Did the Oilers Just Draft the Next Claude Giroux?

Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with excerpts from the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!

From Draft Prospects Hockey (Kai Farenholtz, Alex Taxman, and Willem Dezwaan)

2021 Draft Prospect Comparisons

Fabian Lysell – Brayden Point
Dangerous right-hand shot with an even more lethal set of wheels combined with a beyond average offensive IQ. Will completely obliterate you in transition if you offer the slightest bit of empty space.
Brennan Othmann – Max Pacioretty
A goalie’s worst nightmare… pure goal scorer with the ability to shoot from anywhere and leave a damaging shot. Full of strength and is an absolute hound on the forecheck, all while keeping some creativity in his arsenal.
Oskar Olausson – Denis Gurianov
He’s got a sick wrist shot, a heavy and accurate one timer, and is able to beat defensemen and goaltenders one on one. His skating is strong and he has breakaway speed. A bit of a one dimensional player, but that one dimension is scoring, and he’s damn good at it.
Xavier Bourgault – Claude Giroux
One of the best playmakers in the draft, with a strong and accurate shot as well. The one thing he lacks is high end speed, but he’s not slow. He’ll likely be a big point producer at the next level.
Aatu Raty – Mika Zibanejad
He’s a strong, fast skater who can handle the puck at top speed, and he uses his size to his advantage in holding defenders off with his body. Raty’s also an elite shooter, with a quick, whip-like release. He feasts around the front of the net and slot area, but he can score from long range as well. He’s got all the tools to be a productive NHL forward, but the only question right now is consistency.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t know if I see a lot of Claude Giroux in Bourgault’s game. I do agree with the description of the player above though. He’s strong on the puck, he’s good along the wall, he makes very simply plays that NHL coaches will love, and even though he’s described as a skilled winger, he’s not a soft one. He’s very competitive and when he grows into his frame, he could be a force on the wing for the Oilers in years to come.

With that in mind, he’s a RWer… Where do the futures of Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto lie with Bourgault and Rafa Lavoie on their way.

From The Athletic (Scott Wheeler)

21. Xavier Bourgault — C, Shawinigan Cataractes, six-feet

Due to his October 2002 birthday, Bourgault has the rare advantage of having just completed his third QMJHL season. In the last two of those seasons, he’s had an impressive run, with a combined 53 goals and 115 points in 97 regular-season and playoff games. He was Shawinigan’s second-most productive player in both of those seasons behind Stars first-round pick Mavrik Bourque.
Bourgault’s game doesn’t leap off the ice at you but he’s dangerous in a variety of ways, with a deceptive release that comes off of his blade early in his shooting motion and stance to surprise goalies (off of either foot or from awkward postures, too) and good playmaking instincts inside the offensive zone. He’s also an able carrier who adjusts to pressure and plays through contact consistently thanks in part to good core balance over a wide skating stance — a stance which can create a bit of an A-frame and limit his speed, though I’d still qualify him as an above-average skater.
He’s also a serviceable defensive player — though I wouldn’t say it’s a focal point of his game — who does a good job staying above pucks and working to win back possession. I like the overall package as a late first-round pick with a legitimate middle-six projection.

BLH’s Thoughts: I find it interesting that the Oilers have selected another player with a late birthday, that means he’ll only have to spend one more season in junior and then he’ll be eligible to play in the AHL. I think it’s a smart plan to get these kids into Edmonton’s system ASAP.

From The Athletic (Corey Pronman)

Xavier Bourgault, C, Shawinigan-QMJHL

Oct. 22, 2002 | six-feet | 172 pounds

Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average

Bourgault is a very skilled forward who has put up huge numbers in the QMJHL the last two seasons with 111 points in 92 games. He scored 20 goals in 29 games in 2020-21.
Bourgault stands out with the puck on his stick. He’s confident, attempting to make difficult dekes and passes and executing at a solid frequency.
At higher levels he projects to play on a power play.
He’s not an exceptional skater, but he will be able to skate at an NHL level, and has shown he can make skilled plays on the move and play with pace.
I wouldn’t describe Bourgault as a physical player or the first guy over the boards on the penalty kill, but he backchecks well enough and creates turnovers with his hustle.
In a sentence, Bourgault projects as a middle-six NHL forward, likely on the wing.

BLH’s Thoughts: Check out this video below if you want to see 15 minutes of Bourgault lighting up the Q this past season. The one thing that jumps out immediately to me is the long stick and the upright skating style. His shot is really good and he changes the angle on it in the same manner Matthews does. It’ll be interesting to watch this guy develop.