Originally Posted by Sandman
Draft Thoughts (What is a Foreur? Edition):
With only 15 wins and 35 points in the standings, the Val D'Or Foreurs were not only the worst team in the Q by 13 points, they were dead-last in the entire CHL. RW Alexandre Guy was first in goals on the team (only 23), and second in points (39 in 63 games) on the 2nd-lowest scoring squad in the QMJHL, with his goals accounting for 13% of Val D'Or's offense, so it's natural to wonder how he would fare on even an average team. The 6'2",190lb winger is a little older, with a November 2005 birthday.
Guy is a big power-forward with an even bigger shot that explodes off his blade with a powerful release. He's proficient at locating space, and will go to the net and battle for second-chance opportunities, or to cause chaos in the crease. He owns soft hands for scoring in-close, and keen hand-eye coordination to convert tips and rebounds. He can release in full flight without sacrificing much power in his shot. Guy is a skilled passer but he's not a true playmaker, although it's hard to tell with the supporting cast he has to work with in Val D'Or- any signs of creativity come mainly in flashes, and the same can be said about his ability to create space for teammates. In physical battles, he fights hard and wins pucks as well as body position, and utilizes his frame well to play a physical style- though he could stand to throw more hits. He's a heavy forechecker who leverages his body and stick to cause havok and separate man from puck, and will involve himself in post-whistle shenanigans, sticking up for teammates. Mobility-wise, he skates fine in a straight-line with decent top speed, but needs to add more quickness and upgrade his acceleration- although he displays an explosive short-burst at times. His edges and agility are also in need of improvement, for better speed in turns, greater lateral mobility, and faster pivoting. An area where he stands out is his smooth stickhandling and tight protection, which makes it difficult to steal the puck from him, and enables him to occasionally dangle past defenders, or deke opponents out of their jockstraps.
Off the puck, Guy is known for his proactive attention to detail and well-developed instincts in being in good position to cover his man and take their stick before the puck arrives. He also exhibits smart positioning in skating routes that allow him to stay a playable option to teammates. On the backcheck, he displays a high workrate in disrupting opponents with his stick and body- an almost futile proposition on a team as bad as Val D'Or. Scouts seem to agree that it's hard to get an accurate read on Guy because the team he plays for is so terrible, but while he needs plenty of improvements, his puck-skills, defensive play, physicality, and shooting talents are all projectable qualities. He's still quite raw, and may not even be drafted this year, but he's going to have a huge breakout sooner or later- and we may see him on re-entry lists in the future. If he's drafted, look for him in later rounds.
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