| Pier-Olivier Roy | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | L | D | 5’10” | 172 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2020 | Adstock, QC | 2004 | 2021-2022: C+ |
The undersized Roy is a gamer. He plays with a passion, energy and enthusiasm that is infectious to his teammates and the fans. Defensively he matches speeds very well and has smooth lateral mobility that allows him to play even man line rushes with very tight gaps. Roy has an excellent stick. He disguises his poke checks and routinely surprises opposing forwards with his reach. He may not be a burner, but we feel he is just as fast with the puck as without it and in today’s game that can be incredibly impactful. Roy is averaging close to 26 minutes per-game, including over four in a half minutes of special teams play. While don’t think he is going to run an NHL first unit power play, we do feel that he will grow into the role of playing on a second unit. We love that he never quits on a play and will do anything to keep the puck out of his net.
QMJHL: Victoriaville Tigers as of December 23, 2021 Season stats: Games played 30, Goals 2 Assists 7, Points 9, plus/minus -6, Penalty Minutes 20, Penalties Drawn 12, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 25:55, Power play time 2:12, Short-handed time 02:16, Shots 2.8, %Shots on goal 49%, Puck battles 14, %Puck battles won 57%, Hits 0.25, Hits against 1.55
QMJHL: Blainville Armada vs Victoriaville Tigers, December 2. 2020: Their top pick in the 2020 QMJHL draft in June, Roy projects as an extremely solid prospect and a top junior defenseman. Roy will not blow you away with his skating (although sound technically) his shot or his puck skills however his high level hockey sense and anticipation are bar none. There were times throughout the game where he looked beat off a check or on a one on one play but somehow managed to get a stick on the puck or the right body position to get in front of the opposing player. His feet are always up ice which is a good sign as he is conscious to never caught out of position. With the puck he shows a high level of maturity and poise where he’s not afraid to hold onto the puck for an extra second to make the right play. There was a play where he deceptively looked across the ice and lateralled a pass to his winger on the strong side. His strongest aspect is his ability to read the play where he can beat the forecheck and dish an outlet puck up ice. This is an extremely valuable skill which goes unnoticed, although forwards on your team know the value of a quick puck moving defenseman. If he can bulk up and add some physicality to his game, he will become a reliable defenseman at the pro level.
2004s: Ville de Saguenay CCM Midget AAA Challenge, February 10, 2020: Roy is an absolutely effortless skater with a mobile frame. He is very fast on end zone puck retrieval and possesses a quick snapshot. He’s quick to recover on transition. An effective penalty killer who is not afraid to drop and block shots – he defends well with stick. During a 3v3 overtime, he made a fantastic pass coming down 2v1 which nearly resulted in a goal… great pass. Pretty skilled with the puck, poised carry through NZ, and not afraid to use a saucer cross ice pass. Pier-Olivier makes everything look easy. He defended a couple of odd man rushes using his quick stick and blocking the passing lane with his body. He has an amazing awareness and always knows where everyone is on the ice. Makes good reads and knows when it’s time to create offense. Quick ups through the neutral zone and an elite playmaker. Grade A-
U16: Team Quebec Camp, August 17, 2019: Roy was solid during this camp as he kept his game simple. Breakout passes were on the tape, did not try anything risky, played a good gap all while keeping solid communication with whomever his partner was. There’s a calmness to Roy’s game which keeps him poised in different situations. Roy will need to get stronger to battle at the next level against bigger opponents.
