Prospect Info: Matthew Tkachuk or PL Dubois (Round 3)

[Yggdrasil]

Horvat
Sutter
Granlund
Gaunce

Is not something you'd want to go with in a couple years. Having 2 elite 2C is good enough , definitely worked for Boston with Bergeron - Krecji.

the sedins who will stilll be here the next 2-3 years. they may stay until they are 38+ years old...

so thats the problem for PLD with horvat + sutter in the mix is why i prefer tkachuk.

 

[canuckfromtoronto]

I'm really happy either way tbh, its too close to call, I like PLD's Center ability, but I won't be upset in the least if we "end up" with Tkachuk who looked amazing for the last little bit.

 

[Bad News Benning]

the sedins who will stilll be here the next 2-3 years.

so thats the problem for PLD with horvat + sutter in the mix is why i prefer tkachuk.

Dubois will need another year or two of junior...I don't really see the problem.

Sutter can also shift over to wing to create space for Dubois if need be.

What if the canucks sign Lucic? I guess we can't draft Tkachuk since Daniel Sedin is here the next 2-3 years.....

Silly logic to not draft someone because of 36 year olds on your current roster.

 

[biturbo19]

the sedins who will stilll be here the next 2-3 years. they may stay until they are 38+ years old...

so thats the problem for PLD with horvat + sutter in the mix is why i prefer tkachuk.

Because you're worried about where Dubois would fit at Center with those guys around?

Dubois is easily capable of shifting to the Wing (in fact, imo, that may well be his best position in the NHL long-term anyway). In fact, he can play either wing as needed.

He's also got another year of Juniors in all likelihood. Finding a place to break Dubois into the NHL a year or two from now, really shouldn't be any kind of problem, with how versatile he is as a player. As well, like Horvat...i think Dubois has the makeup of the type of player who can do quite well for themselves sort of "working their way up" the lineup.


The Sedins have 2 years left on their contracts. It's possible that they linger for a bit longer...but i really do think by the end of their current contracts, the Sedins will be staring down the barrel of starting a potential 38 year old season, on a team that will be clearly looking to move on with the "rebuild". They've also indicated in the past, that they might like to head back home to play a year or two in Sweden to close out their careers, and let their families experience some more of their home country and all that stuff.

I really don't think you can let that impact your decision with the 5th pick either way. It's just not an issue. Heck, Dubois might even be a fit playing RW with the Twins for a year, or two if they sign on a bit longer.

 

[GrogZilla]

The only thing that "slightly" has Dubois ahead of Tkachuk is the potential to be a center. That is the only separation in my mind between long term potential. Tkachuk will be a beauty though.

Basically that, plus his age. Being that big, strong & talented while being one of the youngest guys in the draft smells like upside.

 

[The Drop]

I'd rather have Gaunce centering the 4th line over Granlund.

I'd rather have 3 lines than playing Granlund

 

[Bad News Benning]

I'd rather have 3 lines than playing Granlund

Oh c'mon! you don't like the amazing Granlund-Dorsett combo?

I really hope our 4th line only gets 5-8 minutes a game as long as Dorsett and Granlund are on it.

 

[WTG]

Question for those voting Dubois: what would Tkachuk have to had done in order for you to rank him higher? Going by the numbers, and from what I've seen of him, I don't know how you can rank him 5th or even lower (as some have).

Convert to center.

It's like Laine vs Matthews

Laine might be the better player but Matthews is considered better because he's a center.

1st line winger < 1st line center

 

[GPNuck]

Just watched the highlight video of Dubois.. Not sure i'm sold on him.. I would almost be up for trading down to draft Jost or Brown or Keller instead.. Or even Juolevi

 

[Tv9924]

Just watched the highlight video of Dubois.. Not sure i'm sold on him.. I would almost be up for trading down to draft Jost or Brown or Keller instead.. Or even Juolevi

This why you don't make judgements based on highlight videos

 

[GPNuck]

This why you don't make judgements based on highlight videos

obviously but I don't have the luxury or time to watch him play his games.. so highlight videos is all I have.

