Post by Score on Oct 11, 2007 0:02:27 GMT -4
Young Rocket blue-liner showing improvement
Coach Jean says Malouin will keep getting better with more ice time
CHARLES REID
The Guardian
The P.E.I. Rocket defence may be struggling, but Danick Malouin is confident the seven-man crew will break its pesky early-season habit of surrendering multiple goals in short time spans.
“We’re working hard on our defence right now. We’re making just a couple of mistakes that we shouldn’t,” Malouin, 17, said after a Rocket practice earlier this week. “Do the little things and big things are going to happen.”
In four of its first nine games, the Rocket (3-6) has given up three or more goals in a single period, the most recent yielding three second-period markers in Halifax’s 6-3 win Saturday in Halifax.
Despite that, Rocket head coach Yanick Jean sees an upgraded Malouin, who had two points in 28 games as a rookie last season, thanks to summer prep and steady ice time this year.
He has a plus two plus-minus ratio in six games this season.
“What he needs right now is logging (ice time). In practice he knows what to do out there, he knows what kind of style he has to play,” said Jean. “He’s improving pretty quick. He’s making good decisions right now on the ice.”
At the 2006 QMJHL draft, the Rocket traded a second-round pick in 2007 for Gatineau’s third-round slot in 2006 to get Malouin, who played Quebec midget AAA in Drummondville.
Malouin’s already a smooth skater, a good fit for the new wide-open Q, but Jean sees his development as a big stay-at-home defenceman tied to quickening his skating.
“It’s always the feet, With a big defenceman it takes a little more to develop. He needs to work on his quickness and one-on-one in his own end. He’s going to improve that because his attitude is so good.”
And Malouin prefers that stay-at-home role.
“I think I’ve improved on my defensive skills and being (stronger). That’s what’s important for me, to be a good defensive defenceman,” he said.
The Granby, Que., native is enrolled in English and French correspondence courses through a university prep school in Quebec and hopes to become a physical education teacher after hockey, although he’s not ruling out a pro career first.
“You never know what can happen. I would like to, like everyone would like to be, but . . . you never know what can happen when things are going well. (Regardless, I’ll) stay around hockey and sports. (I couldn’t sit) at a desk and not doing anything during the day. I need to move.”
The Rocket left Wednesday night for a three-games-in-three-nights road trip in Gatineau, Shawinigan and Victoriaville on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Around the rink:
With P.E.I.’s Chad Locke not making the three-game road trip in Quebec because of an injured right ankle, the Rocket called up forward Jeremiah Coon-Come from Quebec midget AAA. The 17-year-old winger, a seventh-round pick in 2007, was a late cut from Rocket camp in September. Coon-Come is first on his Amos team in scoring with 11 goals and 18 points and is third overall on the Quebec midget AAA scoring list .
Coach Jean says Malouin will keep getting better with more ice time
CHARLES REID
The Guardian
The P.E.I. Rocket defence may be struggling, but Danick Malouin is confident the seven-man crew will break its pesky early-season habit of surrendering multiple goals in short time spans.
“We’re working hard on our defence right now. We’re making just a couple of mistakes that we shouldn’t,” Malouin, 17, said after a Rocket practice earlier this week. “Do the little things and big things are going to happen.”
In four of its first nine games, the Rocket (3-6) has given up three or more goals in a single period, the most recent yielding three second-period markers in Halifax’s 6-3 win Saturday in Halifax.
Despite that, Rocket head coach Yanick Jean sees an upgraded Malouin, who had two points in 28 games as a rookie last season, thanks to summer prep and steady ice time this year.
He has a plus two plus-minus ratio in six games this season.
“What he needs right now is logging (ice time). In practice he knows what to do out there, he knows what kind of style he has to play,” said Jean. “He’s improving pretty quick. He’s making good decisions right now on the ice.”
At the 2006 QMJHL draft, the Rocket traded a second-round pick in 2007 for Gatineau’s third-round slot in 2006 to get Malouin, who played Quebec midget AAA in Drummondville.
Malouin’s already a smooth skater, a good fit for the new wide-open Q, but Jean sees his development as a big stay-at-home defenceman tied to quickening his skating.
“It’s always the feet, With a big defenceman it takes a little more to develop. He needs to work on his quickness and one-on-one in his own end. He’s going to improve that because his attitude is so good.”
And Malouin prefers that stay-at-home role.
“I think I’ve improved on my defensive skills and being (stronger). That’s what’s important for me, to be a good defensive defenceman,” he said.
The Granby, Que., native is enrolled in English and French correspondence courses through a university prep school in Quebec and hopes to become a physical education teacher after hockey, although he’s not ruling out a pro career first.
“You never know what can happen. I would like to, like everyone would like to be, but . . . you never know what can happen when things are going well. (Regardless, I’ll) stay around hockey and sports. (I couldn’t sit) at a desk and not doing anything during the day. I need to move.”
The Rocket left Wednesday night for a three-games-in-three-nights road trip in Gatineau, Shawinigan and Victoriaville on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Around the rink:
With P.E.I.’s Chad Locke not making the three-game road trip in Quebec because of an injured right ankle, the Rocket called up forward Jeremiah Coon-Come from Quebec midget AAA. The 17-year-old winger, a seventh-round pick in 2007, was a late cut from Rocket camp in September. Coon-Come is first on his Amos team in scoring with 11 goals and 18 points and is third overall on the Quebec midget AAA scoring list .
