With a draft as loaded with talent as this one is, it’s buried a ton of promising young players who will likely fall into later rounds. This is a great chance for NHL teams to stock their prospect pools, even if they were buyers at the trade deadline in the 2014-2015 regular season.
Today we have Quebec-native defenseman Thomas Chabot. A player who has faced a large amount of adversity over the past year, and has overcome to climb in the draft rankings.
Player Profile:
Name: Thomas Chabot
Position: Defenseman
Born: January 30, 1997 — Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Quebec
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 179 lbs.
Shoots: Left
| Season | Team | League | GP | Goals | Assists | Total Points | PIM |
| 2012-2013 | Lévis Commandeurs | QMAAA | 41 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 22 |
| Team Québec Blue | QGC-16 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2013-2014 | Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 55 | 1 | 21 | 22 | 36 |
| 2014-2015 | Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 66 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 62 |
| Canada U18 | WJC-18 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
Kyle’s Analysis:
After the first few games of his sophomore season, Chabot was benched by Saint John head coach Ross Yates. This obviously acted as a huge message to the young defenseman, in which he responded in the best way possible. With the benching as a turning-point in his second season, Chabot posted 31 points (9 goals, 22 assists.) Talk about a statement.
He’s not a huge frame, and I am somewhat on the fence with QMJHL defensemen, because the league is awful. More often than not, you see scores hit double digits, so that can be a bit of a concern to me. Nevertheless, Thomas Chabot could be a great prospect to have if gotten in the late 1st, or in the 2nd round. He’s developed solid two-way abilities for a junior-level hockey player.
The most enticing part about Chabot is his work ethic, when he was benched, he was obviously upset. He went out, and worked hard to bounce back and become an anchor for his team. Seeing a player score points is great, but overcoming true adversity shows true character, especially in such a young player.
Here is what @TPLHockey has to say about Thomas Chabot:
Perhaps available in the second round, but he’s also a guy that knows he’s still learning and aims to be better every shift, while already being pretty darn solid in all three zones. He generates a good amount of points, which includes goals more often than most. He’ll need to put some more beef on his 6’2 frame, but he’s a project.
STYLE COMPARISON: Mike Green
Rankings:
ISS RANKING: #16
NHL CSS RANKING: North American #16
He is a player who just keeps getting better and better as he learns to adapt. I think he’s a gifted athlete, with a sharp mind for hockey. That being said, I think Detroit could get him even if they traded down.
Bottom Line:
I like the kid. He would be a great prospect to have in the system.. Would I take him at 19th overall? I think that if Detroit holds onto that pick, there will be better options available. However, if Ken Holland decides to move down a few picks and acquire a second round pick, Chabot could end up being a steal. He’s ranked 16th in North American skaters, but I’m not convinced he’ll be taken in the top 20, unless there is a team who is seriously all about him.
Highlights:
