Host St John Sea Dogs defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-3 on Wednesday night to win the 102nd Memorial Cup. Although the tournament was played much later than usual due to the pandemic, it was fantastic to see the event hosted in one of the most enjoyable CHL cities in Canada.
If you haven’t traveled to the east coast of Canada, I recommend adding St. John, Moncton, Halifax, Charlottetown and Cape Breton to your list of CHL cities to visit in the future. If you love seafood, great music and the occasional adult drink, Maritimers know how to throw a party!
With the Memorial Cup behind us, there are no more big events between now and the NHL draft next week. With the onset of summer, here are some of the players that caught my eye during the tournament:
WYAM DUFOR Prepared by New York Islanders, Fifth Round (152nd overall) in 2020
Dufour had a breakthrough year in the regular season, scoring 56 goals and 116 points in 66 games and was then named QMJHL’s MVP. He was also named MVP of the Memorial Cup after scoring seven goals and eight points in four games.
Not every perspective develops in the same way. Some are ready sooner than others. Dufour is an example of a player who has become polarized over the years. It has been traded several times in Q and has never seemed completely comfortable with its surroundings until this year.
The 6-foot 3 and 204 pound wing has a professional edition. No doubt he knows how to score goals. He has a heavy, accurate shot that beats the goalkeepers from a distance. Its size is also a plus in hard areas when extending games and allocating traffic. However, his skating needs to improve by another 20 percent for the NHL game. Will it be Arthur Kaliev or Matthew Stroome at the next level?
Dufour’s path of development was a winding one, but it deserves credit for a great season. Hopefully this is the beginning of great things in the future.
ARBER XHEKAJU signed with a free agent from Montreal in 2021.
Full revelation: I’m in love with Arbor. How can you not? This is a player who was a free agent when he made Kitchener Rangers. He was not selected by an NHL team, but won a contract with Montreal after a strong performance at their training camp in 2021. He is the poster player for perseverance and character.
Arbor is a big, strong, two-sided defender. He is 6 feet 4, 205 pounds, mobile, sturdy and moves the puck efficiently to enter with any secondary violation.
At Memorial Cup, Xhekaj’s game reminded me a lot of Ben Chiarot (when he was with Habs and played best). He was used in all situations, contributed five assists in five games and played with a frightening presence.
Montreal found a potential NHL defender for free. I look forward to watching Arber develop professionally. We already know that he will make an effort to achieve his goal.
JAKE NEIGHBORS Prepared by St. Louis Blues, first round (26th in total) in 2020
The kind of players that scouts describe as a “Swiss Army knife.” Jake does everything a little and can play up and down in the team.
He scored just one goal in three Memorial Cup games. The group seemed to run out of gas as a team. However, my assessment of Neighbors is still positive. He emptied the tank every time he hit the ice and gave the Oil Kings everything he had. He played fast and participated physically. Neighbors is a tenacious striker who plans to be a second- or third-line NHL player on a good team. Oil Kings could have used more attacks than his stick last week, but there is no doubt that he played with passion and competed.
MASON MACTAWISH Built by Anaheim Ducks, first round (third overall) in 2021.
For those who expected even more from McTavish at the Memorial Cup, consider his hockey career in 2021-22: McTavish plays games for Anaheim (NHL), San Diego (AHL), Team Canada (Olympic Games), Peterborough (OHL) and Hamilton (OHL).
I’m not sure if the child collects air miles or hotel points, but he should have won a few free nights and flights with his entire trip last season.
He emptied the Memorial Cup tank. After a slightly slow start, he moved to another level in the semifinals and finals. He gave his opponents everything they could handle in the hard areas and showed his skills for a fast stick and a puck. McTavish finished the tournament with six goals and eight points. He is a professional and should get a full-time NHL minutes with the Ducks next season.
