Poulin played a simple yet effective game that allowed him to create chances for himself and his linemates through sheer effort. With the puck on his stick he often opted to try and chip pucks by defenders at the offensive line trying to gain possession in behind them and set up play in the offensive zone. He’s a player who is consistently aware of his surroundings, looking to read and react quickly to opponents’ decisions and cut plays off along the wall in the offensive zone before funneling a quick pass to the middle of the ice. He was effective on the forecheck as well, closing in quickly on defenders to force them to make quick decisions and even stripping them from behind on occasion to win possession and set up play in the offensive zone.

Poulin’s effectiveness at this event revolved around his ability to get himself into good position to force turnovers and create quick counterattack sequences for himself and his linemates. I noted a few times where he was able to get his stick into a lane in his own end to break up a cross-ice feed before making a partial stretch pass to a streaking linemate which resulted in a partial breakaway. He was also quite adept at anticipating play in the neutral zone which allowed him to pick off outlet passes and attack downhill into the offensive zone. He flashed some sneaky 1v1 ability as well, getting inside on defenders while attacking off the rush by attacking through defenders’ triangles and getting a shot off from the middle of the ice.