A 6-foot-6 center player playing at St. Andrew’s College, a prep school in Ontario, Dean Letourneau represents the puzzle of the draft. Recruiters will want to draft him towards the end of the first round, but the thinking will not be that simple.
The limits of the potential of this giant being difficult to measure and the fact that he does not play in one of the largest circuits in importance such as the Canadian major junior or the USHL are so many factors which complicate the evaluation.
If, on the other hand, Letourneau had to become Tage Thompson…
“With this range, this level of skill and this skating, we could certainly compare the two players,” said St. Andrew’s College head coach, David Manning, in an interview with TVASports.ca.
With 127 points, including 61 goals, in 56 games, Letourneau set the school’s single-season production record. But what importance should we give to such performance against high school players? Letourneau played two games in the USHL this season and was shut out; a thin sample.
“NHL scouts are confused,” explained the very renowned Bob McKenzie in January. Some recruiters have him in their top 10 or top 15 and several others rank him more in the second or third round.
“American scouts are used to the reality of prep schools, the USHL and different universities,” says David Manning. They adapt to the plurality of leagues and, in this sense, they are better equipped than the others. There are teams in Ontario who give us the same importance as an OHL team. I believe if you’re good enough to get drafted, you’ll get drafted.”
Not a giraffe
Most giants on skates have significant coordination problems. That didn’t stop Michael McCarron from being drafted in the first round by the Canadiens with average skating in 2013. But it wasn’t until he was 29 that McCarron really established himself in the National Hockey League. , with the Nashville Predators.
What makes Letourneau more intriguing than any other phenomenon of his type is his atypical agility. On the ice, he doesn’t look like a giraffe.
“I always said he was a 6-foot-6 guy who plays like he was 5-foot-4,” says Manning. He has a fantastic touch with the puck. He can do the same things as smaller players in tight spaces. He can manipulate the puck close to his feet, around his body. Most young people who have grown this much, the way they move is not very elegant. That was never the case with him.”
“I think it comes from a combination of sports that I played during my youth: soccer, basketball, volleyball, golf,” confides Letourneau over the phone.
Development above all
The team that opts for Letourneau in the draft cannot expect him to make his arrival in the NHL with a bang in a year or two.
In fact, even though he signed his letter of intent with Boston University, Letourneau isn’t likely to play in the NCAA until 2025-26.
“I initially chose St. Andrew’s because I needed time to develop,” he reveals. At St. Andrew’s, I play 20 minutes per game in all situations. That wasn’t guaranteed in the USHL this season. “Next year I will join the USHL and be able to show what I have learned.”
There is still plenty of room for improvement in Letourneau’s game. We could hear it in a negative way, but for recruiters, it rhymes with potential.
“One part of his game that can be unlocked is his physical involvement,” observes Manning. He’s still learning to use his big size and that’s scary. He’s learning to play big. I see a player who is competitive. He does not avoid contact. He simply has an identity as a talented striker. He can create space with his body, but most of the time he does it with his skills. He can take his game to another level.”
“It’s something that I try to integrate into my game,” admits Letourneau. It’s difficult because in my league, I often hit opposing players’ heads against my will because of my height. When I played a few games in the USHL, I was able to be more physical. I knew the players were bigger and fewer penalties were called for these types of plays. I was able to hit more. I can’t wait to bring this to the table next year.”
With the Jets pick?
While Letourneau obviously won’t be an option for the Habs with their first pick, he could very well be considered when Kent Hughes takes the podium with the first-round selection the Winnipeg Jets offered for Sean Monahan .
The CH, let us remember, is in a situation where it is advantageous to favor players from Europe or the United States. With a lot of prospects in its pool and a limit of 50 contracts to respect, the team benefits from a larger window to put players under contract when they do not come from the Canadian major junior.
“Montreal is cool,” says Letourneau. I love watching Cole Caufield play. I watch the way he shoots the puck. I filled out an email survey for Canadians and spoke to them once in person.”
But will he be drafted in the first round or much later in the draft? All bets are permitted.
“I don’t think about it too much,” Létourneau claims. It would be cool if it happens, but my only goal is to play in the NHL for a long time. Even if I’m drafted in the first round, it won’t change anything about this goal that I have to wait for. I hope to get there in a few years.”