MAVRIK BOURQUED Prepared by Dallas Stars, first round (30th overall) in 2020
When I was director of scouting for the Florida Panthers, I traveled to Shauinigan to see Mauritius play in the fall of 2019. Our regional scout, Dylan Donnelly, had shone on Burke earlier this season and believed in his competition and skills. Burke suffered an injury that night and found himself in the stands in the middle of the match. Between the second and third periods, we talked to Burke. I can’t remember the details of his injury, so I’ll describe it as an “upper body” injury. The kid told me that he needs to get stronger so that such failures do not happen until he matures as a player. He told me that he played a skillful game, but did not shy away from traffic and racing.
Fast forward to this Memorial Cup and Burke plays the game exactly as he described to me in the fall of 2019. He left everything on the ice in the tournament, scoring two goals and seven points. It was as if each shift held the puck on its stick. In the power play, he was an equal scorer and distributor on the flank. I love the way Burke plays. He is the type of player who is ready to carry a team on his back.
SEBASTIAN COSAD Prepared by Detroit Red Wings, first round (15th overall) in 2021.
Hair is a big man. An athletic goalkeeper 6 feet 6 who has the potential to develop in the NHL № 1.
His Memorial Cup was uneven for me. Hair made some big saves, but also conceded some goals that he would admit were weak.
Goalkeepers usually take longer to develop. Hair needs time to clear some of its unnecessary habits. At his size, there is no reason to play outside the blue paint on his crease. When he does, his size becomes less of an advantage when the washers spill on the side of the net and he has to travel farther to save. His rebound control was also ruled out in this tournament. Finally, when he went down to row on shells or “things” games, he failed to place his wand in position or his pads close to the ice.
Kosa is a promising goalkeeper in class A, who seems to have run out of gasoline at the Memorial Cup. When in his game, he is very fast for his height, keeps the puck closer to his body and moves sideways with greater precision. It takes time.
JAN MYSAK Prepared by the Montreal Canadiens, second round (48th overall) in 2020
There was a time when I was worried about Mysak’s desire to reach the puck on the boards and extend or play. He has always shown solid skills. He is not a scary player, but he is not small (6 feet, 180 pounds). He scored just two goals in five Memorial Cup games, but that was not due to a lack of effort and participation.
XAVIER BOURGAULT Prepared by Edmonton Oilers, first round (22nd in total) in 2021.
Burgo and Burke ate with each other for Shauinigan. They have similar attributes.
Burgo finished the Memorial Cup with two goals and seven points and was a threat of a quick and PP. I appreciate his skills. He is fast and has the ability to beat opponents one on one in open ice and narrow quarters.
JACUBE DEMEC Prepared by Vegas Golden Knights, fourth round (128th overall) in 2021.
So he will have to work on the speed of his leg to have a chance to become a professional in North America. However, he has an understanding of how to play in defense of the puck and is fantastic in the round of the match. He won 47 draws in three Memorial Cup matches. Teams want to start with puck in the outline, so it has some attractive elements that can contribute to the team’s success.
KAIDEN GUHLED Prepared by the Montreal Canadiens, first round (16th overall) in 2020
Guhle never seemed to leave the ice in the tournament. He recorded big minutes in all situations and gave three assists in three games.
I had the feeling that Gule was trying to do too much sometimes and his details suffered in general. From time to time he found himself above the puck in his zone and forced some games in the attack zone. Saying that he is an elite skater who is highly competitive and can be used in a variety of roles. He is a promising Class A player, who in time may turn out to be the best defender in the NHL.
WILLIAM VILNIUS, Made by Toronto Maple Leafs, fourth round (122nd in total) in 2020
I felt that William played a low risk and effective Memorial Cup match. His exits were clean and he sometimes skated a few puck. It seems to be rounding off the prospect of two-way defense, which will not jump with an elite element in any category, but can provide a responsible game in defense.
JEREMIE POIRIERD Prepared by Calgary Flames, third round (72nd in total) in 2020
There was a time when I was very worried about the high-risk game that Poirier was playing. The defense and the details seemed like a belated thought from a few years ago. Fast forward to today and see a player who has reduced some of his risk and is playing in more detail, but still has the ability to create attacks. He scored one goal and three points in the Memorial Cup. Poirier can be a good find for the Flames.
The KHL season is finally over. The last few years have been difficult for players, organizations and the scout fraternity. I…
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