Halifax Mooseheads forward Jordan Dumais is perfectly aware of this: he is without a doubt the QMJHL’s most polarizing prospect for the next NHL Draft.
With 96 points on the clock – including six on Tuesday night against the Cape Breton Eagles – Dumais is tied for third in scoring on the Courteau circuit. The winger largely tops all league prospects as they are in their first year of NHL Entry Draft eligibility in points.
By way of comparison, Quebec Remparts center Nathan Gaucher, considered by many to be the province’s best prospect and a potential first-round pick, had 51 points in 60 games before facing the Quebec Saguenéens. Chicoutimi, Tuesday evening.
Still, despite his offensive prowess, Dumais isn’t popular with all NHL scouts, who continue to see him as a third- or fourth-round prospect.
At 5’9″ and 165 lbs, the native of L’Île-Bizard, Montreal, doesn’t have the smoothest skating, which scares many scouts who wonder if Dumais’s style of play, very effective at the junior level, will transpose to that of the NHL. In March, he was ignored by the Canadian Hockey League, which did not invite him to the game of the best prospects on its circuit, which raised the ire of his teammate in Halifax Zachary L’Heureux, who did not was not shy to criticize the CHL on Twitter.
“I’ve always been an underrated player,” Dumais told the Log. It’s been that way all my life. I know I was better than some players who were in the top prospect game. Each time, it gives me extra motivation. »
A MYSTERY
In the Maritimes, some media have started talking about the “Dumais mystery”. Some people find it hard to understand how a player who produces so much can be ranked 72nd by the NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters.
By discussing with some recruiters, we come to the conclusion that the points are good, but that does not mean everything.
“The combination of a medium skate and a small frame is not ideal for professional hockey. On the other hand, he has been spied on en masse and someone is going to take a chance. You can’t ignore his points and his intelligence on the ice, ”reacted an Eastern recruiter we spoke to.
SELECT GROUP
After all, hitting the 90-point plateau at age 17 is not a common feat. RDS colleague Stéphane Leroux recently noted that Dumais was only the eighth player to reach this milestone in 12 years, joining a group made up of players like Jonathan Huberdeau, Jonathan Drouin, Alexis Lafrenière and Nikolaj Ehlers.
Another recruiter surveyed, who works for a Western team, believes that he has not stolen his place in this select group.
“Points are one thing, but when you look at how he collects them, he’s often the cause because of his sense of anticipation and because he creates turnovers. His skating isn’t a huge deficiency for me and I think it’s his mechanics that make him not look fast. One thing is certain, it is that we feel that he has something to prove and it shows in his game.
A coach who is behind his player
Halifax Mooseheads head coach Sylvain Favreau is quick to tell scouts he doesn’t agree with them when it comes to Jordan Dumais’s skating skills.
“My responsibility is to be as honest as possible with recruiters, whether it’s Dumais’s case or anyone else. When they ask me the question, I tell them openly: no, Jordan is not the most fluid skater. On the other hand, he is able to stand out with his speed. Not everyone manages to score 90 points in our league. He has to do something good. »
For Favreau, even if the skating of his No. 11 is not the most graceful, it does not harm him.
“I think it’s easy to say it’s a problem. Obviously, those who see him play quickly notice that it is not Justin Barron in terms of fluidity. On the other hand, he goes from point A to point B and he is often the first to arrive. Often I challenge scouts to come to our practices and watch him in our drills in races or battles. »
GOOD PROGRESSION
Favreau saw Dumais progress in a year. At age 16 last season, the Mooseheads’ 2020 first-round pick finished with 29 points in 40 games in the COVID-19-shortened season.
“We played all year against the Maritimes, including big games against Charlottetown. At 16, playing against a team like that allowed him to mature a lot. This year he is able to control the game and change the dynamics of a game. »
GOAL
Dumais does not need to be reminded that his skating is a weakness, he knows it full well and he intends to use the next summer to work on it even more.
Before that, however, there will be the repechage. The young man assures that the team that will claim him will not regret it. He was then asked what he would say to recruiters to convince them.
“My skating will not hurt me at the next level. I intend to keep working on it and it will improve over the years. I was made to play hockey and I put my heart into it, every day. I’m a competitive kid and I think my hockey skills and IQ separate me from the rest,” he confidently concludes.