Speedy Thomas Chabot Could Help The Senators Defense
[*EDITOR’S NOTE: Somehow I didn’t realize Jack had already done Thomas Chabot’s profile. Here’s his original post on him, check it out!*]
Thomas Chabot, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Birthplace: Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Quebec
Birthdate: January 30th, 1997
Position: Defense
Shoots: Left
Height/Weight: 6’2″, 179 lbs
2014-15 Statline: 66 GP, 12 G, 29 A (41 pts)
Scout Rankings: 12 (Hockeyprospect.com), 16 (ISS Hockey), 22 (Future Considerations), 15 (McKeen’s Hockey)
Scouting Report:
Here’s where Chabot ranked on the most recent mock draft (22):
Chabot played for Saint John this year, along with fellow draft eligible defenseman Jakub Zboril. He has continued to improve his game over the past two seasons, and this past year he increased his point totals from 22 to 41. Here are his career stats:
He’s never been a top-notch offensive defenseman, however he certainly has the skill to produce lots of offense. He’s still improving as a player, and his totals should increase every season as he goes along.
Future Considerations scouting report on him is quite encouraging:
"Chabot is a smooth skating defenseman who sees the ice well and distributes the puck with ease"
I’ve mentioned how much Ottawa needs another solid passer from the backend, and Chabot seems to be exactly that.
"He is ultra-creative in his passing game and displays a confidence in moving the puck…On the breakout he reads the ice in front of him very well as he scopes out his options and hits his man with perfect, well-timed passes."
Some of the report makes me think of Erik Karlsson, even if he doesn’t do things as impressively. This quote here makes me excited at the possibility of Ottawa drafting him:
"He has a real knack offensively and has the confidence and skills to carry the puck end-to-end and make high risk passes out of the zone or in transition"
He has many strengths, but his weaknesses are sometimes quite apparent. They say he still needs some refinement in certain aspects:
"Chabot’s skill and size will have NHL team’s salivating, but he will need to bear down defensively and round out his game in order to be successful at the next level…His game is soft, lacking a consistent physical element."
Although Future Considerations compares him to Alex Pietrangelo which is fantastic in its own right, I can’t help but see a Karlsson comparison. Granted, I haven’t watched nearly the same amount as professional scouts, but the report seems to be describing Karlsson. I doubt he will ever become that good, but the fact that he is a solid passer that takes risks, he has confidence to go end-to-end, and that he needs refinement defensively, I see plenty of similarities.
Scouts seem to be quite bullish on Chabot, and I see why. He looks to be a game-changing defenseman that can create offense in more ways than one. Like the scouting report states, Chabot could become quite the steal in the middle-to-late first round.
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A Fit For Ottawa?
I’d say Chabot is a pretty good fit for Ottawa. Although, this draft is special because I would be happy with a lot of different picks in the first round. There are several defensemen that I would be happy with including Zack Werenski, Jakub Zboril, Oliver Kylington, Jeremy Roy, and Nicholas Meloche, along with Chabot. Even if the Senators aren’t looking to draft a defenseman, there are lots of good options at forward, including Travis Konecny, Evgeny Svechnikov, Jansen Harkins, Jake DeBrusk, and several others.
So saying that Chabot would fit well in Ottawa isn’t exactly specific to him. However, I would be happy with selecting him. He’s a left-handed shot, so he most likely would start on the third pairing if he ever made the NHL in a few years. Personally I would like to see a right-handed shot taken, but for some players it doesn’t even matter playing on their off-side. It’s really not too big of an issue for defensemen.
The best thing Chabot can bring to Ottawa is his speed. The Senators blueline is quite slow sans Karlsson, as guys like Eric Gryba, Jared Cowen, and Chris Phillips get burned all the time. Patrick Wiercioch can also get beaten sometimes too, so adding some speed to the backend would help a lot.
His selection would make the Senators defense so much more mobile
Karlsson is one of a kind in this league, and especially on Ottawa. He is the only one who can change the game by blazing past the opponent, and he uses his maximum speed to create so much offense. What the scouts have said about Chabot is quite encouraging, because they are saying similar things. I love players who take risks, because if you have the skill, more often than not it will pay off.
Taking Chabot would mean the Senators have another game-changer, and that’s something they need. Yes they need stability, but offense from the defense is also an issue. His selection would make the Senators defense so much more mobile, and right now the NHL is transitioning to an era where speed kills.
No longer is it about big bruisers that only hit and fight. The Tampa Bay Lightning are evidence of that, and Ottawa is going to need some speed from the blueline. Chabot would be a smart pick if that’s what Bryan Murray et al. are looking for.