Leading up to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft in New Jersey, we’ll be profiling top prospects who may hear their names called Sunday in the first round. Nothing too in-depth. Just enough so you know who they are and what they’re about.
Jonathan Drouin (LW)
Height: 5’10 Weight: 186 Shoots: Left
Team: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Country: Canada
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 3 among North American skaters
What kind of player is he?
Much like his Halifax Mooseheads teammate Nathan MacKinnon, Drouin is an offensive dynamo. While he boasts a bevy of offensive skills, he’s generally regarded as more of a playmaker than a sniper. (This dazzling video captures his creativity nicely.)
Drouin generated an impressive 105 points in 49 games for Halifax, second in the QMJHL to Ben Duffy’s 110 in 68 contests.
As a silky-smooth stickhandler, Drouin draws comparisons to crafty creators such as Pavel Datsyuk, Martin St. Louis and Claude Giroux.
Some might question if he has the size and strength to make an immediate jump to the NHL, but few would question his hockey IQ.
Quotable:
Despite being the youngest player on Canada’s world junior team earlier this year, Drouin made a big impression on linemate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as the Globe & Mail reported.
“He’s so dynamic, he’s so quick down low,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “He’s got good vision obviously so it’s fun when you get a chance to play with a guy like that. He’s handles himself really well as a 17-year-old in this tournament.”
For more 2013 NHL Draft previews, click here.