Tagged: Val d’Or Foreurs

Gabriel Beaupre2

Colorado Avalanche 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#153 overall), 2nd year defenseman Gabriel Beaupre(47) is mostly a rugged, stay-at-home player but has modestly elevated his point production in his sophomore campaign.

He has AHL career high games played (53), goals (3) and points (7), while being tied at his 4 assist mark from his rookie season with the farm team, Lake Erie Monsters.

The 6’2″ 200 lbs. blue liner started his fifth year of juniors with Val-d’Or Foreurs returning as an assistant captain for a third season.

He left to attend pro training camps and was eventually passed along to Central Hockey League affiliate Denver Cutthroats to start his pro career.

Upon being recalled a couple of months later, he never looked back and with continued good, gritty play is eyeing an opportunity with the big club.

The still only 21-year old is only in the first year of his three-year entry level deal as he wasn’t actually signed by the parent club until near the end of 2012/2013.

He still has time to develop before he makes his NHL debut but that could happen sooner than later too.

Anton Zlobin

Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#173 overall), Russian-born rookie right wing Anton Zlobin(18) has been tearing up the score sheet on every level he’s played leading up to his recall from ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers to direct farm club Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

In his 9 games in double A hockey he posted the usual point-per-game (or better) production with 4 goals and 5 assists.

The not exactly huge 5’11” 198 lbs. forward knows how to find his space on the ice.

He skated in 186 QMJHL games through 3 seasons scoring 92 goals and 120 assists for a mammoth 212 points. He also concluded his career in juniors at a stellar +61 rating and won a Memorial Cup with Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012.

The just turning 21-year old was quick to sign a three-year entry level contract and turn pro after his selection.

In 28 AHL games he has yet to completely catch fire with 5 goals and 4 assists but at a +10 he’s on the ice a good amount of the time when the puck goes in the net, which will likely lead to more opportunities for him to connect.

Undrafted, 3rd year defenseman Shawn Boutin(26) re-signs on for another season with Western Conference Champions, Stockton Thunder.

In 69 ECHL games last year he had 13 assists but no goals. He took care of that in the Kelly Cup Playoffs though by registering a pair of markers (keep that puck) and 6 assists in 23 postseason contests.

The 5’11” 195 lbs. blue liner started his pro career with Arizona Sundogs in Central Hockey League, skated 54 games in his rookie campaign and had 2 goals and 4 assists.

He played 5 seasons in juniors with Val d’Or Foreurs and was fairly steady in his point production in the mid-teens but seems to rack up too many on ice minus numbers that has followed him.

The 23-year old also does show an uptick in his playoff hockey, so if he can even out his plus/minus, he’ll be one good, well-rounded d-man.  We wouldn’t be surprised if he scored an AHL training camp invite or call-up.

Shawn Boutin