Cape Breton Screaming Eagles forward eyed as 1st round NHL pick

He's only 17 years old, but Pierre-Luc DuBois of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles is expected to be one of the top prospects in the 2016 NHL draft.

In his second year with the Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, DuBois has caught the eye of hockey analysts. Several prospect websites predict he will be selected in the first round.

DuBois says he's prepared for all the attention that's coming his way. He's confident about his ability to stay focused on the here and now.

"It's not too hard, really," he said. "I grew up in hockey so, with my dad coaching in junior, I spent a lot of time with his junior team and seeing how they adapt.

"Looking at guys like [teammate Evgeny] Svechnikov who got drafted last year. It's really helpful to see how they take it and how they learn from every game."

His father, Éric DuBois, played pro hockey in Europe and currently coaches Rimouski in the QMJHL.

'Dream come true'

Pierre-Luc DuBois says he started playing when he was three years old. He credits good advice from coaches and the support of his parents for his level-headed approach to the future.

"I don't really put pressure on myself about that," he said. "My dream is to play in the NHL and the draft is just a process of that. And just because this year is the draft year  — like I push hard every year, so I don't see a difference, really."

At six feet three inches and 200 pounds, DuBois has those qualities that NHL teams crave — size, speed and strength.

He's a power forward with international hockey experience. He scored two goals against Sweden earlier this year to help Canada win the gold-medal game of the world under-17 championship. And he's one of the top scorers for the Screaming Eagles this year.

DuBois says he's keeping his eyes firmly on the task at hand: keeping up with his courses at Riverview High School, and helping his team win hockey games.

As for who he'd like to play for someday, he said he doesn't have a favourite team; he'd be happy to play anywhere in the NHL. 

"It would just be a dream come true to wear any of the 30 jerseys there."