Verpaelst was one of my favorite players to watch throughout the entire event, combining a high-end motor with some of the most dynamic skating ability I’ve seen out of a draft-eligible prospect this year. He finished the event with 8 assists in 6 games, a testament to how crucial he was at getting pucks to teammates in dangerous areas. He was an elite forechecker from start to finish, either pressuring defenders as the F1 and forcing turnovers or even sometimes winning the race to the loose puck and setting up play in the offensive zone. Despite being a smaller player, I thought he was able to consistently come out on top in board battles along the perimeter by keeping a low center of gravity and being difficult to knock off balance. I thought he even flashed some solid problem solving along the perimeter with the puck, demonstrating the ability to anticipate pressure, spin off it and make a quick feed to the middle of the ice to a teammate. His speed earned himself a few breakaways throughout the tournament as well by getting his stick into lanes in both the neutral and defensive zone to break up plays before retrieving the loose puck and pulling away from defenders with his high-end acceleration.

Unlike almost all of the players here, this was my first time watching Verpaelst as he had to miss the last Hockey Québec event due to the injury, and while he didn’t separate himself from the pack there were things I liked about his game. He fits the mold of a diminutive and skilled forward with strong skating and puck skills. His best moments at this camp came when he was able to execute moves at top speed around defenders to break into space and get shots off from the middle of the ice. He was able to gain separation from checkers consistently thanks to his stride and crossover mechanics, making him an effective player in the transition game by generating controlled exits and entries.