If you have not traveled to the east coast of Canada, I suggest adding Saint John, Moncton, Halifax, Charlottetown and Cape Breton to your list of CHL cities to visit in the future. If you like seafood, great music and the occasional adult drink, Maritimers know how to party! With the Memorial Cup behind us, there are no other major events from now until next week’s NHL Draft. As summer approaches, here are some players that caught my eye during the tournament: WILLIAM DUFOUR Written by the NY Islanders, fifth round (152nd overall) in 2020. Dufour had a year in the regular season scoring 56 goals and 116 points in 66 games and then became QMJHL MVP. He was also named Memorial Cup MVP after scoring seven goals and eight points in four games. Not every perspective evolves in the same way. Some are professionals ready earlier than others. Dufour is an example of a player who has been polarizing all these years. He exchanged many times in Q and never seemed completely comfortable with his environment until this year. The 3.204-pound 6-foot wagon has a professional version. There is no doubt that he knows how to score. He has a heavy, well-aimed shot that wins the goalkeepers from the area. Its size is also an advantage in hard areas when expanding games and distributing on the move. However, his skating needs to be improved by another 20 percent for the NHL. Will Arthur Kaliyev or Matthew Strome be at the next level? Dufour’s development path has been a winding one, but it deserves credit for a great season. Hopefully this is the beginning of great things for the future. ARBER XHEKAJUDrafted free agent signed by Montreal in 2021. Full disclosure: I am a fan of scouts with Arber. How can you not? This is a player who was free when he made the Kitchener Rangers. He was not selected by an NHL team, but won a contract from Montreal after a strong showing at his training camp in 2021. He is the poster player for perseverance and character. Arber is a great, strong, two-way defender. It is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, mobile, hard, and effectively moves the elf to come in with a minor attack. In the Memorial Cup, Xhekaj’s game reminded me a lot of Ben Chiarot (when he was with the Habs and played at his best). He was used in all situations, gave five assists in five games and played with a terrific presence. Montreal found a potential NHL defender for free. I look forward to watching Arber grow professionally. We already know that he will do his job to achieve his goal. JAKE NEIGHBOURSDDesign by St. Louis Blues, first round (26th overall) in 2020. The kind of player scouts they describe as a “Swiss knife”. Jake does a little bit of everything and can play up and down the lineup. He scored only one goal in three games in the Memorial Cup. The team seemed to run out of gas as a team. However, my acceptance at Neighbors is still positive. He emptied the tank every time he hit the ice and gave the Oil Kings everything they had. He played fast and was physically active. Neighbors is a persistent striker who plans to become a second or third NHL player on a good team. The Oil Kings could have used more attack than his stick last week, but there is no doubt that he played with passion and fought. MASON McTAVISDrafted by the Anaheim Ducks, first round (third overall) in 2021. For those who expected even more from McTavish in the Memorial Cup, consider his 2021-22 hockey trip: McTavish played games for Anaheim (NHL), San Diego (AHL), Team Canada (Olympic Games), Peterborough (OHL) and Hamilton (OHL). I’m not sure if the kid collects airline miles or hotel points, but he should have earned a few free nights and flights with all his travels last season. Empty the tank in the Memorial Cup. After a bit of a slow start, it went to another level in the semifinals. He gave his opponents everything they could handle in tough areas and showed his ability in the fast stick and the elf. McTavis finished the tournament with six goals and eight points. He is ready for the pros and will have to take full time NHL minutes with the Ducks next season. MAVRIK BOURQUE Written by the Dallas Stars, first round (30th overall) in 2020. When I was director of Scouting with the Florida Panthers, I traveled to Shawinigan to see Mavrik play in the fall of 2019. Our regional scout, Dillon Donnelly, had shone in Bourque earlier that season and believed in competition and skills. of. Burke was injured that night and ended up on the stands in the middle of the match. Between the second and third period we talked to Bourque. I can not remember the details of his injury, so I will describe him as an injury to the “upper body”. My child stated that he needed