Last week we gave you a look into some of the top prospects in the Predators organization. This week we show you who the elite scorers are in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Nathan Mackinnon– C– Halifax Mooseheads. Mackinnon has been widely recognized as the top prospect in hockey circles when the draft rolls around this summer. He had 78 points in 58 games in his first season with Halifax including 5 goals in one game vs the Quebec Ramparts. This year he is second on the team in scoring with 69 points in just 41 games. This Nova Scotian has drawn comparisons to hockey great, Sidney Crosby with the path his career has taken thus far. In addition to being from the same Canadian province, Mackinnon also went the route of attending the same Minnesota boarding school to further establish his hockey skills. Look for him to be more of a power forward than Crosby though, as he has room to grow on his 5’11” 180lb frame.
Jonathan Drouin– LW– Halifax Mooseheads. Though he doesn’t quite have the accolades of his teammate Mackinnon, Drouin is the team leader in points with 82 in a mere 39 games. The Quebec native has been climbing up the draft rankings with his stellar play this season. Thought to be a top-20 prospect to begin the year, the soon-to-be 18-year old has catapulted himself into the top 3. He also showed a flair for the dramatic last season by scoring a game-winning overtime goal in game 7 vs. Quebec. At 5’11” 175lbs, his lack of size won’t deter anybody at the top of the draft from adding this natural scorer to their roster. By no means is he a liability defensively as he also has 4 short-handed goals this year and is a +37. The duo of Drouin and Mackinnon has propelled the Mooseheads to an incredible 46-6-2-1 record, outscoring their opponents at nearly a 2:1 ratio for the season.
Dmitrij Jaskin– LW– Moncton Wildcats. Jaskin decided to take the QMJHL route to aid his chances of making it to the NHL. You can’t argue with the results as he was already drafted in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft by the St. Louis Blues. The Omsk, Russia native has averaged nearly 2 points per game this season registering 81 points in 42 games. Along with leading his team in scoring, he also leads them in plus/minus with +20 and 6th in penalty minutes with 67. At 6’3″ 205lbs, this winger is larger than his countryman Vladimir Tarasenko, who has already made his mark with the Blues this year.
Sven Andrighetto– RW– Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Swiss winger has shown some dynamic offense in both his seasons with the Huskies. Last season he recorded 74 points in 62 games, yet finished with a plus/minus of -23. He has already surpassed last season’s total with 77 points in just 42 games. Perhaps the most impressive change however is his plus/minus skyrocketing to a +17. He’s not an imposing figure at just 5’10” 180lbs, but his lightning offensive skills can strike fear into anybody defending him. For him to get to the next level however, he will have to improve his strength and show that his two-way play wasn’t just a fluke this season.
