Best Undrafted Overagers

who are the best undrafted overagers in the QMJHL these days.?

Not in any order:

Guillaume Demers - CB
Nicolas Marcotte - CHI
Chaz Johnson - DRU
Sam Roberts - GAT
Daniel Sparre - HAL
PA Bureau - PEI
Karl Gagne - QUE
Mario Sclazo - RIM
Yannik Tifu - RN
Sebastien Courcelles - SHA
Mark Hurtibise - VD

I think Karl Gagne could be a decent find for some NHL team. He's got good skills, and I like his skating, although he obviously has to refine his game.

Sam Roberts is another guy I could see getting a contract. Not because he's a stud yet, but he's come so far in such a short period of time. The guy was a walk-on a couple years ago, and is now their best blueliner as an overager. He's nothing special, but could carve out a solid career in the AHL/ECHL.

La-la, i'd be interested to see your take on Sparre. I'd watched him numerous times this year, as I'm sure you have, and he always impresses me, but I get this feeling he won't be able to be effective offensively at the next level, and doesn't have much size anyways.

Hossa, I agree with that outlook on Sparre.
It seems as if he can be a great star in the Q, but his outlook for Pro looks like something that will stick in the AHL. He could though turn out to be a big star in europe, only time will tell.

Sam Roberts is another guy I could see getting a contract.

SAM ROBERTS????? He makes such awesome music, AND he's in the QMJHL :eek: :D :joker:

SAM ROBERTS????? He makes such awesome music, AND he's in the QMJHL :eek: :D :joker:
after crosby he's the q's best player he'll get picked up by some nhl club for sure
i'd llove to see him as a hab
:habs

after crosby he's the q's best player

Not...even...close.

Courcelles has been at a couple Oilers camps, wouldn't surprise me to see him sign with the Oilers (or someone else)

*edit* Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if if was Simon or Sebastien who has attended the past Oilers camps. I can't seem to find much from looking around the net to find out either, anyone have an idea as to which one attended camp with the Oilers?

Courcelles has been at a couple Oilers camps, wouldn't surprise me to see him sign with the Oilers (or someone else)

*edit* Now that I think about it, I'm not sure if if was Simon or Sebastien who has attended the past Oilers camps. I can't seem to find much from looking around the net to find out either, anyone have an idea as to which one attended camp with the Oilers?
Simon is only 18. Sebastien attended Oilers camp. He is bigger.

Chaz Johnson - DRU

I've seen him play 5 times this season and he's pretty darn good. A strong and feisty energy player who loves to hit anything that moves. He was the 1st star of the game twice last week for Drummondville.

I hope he goes to the Hamilton Bulldogs camp next season and manages to get a contract. I would love to see him in a Habs uniform one day.

I think Daniel Sparre is the best based on talent alone. He has speed to burn. If the NHL actually makes it so the official rules of obstruction and hooking are called during games he will be quite a player at the next level. Not many players can score or fly down the wing like he can.

I think Daniel Sparre is the best based on talent alone. He has speed to burn. If the NHL actually makes it so the official rules of obstruction and hooking are called during games he will be quite a player at the next level. Not many players can score or fly down the wing like he can.
He's pretty small, though... and more often than not, he only gets second-hand knowledge of this thing called the "defensive zone".

He's pretty small, though... and more often than not, he only gets second-hand knowledge of this thing called the "defensive zone".
:dunno:
Hi Phil,
No idea where you got that info from that he does not play defence regularily. He is 7th on his team in +/- at +17 and in the top 3 for Forwards on the team in +/-. Judging by how the coach rolls 4 lines each game it is impressive to have a +/- rating like that. Perhaps you were referring to a different player at which point I can understand the confusion. (allows proper time for Phil to recant his last comment)

As for size in the nhl I disagree whole heartedly. If Martin St. Louis , Theo Fleury, Mike Comrie, Scott Gomez etc can enjoy NHL success then small skilled players can definitely be impact players at the NHL level. What we fail to see when we look at the stats page is the size of the players heart and the amount of hockey sense they have. Crosby is small too, do you think he will not have success in the NHL? I mean he is the same height and weight as Daniel.

