Name: Maxime Comtois Current team: Victoriaville Tigers (QMJHL) Height: 6’2” Weight: 201 lbs Birthday: 1999-01-08 Position: LW Shoots: L

Maxime Comtois is a player that has dropped down draft lists significantly this season. As a result, he’s likely to be around when the Lightning pick comes around - though, at the rate he’s been dropping, it can’t be ruled out that he’s around early in the second round.

Comtois is a very good option for a team that takes a risk-averse approach to the draft. He is a guy that may not have the highest ceiling, but his floor might be higher than most of his peers.

He is a very good skater that plays a two- way game and is one of the more defensively responsible wingers in the draft. He has explosive acceleration that allows him to beat the opposition to the puck more often than not.

Comtois is very smart player that uses great vision and hockey IQ to anticipate the play better than most. He plays with an edge to his game that can sometimes get him in trouble - he takes a lot of penalties and you’d like to see a little more discipline in his game.

Despite his elite skating and high-end skill, Comtois dropped in the draft rankings this season thanks to a lack of production. With only 22 goals and 51 points, he actually took a step back from his rookie season. A good sign is that 15 of his 22 goals came 5v5, but overall, his production this season was a huge letdown. Comtois has the skill to be an offensive threat - but he definitely didn’t show it this season.

For teams drafting in the mid-first round, Comtois is likely not on the radar, but if scouts saw enough in his rookie season, and believe this year’s production numbers are an anomaly, trading down to the mid-twenties to acquire both Comtois and a couple later picks might be a good idea.

Comtois is a player with a high floor - he’s got a very good chance to make the NHL, it’s just a lot more likely that he ends up as a 3rd line winger than anything else. It’s not necessarily a good thing to draft that type of player in the first round, but we know NHL teams do it every year.

"Comtois (6-2, 199) is most comfortable at right wing, but can play any forward position; as a center he has won 50.4 percent of the 272 faceoffs he has taken. He can be used in all situations because of his size and speed. He is highly skilled but also highly competitive and plays the game with an edge." - Mike Morreale

"Comtois is a tough customer and is always in the face of opponents, either with his tough agitating playing style or while scoring goals. He can beat goaltenders with his hard wrister and good shot release and is very effective around the net. " - Hockey Prospectus

"A big-bodied, poised winger who is dependable in all zones…big, quick and skilled…can generate the speed to separate from defenders, and has the agility and balance to maintain possession in traffic…takes advantage of opponents’ mistakes…makes proper decisions quickly and plays an up-tempo game…reads the play well, getting himself into solid position…plays a 200-foot game, competes hard, shows up every shift, and is willing and able to play physically" - Future Considerations

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