LD Étienne Morin - Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL (2023, 48th, CGY)

[Lavar Ball]

2+2 today, kid is an offensive dynamo

 

[Lavar Ball]

Four more primary assists tonight

 

[Frk It]

 

[Goose of Reason]

Through 5 playoff games he has 10 points and 4 more points than his closest teammate as Moncton is up 3-2 against Baie Comeau. Has anyone been watching? Has his play been as dominant as his stat line?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

He has been a kid I’ve been becoming more fond of as the year has progressed.

He isn’t a one trick pony, he is actually a quite good two-way defender. Strong gaps, with a strong and active stick. Also strong in front of the net when battling for position.

Skating is probably the most impressive attribute about his game. He has excellent lateral agility and is able to change directions on a dime. He uses this to his advantage in the offensive zone often. He‘s quite deceptive from the blueline because of it.
As you would expect from a kid that put up as much offence as he did this year, he has an excellent first pass and is great through transition. Vision in the offensive zone is among the best in the QMJHL among blue liners.


Honestly he is probably the best player from the QMJHL this season, and deserves to be a first rounder. Reminds me a bit of Sam Girard in his draft year.

 

[slumpy43]

Finishes the first round of playoffs with 3 assists for a total of 13 points in 7 games. He's been driving the bus in terms of offensive output for his team in the postseason as a draft eligible, participating in more than 50% of his teams goals.

 

[slumpy43]

Tour d'horizon des séries dans la LHJMQ: 4 points pour Ethan Gauthier et l'efficacité d'Étienne Morin saluée

Les séries éliminatoires battent leur plein depuis quelques jours dans la Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec. Pour l’occasion, Toutsurlehockey vous présentera un suivi des différents affrontements. Les séries donnent droit à plusieurs découvertes, alors ce rapport quotidien vous permettra...

www.toutsurlehockey.com

This French website briefly describes Morin's play in the playoffs. "Besides points, Morin has been a true general from the blue line. He's in such control of the game that he sometimes gives the impression that he's the only player on the ice."

 

[Mrb1p]

What a ripper.

He has been a kid I’ve been becoming more fond of as the year has progressed.

He isn’t a one trick pony, he is actually a quite good two-way defender. Strong gaps, with a strong and active stick. Also strong in front of the net when battling for position.

Skating is probably the most impressive attribute about his game. He has excellent lateral agility and is able to change directions on a dime. He uses this to his advantage in the offensive zone often. He‘s quite deceptive from the blueline because of it.
As you would expect from a kid that put up as much offence as he did this year, he has an excellent first pass and is great through transition. Vision in the offensive zone is among the best in the QMJHL among blue liners.


Honestly he is probably the best player from the QMJHL this season, and deserves to be a first rounder. Reminds me a bit of Sam Girard in his draft year.

He's better than Girard was, IMO. Much better shot and he's just a tad bigger.

While he's not bad defensively, it is clearly a weakness of his and his reads are off a lot, but Im sure that's gonna get better with time and coaching. Even so, he's gonna be a player for sure.

 

[95snipes]

He has been a kid I’ve been becoming more fond of as the year has progressed.

He isn’t a one trick pony, he is actually a quite good two-way defender. Strong gaps, with a strong and active stick. Also strong in front of the net when battling for position.

Skating is probably the most impressive attribute about his game. He has excellent lateral agility and is able to change directions on a dime. He uses this to his advantage in the offensive zone often. He‘s quite deceptive from the blueline because of it.
As you would expect from a kid that put up as much offence as he did this year, he has an excellent first pass and is great through transition. Vision in the offensive zone is among the best in the QMJHL among blue liners.


Honestly he is probably the best player from the QMJHL this season, and deserves to be a first rounder. Reminds me a bit of Sam Girard in his draft year.

I think his skating is his biggest weakness. His first step in particular is pretty bad, has a bit of an awkward stride and has pretty heavy feet. That's my only hesitation with Morin, but I'm still a pretty big fan. Reminds me a lot of John Carlson. Lot to like - missle of a shot, hard crisp first pass, and he's physical too. There are definite NHL tools here. He's been a 1st rounder for me since January - currently 20 on my board.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I think his skating is his biggest weakness. His first step in particular is pretty bad, has a bit of an awkward stride and has pretty heavy feet. That's my only hesitation with Morin, but I'm still a pretty big fan. Reminds me a lot of John Carlson. Lot to like - missle of a shot, hard crisp first pass, and he's physical too. There are definite NHL tools here. He's been a 1st rounder for me since January - currently 20 on my board.

