2016 NHL Draft

C/W Pascal Laberge

Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)

Steve Kournianos  |  03/19/2016 |  New York  |  [hupso]

Photo courtesy of the QMJHL

Profile

Position: Center/Wing
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6’1, 175 lbs
Born: April 9, 1998, Chateauguay, QC
The Draft Analyst Ranking: 18th (March)
Obtained: Selected by Gatineau in the first round (second overall) in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft…Traded from Gatineau to Victoriaville for Yan-Pavel Laplante and Tommy Veilleux on December 24, 2013.
Notes: 2015-16: Leads Victoriaville in assists (43), points (66) and shots (182) in 55 games through March 19th…Has won 45.7 percent of 411 faceoffs through March 19th…Recorded at least one point in nine straight games from November 27th, 2015 to January 3rd, 2016…Scored two goals and added an assist for Team Orr at the 2016 CHL Top Prospects Game…Missed a combined total of 12 games after twice breaking his hand…2014-15: Tied for 17th in rookie scoring with 10 goals and 21 assists in 58 games…Won 41.4 percent of 626 faceoffs…Had four assists in five games for Team Canada-Black at the 2014 World U17 Hockey Challenge.

Regular Season

Season Club GP G A PTS PPG Plus/Minus
2014-15 Gatineau (QMJHL) 27 4 6 10 0.37 -6
2014-15 Victoriaville (QMJHL) 31 6 15 21 0.68 -3
*2015-16 Victoriaville (QMJHL) 55 23 43 66 1.20 -2

Playoffs

Season Club GP G A PTS PPG Plus/Minus
2014-15 Victoriaville (QMJHL) 2 0 0 0 0.00 -3

Scouting Report

If there was ever a prospect who manages to go about his business without the kind of ballyhoo you’d expect from one of Quebec’s top amateur players, it’s definitely Pascal Laberge. The slick offensive dynamo went from being a top pick in the QMJHL draft to draft prospect obscurity, but a memorable performance at the CHL Top Prospects Game in January shed light on what’s been an excellent pre-draft season. Laberge can play both center and wing, although his ability to elude or confront detection and fire off a lethal shot with a quick release makes us think he’d be a tremendous compliment to a top-notch set-up guy.

Laberge is a good skater with a compact style yet strong enough to deal with a hit while maintaining possession. He keeps the puck close to his body, and his ability to change gears can catch a gambling defenseman flat footed. And while it’s cliché to say a skill player would be a devastating adversary with time and space on his side, Laberge truly is a player you don’t want to sleep on, as he unpredictable both with and without the puck. A true offensive threat who needs to get stronger and learn how to because an equal contributor in his own end.