Your Thoughts

:dunno:
Hi Phil,
No idea where you got that info from that he does not play defence regularily. He is 7th on his team in +/- at +17 and in the top 3 for Forwards on the team in +/-. Judging by how the coach rolls 4 lines each game it is impressive to have a +/- rating like that. Perhaps you were referring to a different player at which point I can understand the confusion. (allows proper time for Phil to recant his last comment)

As for size in the nhl I disagree whole heartedly. If Martin St. Louis , Theo Fleury, Mike Comrie, Scott Gomez etc can enjoy NHL success then small skilled players can definitely be impact players at the NHL level. What we fail to see when we look at the stats page is the size of the players heart and the amount of hockey sense they have. Crosby is small too, do you think he will not have success in the NHL? I mean he is the same height and weight as Daniel.

Your Thoughts


Yeah, I'm not Phil...but as a fellow Moosehead regular, I'll vouch for his comments on Sparre. Although, living in Toronto must afford you a lot of time to see him play.

Anyway, Sparre's great with the puck and has good vision. There was a point last night where he almost deked three straight Baie Comeau players in their own zone. Almost went in alone. Word is, the jocks of the Baie Comeau players have been found in Western China.

Offense aside, he finds defensive play to be a bit foreign. He's not a big liability but he's not a great help on defense either. Add that to his size and you've got a career ECHLer with AHL upside.

As for your size comments. Sparre is listed at 5'9" 175lbs. Crosby is 5'10" 185lbs and is about three years younger. Sparre needs to bulk up. End of story.

+/- is a horrible stat to use.

:dunno:
Hi Phil,
No idea where you got that info from that he does not play defence regularily. He is 7th on his team in +/- at +17 and in the top 3 for Forwards on the team in +/-. Judging by how the coach rolls 4 lines each game it is impressive to have a +/- rating like that. Perhaps you were referring to a different player at which point I can understand the confusion. (allows proper time for Phil to recant his last comment)

As for size in the nhl I disagree whole heartedly. If Martin St. Louis , Theo Fleury, Mike Comrie, Scott Gomez etc can enjoy NHL success then small skilled players can definitely be impact players at the NHL level. What we fail to see when we look at the stats page is the size of the players heart and the amount of hockey sense they have. Crosby is small too, do you think he will not have success in the NHL? I mean he is the same height and weight as Daniel.

Your Thoughts


+/- doesnt = good defensive play.

Sparre floats, and he rarely takes a hit to make a play on the boards and i rarely see him win puck battles in the defensive zone.

Sparre is soft and small...St Louis is gritty, same with Crosby and Fleury. Sparre is afriad to be hit. He has good hands and can score but there are lots of those guys in junior who never make it.

Yeah, I'm not Phil...but as a fellow Moosehead regular, I'll vouch for his comments on Sparre. Although, living in Toronto must afford you a lot of time to see him play.

Anyway, Sparre's great with the puck and has good vision. There was a point last night where he almost deked three straight Baie Comeau players in their own zone. Almost went in alone. Word is, the jocks of the Baie Comeau players have been found in Western China.

Offense aside, he finds defensive play to be a bit foreign. He's not a big liability but he's not a great help on defense either. Add that to his size and you've got a career ECHLer with AHL upside.

As for your size comments. Sparre is listed at 5'9" 175lbs. Crosby is 5'10" 185lbs and is about three years younger. Sparre needs to bulk up. End of story.

+/- is a horrible stat to use.


The difference in a guy like Sparre at his size and a guy like Crosby is Crosby so easily neutralizes that lack of height with impressive lower body strength. Sparre's a little waterbug, but instead of leaning on defencemen the way Crosby can, he struggles with the physical attention. That's pretty evident in watching him, and you don't need a comparison to Crosby to understand it.

Danny Syvret
Andre Benoit
Maxime Boisclair
Stanislav Lascek
Jordan Lavallee
Mario Scalzo
Nicolas Marcotte

Not...even...close.

Actually, closer than you think.

I have seen Boisclair live a dozen of times and he has incredible hands. Top 5 QJMHL player for sure. And he will probably stay with the Sags next year! :yo:

:dunno:
Hi Phil,
No idea where you got that info from that he does not play defence regularily. He is 7th on his team in +/- at +17 and in the top 3 for Forwards on the team in +/-. Judging by how the coach rolls 4 lines each game it is impressive to have a +/- rating like that. Perhaps you were referring to a different player at which point I can understand the confusion. (allows proper time for Phil to recant his last comment)

As for size in the nhl I disagree whole heartedly. If Martin St. Louis , Theo Fleury, Mike Comrie, Scott Gomez etc can enjoy NHL success then small skilled players can definitely be impact players at the NHL level. What we fail to see when we look at the stats page is the size of the players heart and the amount of hockey sense they have. Crosby is small too, do you think he will not have success in the NHL? I mean he is the same height and weight as Daniel.

