William Dufour is at house now. Resting, enjoyable, ready. It’s a uncommon second between whirlwinds.
On Wednesday evening, Dufour watched a puck slide into an empty web and danced across the ice in Saint John, New Brunswick with the Memorial Cup — the trophy awarded to Canada’s junior hockey champion — and the event MVP. Quickly sufficient, he’ll fly from Quebec to New York to affix the Islanders for a growth camp at which he can be an unlikely focal point.
“We had an enormous yr, an enormous yr, a protracted yr,” Dufour advised The Publish in a telephone name Sunday. “We had been in Saint John [celebrating] however then everyone got here house. I’m in Quebec proper now, it’s simply good to be right here with my household, to have these moments. We have to benefit from the second.”
Dufour, a fifth-round choose for the Islanders two summers in the past, has performed himself onto the radar after a season during which he led the Quebec Main Junior League in objectives (56), completed second in factors (116) and seventh in assists (60). Even for a 20-year-old — the oldest age allowed in junior hockey — that does increase eyebrows. Dufour earned a three-year entry take care of the Islanders in April, following that with seven objectives within the tournament-style Memorial Cup to take house MVP honors.
The spotlight of that was a pure hat trick in a 6:36 span to drag his Saint John Sea Canine again from a three-goal deficit of their final round-robin sport, sealing a berth within the last. After that efficiency, Dufour may be very a lot on the map.
“The elite a part of him is his shot,” Sea Canine interim coach Gardiner MacDougall advised The Publish. “He can get to spots, he’s received an amazing launch. I feel for an enormous man, his first three steps are actually quick.”
When MacDougall changed Gordie Dwyer as coach on Might 22, he began taking part in Dufour at heart as a substitute of completely on the wing, displaying him clips of Auston Matthews to assist develop his sport in all three zones.
“I assumed he was actually good within the defensive zone,” MacDougall mentioned. “He can cease his ft after which recuperate shortly. Some folks gotta hold transferring their ft, they hold their pace up. He can play down low and create a free puck and he’s received an actual quick begin.”
“Performs with a number of emotion,” texted Edmonton Oil Kings coach Brad Lauer, whose staff confronted Dufour within the event. “Huge man that likes to shoot the puck. For an enormous man, he does a extremely good job getting in place to shoot the puck.”
Whether or not Dufour begins subsequent season with AHL Bridgeport or on Lengthy Island is an open query, a testomony to how a lot his inventory has risen.
“For positive I’m going for it, going to camp with a function,” Dufour mentioned. “All people’s going there to make the staff for positive. I’m gonna do every thing I can to try to have a spot and get the ends in September.”
Lauer mentioned that taking part in within the NHL as quickly as subsequent yr could be a “huge step to take,” however he expects Dufour to take action in time. For the Islanders, whose system is considerably barren, Dufour would possibly now be one of many group’s finest prospects.
Although Dufour hasn’t heard from new head coach Lane Lambert, the group has been in frequent contact at ranges starting from space scouts to normal supervisor Lou Lamoriello. Heart and fellow French-Canadian Jean-Gabriel Pageau despatched a textual content after the Memorial Cup victory.
Dufour, whose season began again on Oct. 1, plans to take about two weeks or so to loosen up. The break can be well-deserved.
Although his efficiency earned him a significant uptick in consideration, Dufour has tried to keep away from it. He was off Twitter and Instagram in the course of the Memorial Cup, calling social media a distraction. He nonetheless hasn’t opened Twitter.
“To complete your junior profession like that, it’s simply one thing that I don’t assume I’m in actual life proper now,” Dufour mentioned. “It’s simply loopy.”
Now, it’s about what comes subsequent.
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