Antonin Verreault

July 2022 – Verreault went undrafted in the 2022 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

May 2022 – Verreault entered the season touted by many as a potential first-round pick but he was unable to take the step forward that was expected of him in his second QMJHL season. After scoring six goals and 23 assists in 31 games as a rookie with Gatineau in 2020-21, he managed 14 goals and 32 assists in 56 games during his draft year.

Verreault’s game is built upon creativity as a playmaker and his elusiveness as a skater. He has excellent all-around mobility and can rapidly change directions to weave through congested areas with the puck on his stick, though he is quicker than he is fast. His vision is apparent as he scans the ice while showing both the patience and deception to take advantage of open passing lanes in the offensive zone. Verreault has a tendency to funnel pucks into scoring areas but he doesn’t often do so recklessly, usually having a clearly identified target, and he is able to adjust to solve problems on the fly. All of these skills make him a viable option to run a powerplay from the half-wall, at least at the junior level, but he is still a bit one-dimensional as he doesn’t provide much of a scoring threat from the outside. He has the skill to finish around the net but his shot lacks power and isn’t going to beat many goaltenders cleanly if they can see it. Where things start to break down for Verreault is when he is challenged physically or forced to play through too much traffic as his lack of size and strength makes him relatively easy to knock off the puck. He shows a willingness to hunt pucks on the forecheck but he rarely comes out victorious in one-on-one battle situations. Ultimately, Verreault is going to have to show that he can be more of a dynamic offensive force in order to make up for his shortcomings if he is going to reach the NHL but there is enough skill in his game that a team will likely take a swing on him in the middle rounds of the 2022 NHL Draft. Nick Richard