Quebec Midget AAA Showcase (Gatinueau), January 17, 2018: With 8 points in 6 games, Roy had a strong challenge. He continues to be one of the top forwards for his midget team. Roy plays on the first line and has tremendous speed and skills. He keeps moving with strong quick strides, and he’s able to beat most defenders outside or with his puck handling skills inside. What separates him from other speedy skilled forwards is that he sees the ice and can make quick decisions at full speed. He scored a beautiful goal where he came down the wall with speed, noticed the defender backing off so he cut in and sniped a top corner wrister. He has great burst of speed, was constantly around the puck and seems to make plays every time he has possession with his quickness, creativity and hockey sense. A top-level prospect in this summers QMJHL Draft despite his size.
| Maxime Pellerin | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | R | C | 6’0″ | 181 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2019 | Victoriaville, QC | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
In his second year of NHL Draft eligibility Pellerin has found his groove. After having 1 point in his first 8 games of the 2021-22 season, he has 32 points in his next 19 games. Pellerin is poised with puck and has ice water in his veins when he is near the net. When carrying the puck through the neutral zone we like his ability to manipulate the gap in all three attacking lanes and to make the defensemen carry their sticks to their sides rather in front of them to take away his time and space. After waiting for the goaltender to make the first move Pellerin has a very quick release and can put the puck where he wants it. We like his ability to handle poor passes and fire one-timers off of bouncing pucks. He is a player who should be watched very closely during the second half because he is starting to find his game and be a difference maker every night.
Quebec Midget AAA Challenge, January 13, 2019: The beneficiary of great linemates and a deadly power play, Pellerin plays a give and go style of game. He has found great chemistry with Bolduc where he is always looking to feed him. Pellerin is a shifty player where he shook off a couple of defenseman on numerous occasions behind the net or along the half wall. Needs to work his strength and raise his intensity level.
| Igor Mburanumwe | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | L | D | 6’5″ | 205 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2020 | Chambly, QC | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Mburanumwe is an athletic massive young man with a nice deep knee skating base and a smooth forward stride. His reach is long and he keeps it fairly well hidden. There is a lot to like about what he can bring to a professional organization and there is also work to be done. Mburanumwe relies heavily on his inside edges when skating backwards. This forces his hips to bounce and takes away from his fluidity. We feel this is an area that he can improve on with focused mechanics training in the off-season and continued core strengthening. There are also times in the defensive zone where he can try to do too much, but again we think this is because he is so athletic that at younger ages he was able to drift while in coverage and still be able to recover. We feel he will need to continue developing his first touch and making a hard flat consistent first passes in the transition game. Mburanumwe plays the game with a team first attitude and is willing to block shots. To us he would be an ideal late round selection and he is also an NHL Development Coach’s dream.
Quebec Midget Reports, September 8, 2020: Mburanumwe’s physical game matches his size and strength on the ice as he was easily three to four inches taller than anyone else who touched the surface. Just as impressive is his open-hip transition from defense to offense as he looks to join the rush whenever possible. Endurance is no hindrance for this big body as he logged many minutes in this pre-season matchup against the Gatineau Intrepid. His vision and anticipation are excellent and to say he closes gaps well and is tough to play against is a huge understatement. His active stick allows him to cover half the width of the ice with a simple crossover or two. His heavy and accurate shot will surely make him a heavily relied on commodity as the Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois season endures. To think that this standout defender is yet to finish growing will capture the attention of many in attendance. Grade: B+
| Raphael Blouin | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | L | F | 5’11” | 172 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2020 | Levis, QC | 2004 | Not yet rated |
The quick footed Blouin is very entertaining while the puck is on his stick. He shows deceptive edgework and lateral mobility as well as the ability to lose defenders trying to contain him in one on one situations. Away from the puck he is still adjusting to the pace and creativity of some of his peers, so we will be watching for improved play away from the puck as the second half of the season begins
2004s: Ville de Saguenay CCM Midget AAA Challenge, February 10, 2020: Blouin is a quick footed, slick handed playmaker who plays a high skill game with pace. He has a quick, accurate release and is able to shake off defenders on the rush and get to scoring areas. He has a flashy component to his game but he’s grittier and better in the corners and around the net than he gets credit for. Projects as a goal scorer and offensive catalyst at the next level. Grade B
| Yegor Goryunov | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | L | C | 6’2″ | 181 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2021 | Moscow, RUS | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Goryunov is a dynamic one on one player who is in his first season in North America and is beginning to find his way for Victoriaville. He is a Russian who has yet to represent his country on the International stage, but we feel his long frame and puck skills make him a very interesting professional professional prospect. At 6’2″ 180 pounds Goryunov has an NHL frame and shows elusiveness and wiggle when attacking the offensive blueline that makes opposing defenders miss, as well as showing when to cut to the middle for better offensive scoring opportunities. There are certainly times when he tries to be too cute which leads to breakneck back and forth hockey, but what we really like is after a turnover Goryunov hustles to be a hard charging backchecker. He has a very quick release on his snap shot and can put the puck where he wants it when his feet are moving. Right now we feel he is probably not on many NHL draft boards, but we feel he is on the list of players to watch closely because a strong second half to the season will not be a surprise.
