Nathan Beaulieu Scouting Report- May 2011

My thoughts on Nathan Beaulieu of the Montreal Canadiens from May. 23, 2011.

TEAM:          SAINT JOHN SEA DOGS

LEAGUE:       QMJHL

POSITION:   DEFENSEMAN

BORN:         DEC 2, 1992

HEIGHT:      6’0’’

WEIGHT:      165 LBS.

SHOOTS:     LEFT

NUMBER:      #28

2010-11 STATS:

	REGULAR SEASON	PLAYOFFS
GAMES PLAYED	65	19
GOALS	12	4
ASSISTS	33	13
POINTS	45	17
PLUS/MINUS	44	6
PIM	52	26
PPG	8
PTS/GAME	0.69
SHG	3
FO%	NA

STRENGTHS:

1.  FANTASTIC SKATER

2.  HOCKEYSENSE/VISION

3.  FIRST PASS/SKATING, TRANSITIONS OUT OF THE D ZONE VERY WELL

WEAKNESS & IMPROVEMENT AREA:

1.  NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO GET STRONGER AND START DOMINATING THE Q

2.  IMPROVE DEFENSIVE AWARENESS

3.  NEEDS TO LEARN WHEN TO PICK HIS SPOTS WHEN JUMPING INTO THE PLAY.

SKILL CATEGORY:

OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN

SCOUTING REPORT:

BEAULIEU SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE TOP DEFENSEMAN IN THE DRAFT AND IS A BONA FIDE TOP TEN PICK.  HE’S A WELL ROUNDED DEFENDER WITH GOOD SIZE AND ABOVE AVERAGE SKILL.

HE IS ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST FLUID SKATERS I’VE EVER SEEN. HE LOVES TO JOIN THE RUSH AND GETS A LOT OF SCORING CHANCES AS A RESULT.  HE’S HAS QUICK FEET AND CAN PIVOT ON A DIME WHICH HELPS HIM AVOID FORECHECKERS.

WHETHER IT’S A SHORT QUICK PASS OR A LONG HAIL MARY, HE IS A VERY ACCURATE AND HARD PASSER.  HE ALSO HAS A GOOD SHOT THAT HE USES OFTEN, ESPECIALLY ON THE PP. HE IS VERY CALM WITH THE PUCK AND DOESN’T PANIC WHEN PRESSURED IN EITHER ZONE.

DEFENSIVELY HE IS SOLID AND HE IS KNOWN TO THROW THE BIG HIT ALONG HIS BLUE LINE.  HIS SKATING IS SO GOOD, HE CAN TAKE RISKS OTHERS CANT BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE CAN RECOVER. THAT WILL LIKLEY CATCH UP TO HIM AT THE NEXT LEVEL.

HE APPEARED STRONGER THIS YEAR AND THAT TREND NEEDS TO CONTINUE NEXT YEAR. HE IS WILLING TO DROP THE GLOVES AND EVEN WELCOMES INTIMIDATION AS HE CAN BE “WOKEN UP”.  HE’S A LEADER ON HIS SAINT JOHN TEAM AND HAD A HUGE ROLE IN THEIR SPECTACULAR SEASON.

HE DOES NEEDS TO LEARN WHEN TO GO FOR THE BIG HIT AND WHEN TO SIT BACK.  THE SAME GOES FOR TAKING RISKS OFFENSIVELY. HE CAN BE KNOWN TO CREATE SCORING CHANCES BOTH WAYS.

HE GREW UP AROUND THE GAME SO HE SHOULD KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. ADDED PLUS.

HE IS A STAR NOW AND HAS ALL THE TOOLS TO BE A STAR IN THE NHL.

NHL POTENTIAL:

TOP 2 DEFENSEMAN

NHL PLAYER COMPARISON:

GRITTIER MIKE GREEN