Joel Teasdale: 2017 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

The mid to late rounds of the draft presents interesting prospects that are still very much in development. One such player is Joel Teasdale, a tenacious, two-way winger out of the QMJHL. Let's get to know the Quebec native.

Who is Joel Teasdale?

Joel Teasdale was born on 3/11/1999 in Ste-Julie, Quebec according to his QMJHL page. That site list the LW at 5'11, 180 lbs. though EliteProspects has him at 196 lbs. Most draft publications have him around 190 lbs. He just finished his second season with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Prior to that, he played his youth hockey with Mortagne Grand Ducs Bantam AAA (QBAAA), Mortagne Noir et Or Bantam AAA (QBAAA), and College Antoine-Girouard Gaulois (QMAAA). Let's take a look at his basic stats below from EliteProspects.

As we can see from the stats above, he was a point per game player in bantam hockey (no record of his 2013-14 season) but under that in midget hockey. In his rookie QMJHL season in 2015-16 he managed to be over a half point per game player and finished 5th in scoring on the Armada. He was also a key member of Canada Red at the World U17 Hockey Challenge with 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 games. Last year he increased his production to 0.78 points per game for the Armada and finished 2nd on the team in scoring.

Where is Joel Teasdale Ranked?

Joel Teasdale was ranked 84th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, after being 77th on the midterm list. The Draft Analyst ranked Teasdale 90th overall after having him in that same spot in February. Back in March, Craig Button ranked Teasdale 65th overall.

What Others Say About Joel Teasdale

First, let's take a look to read some of what Future Considerations had to say about Teasdale back in November:

A smart player who sees the ice very well…reliable at both ends of the rink and has the creativity and awareness to be a key offensive contributor…agile skater who gets from point A to point B in good time…has good quick hands and can skillfully make difficult plays in order to create offensive chances…protects the puck well and has good offensive instincts…a great hockey mind to find gaps between defensemen and use this open spaces to his advantage…possesses a decent shot that he can consistently use to hit his target…takes the puck to the net and fights through traffic on the way…hard on the forecheck and pressures the oppositions defense quickly leading to numerous turnovers…if he can improve his skating and strength he could develop into a very strong two-way pro player.

The first thing that stands out to me is they mention his hockey sense and vision as being a plus. While his offensive ability may not be on the same level as some of his peers, he's able to get the most out of it by anticipating the play to get a step ahead. I also like to read that he's aggressive in the offensive zone and in breaking up plays defensively.

Next, let's take a look at what Steve Kournianos had to say when he had Teasdale going 76th overall in his mock draft over at The Draft Analyst:

Gritty winger with decent puck skills who for most of the second half of the season played on the Armada top line alongside Blue Jackets’ prospect Pierre-Luc Dubois. More of a playmaker than a finisher, Teasdale is a thick, strong forward who battles and competes in any zone. His skating is average but he takes direct routes to the net regardless if a lane is clear or not. Teasdale’s never-quit attitude led to a lot of scoring chances and goals that you won’t find attached to his name in a box score.

He certainly seems to be a competitor and it's encouraging to see him get a top line role in the second half of last season. Hopefully he can keep rounding out his game, especially his skating, going forward.

A Little Video

YouTube user NHL Prospects has a couple of short highlight videos of Teasdale. In the first video, you see him make an ice move from behind the net to find some space and beat the goaltender at the post, help set up a goal for a teammate, and force a turnover to earn an empty net goal. In the second video, you see his competitive streak as he pressures the goaltender who came way out of his net to play the puck, forces a turnover, and puts it home for a goal.

An Opinion of Sorts

I view Teasdale as a 4th round or later prospect due to his limited upside. I like his work ethic and the tenacity that he plays with. His willingness to go to the dirty areas in the offensive zone and his aggressive nature when defending is admirable. Seeing multiple draft resources question how his skating ability will translate to the pro level is a big concern to me. If he can develop that aspect of his game, then I think he could be a solid role player in the bottom 6 of a NHL team one day. He has above average vision, a decent shot, and is versatile. For that, I see some potential there and I am intrigued. But like all prospects, he's going to need to find a way to improve his weaknesses and round out his overall game to get to the highest level one day.

Your Take

What do you think of Joel Teasdale as a prospect? Would you want the Devils to have interest in him in the mid to late rounds? Leave your comments below and thank you for reading!