I'm just not sure what his biggest asset is.. He doesn't look overly fast his hands don't look overly great. He doesn't look that physical. Maybe I'm dead wrong but to me Tkachuk is the guy I want

 

[The Drop]

obviously but I don't have the luxury or time to watch him play his games.. so highlight videos is all I have.

I'm just not sure what his biggest asset is.. He doesn't look overly fast his hands don't look overly great. He doesn't look that physical. Maybe I'm dead wrong but to me Tkachuk is the guy I want

You don't have the time or luxury to do research but still give a critique. Ok.

 

[JA]

Just watched the highlight video of Dubois.. Not sure i'm sold on him.. I would almost be up for trading down to draft Jost or Brown or Keller instead.. Or even Juolevi

Have you revisited his CHL Top Prospect performance? He demonstrated some of his high-end skill in that game. There isn't a lot of footage of him online -- I wish we could see full-game highlights from late in the QMJHL season -- but he is indeed an excellent prospect.

David Staples of the Edmonton Journal is campaigning for the Oilers for pick Matthew Tkachuk, and his biggest criticism of Dubois is that he is inconsistent. That said, it seems Dubois was consistent enough to score score 42 goals, 99 points in 62 regular season games.

http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/is-pierre-luc-dubois-the-right-fit-for-the-edmonton-oilers

Cult of Hockey: Pierre-Luc Dubois likely not best fit for Oilers in 2016 draft
David Staples, Edmonton Journal
Published on: May 19, 2016 | Last Updated: May 19, 2016 8:43 AM MDT

There is no shortage of hoopla in regards to Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League centre who is ranked first overall for North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. TSN draft guru Craig Button has compared the 6-foot, 3-inch, 200-pound Dubois to Jamie Benn. Some team is going to be happy to grab the large and highly-skilled young center, but I doubt that team will be the Edmonton Oilers.

I say this having reviewed four of Dubois’ recent games, enough games to get a first impression of the player’s skillset and tendencies, though not enough to be definitive. Dubois is a player that we’ve seen plenty of in Edmonton in recent years, a guy who is good with the puck on his stick, a strong stickhandler and shooter who does his best work in the open ice.

I watched Dubois’ three games in the “Q” playoffs against St. John and a March game against Drummondville. He was great in one game, mediocre in one, and good in the other two. In other words he was the next Benn one moment, but Marc-Antoine Pouliot the next.

...

Staples concludes that one great performance, two good performances, and one mediocre performance makes Dubois inconsistent, but three of the four games he watched produced positive assessments -- that isn't quite "Jamie Benn one moment, but Marc-Antoine Pouliot the next." That's "good, if not great most of the time, and occasionally average."

I think highly of Dubois' skill set.

Here is an extended highlight package from the CHL Top Prospects game. There are several exciting Dubois moments in there. He wears #18 in the footage for the team in white (Team Orr).



Time stamps (all moments that Dubois appears in the highlight package):

1:30 - 1:43

2:15 - 2:54

5:03 - 5:09

5:53 - 6:11

6:20 - 6:30

7:35 - 7:55

8:22 - 8:28

9:40 - 9:43 (comment)

9:49 - 10:02

10:37 - 10:53

11:36 - 12:34

13:20 - 13:36

He looks like he can throw his weight around:

He's 6'3'', 200 lbs. He can shoot the puck, one-time pucks, make high-end plays, use his size, speed and reach to drive towards the net, fight for pucks along the boards, backcheck hard, tie up the opposition in his own end, collect rebounds, and hit. He can drive the offense off the rush, pass well, score from around the net or from afar, and harass the opposing puck carrier. He plays hard in all three zones and gets around the ice hastily. He plays with pace.

He's also 17 years old -- nine months younger than Auston Matthews, six months younger than Matthew Tkachuk, two months younger than Patrik Laine, and a month younger than Jesse Puljujärvi.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/1368213-screaming-eagles-pierre-luc-dubois-named-best-pro-prospect-at-chl-awards

Screaming Eagles' Pierre-Luc Dubois named best pro prospect at CHL awards
John MacNeil
Published May 29, 2016 - 3:45pm
Last Updated May 29, 2016 - 3:59pm

His buddies call him P.L. The Canadian Hockey League calls Pierre-Luc Dubois the best pro prospect among NHL draft-eligible juniors.