I can see where you would think this, reminds you a bit of Lane Hutson from last year, no?
Excellent lateral agility and shiftiness but maybe not the best north-south skater.

 

[95snipes]

I can see where you would think this, reminds you a bit of Lane Hutson from last year, no?
Excellent lateral agility and shiftiness but maybe not the best north-south skater.

I can see what you're getting at, but I'd say Hutson is fair bit more elusive than Morin is. Morin is bigger and has the much better shot, where Hutson is better at creating space and opening seems with his feet.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I can see what you're getting at, but I'd say Hutson is fair bit more elusive than Morin is. Morin is bigger and has the much better shot, where Hutson is better at creating space and opening seems with his feet.

Smaller Evan Bouchard with better lateral agility be a better comp for you?

 

[cheesymc]

So far this kid sounds like a Josh Morrisey profile.

 

[95snipes]

Smaller Evan Bouchard with better lateral agility be a better comp for you?

Yeah I like that - think he's a better skater than Bouchard for sure, but in the o-zone I see the similarities.

 

[Anarchynate]

He has been a kid I’ve been becoming more fond of as the year has progressed.

He isn’t a one trick pony, he is actually a quite good two-way defender. Strong gaps, with a strong and active stick. Also strong in front of the net when battling for position.

Skating is probably the most impressive attribute about his game. He has excellent lateral agility and is able to change directions on a dime. He uses this to his advantage in the offensive zone often. He‘s quite deceptive from the blueline because of it.
As you would expect from a kid that put up as much offence as he did this year, he has an excellent first pass and is great through transition. Vision in the offensive zone is among the best in the QMJHL among blue liners.


Honestly he is probably the best player from the QMJHL this season, and deserves to be a first rounder. Reminds me a bit of Sam Girard in his draft year.

I have Triston Luneau just ahead of him. Both great players

 

[shotvalley]

So far this kid sounds like a Josh Morrisey profile.

>Morrisey was a great skater in his draft year.
>Morin is a poor skater in his draft year.
>They are same player.

 

[Mrb1p]

I can see where you would think this, reminds you a bit of Lane Hutson from last year, no?
Excellent lateral agility and shiftiness but maybe not the best north-south skater.

Hutsons not a good skater, really. Still havent seen him pivot effectivelt and his backwards stride is a joke.

Morin definitely is a better skater, Hutsons super elusive but that comes from his brain and hands more than his feet, IMO.

 

[cheesymc]

>Morrisey was a great skater in his draft year.
>Morin is a poor skater in his draft year.
>They are same player.

Morin doesn’t look like a poor skater at all. The biggest difference for me is that Morrisey showed flashes of being a big open ice hitter. Both can shoot and move the puck very well, same size… and the skating to me looks close.

 

[BondraTime]

I have Triston Luneau just ahead of him. Both great players

In the draft I’d assume, he’s a great player but not even a top 15 guy league wide this year.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[Tryamkin]

This is something I agree with. While I have Reinbacher a few places ahead of him, Morin is my 9th ranked player in the draft this year. My rankings will be out soon!

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Maybe Marr meant first for North American defencemen?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

This is something I agree with. While I have Reinbacher a few places ahead of him, Morin is my 9th ranked player in the draft this year. My rankings will be out soon!

agreed - I know it’s a “down” year for the Q, but it seems like people are writing off the league entirely this year. Morin is amazing, and came in as my 15th ranked player in the draft. Only behind Reinbacher and Willander for defenders. He has very high upside.

Maybe Marr meant first for North American defencemen?

This would make a lot more sense to me, and makes me want to find a clip for full context. Because he is my #1 N/A D as well.

 

[BondraTime]

Maybe Marr meant first for North American defencemen?

It’s a very weak crop of D on the whole. Not many top end guys, but teams always reach for D and with so few some are going to get taken and rated higher than they should.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

This would make a lot more sense to me, and makes me want to find a clip for full context. Because he is my #1 N/A D as well.

Marr's presser starts at 32:55.