Jeremie Poirier and William Villeneuve
Poirier and Villeneuve, frequent D partners on the Saint John Sea Dogs, are two of the highest-scoring defensemen in the QMJHL. But only one of them should realistically play the position at the pro level.
The right-handed Villeneuve (SNB13) moves well in all directions and is adept at facilitating transition plays. Meanwhile the lefty Poirier (SNB54) prefers to create entries himself and is a shoot-first player in the offensive zone.
In all three zones Villeneuve, though raw and error-prone for now, does the types of things NHL teams look for among their Ds.
In addition to being able to neutralize plays with his positioning, he habitually shoulder-checks to scan the ice for threats and opportunities, an underrated but essential skill for an aspiring NHL blueliner.
Conversely Poirier does not have the defensive skating or scanning habits his partner possesses. He is at his best carrying the puck, leading the rush and shooting from the high slot.
Poirier also has the bad habit of exposing the puck by carrying it in front of him rather than keeping it in his hip pocket - a much smaller problem if he were a dump-and-chase LW rather than a puck-moving D at the pro level.
