Player Information:
Name: Lukas Cormier
Position: Defenseman
League: Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Team: Charlottetown Islanders
Shoots: Left
Age/DOB: 18-years-old, March 27th, 2002
Birthplace: Ste-Marie-de-Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Height: 5’10
Weight: 178lbs
QMJHL Drafted: By Charlottetown Islanders (first round, fourth overall, 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft)
Potential Draft Round: Second round
NHL Potential: Top-four defensemen
NHL Comparable: Tyson Barrie
Statistics:
Scouting Notes:
Lukas came into the QMJHL with a lot of expectations being a high pick for Charlottetown. He has been under pressure to perform and he has done that since his first game. In his first year, he managed 36 points in 63 games, adding five points in six playoff games. This past season, he had 36 points in 44 games before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Clear offensive progression.
Scoring points has never been an issue for Cormier as he’s performed at every level, including junior. One thing that is very common in high draft picks is the ability to skate well and Cormier is good at that. He’s always moving with or without the puck and when he has the puck, he’s good at keeping control of it.
His offensive awareness is strong and is often seen supporting his teammates, either during the rush or cycles in the opponents zone. He’s got a good first pass, but also a deceptive shot that has allowed him to score or create rebound plays for his teammates to capitalize on.
As a whole, Cormier will be looked at as more of an offensive defensemen and it’s not a bad thing, but most teams are investing higher picks on two-way defensemen, especially if they don’t have many draft picks. I expect either a team with multiple top 60 picks to select Cormier or he will slip to late second/early third round.