Projects and favorites from a satisfied Phoenix
The captain of the Phoenix, Samuel Poulin, knows Thomas Bégin, the 7th round choice of the Sherbrooke organization.
Share June 6, 2020 5:08 p.m. Updated at 10:14 p.m. Share Projects and favorites from a satisfied Phoenix
Jérôme Gaudreau La Tribune Everything fell into place on Saturday during the 2020 QMJHL draft for the Sherbrooke clan. The Phoenix had a plan and followed it to the letter. Sometimes playing luck, Jocelyn Thibault was able to add the players he had targeted, a nice mix of favorites and medium-term projects.
Few general managers believe they've missed their mark once the selection round is over, but this time it is with satisfaction that the Phoenix scouting team has left the Thibault GM Complex after selecting their 14th and last choice.
“We knew that our team was not going to speak before the 37th choice and when our turn came to select, we had a player very high on our list who was always available,” says Jocelyn Thibault. Zachary Lessard will become one of the league's excellent defenders. ”
“We have a defense to rebuild for the future and we have acted accordingly,” explains head recruiter Alain Préfontaine. Lessard has seen incredible progress since taking on a defensive role. We even thought of compromising to move forward and we took a risk that paid off. ”
Carl-Étienne Michel was the surprise of the draft according to the Sherbrooke general manager.
“If someone had told me he was still going to be available at No. 56, I would never have believed it. Whenever it was our turn to pick, one of our players targeted for that draft pick was still there. We must not forget that in a year, almost all of our defenders will be gone. As with the goalkeeper position, we had to prepare for the future for this position, ”adds Thibault.
Compromise for Thomas Bégin
The Phoenix will have made only one transaction during the entire draft, the one made to get Thomas Bégin from the Harfangs de Sherbrooke midget hope … the boarding brother of Samuel Poulin.
Sherbrooke offered the Saint John Sea Dogs a 6th round pick in 2022 against their 2020 7th round pick.
“We were afraid that he would no longer be available in the 8th round. We had to compromise. We like it a lot, ”said the CEO of the Phoenix.
Among the organization's favorites, we note among others the acquisition of 6'5 goalkeeper Jasmin Simon, who charmed the Phoenix with the Châteauguay Grenadiers in the playoffs in particular, and the imposing defenseman William-Charles Bishop, who already weighs 200 pounds at 16.
Phoenix's Choice
6 defenders (4 to his 6 first picks)
6 forwards
2 guards
****
6 from midget AAA
4 from midget hope
2 of the RSEQ
2 of the preparatory leagues