Your Thoughts

Well, I "got my info" from the fact that I've seen him play 50-60 games since he arrived in Halifax last season. And, well, his play's been pretty consistent (in regards to floating/avoiding the defensive zone). His plus/minus (not an accurate stat in regards to two way play in the least, especially on a good, deep team) comes from playing with defensively responsible linemates, and from being very good/creative offensively. Good plus/minus does not always an all-around player make.

And the coach doesn't roll all four lines. He rolls three fairly consistently, though.

Since I, and everyone else who is a fan of Halifax and gets to nearly every game who has responded to this thread has been in the contrary to your "outside the region" response, I guess its still a matter of debate. :speechles

I'd be inclined to take your word for it if I hadn't seen him play, but, I won't take the word of someone who lives 1000 miles away who probably hasn't seen him play since midget, especially when I have seen him play dozens of times with my own eyes. Especially when several other Haligonians second my comments.

But if he makes it to the NHL, I'll have no problem eating crow. I have no vendetta. I like his offensive awareness. But while he may have played defense at 13, he more often than not doesn't do it now.

No recant today, I'm afraid.

Buddy. He floats and isn't a great defensive talent. You've been schooled. Shut up and accept it.

LaLa. Any comments on the weigh in? Didn't read anything about it. And he's still listed as 175 on the Mooseheads site.


As opposed to other players who skate hard all the time and score maybe once every 10 or 11 games. Hey Todd Marchants brother skated hard all the time and had zero hands. I'll give him your number for a shower bum rub. Since you are so wise let me break it down for you in simple terms.

On most teams you have
A) offensive players and
B) Defensive players

Offensive players tend to look for seems in the defence for breakout passes or fill lanes for scoring opportunities. Some of the best offensive players in the league are floaters ala Lemieux. jagr, Hull, federov, selanne etc. These players have the ability to find the smallest hole in the goalies padding and buldge the twine. That is what they get paid the big bucks for. Miro Satan, Kovalchuk, Heatley etc.

Defensive players have different specialties such as Penalty killing specialists who generally do not have the most offensive talent but are good at being the first one back on any given play. most of these players are fearless shot blockers. Shawn Horcoff, Darcy Tucker, Michael Peca.

If you had a league full of Chris Drapers and kurt Maltbys would we all watch the NHL regularily?? probably not. Players that can score regardless of their style are more highly sought after.

So whether he floats to find a lane or floats to keep the defence on its toes so they can't pinch too deep, it seems to work for him. I works for Lemieux and Jagr. Not saying he is at the calibre of lemieux and jagr but they are not known for being the first players back now are they.

So comparing offensive players to defensive players is not the best strategy. And saying a player can't float at any point during a game is the most ridiculous thing I have heard. Truly a comment made by someone who watches a game as opposed to playing it and understanding it.

Keep coming with those witty comebacks this is quite enjoyable

Well, I "got my info" from the fact that I've seen him play 50-60 games since he arrived in Halifax last season. And, well, his play's been pretty consistent (in regards to floating/avoiding the defensive zone). His plus/minus (not an accurate stat in regards to two way play in the least, especially on a good, deep team) comes from playing with defensively responsible linemates, and from being very good/creative offensively. Good plus/minus does not always an all-around player make.

And the coach doesn't roll all four lines. He rolls three fairly consistently, though.

Since I, and everyone else who is a fan of Halifax and gets to nearly every game who has responded to this thread has been in the contrary to your "outside the region" response, I guess its still a matter of debate. :speechles

I'd be inclined to take your word for it if I hadn't seen him play, but, I won't take the word of someone who lives 1000 miles away who probably hasn't seen him play since midget, especially when I have seen him play dozens of times with my own eyes. Especially when several other Haligonians second my comments.

But if he makes it to the NHL, I'll have no problem eating crow. I have no vendetta. I like his offensive awareness. But while he may have played defense at 13, he more often than not doesn't do it now.

No recant today, I'm afraid.

i'll even agree with you and i'm in moncton so i'm obliged to hate you.

joking ;)

To be honest I think we have touched on one of the biggest problems with the NHL now-a-days in this thread.

