Dallas Stars Draft Profile: Victoriaville Tigres Forward Maxime Comtois

Up until the NHL Draft on June 23rd, the team at Blackout Dallas will be rolling out previews of the potential Dallas Stars selections. Today, we look at Maxime Comtois.

Name: Maxime Comtois

Position: Winger

Shoots: Left-handed

Hometown: Longueuil, Quebec

Birthdate: January 8th, 1999

Size: 6-foot-1, 192 lbs

Team: Victoriaville Tigers (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League)

Stats: 22 goals, 29 assists, 51 points in 64 games.

NHL Ceiling: Middle-six power forward

As the Dallas Stars prepare to make two first-round Draft picks for the first time since taking Valeri Nichushkin (8th) and Jason Dickinson (29th) in 2013, their options with the 29th pick in the 2017 National Hockey League Entry Draft are vast.

While I contend that the Stars would be smart to use the selection on a young goaltender, further solidifying the goalie system, there are several forwards up for grabs that could be game-changers in the future.

One of them, Maxime Comtois, is a potential 30-goal power forward that falls into the list of players that can drop anywhere in the NHL Draft and have nobody sit surprised at it. Comtois is one of the more interesting prospects in the Draft on account of a few things.

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Comtois is an extremely smart forward who can play all three positions and succeed thanks to an exceptionally high hockey IQ, one which was in display throughout the 2016-17 season with Victoriaville of the QMJHL. Comtois suffered through what was an poor season by his standards, struggling to put the puck in the net all season long.

Comtois, even if offense came at a premium, never fell apart mentally and kept playing his heart out. His trust in his skill set indicates immense confidence – often times a glaring issue with players of his age group – in himself as a complete hockey player.

Comtois was one of the best power forwards in Canadian Junior hockey this season, utilizing his big body frame and heavy shot to create offensive chances. When Comtois is on his game, the 6’1″ lefty can do as much in his O-zone as any athlete in the game.

Dallas Stars /

Dallas Stars

In terms of gameplay traits, Comtois’ game is reminiscent of New York Islanders captain John Tavares. Tavares isn’t necessarily an explosive skater, but his creativity and shooting ability puts him amongst the NHL’s best.

Comtois is one of those players that can contribute in many different ways for his team, be it Victoriaville or even Team QMHJL in the Russian SuperSeries, because he does so many things well. His ability to win battles with and without the puck makes everything easier for his teammates, and this way he will find his way into the lineup when his goalscoring or his skating isn’t there.

He plays with a certain edge that separates him from the opposition. What Comtois can occasionally lack in puck possession and offense, he can compensate for with determination and smarts.

What Comtois will have to improve upon is his skating and his consistency, and both things basically go hand in hand. Maxime Comtois can further develop his offensive game by creating a better way to accelerate, get up to speed and get in the corners where he really can’t be beat. Comtois loves to win battles down deep, and his skating will become another key to that.

The production the Quebecois can put forth will increase when his skating improves. He has NHL size and strength already, so an influx of new skating skills will allow him to plateau as a player.

Next: Stars Would Be Smart To Take A Goalie, Jake Oettinger, At #29

The Dallas Stars have a variety of options at #29, but if they’re patient and willing to allow Maxime Comtois to develop in the QMJHL and AHL, he could wind up being a steal.

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