Avalanche Draft Profile: Maxime Comtois

Get to Know Maxime Comtois

Date of Birth: 1/8/1999
Place of Birth: Longeuil, QC, CAN
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 201 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Left Wing
Team (League): Victoriaville Tigers (QMJHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

Future Considerations:

A big-bodied, poised winger who is dependable in all zones…big, quick and skilled…can generate the speed to separate from defenders, and has the agility and balance to maintain possession in traffic…takes advantage of opponents’ mistakes…impressive smarts…makes proper decisions quickly and plays an up-tempo game…reads the play well, getting himself into solid position…plays a 200-foot game, competes hard, shows up every shift, and is willing and able to play physically…can deliver a strong check and separate opponents from the puck with his size…is a strong playmaker who can protect the puck with his strength and reach while reviewing his passing options…his forte though is his finishing as he has a lethal shot that is both hard and accurate…the kind of guy who leads by quiet example…smooth and effortless…a possible future top-line winger.

Last Word on Sports:

Comtois is a good, but not great, skater. He could stand to improve his first step quickness, but once he gets going he moves well enough. He has good top-end speed and has the ability to change gears and accelerate quickly. Comtois also has the power in his stride to fight through checks and get to the front of the net. His edge work and agility are decent.

Comtois is a goal scorer for the Tigres. He has an excellent array of shots, with good power and accuracy on his wrist shot, snap shot and slap shot. A sniper, Comtois has a very quick release that can handcuff opposing goaltenders. While he has the shot needed to score from the slot and face-off circles, he also has the soft hands to beat a goalie in close to the net. Comtois can score goals with deflections, rebounds, and by quickly burying a pass in tight. He can also drive the net off the rush, or when working in the offensive zone.

Comtois also has decent vision and passing skills. He can extend plays by using his stick handling as well as his body to protect the puck and control the play along the boards. Once teammates get open he can make a pass through tight openings. Comtois has good size and is not afraid to work along the boards or in front of the net. He pressures defenders well on the forecheck, creating turnovers. Comtois could stand to add some muscle to his frame to help him in board battles and establishing position in front of the net going forward.

Comtois has been given big responsibilities for the Tigres, including killing penalties.  He has good positioning and the work ethic in his own end of the ice. He is more than willing to support the defence with strong back pressure, as well as working against the cycle game.

Highlights

NHL Potential

Comtois is a guy who was considered a potential top-five selection at the start of the season but dropped as the year went on and his numbers continued to sag behind lofty expectations. As such, the belief in his ceiling has also dropped and he went from being a potential top-line winger for a team to a likely second-line forward who can excel in defensive situations. Think of him as this year’s version of Lawson Crouse.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

Comtois is a defensively responsible power forward with some offensive upside, making him an obvious fit with the Avalanche simply because he’s a wing. Given his high IQ and strong two-way game, even if his offense never develops to the point people once thought it might, he should find his way to the NHL based on his overall profile.

He may not be the kind of goal-scoring threat they could use but he should have a clear-cut path to the NHL should he land in Denver at the top of the second round.