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Sandman · 06-04-2025, 10:28 PM

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 7):

LCG Gabriel D'Aigle (6'4",207lbs)
Victoriaville (QMJHL): 55gp/ 16-33-2, 4.52 GAA, .883 SV%

Forgive Gabriel D'Aigle (ranked # 11 NA Goalies) for his poor stats this season- he was stuck playing for the Victoriaville Tigres, who were the worst team in the Q, and 3rd-worst in the entire CHL. He has highly touted for years, which shows in him being chosen 2nd-overall in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft, and was once expected to be the first goalie off the board from this draft class. The waters are quite muddy in Victoriaville these days however, and projecting him now is a difficult task. He did very well in league play in his rookie season in 2023-24, going 13-6-0 for the Tigres, with a 3.18 GAA, and an .894 SV%, which led to his being picked to represent Team Canada in that summer's U-18's. He unfortunately ended up 19th in that event, out of 24 goalies who suited up, with a 1-2-0 record, on an .841 SV%, and a 4.36 GAA for the Bronze-Medal winning Canadians.

I believe that GDA is an underrated goalie because of the team he plays for. He uses his size very well, and makes himself look even bigger with his upright stance, and his willingness to move out to the edge of the crease to challenge shooters. He's a positionally sound butterfly goaltender, who lets his size and technique do a lot of the work for him, with long legs that move lightning-quick, and cover a large area in sealing off the bottom of the net. He moves around impressively quick, but looks a bit erratic in doing so, and needs to smooth-out his footwork. He seals his posts off incredibly well, moves laterally with explosive speed, and recovers back to a set position rapidly after being down in the butterfly. He flashes his glove to rob shooters, and his blocker helps protect the upper half of his net- although it lets him down at times. His main issue is his rebound control, as he gives up a lot of second-chance opportunities- many of them of the dangerous variety. GDA tracks the puck well, sees around and over traffic easily, stays square to the shooter proficiently, and displays keen reflexes. When handling the puck, he can look a little cringeworthy, with some ill-advised rims at times that lead to turnovers, and not enough scanning in his passes. He's not very confident with the puck, and it shows. While he relies a lot on his size and technique, and he's not quite as athletic as some other draft-eligible goalies, he possesses the compete and tenacity enough to come out of scrambles with the puck at a reasonable frequency, with attackers bearing down on him. I think he has more potential than he's being given credit for- look for him in the 3rd, or 4th-round.

06-04-2025, 10:28 PM	#2538
Sandman Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Calgary Exp:	Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 7): LCG Gabriel D'Aigle (6'4",207lbs) Victoriaville (QMJHL): 55gp/ 16-33-2, 4.52 GAA, .883 SV% Forgive Gabriel D'Aigle (ranked # 11 NA Goalies) for his poor stats this season- he was stuck playing for the Victoriaville Tigres, who were the worst team in the Q, and 3rd-worst in the entire CHL. He has highly touted for years, which shows in him being chosen 2nd-overall in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft, and was once expected to be the first goalie off the board from this draft class. The waters are quite muddy in Victoriaville these days however, and projecting him now is a difficult task. He did very well in league play in his rookie season in 2023-24, going 13-6-0 for the Tigres, with a 3.18 GAA, and an .894 SV%, which led to his being picked to represent Team Canada in that summer's U-18's. He unfortunately ended up 19th in that event, out of 24 goalies who suited up, with a 1-2-0 record, on an .841 SV%, and a 4.36 GAA for the Bronze-Medal winning Canadians. I believe that GDA is an underrated goalie because of the team he plays for. He uses his size very well, and makes himself look even bigger with his upright stance, and his willingness to move out to the edge of the crease to challenge shooters. He's a positionally sound butterfly goaltender, who lets his size and technique do a lot of the work for him, with long legs that move lightning-quick, and cover a large area in sealing off the bottom of the net. He moves around impressively quick, but looks a bit erratic in doing so, and needs to smooth-out his footwork. He seals his posts off incredibly well, moves laterally with explosive speed, and recovers back to a set position rapidly after being down in the butterfly. He flashes his glove to rob shooters, and his blocker helps protect the upper half of his net- although it lets him down at times. His main issue is his rebound control, as he gives up a lot of second-chance opportunities- many of them of the dangerous variety. GDA tracks the puck well, sees around and over traffic easily, stays square to the shooter proficiently, and displays keen reflexes. When handling the puck, he can look a little cringeworthy, with some ill-advised rims at times that lead to turnovers, and not enough scanning in his passes. He's not very confident with the puck, and it shows. While he relies a lot on his size and technique, and he's not quite as athletic as some other draft-eligible goalies, he possesses the compete and tenacity enough to come out of scrambles with the puck at a reasonable frequency, with attackers bearing down on him. I think he has more potential than he's being given credit for- look for him in the 3rd, or 4th-round.