Like we’ve done in the past, we’re profiling top prospects who may hear their names called in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
But this year, something new — we’re featuring special guest analysis from Ryan Kennedy, associate senior writer and prospect expert at The Hockey News.
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 201 pounds Shoots: Left
Team: Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Country: Canada
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 1 North American skater
Kennedy says: “There’s some added intrigue in Dubois, in that he did play some center late in the season and if NHL teams see him as more of a pivot than a winger, his value increases. Either way, Dubois is a fantastic player.
“Not only did he put up a slew of points in the Quebec League, but he did so while playing a complete 200-foot game and exhibiting a nasty edge in the process. Sometimes he steps over the line, but any NHL exec will tell you it’s easier to pull a kid back than to convince him to go further.
“Dubois is big, skilled and competitive – what else do you need in a power forward?”
Related: Dubois: ‘I think in the long run, I can be a first-line center in the NHL’
Click here for all the 2016 NHL Draft profiles.