NHL Draft Prospect Profile: David Quenneville

Get to Know David Quenneville

Date of Birth: 3/13/1998
Place of Birth: Edmonton, AB, CAN
Ht: 5’8″ Wt: 183 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Defense
Team (League): Medicine Hat Tigers

Statistics

What Scouts See

SBNation College Hockey:

Quenneville loves to use his slap shot from the point and he can get it off quickly and accurately.  When you’re talking about defensemen scoring from the point, it’s basically a numbers game: the more pucks a guy gets on net, the more likely he’s going to have one sneak through, or create havoc in front of the net with rebounds. Quenneville never hesitates when he gets the puck back there. If he gets it, he’s looking to get it on net.

What BSN Avalanche sees

He’s feisty, first of all, and given his family name that should be no surprise. He’s quicker than he is fast but his short area explosiveness is still good, which allows separation from oncoming defenders. He’s aggressive at all times, constantly looking to get pucks on the net and driving play in the correct direction. He doesn’t shy away from a physical style despite his size and looks to initiate contact more often than not.

He’s still small, and while there are a handful of success stories you can pick out for players his size succeeding in the NHL as forwards, the list of defenseman under 5’10” who get by is basically empty. It just doesn’t happen. That’s obviously the biggest factor working against Quenneville.

Highlights

NHL Potential

He has legitimate second-pairing, power play quarterback potential, even if he doesn’t grow anymore. He’ll have to get stronger but he has all the hockey smarts and offensive tools he needs to succeed. As time goes on, he’ll either adapt to the bigger, faster game and thrive in it or it’ll swallow him whole like the pocket size defender he really is.

Expected Draft Position

It’s not hard to imagine a team falling in love with the upside and the bloodlines and taking an early round flier on him but I’m erring on the side of caution and suggesting he is a better fit for the middle rounds.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

The Avalanche really only have Will Butcher as the only truly small defenseman in the organization so Quenneville’s addition would essentially replace Butcher should he choose not to sign with the Avalanche in a year. Even if Butcher does sign and go pro, Quenneville is several years off in his own right and honestly, the organization could use another style of player like this. As a middle or later round selection, I wouldn’t mind this at all. Just don’t expect it.