Nicolas Meloche
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 204 pounds
Age: 18 (19 in July)
Current Team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar/Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL
Draft: 2015, 40th overall (2nd round)
In the Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy era, the Colorado Avalanche like to select defensemen in the second round, and last year was no exception. The team selected defenseman Nicolas Meloche with their #40 pick.
Meloche is young — just 18 years old until mid-July. And big — 6-foot-3, 204 pounds as a teen. But like I said, young, and a defenseman, who notoriously take longer to develop.
That said, he’s showing good maturity. Before he got traded to the Gatineau Olympiques, Meloche was serving as an alternate captain for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. On the ice, he’s got excellent positioning and awareness.
Nicolas Meloche is talented, too. He’s made the QMJHL All Stars two years in a row. A two-way defenseman, he’s got good puck-moving ability. One area that does need some work is his speed.
Here’s how Bill Placzek of Draft Site describes Meloche’s style:
"“He takes attackers to the outside, with good gaps and timing. Outstanding in his own end. Retrieves many of those pucks and quickly advances them with quick outs. Reads the outlets and is precise in his passes, causing odd-man breaks at the other end.”"
What’s more, Meloche isn’t afraid to use his size — in every way possible. He’s one mean boy on the ice.
Nicolas Meloche is another player that coach Roy mentioned on The Fan. Though so-young, he fits the Colorado Avalanche mold very well. The team has another year to decide on him, but I could see them wanting to enter the big, talented young man into the professional system sooner rather than later.
Next: Maximilian Pajpach