The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles' sophomore forward accepted the BRP Top Prospect Award on Saturday as the CHL handed out its hardware for the 2015-16 season. The presentations were made on the eve of the Memorial Cup final between the QMJHL-champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the OHL-champion London Knights.

Dubois, who arrived in Red Deer in time to watch Rouyn-Noranda defeat the host Red Deer Rebels 3-1 in Friday's semifinal, is rated No. 1 among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting draft rankings. The anticipation is building for Dubois, whose 18th birthday is on the same day — June 24 — as the first round of the NHL entry draft in Buffalo.

“Knowing where I might start my NHL career, my pro career, it's really exciting,” Dubois told reporters. “It's going to be fun to experience that with my friends and my family.

...

Already, people see his name among the top contenders for the draft. In the final Central Scouting rankings of North American forwards and defencemen, Dubois pulled ahead of London forward Matthew Tkachuk, one of the stars of the Memorial Cup and the OHL finalist for the prospect award. The WHL nominee was Calgary Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean.

This week, Dubois and fellow top prospects are in Buffalo for the NHL draft combine. His travel plans expanded last week when Cape Breton coach and general manager Marc-Andre Dumont informed Dubois he would be Alberta-bound to accept a CHL award.

...

While his relative youth would likely ticket Dubois back to junior next winter, he's widely regarded as one of the most NHL-ready players amid the hundreds of prospects. The CHL award further validates that opinion.

“Maybe (it raises expectations) a little bit, but the only pressure is being the best player I can be, working hard and helping my team win, whether it's in the Q or in the NHL,” Dubois said. “I don't put extra pressure on myself because of that.”

The Rimouski, Que., native fashioned a 99-point season with Cape Breton and earned commendation for his two-way game, with a plus-40 rating. His draft stock spiked in the second half of the season, jumping to first from the No. 7 slot he occupied in Central Scouting's mid-season report.

“I don't think underdog is the word I'd use, but when I went up in the draft rankings this year, I think I surprised some people by my ranking at the end of the year,” Dubois said. “But I try to be the best player I can be, and I believed in myself the whole time. I'm just happy where I am right now.

“My junior career has been really fun. I don't know how much time I have left (in the QMJHL). I don't know the plan or anything. But my goal is to play in the NHL next year. I learned a lot from the older guys, being a rookie (in the 2014-15 season), and I'm going to take that to the next level.”

...

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=252480

A phenominal two-way power forward that thrives under pressure. He brings versatility, being able to play as a center or a winger, as well as elite skill and agility. His athleticism is exemplified in his strong skating that allows him to backcheck hard, explode up the ice in-transition, or propel himself up into hits that opponents won't soon forget. His defensive zone play is excellent; he proactively finds and takes away shooting and passing lanes, and makes it tough on opponents to pinpoint any daylight. When he is on the ice, he is uncontainable and leads the forecheck; he creates the time and space for himself to be creative with the puck and finds a way to get it to the back of the net. He makes the players around him better, serving as an example of what hard work and skill can and will be able to produce. A similarly punishing two-way forward with size and zero deficiencies, Anze Kopitar, is the type of player Dubois will aspire to become at the next level. Pierre-Luc Dubois has the potential to develop into an elite two-way forward that excels as a positive catalyst in every facet of the roles he can play, be it the dynamic scorer, the set-up man, the intimidating power forward, or the defensive-minded shutdown guy. He is the type of player nobody likes to play against. (Curtis Joe, EP 2016)

A top-end talent that impacts all aspects of the game from different angles. May well be the most complete player in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. His multidimensional play and elite offensive prowess reminds scouts a little bit of James Neal. Competitiveness marks his game and he consistently proves to be a high impact player when he is on the ice. [EP]

 

[Black Noise]

Would a more dynamic Sean Couturier be a good comparison for PLD?

 

[coastal_nuck]

Absolutely no to trading down. You pick either Tkachuk or PLD 10/10 and don't look back. Both look like they have the real potential and likelihood of being solid first liners for years to come.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Convert to center.

It's like Laine vs Matthews

Laine might be the better player but Matthews is considered better because he's a center.