to become stronger so that such obstacles do not occur as he matures as a player. He told me he was playing a skillful game, but he was not behind the movement and the fights. Fast forward to this Memorial Cup, and Bourque is playing the game exactly as he described to me in the fall of 2019. He left it all on the ice in the tournament, scoring two goals and seven points. He seemed to have the elf on his stick in every shift. In power play he was an equivalent shooter and distributor from the sidelines. I love the way Bourque plays. He is the kind of player who is willing to hold a team on his back. SEBASTIAN COSSAD was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, first round (15th overall) in 2021. Kosa is a great man. A 6-foot athletic goalkeeper who has the potential to become the No. 1 in the NHL. His Memorial Cup, for me, was uneven. Cosa made some great saves, but also allowed some goals that he would admit were weak. Goals tend to take longer to develop. Kosa needs time to clear some of his unnecessary habits. In its size there is no reason to play outside the blue color of its fold. When it does, its size becomes less of an advantage when elves are spilled on the side of the net and it has to travel further to repel. Control of his rebounds was out in this tournament as well. Finally, when he went rowing on a wrapper or playing “stuff”, he could not put his stick in place or his pillows tight on the ice. Cossa is a Grade A goalkeeping candidate who appears to have run out of gas in the Memorial Cup. When he is in his game, he is very fast for his height, he holds clamps closer to his body and he moves sideways with more precision. It takes time. JAN MYSAK Written by the Montreal Canadiens, second round (48th overall) in 2020. There was a time when I was worried about Mysak’s willingness to put bundles along the boards and extend or play. He has always shown strong ability. He is not a bullying player, but he is not small either (6 feet, 180 pounds). He scored only two goals in five Memorial Cup games, but it was not due to lack of effort and participation. XAVIER BOURGAULT Written by the Edmonton Oilers, first round (22nd overall) in 2021. Bourgault and Bourque fed each other for Shawinigan. They have similar characteristics. Bourgault finished the Memorial Cup with two goals and seven points and was a threat from the rush in PP as well. I appreciate his ability. He is fast and has the ability to beat opponents one on one on open ice and tight ten minutes. JAKUB DEMEK Written by the Golden Knights of Vegas, fourth round (128th overall) in 2021. Demek will have to work at the speed of his foot to have the opportunity to become a professional in North America. However, he understands how to play on the defensive side of the elf and is fantastic in the circle of the face. Won 47 draws in three Memorial Cup matches. Teams want to start with the faces, so it has some attractive elements that can contribute to the success of the team. KAIDEN GUHLEDrafted by the Montreal Canadiens, first round (16th overall) in 2020. It seemed that Guhle never left the ice in the tournament. He wrote great minutes in all situations and gave three assists in three games. I felt that Guhle was trying to do too much at times and his detail suffered altogether. He found himself over the elf occasionally in his belt and forced a few games in the offensive zone. Having said that he is an elite skater who is very competitive and can be developed in various roles. He is an A-level contender who could end up being a top NHL defender over time. WILLIAM VILLENEUVEDrafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, fourth round (122nd overall) in 2020. I felt that William played a low risk and effective game in the Memorial Cup. His sockets were clean and he skated a few times as well. It seems to round out in a two-way defense perspective that will not jump out with an elite element in any category, but could offer a responsible defensive game. JEREMIE POIRIERDDesigned by the Calgary Flames, third round (72nd overall) in 2020. There was a time when I was very worried about the high-risk game that Poirier was playing. Defense and detail seemed to be a later thought dating back a few years. Fast forward to today and I see a player who has reduced his risk a bit and plays with more details, but still has the ability to create attack. He scored one goal and three points in the Memorial Cup. Poirier could end up being a nice find for the Flames. The CHL season has finally come to an end. The last two years have been difficult for the players, the organizations and the scout fraternity. I could have written reports for many more that are worth …
