Patience is a virtue for Vaclav Karabacek, Alexis Pepin

McKeen's Staff — Sun, 25 May 2014 11:45:37 +0000

Projecting the Gatineau Olympiques’ wingers means patience may become an overriding theme for the NHL teams that draft them.

Vaclav Karabacek was like a fine wine, getting better as the season progressed, culminating with a memorable playoffs. The Czech forward makes up for his skating drawbacks with an admirable work ethic and compete level.

The Olympiques made a big splash acquiring the second overall pick from the 2012 draft, Alexis Pepin, from the Charlottetown Islanders at the trade deadline. Ironically, the player heading back to Charlottetown will be Karabacek once the deal is finalized this summer.

Pepin can be maddeningly inconsistent. He has the size, can occasionally play with a mean streak and has the hands to find the back of the net in tight quarters. However, his work ethic is a huge concern for NHL teams, particularly since he came into training camp overweight and out of shape and was behind the eight ball all season.

There’s potential with Pepin, but he will need guidance and a renewed work ethic if he’s going to make good on his physical and athletic gifts.

Vaclav Karabacek (2014), RW

Karabacek saw steady progression this year as he got acclimatized with North American play culminating in a highly productive postseason .. was a stand-out against Halifax in the second round before joining Team Czech Republic and helping them capture a silver medal at the World U18 Championships .. modest in size at 6’0, 180 pounds but is an extremely powerful player whose strength is showcased in his loose puck battles .. would aggressively engage along the boards and make solid offensive plays after winning the puck .. agile in his turns and has better than average balance - his straight ahead speed lacks explosiveness and doesn’t win loose puck races .. among the league’s best in terms of puck control as he constantly has his head up to survey options .. passes are generally kept short, as he elects for the safe percentage play .. does an excellent job of sneaking into open areas to utilize his most potent weapon - a quick wrist shot which he can fire with little to no warning .. his defensive game is still a work in progress but he made strides throughout the year .. could surprise at the NHL level with his offensive contributions if upgrades to his skating and consistency come along.

Alexis Pepin (2014), LW

A change of scenery proved to be advantageous for the former second overall pick from the 2012 QMJHL draft .. dealt to Gatineau where he played with a better supporting cast .. Pepin oozes potential but too often he fails to play up to both his skill or size capabilities .. did a slightly better job in terms of conditioning this season but he still showed signs that he was carrying too much weight, which directly affected his skating .. sluggish and rigid, needs time to hit top speed .. massive winger has good overall strength and excels when playing a punishing style by bulldozing towards the goal .. however, too often he would stray and attempt to make skilled plays on the half boards .. vision and creativity are subpar - he does have a hard, heavy shot and was used on the second unit PP with the Olympiques .. struggles in the defensive zone due to his speed and lack of anticipation - reacts and responds far too slowly .. Pepin’s game lacks consistency but in his fairness he played with a banged up shoulder all year which will require surgery in the off-season forcing him to miss the first six months of the 2014-15 season.

QMJHL 2014 NHL Draft Preview: Gatineau Olympiques

Rick Springhetti — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 21:33:47 +0000

Led by Benoit Groulx, their longtime GM/coach, the Gatineau Olympiques are usually among the better teams of the QJMHL due to their ability to draft well and find some solid free agents that have been ignored by other organization. McKeen’s hockey Rick Springhetti reports on a few players that fit the bill.

Jake Coughler (2014), C/RW, Gatineau

Ontario-born forward who made the team as an invited player .. playing both center and right wing this season .. not a very agile skater but he is always in movement .. manages to get decent speed after his first few strides .. plays a reliable up and down game .. average passing skills .. will get the puck to his closest teammate and quickly make himself open .. excels at creating space without the puck by eagerness to go to the net .. very patient player in his own zone when he needs to be but he also knows when to use a more aggressive approach .. understands defensive positioning better and chases opponents a lot less .. always plays within his limits and doesn’t try to do more than he can .. although he will work hard when he battles for the puck, he has been very good at avoiding penalties .. limited player but one who has the confidence of his coaching staff by doing the little things teams need to win.

Vaclav Karabacek (2014), RW, Gatineau

Czech forward was drafted 18^th overall at the 2013 CHL import draft from the Salzburg under 18 team .. pure sniper who looks to take a shot at net at every opportunity .. powerful skater with good balance and the ability to make sharp turns .. can surprise opponent with a quick burst of speed but doesn’t always move his feet as much as he could .. willing to take a hit to make a play near the opposing crease but could work harder to battle for the puck in other areas of the ice .. very hard shot on net with a quick release .. difficult for opponents to move out of the crease once he plants his feet in front of the net .. nneds to learn to better use his linemates as he has a tendency to take low percentage shots .. backchecks and makes an effort to cover his man well in his zone .. could better make use of his reach and stick .. is a little too quick to get out of zone at times .. solid goal scorer who needs to be paired with a good playmaker to best make use of his abilities.

Brandon Smith (2014), D, Gatineau

U.S. born defenseman who made the team after being invited to the Gatineau camp .. not a very mobile defenseman .. plagued by difficulty with his footwork especially when he has to make sharp stops or turns .. lateral mobility could also use improvement .. needs too many strides to hit his top speed .. can make a safe first pass .. possesses a hard shot on net when he manages to get it out .. very choppy stickhandler .. uses his long reach well in the defensive zone .. not a powerhouse physically but his strong enough to tangle up most opponents .. takes his defensive responsibilities seriously and will make sure the front of the net is cleared.

Alex Dostie (2015), C, Gatineau

Young forward has impressed the Gatineau organization with his work ethic and desire to get better in all aspects of his game .. although only sixteen, the coaching staff has made sure to give opportunities to produce offensively and he has delivered quite well .. quick skater who keeps his feet moving .. turns are very sharp and controlled .. tends to starts off shifts with a lot of energy but runs out of gas a little .. this should improve as he naturally gains strength and continues to gain experience .. passes the puck well in all directions even when he is moving at fast speeds .. has to work on his shot as it lacks velocity .. he also needs to release is a little quicker .. excels at finding openings while staying in proper position to receive passes .. doesn’t initiate contact very much .. shows potential to be a solid contributor defensively due to his hockey IQ and willingness to work at that aspect of the game .. he will need to improve his overall strength ..overall, a smart player with some good individual skills who wants to get better.

Vaclav Karabacek – McKeen's Hockey

Patience is a virtue for Vaclav Karabacek, Alexis Pepin

QMJHL 2014 NHL Draft Preview: Gatineau Olympiques