I think teams focus too much on how good a player can stop an offence as opposed to how good they can create it.

It is weird that players like Corey Locke and Hudler fall in drafts because they are not overly huge or are not defensive specialists.

Pretty soon NHL games will be at a point where the play is only in the neutral zone and no one ever scores .. hahaha It will be like soccer where scoring a goal is such a huge thing cause on most occasions there are only on average 2 goals scored per game.

You wonder why the ratings for hockey fall so much in the states it is because on most night the on ice product is boring. Traps and clutch and grabbing have turned the game into a joke south of the border. We as Canadians hold on and keep watching it get worse each year and hope one day we can see scores again of 8-6 or 7-4.

Every one of us watched the draft and of course besides hoping our name is mistakingly called we hope that our teams draft the defenceman that can score .. or the winger with the seeing eye shots. Too often teams draft the 6'8 230lbs defenceman who has trouble turning or passing the puck cause he uncoordinated. How many times have you watched a draft and said "Yes, those are the best group of players out there"??? Most times we look at the red line report, the hockey news scouting lists, the Hockey future pre-draft rankings, the iss website and say collectively "Who is that kid and why did he only score 6 points in 80 games??". Then of course the words projects , and hopeful 2nd line centre titles are thrown around.

Don't you all wish the NHL would have 30 teams with 4 lines of offensive players. or 3 offensive lines and 1 line of 2 way players. Imagine how much more flow the game would have and how much marketability it would have if teams put a team together to outscore opponents as opposed to win a game 2-1 in overtime.

The game will probably never regain its flair of the 80's and early 90's but is it too late to start thinking offence instead of defence. Even for one draft year. I would like to see a player rewarded with a high pick for scoring 30 goals in a year instead of having the player drafted ahead of him that maybe made it so he could not score 31.

That is my rant .... damn bored and pissed there is no NHL... Go Halifax!!

As opposed to other players who skate hard all the time and score maybe once every 10 or 11 games. Hey Todd Marchants brother skated hard all the time and had zero hands. I'll give him your number for a shower bum rub. Since you are so wise let me break it down for you in simple terms.

On most teams you have
A) offensive players and
B) Defensive players

Offensive players tend to look for seems in the defence for breakout passes or fill lanes for scoring opportunities. Some of the best offensive players in the league are floaters ala Lemieux. jagr, Hull, federov, selanne etc. These players have the ability to find the smallest hole in the goalies padding and buldge the twine. That is what they get paid the big bucks for. Miro Satan, Kovalchuk, Heatley etc.

Defensive players have different specialties such as Penalty killing specialists who generally do not have the most offensive talent but are good at being the first one back on any given play. most of these players are fearless shot blockers. Shawn Horcoff, Darcy Tucker, Michael Peca.

If you had a league full of Chris Drapers and kurt Maltbys would we all watch the NHL regularily?? probably not. Players that can score regardless of their style are more highly sought after.

So whether he floats to find a lane or floats to keep the defence on its toes so they can't pinch too deep, it seems to work for him. I works for Lemieux and Jagr. Not saying he is at the calibre of lemieux and jagr but they are not known for being the first players back now are they.

So comparing offensive players to defensive players is not the best strategy. And saying a player can't float at any point during a game is the most ridiculous thing I have heard. Truly a comment made by someone who watches a game as opposed to playing it and understanding it.

Keep coming with those witty comebacks this is quite enjoyable


Your point is valid but doesn't work. The NHL is about guys who can play solid defensively. That's how teams win these days. So guys like Sparre are going to get passed over because they're a liability.

Why do you think teams play defensively? Because they don't want to get burned by the "floaters" you listed. Sergei Fedorov being one of them...that's a real laugh. Watch SportsCentre tonight. The top ten should enlighten your world.

If these comebacks are witty, I'd suggest picking up some English credits at a local university.

Actually, closer than you think.

I have seen Boisclair live a dozen of times and he has incredible hands. Top 5 QJMHL player for sure. And he will probably stay with the Sags next year! :yo:

Boisclari is a good player but top 5? Come on now.

If he so good than he will be gone at 20, not be back. That would mean he is a 5th year junior.