QMJHL: Victoriaville Tigers as of December 23, 2021 Season stats: Games played 29, Goals5, Assists 3, Points 8, plus/minus -9, Penalty Minutes 6, Penalties Drawn 12, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 14:01, Power play time 1:46, Short-handed time 0:01, Shots 2.4, %Shots on goal 56%, Puck battles 12, %Puck battles won 47%, Hits 0.55, Hits against 0.21
| Alexander Nadeau | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | L | LW | 6’2″ | 190 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2020 | Victoriaville, QC | Not yet rated |
Nadeau is a big raw left wing who after playing zero games last season is still adjusting to Major junior hockey. In minor hockey he was able to use his NHL sized frame to over power opponents on the way to scoring goals. We feel it is still too early to tell if Nadeau will have the same sort of success in the QMJHL, but we will keep watching in the second half of the season.
| Nikita Prishchepov | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | L | RW | 6’1″ | 187 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2021 | Orenburg | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
At this point in his rookie QMJHL season Prishchepov is still a bit of a wild card. Offensively he is certainly big, strong and knows how to use his body to protect the puck while cycling, but there are times when he is still trying to do too much all by himself which leads to turnovers. Defensively Prishchepov is still a bit of a puck watcher. He allows himself to zero in on the puck carrier and there are times when he leaves his responsibility behind so he can pursue the puck. There is no denying that he has offensive talent, but at this point we will be watching for him to improve on his play away from the puck before really making a decision on his professional future in North America.
| Joey Vetrano | Victoriaville Tigers | QMJHL | R | C | 5’10” | 172 | Victoriaville Tigres | 2020 | Montreal, QC | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
The offensive minded Vetrano is still adjusting to life as a center in the QMJHL. We have no doubt that as he gains strength and confidence that he can be a regular contributor to the Victoriaville offense, but until he cleans up his awareness without the puck he will struggle to find offensive consistency. He has a nice wide base that allows him to be very strong through contact and quick acceleration that allows him to create mismatches in speeds, but defensively we would like to see him use his feet to create more turnovers or loose pucks so he can be an asset in transition. Vetrano is a player we will watch closely in the second half of the season as we feel he has the physical tools to be an impactful player
2004s: Ville de Saguenay CCM Midget AAA Challenge, February 10, 2020: Vetrano is a very good skater who is speedy and has a quick release in stride. He plays the game fast and rushes the puck with pace. He was noted for making a quick spin move along wall to shake off the defender and made an elite pass to the slot for a solid scoring opportunity. He has deceptional speed and is slippery coming out of the corner. He has fast straight line speed up the wall, a quick set of hands, and an even faster release. His feet move so fast and his speed is separational. A high end puck handler who spins and turns on a dime. He can shoot and pass equally as well and it is very difficult to bounce him off of the puck. Joey likes to curl back and pick up speed to carry the puck through the neutral zone. At times, he showed the tendency to over handle the puck, but he will figure out what he can and can’t do with experience. Grade A-
U16: Team Quebec Camp, August 17, 2019: Vetrano is at his best when he is controlling, protecting the puck and finding the open man. He struggled to produce offense during the camp but there is no doubt he can be a high scoring forward at the next level. He’s great on his feet; crafty edge work, spins on a dime and hard to knock off the puck. As a centerman he was reliable on the defensive end supporting his defenseman and picking up the open man. Vetrano could focus on putting more pucks on net as he tends to over handle pucks and miss on shot opportunities.
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