Outside of two already drafted players in Tristan Luneau and Frédéric Brunet – prospects of the Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins respectively – no QMJHL defenceman scored more points than Étienne Morin in 2022-23.
Unsurprisingly, this has made him the top-ranked blue-liner from that league heading into the 2023 NHL Draft.
Birthplace: Valleyfield, Quebec
Date of birth: March 9, 2005
Shoots: Left
Position: Defence
Height: 6′ 0″
Weight: 183 lbs.
Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
After a solid rookie season with the Moncton Wildcats in 2021-22, Morin exponentially increased his production of 33 points up to 72 this past season. Serving as the top defenceman and power play quarterback for a top-10 man-advantage in the league, those 72 points actually tied him for the team’s scoring lead.
He led the team outright with 17 points in the playoffs, helping the Wildcats get to the second round. Despite losing there to the Halifax Mooseheads, those 17 points held up for a three-way tie as the most among defencemen. Morin did everything he could offensively to help his team, and solidify his chances of being selected by an NHL team.
That offensive production is the driving factor that will see a team take a chance on him, and his method of generating offence should be something that can translate to the professional level. He is only a slightly above average skater with good puck skills, but his edge-work and lateral movement in transition are very difficult to read. He utilizes his agility to compensate for average speed, and at times seems considerably faster than he really is as a result.
Where he really shines is when operating on the offensive blue line. His vision is bordering on elite, and he rarely makes a bad decision when gaining the zone, or while walking the line on the power play. He uses the threat of his shot to manipulate passing lanes, opening up opportunities for his teammates, and exploiting the smallest openings for himself if the opposition doesn’t respect his shot.
From the point, Morin favours a quick snap shot, which allows him to get the puck on net accurately, and much less predictably than the traditional slap shot. He has an above average clapper, but the deceptive release and accuracy in his snap shot make it a very attractive weapon from the blue line.
The power play was a huge factor in his production this past season as a result of his shot and vision from the blue line. Outside of the aforementioned Luneau, you’d be hard pressed to find a better power play quarterback in the QMJHL than Morin. Offensively, he’s as close to a complete package as you’ll get in Quebec’s top league.
But 72-point defencemen don’t typically slide into the second or third round without legitimate concerns, and with Morin, this lies in his defensive game. He has a tendency to chase in the defensive zone, at times putting himself out of position, and lacking the foot speed to get back to where he needs to be. He has decent size and lands some beautifully clean hits, but they do more damage than good when they take him completely out of position.
Even in his highlight package above, you can see why his entry prevention numbers leave much to be desired. He has the physicality to level opposing forwards as they approach the blue line, but a major issue lies in his timing. The highlight-reel hits that he can land don’t track so well when they don’t accomplish the goal of stopping a rush in its tracks. Simply put, he needs to pick his spots better, or time it more to meet the puck carrier in such a way to avoid the play moving right past his handiwork.
His offensive talent gives him legitimate top-pair upside in terms of his ceiling, but there is a very boom or bust nature to his projection. If he can’t make significant strides defensively, he’ll likely struggle to stick in an NHL lineup at all, let alone in the top four. The offence is there, he just needs to fine-tune his defensive game so that he gets a chance to create at the next level.
Next season will be a pivotal year for Morin. A member of the U-18 Canada squad, he’ll likely be in line for World Junior Championship consideration, in addition to a significant leadership role with the Wildcats. If he can show better awareness in the defensive zone, and better timing in closing his gaps against the rush, his offensive skill set should make him a player to watch for Canada, and could have whatever team that drafts him whispering the word “steal” to themselves.
Preliminary Rankings
Elite Prospects: #73
FCHockey: #57
Hockey Prospect: #57
Hadi Kalakeche: #57
Bob McKenzie (TSN): #60
NHL Central Scouting: #19 (North American skaters)
Corey Pronman (The Athletic): N/R in top 64
Scott Wheeler (The Athletic): #34
He’s a bit of a project, hence the rankings projecting him anywhere from the early second, all the way into the third round. His level of bankable offensive production and power play dominance isn’t easy to find for your blue line, and certainly not in the middle rounds of the draft. If you trust your development staff, you have the opportunity to manufacture a true draft robbery.
Morin is a project the Montreal Canadiens can afford to take on, given that the left side of their blue line is quite well staffed at all levels. He won’t be someone they’d rely on to make the jump to pro hockey any time soon, which gives him time to round out his defensive game to complement his offensive prowess. Should he be available when the Habs are up at 69th overall – which based on preliminary rankings should be entirely possible – he’d make a nice pick.
Jared Book
