck.
Nathan Baril (LW, L, 5’8″, 175, Val d’Or Foreurs, 02/16/2005)
Grade: B
Comments: Nathan is a dynamic left winger with a natural scoring instinct and a quick, hard shot that’s difficult for goalies to handle. He does an excellent job of finding open ice and positioning himself for shooting opportunities. When given the chance to skate one-on-one, Nathan wins most of those battles, using his speed and acceleration to create separation. He demonstrated impressive hustle when he erased an icing call with a burst of high-speed skating. In a fast-paced 2-on-1 situation, Nathan showcased his quick hands, pulling the defense over and then delivering a perfect pass to his linemate for a goal. His combination of speed, skill, and vision makes him a dangerous offensive player who can change the game in an instant.
Eduard Bondar (D, L, 6’4″, 176, Val d’Or Foreurs, 01/31/2007)
Grade: B
Comments: Eduard is a strong, physical defenseman who excels at closing off puck carriers quickly. His size allows him to separate opponents from the puck, making him tough to beat along the boards. Despite his size, Eduard displays impressive agility with quick changes of direction, which helped his team effectively exit the zone. He is a great passer, using quick moves to set up backhand passes with precision. However, he occasionally tries to get too fancy with the puck, particularly in tight situations, as seen when he lost possession in his own corner, leading to a scoring chance. When he plays a more straightforward game, Eduard’s strengths shine through, as he demonstrated by exploding off a defensive zone faceoff, receiving a quick pass, and then flying up the wing. A quick deke opened up space, allowing him to unleash a hard snap shot. Eduard’s combination of physicality, passing ability, and explosiveness makes him a valuable asset on both ends of the ice, but he should focus on simplifying his game in tighter situations.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images