Jordan Dumais – 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Jordan Dumais

2021-22 Team: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Date of Birth: April 15, 2004
Place of Birth: L’Île-Bizard, Quebec
Ht: 5-foot-9 Wt: 165 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible

Rankings

Smaller players often don’t get the recognition they deserve. Just ask 5-foot-9 Johnny Gaudreau, who was drafted in the fourth round after finishing second in goals in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and fourth in points, or 5-foot-10 Brayden Point, a third-round pick despite his 91 points in 72 Western Hockey League (WHL) games. The former is now a six-time NHL All-Star, while the latter is a two-time Stanley Cup champion.

Related: 2022 NHL Draft Guide

This year, you can add Jordan Dumais to that list. The 5-foot-9 forward playing with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s (QMJHL) Halifax Mooseheads led all first-time draft eligible players with 109 points in just 68 games, surpassing Shane Wright by 15 points and Matthew Savoie by 19. His incredible total set a franchise record in points, surpassing Jonathan Drouin, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Nico Hischier, and he also tied a franchise record for the most assists in a single game in April with six helpers against the Cape Breton Eagles.

Few 17-year-olds have recorded the number of points Dumais has, but he is far from an ordinary player. He has an incredible set of hands and is arguably one of the best playmakers in the 2022 Draft class. From the outside, he can quickly scan the ice, find the perfect opening, and send a strong, crisp pass to a teammate for a beautiful scoring chance. He’s also quite quick on his feet, and although his stride is not the most fluid, he can generate enough speed with some strong edge work to evade attackers and change direction on a dime.

One of Dumais’ best skills, however, is his work ethic. On the ice, he is relentless in his pursuit of a goal, and although he generally passes first, he is no slouch when he has the puck in front of the net. He is aggressive on the forecheck and patient in transition, and although he’s not always the most committed on defence, he has enough vision and awareness to jump in when needed.

Yet, when it comes to discussions around the top prospects available for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Dumais’ name is usually missing. He was not invited to the Kubota Top Prospects Game in March, nor was he invited to the NHL Combine on May 30. When the NHL’s Central Scouting Service released their final rankings at the end of April, he was down at 73rd among North American skaters, a slight decrease from his midterm ranking of 72. Nathan Gaucher, the top-ranked prospect from the QMJHL, had just 31 goals and 57 points in 66 games but stands six inches taller than Dumais.

Dumais was not shy in giving his opinion, saying to La Presse after he saw his midterm ranking, “It’s just the opinion of a few people. These are not real recruiters who make these lists. If they were really good scouts, they would work for an NHL team. These classifications, they have been done for a long time, but me, it does not bother me too much. At the end of the day, only the draft matters” (from ‘Jordan Dumais, sous le radar,’ La Presse, 2/5/22). After he was left out of the Top Prospects Game, he once again voiced his opinion, saying to Le Journal de Quebec, “I have always been an underestimated player. It’s been that way all my life. I know I was better than some players who were in the top prospect game. Each time, it gives me extra motivation.”

Other THW Draft Profiles:

Jordan Dumais – NHL Draft Projection

Despite his confidence and skill, Dumais will almost certainly fall into the third round almost solely due to his size. The deficiencies in skating won’t help his case either, especially as the league continues to get faster and more agile. But it’s also almost certain that whoever ends up selecting him will end up with a future star, much like so many undervalued smaller players before him.

Quotables

“Dumais had an amazing game, showing why is one of the top prospects from the QMJHL going into the 2022 draft…Almost every highly dangerous opportunity coming from his line started from his stick. He finds open teammates with impressive ease and does it time after time after time. If one of his linemates gets open in the slot or down the wing, you can be sure that Dumais will get the puck to him. Excellent puck distributor. He can turn a play that seemingly isn’t going anywhere into a prime scoring chance with one of his passes. He didn’t only showcase those passing abilities in the offensive zone, but from all over the ice. Doesn’t really have to get involved physically, due to his two linemates assuming that role. However, Dumais doesn’t look like he could struggle in board battles. Dumais is an incredible playmaker that will make you pay if you leave one of his linemates uncovered.” – Antoine Tremblay, Draft Pro

“I’m being biased, but I think he is (going to go in the first round). He’s a goal scorer. He’s a pass-first kind of guy as well where he can make plays. He’s the guy that leads his line.” – Mooseheads head coach Sylvain Favereau

“Dumais is an undersized but offensively gifted winger who uses his quickness and intelligence to pounce on mistakes by the opposition. He has good speed and is strong on his edges, allowing him to quickly alter course in tight spaces, but he suffers from a lack of stride extension that could make his skating an even greater differentiator. Dumais has shown the ability to quickly identify his options and make a play but there are times when he can hold onto the puck a bit too long waiting for things to develop. His ability to escape pressure helps mitigate that issue at the junior level but he will need to improve that part of his game as he progresses…His lack of size could see him slip in the draft but he has the potential to be a dynamic playmaking winger in the NHL with the proper development.” – Nick Richard, Dobber Prospects

“[Dumais] has incredible vision and playmaking abilities, even setting a franchise record for most assists in a single game. He can also shoot the puck quickly and accurately, making him a scoring threat as well. He is relentless on the forecheck to regain possession so that he can create offensively. His abilities and work ethic make him the driving force for most of the offence his lines generate. These skills make him a top offensive player but also a power-play weapon where he shines with the extra space and time.” – Blain Potvin, The Hockey Writers

Strengths

  • Offensive instincts
  • Relentless work ethic
  • Intelligence

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Strength
  • Skating

NHL Potential

Dumais’ draft season production projects him as a superstar scoring winger, and although it’s unlikely that he hits totals like that at the highest level, it’s interesting to compare him to Joshua Roy, who finished this season with 119 points in 61 games, and Zachary Bolduc, who had 99 points in 66 games. Using Mason Black’s pNHLe calculations, Dumais is projected to produce somewhere between 69 and 85 points in the NHL based on this season alone. That’s incredible value for a mid-round draft pick, and he’s only going to get better as he develops.

Risk/Reward Analysis

Risk – 4/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 8/10, Defence – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

In 2018-19, Dumais attended the U15 World Selects Invitations tournament with the All-American Prospects team. In five games, he led the team with 10 points and had the third-highest point-per-game pace, coming up just short of Rutger McGroarty’s 2.11 points per game and Maddox Fleming’s 2.13.

Interviews/Links

Jordan Dumais Statistics

Videos

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