Emile Poirier – Calgary Flames Draft Pick Left Off World Junior Roster
By Traci Kay
Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
It blows my mind that Emile Poirier has been passed-over in the race for a spot on Team Canada’s World Junior roster.
Poirier was a first round pick for the Calgary Flames in the 2013 NHL entry draft and has been tearing it up in the QMJHL ever since. He has 20 goals and 24 assists in 28 games so far this season with the Gatineau Olympiques and he’s sitting at an impressive +18 rating. When compared to other players who made the roster for World Juniors, I’m left scratching my head.
For example, Hunter Shinkaruk. Shinkaruk has 5 goals and 11 assists in 18 games and has a -2 rating. Granted, Shinkaruk is a talented player – there’s no denying the sacrifices he makes for his team. Yet, what seems so painfully obvious isn’t always the way things work out.
If you take a look at the impressive play of Emile Poirier in this video compilation, it’s hard to deny the fact that this 18 year old has a massive amount of talent. Even though the video isn’t the best quality, it’s easy to see the skills that Poirier possesses.
He’s practically a one-man show on ice, his skating ability and speed far exceeds almost any recent draft pick that I’ve seen in the past couple of years, and he makes his scoring chances look absolutely effortless. He was named one of the QMJHL’s three stars of the week, rightfully so, while also being fifth in scoring.
Not that Shinkaruk isn’t talented, but, statistically speaking, Poirier just seems like the more obvious choice. When compared to Hunter Shinkaruk, Poirier has better stats and seems like the more likely choice. My only guess is that Shinkaruk may not be available next year while Poirier is still eligible for another season.
Who do you think should have been on the roster for World Juniors but were left out of the mix?