2009 NHL Draft: Detroit Red Wings select Gleason Fournier in third round

The Detroit Red Wings take Gleason Fournier with their last pick of two in the third round. Despite Assistant GM Jim Nill saying that the Wings would select a defenseman with one of their first couple of picks, Fournier was their first defenseman at the 90th overall pick and their fourth of the day. In 66 games with Rimouski (QMJHL), he recorded three goals and 25 assists.

Quick Stats:

Born: September 8, 1991 (St-Fabien, QC)

Position: Defenseman (shoots left)

Size: 6-0, 176 pounds

Bonus: His favorite team is the Detroit Red Wings & his favorite shootout move is the "Datsyuk move"

Hockey's Future:

Talented offensively, the problem for Gleason Fournier is that he is a defenseman first and foremost, but sometimes he doesn't play like one. Able to make quick decisions with the puck and move it well, he sometimes struggles in his own end, especially when under pressure. A valuable tool on the power play, at 6'0 and 174 pounds, he would benefit tremendously if he can get larger and stronger on his skates in the coming years.

Journal L'Avantage Rene Alary (roughly translated):

"The round is not important. What I want is to be identified to a club in the National League, "said defender No. 14 of the Océanic.

He also spent a week in Toronto at the end of May. Three teams have seemed to show more interest. "I had interviews with seven clubs. My best feelings were with Detroit, Vancouver and Calgary, "says he will be accompanied by some twenty members of his family.

Sports Forecaster:

Scouting Report: Was a part of the Oceanic squad that hosted the 2009 Memorial Cup, but he saw limited ice time... has some potential in the physical department, as well as some upside on offense, but he needs to make better decisions with or without the puck... is somewhat undersized and needs to get significantly stronger to be better prepared to handle professional forwards in front of the net... was rated 62nd among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings...

Red Wings Central:

ANALYSIS: Fournier is a slight 6-foot, 176-pound offensive defenseman who was a teammate of Red Wings prospect Sebastien Piche with the Memorial Cup host Rimouski Oceanic. He's a pick not unlike Brendan Smith. As he gets bigger, he could emerge as a big point-producer in the QMJHL.

Babcock's Death Stare:

I like the Fournier pick because it’s really a boom or bust, there’s no middle ground. He’s a one dimensional offensive defenseman, he’s either going to be a solid offensive defenseman or he’s never going to see the NHL. There’s not a lot of middle ground in the NHL for a player of his type. Fournier, as seen by his NHL Draft Profile, is also a Red Wings fan. It’s no wonder how Detroit discovered him as they signed fellow Rimouski defenseman Sebastien Piche in March. Coincidentally, with Piche moving to the AHL, Fournier will be eating up a lot of his minutes, especially powerplay.