Woops your right Peli .. Fedorov's -5 +/- rating was really super last year!!! He was tied for 648th in the league!!! 18th on the Ducks.. pretty impressive to say the least. I better get right on watching sportsnet!! Thanks for the tid bit of info. :lol:

He used to play better defensively in Detroit, plus they had a better team. The games I watched, on NHL Centre Ice, he seemed to give up on plays. Maybe he was frustrated on losing the game since they lost all the games I watched him play in.

Got some warning points for calling you out earlier Peli but would really love to insult you some more. (holds back).

Woops your right Peli .. Fedorov's -5 +/- rating was really super last year!!! He was tied for 648th in the league!!! 18th on the Ducks.. pretty impressive to say the least. I better get right on watching sportsnet!! Thanks for the tid bit of info. :lol:

He used to play better defensively in Detroit, plus they had a better team. The games I watched, on NHL Centre Ice, he seemed to give up on plays. Maybe he was frustrated on losing the game since they lost all the games I watched him play in.

Got some warning points for calling you out earlier Peli but would really love to insult you some more. (holds back).


That proves that +/- means jack ****.

Thanks for proving our point.

Woops your right Peli .. Fedorov's -5 +/- rating was really super last year!!! He was tied for 648th in the league!!! 18th on the Ducks.. pretty impressive to say the least. I better get right on watching sportsnet!! Thanks for the tid bit of info. :lol:

He used to play better defensively in Detroit, plus they had a better team. The games I watched, on NHL Centre Ice, he seemed to give up on plays. Maybe he was frustrated on losing the game since they lost all the games I watched him play in.

Got some warning points for calling you out earlier Peli but would really love to insult you some more. (holds back).

Doh. I guess this really is necessary. Wear your big shoes now. So you don't get caught up in the big words.

Plus/minus is a brutal statistic. It means absolutely NOTHING. Why? Simple. It's not an individual stat. It's a line stat. If you've got Kris Draper playing on a line with Miro Satan and say...oh, I don't know...Sergei Berezin. Say that's your line. Sure, they'll probably score a combined 75 goals at even strength in a given season. OK? Are we good so far? Here's where it gets tough.

If they allow 100 even strength goals, they're all -25. So. You're reading the comics and drooling all over yourself while you dream about John from Garfield...when you decide to check out the stats on those players. Because I assume this is your daily routine. So anyway, you look at the stats and sweet Moses, smell the roses...Kris Draper is -25.

Does that make one of the BEST defensive players in the game today a floater? No. Of course it doesn't, fool.

Conversely (yes, that is a three syllable word), if you have Kris Draper playing on a line with the same two players and they combine for 100 goals but allow 75...all of a sudden each of them are +25. Uh oh. Turns out Sergei Berezin learned how to play defense, right? Wrong. He was still on the ice for seventy ****ing five goals.

Just thought I'd throw my cents into the jar.
I'm also in Halifax, and I've also seen Sparre play a number of times and I agree with Phil, Hossa, LaLa Laprise and PEli's comments on him.

Boisclari is a good player but top 5? Come on now.

If he so good than he will be gone at 20, not be back. That would mean he is a 5th year junior.

Not top 5 prospect, but when you talk about best player "right now", he's certainly top 5. His 2nd place in league scoring proves it.

Well, I "got my info" from the fact that I've seen him play 50-60 games since he arrived in Halifax last season. And, well, his play's been pretty consistent (in regards to floating/avoiding the defensive zone). His plus/minus (not an accurate stat in regards to two way play in the least, especially on a good, deep team) comes from playing with defensively responsible linemates, and from being very good/creative offensively. Good plus/minus does not always an all-around player make.

And the coach doesn't roll all four lines. He rolls three fairly consistently, though.

Since I, and everyone else who is a fan of Halifax and gets to nearly every game who has responded to this thread has been in the contrary to your "outside the region" response, I guess its still a matter of debate. :speechles

I'd be inclined to take your word for it if I hadn't seen him play, but, I won't take the word of someone who lives 1000 miles away who probably hasn't seen him play since midget, especially when I have seen him play dozens of times with my own eyes. Especially when several other Haligonians second my comments.

But if he makes it to the NHL, I'll have no problem eating crow. I have no vendetta. I like his offensive awareness. But while he may have played defense at 13, he more often than not doesn't do it now.

No recant today, I'm afraid.
OWNED!!!111

Not top 5 prospect, but when you talk about best player "right now", he's certainly top 5. His 2nd place in league scoring proves it.

He has 15 even strength goals.

I wouldnt consider him top 5 in the league rigtht now but that is just my opinion.