Calgary Flames Prospect Rankings: #9 Emile Poirier

The 9th-best prospect in the Calgary Flames talent pool is 18-year old winger Emile Poirier. Poirier was drafted by the Flames 22nd-overal in the 2013 NHL Draft. He still needs to put on a few more pounds until he is NHL-ready as he stands at 6-1 and weighs in at 183 pounds.

At development camp, he raised a lot of eyebrows for both good and bad. He has a very gritty-style gameplay and it helped him score a lot of goals in junior. He doesn’t have the greatest stride and his agility still needs work.

In the QMJHL with the Gatineau Olympiques, Poirier scored 32 goals and assisted on 38 for a total of 70 in 65 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he recorded 10 points in as many games.

Because Poirier will turn 19 before the end of 2013, Jay Feaster may approach him with a contract offer next off-season. He would be eligible to play in the American Hockey League with the Abbotsford Heat for the 14-15 campaign if Poirier is not yet NHL-ready.

Via Hockey Prospectus –

“Poirier was a top scorer on a weak Gatineau squad, averaging about a point per game as an 18-year-old with a late birthdate. He has good skill elements to his game: above-average hands, good quickness, and impressive coordination with the puck. His hockey sense is equally notable, as he makes good offensive zone reads as a playmaker and he knows where to position himself off of the puck. He also displays a solid shot, capable of finishing beyond the high-percentage areas. He has a gritty element to his game as well. He will show some edge in one-on-one battles, as well as drive to the net. Scouts are conflicted on his skating, with one praising it, and another saying that despite decent speed, his agility and the overall finer aspects of his skating need work.”

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