Projection: Middle-Six Forward

Projectable Skills: Puck Handling, Creative Playmaking, Shooting

Development Opportunities: Skating

 In terms of overall skill and natural ability Nolette-Robidoux is right up there with some of the best this draft class has to offer. His handling ability allows him to consistently weave through traffic in the neutral zone, pulling pucks through and around defenders to attack into space.  He’s equally if not more dangerous off the halfwall, flashing high-end vision and playmaking ability that allows him to spot options through traffic and connect on cross-ice feeds to create dangerous chances. Nolette-Robidoux also possesses strong shooting mechanics that allow him to score from distance, also leveraging his handling to curl pucks around sticks to create new shooting lanes while maintaining his accuracy.

The skating is an issue as of now, as he has very little knee bend and is unable to generate much acceleration as a consequence. The skill level is good enough for him to be a regular QMJHLer, but the skating will dictate how far he plays up a lineup.

Nolette-Robidoux’s skill, vision and creativity stood out even among the best of his age group in what I thought was his best hockey of the year as he finished tied for the tournament lead in scoring with 7 points in 4 games. He was a superb on-puck threat throughout, especially off the rush where was to create advantages for himself and his linemates in a multitude of ways; using slick puck skills to beat defenders 1v1, attacking the middle to draw pressure before kicking it outside or delaying upon entry to hit the trailer option. He was consistently able to spot open options through traffic and connect on cross-ice feeds from off the halfwall that lead to a plethora of dangerous chances along the middle of the ice. He made a handful of highly impressive plays in the neutral zone, contorting his body positioning to catch off-target passes in stride and opening up his hips to maintain his momentum through receptions. He kept his feet moving off the cycle in the offensive zone, continuously trying to get himself into open ice and generate chances off backdoor feeds or one-timer shots from the slot.

Nolette-Robidoux might be the most innately talented of all the Gaulois’ draft-eligible prospects this season. He’s quite the deadly puck-carrier in transition, combining a strong skating stride with plus-level hands that allow him to carve through defenders and gain the offensive blueline at high speeds. He was quite effective off the cycle as well, utilizing his frame to shield the puck from defenders and spin off checks to work his way into space below the goal line and distribute pucks to scoring areas. He’s got quite the shooting acumen as well, made noticeable by his lone goal of the event where he walked into the zone and fired a perfect shot bar down from above the circles that beat the goaltender cleanly. For Nolette-Robidoux it’ll just be a question of whether he can utilize his overflowing abundance of offensive tools on a more consistent basis.

Nolette-Robidoux was one of the more consistent and effective forwards for Québec Blue throughout this camp, driving play for his line and generating chances at a high rate. His vision and playmaking off the rush is some of the best I’ve seen from a prospect thus far, using a variety of methods to anticipate passing lanes and thread pucks through opponents sticks and bodies right onto the tape of a teammate in stride. I was really impressed the way he was able to alter his routes upon receiving a puck under pressure by using a quick cut or pivot to break away upon reception and maintain his speed. His stickhandling ability allowed him to operate in tight quarters in the offensive zone by pulling pucks around defenders along the perimeter and breaking into the middle of the ice to get a shot off from the inside. He also flashed a strong pull and drag release off the rush that he used to consistently get shots through defenders while using them as a screen in the process.

Nolette-Robidoux showed off some impressive playmaking and skill level playing alongside Bibeau-Rivard and Duclos-Claude. He possesses elusive one on one skill, showing the ability to make quick changes of directions with his skates in order to get by defenders. He also likes to chip pucks past defenders off the rush, chase after it and then make a quick dart to towards the net. He was able to maneuver in tight spaces in the offensive zone thanks to his stickhandling ability which allowed him to gain access to prime scoring areas. He’s a player that likes hang around in front of the net and try to take advantage of loose pucks in the crease. There were a few times in this tournament that he reaped the benefits of his offensive zone positioning by tapping home loose pucks or passes from below the goal line. While I don’t think he has any elite traits, his game is very well-rounded, and he excels in whatever role he is asked to perform.

Coming out flying in this championship game, Nolette-Robidoux used his pace and vision to set up some of his team’s earliest chances. Whether it was off the rush or during controlled possessions inside the offensive zone, he was effectively funnelling pucks towards the front of the net with crafty passes to teammates in the slot or using defenders as screens off the rush by adjusting his angle to fit shots through tight windows. I was really impressed with his ability to execute plays under pressure, being able to fend off defenders who hold onto pucks until the last possible second and still execute on his passes to the middle. He was responsible for giving his team the lead at the end of the first period after capitalizing on a turnover in the high slot.

Nolette-Robidoux’s jumped off the page from the first drop of the puck and never really subsided throughout the game. His puck skills in conjunction with his edgework allowed him to extend his touches along the perimeter, gaining separation out of his pivots which gave him more time to assess his passing options in the middle of the ice. He had a great cross-ice feed from off the wall early in the first that found its way through traffic to a teammate backdoor which lead to his team’s first goal. He was keeping his feet moving off the cycle, often dishing then working his way into open ice to make himself a passing option in the middle and generate touches for himself. In oone sequence he helped executed a zone entry by skating through the middle in the neutral zone, spotting a pinching defender and executing a between the legs pass to a teammate who could then skate into space. He scored his teams fifth goal of the game when outraced a defender to a puck in the middle of the ice, got on a breakaway and snapped a puck high right over the goaltender’s glove.

Nolette-Robidoux was the primary driver on the Gaulois’ most effective and consistent forward trio alongside Bibeau-Rivard and Duclos-Claude. He was highly effective off the cycle, winning plenty of battles along the boards, shrugging off checks and executing passes to the middle of the ice that lead to dangerous scoring chances. He flashed some skill in open ice as well, where in one sequence he was able to curl a puck around a defender in one fluid motion upon reception, gain the offensive blueline and execute a drop pass to a teammate in space.

Nolette-Robidoux did a majority of his damage off the rush in this one, showcasing his skill and processing ability that allowed him to operate at top speed. He was consistently driving the middle in transition, playing between the dots and threading pucks through sticks right onto the tape of a streaking teammate. He was the initiator of a tic tac toe goal in the first period when he pushed back a defender with his speed before hitting a trailing option which resulted in a goal. He picked up his second assist later in the game when he pulled a puck around a defender to get to the middle of the ice before executing a perfect pass cross-ice pass backdoor to a teammate who tapped it home.

Nolette-Robidoux was flashing some serious high-end skill all game long. There were more than a few instances in the neutral zone where he was able to pull off a nifty behind the back pass to a teammate and hit him in stride. He was really elusive as a one on one attacker with a very slick pair of hands in tight. His dual threat combination of deking and passing made him extremely difficult to contain for opposing defenders and kept him unpredictable as an attacker. Even as a skilled player, he loved chipping pucks past defenders and using his quick feet to get behind them and retrieve loose pucks. He made a great play on Québec’s second goal on a one-touch pass to Bibeau-Rivard in the slot that gave him the entire open net to shoot at. He scored Québec’s third goal of the game as well by being a good net front presence, taking a pass from a teammate in a high-danger area and banging it home.