My main takeaway from Dubé’s play here is that he very well may be one of the better defensive defenders in this entire draft class. His in-zone defending was highly impressive, displaying an airtight gap that allowed him to stick with even the shiftiest of attackers, closing them out along the boards and killing cycle plays as a consequence. He showed very strong anticipatory habits as well, reading the play effectively in order to cut plays off along the boards, win back possession and make quick passes up the ice to facilitate breakouts. He made a plethora of smart reads in the neutral zone that allowed him to jump passing lanes or step up on puck-carriers at the defensive line that helped thwart plenty of zone entries.

What really stood out to me in Dubé’s game was just how efficient he was in his own zone. He was tough and determined in puck battles along the boards, showcasing the ability to use his physicality to thwart plays deep in the defensive zone by separating opponents from the puck and regaining possession for his team. I found he was also quick and efficient with his puck movement which led to a handful of clean exits out of the d-zone as well as smart plays at the offensive blue line, even contributing an assist on the late game powerplay goal.