1st line winger < 1st line center

That's not the sole reason I have Matthews ahead, but it is a factor.


-------------------


On PLD vs. Tkachuk: I think what Tkachuk has done to end his season is so impressive that I think he edges out PLD for me... and I'm very partial to players like PLD. What Tkachuk has done just cannot be ignored. He should go 4th overall.

Further, I think Jost, Nylander and even Brown have higher upside than PLD. However, Dubois' combination of traits is something those other three don't match. Add this to his primary points distribution and he's the auto-pick at 5th overall.

I think this draft selection is going to be really easy for the Canucks. Or, should be anyway.

 

[ginner classic]

That's not the sole reason I have Matthews ahead, but it is a factor.


-------------------


On PLD vs. Tkachuk: I think what Tkachuk has done to end his season is so impressive that I think he edges out PLD for me... and I'm very partial to players like PLD. What Tkachuk has done just cannot be ignored. He should go 4th overall.

Further, I think Jost, Nylander and even Brown have higher upside than PLD. However, Dubois' combination of traits is something those other three don't match. Add this to his primary points distribution and he's the auto-pick at 5th overall.

I think this draft selection is going to be really easy for the Canucks. Or, should be anyway.

Im not sold on Nylander and just OK with Jost but I agree with this summation. PLD does not have the upside Brown does but he's a horse. He's a lot like Linden in almost every aspect. I'm not sure how much unrealized potential he has but you know he's going to get realize 100 percent of it. A Shane Doan type. That's awfully hard to turn down. He feels like a Canuck.

 

[The Drop]

Would a more dynamic Sean Couturier be a good comparison for PLD?

Some say Lecavalier or Jamie Benn.

Depends who you ask. Either way, if we draft him expect Habs fan proposals until he retires

 

[JA]

Here is a memorable moment from the playing career of his father, Eric Dubois. This is from Dubois' 1995-96 season with the Atlanta Knights of the IHL.



And this is a fight later that season with the Chicago Wolves:



Eric wore #18 as well, but he was a defenceman. #18 seems like a special number.

P.L. also wore #10, but that's off limits.

#13 looks like #18, so I think he'll probably either go for that number or #8 if the Canucks draft him.

 

[Canucks LB]

obviously but I don't have the luxury or time to watch him play his games.. so highlight videos is all I have.

I'm just not sure what his biggest asset is.. He doesn't look overly fast his hands don't look overly great. He doesn't look that physical. Maybe I'm dead wrong but to me Tkachuk is the guy I want

I just watched his highlight videos. The guy looks and plays like a monster power forward

 

[biturbo19]

#13 looks like #18, so I think he'll probably either go for that number or #8 if the Canucks draft him.

I'm pretty sure Tanev has dibs on that one for a while.

 

[ginner classic]

Center depth would be unreal in a few years:

Dubois - 70 pts
Horvat - 60 pts
Sutter - 40 pts
Granlund - 20 pts

Unreal is hyperbole if Granlund is included. I think 65 and 50 and 30 are better projections for the top 3.

Ideally.....

Dubois - ? - Boeser
? - Horvat - Virtanen
Baertschi - ? - Rodin
Gaunce - Sutter - ?

We still have tons of holes....it's a mess.

Im not over it...

Tkachuk Stamkos Boeser
Benson Horvat Virtanen
Baertschi McCann Rodin
Gaunce Sutter Hansen

 

[The Drop]

I'm pretty sure Tanev has dibs on that one for a while.

i want him to take a weird one like 81. Similar to Bo having 53 (yes i know the story behind it).

Same if we draft Tkachuk. Screw the low numbers. Chose like 73 or something really ugly like 76

 

[JA]

I'm pretty sure Tanev has dibs on that one for a while.

Oops.




#13 is a great number. If P.L. wants to go for a low number, #13 will look sharp on him. There's little difference between #13 and #18 with the Canucks' current font.

#81 is another option. That's another good number. Only one other player has worn #81 for the Canucks:

 

[WTG]

I'm pretty sure Tanev has dibs on that one for a while.

Tkachuk will take 7
Dubois can't take 10, 8, 18.

So I hope Dubois takes 17