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Cayer plays with 'chip on his shoulder'
By Matthew Wuest - RedWingsCentral.com / June 25, 2008If there is one thing the Detroit Red Wings have struggled to find through the draft, it’s big, hard-nosed skaters. But every year, they usually take a shot at one rough-and-tumble pick, and this year was no exception.
Meet Julien Cayer, who hails from the Montreal area and spent last season at a Lake Placid, N.Y., prep school named Northwood.
He is listed at 6-foot-4 — although the Red Wings peg him at a shade below 6-foot-3 — and is still filling out, tipping the scales at about 185 pounds.
“His best assets are his size and he plays physical,” Red Wings amateur scout Mark Leach said. “He plays very hard and he’s very aggressive. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and he’s not afraid to mix it up.”
The Red Wings, who drafted Cayer 151st overall, see him filling out to around 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, and like the fact they don't have to sign him until 2012. He is starting his freshman year at Clarkson University in the fall.
Cayer spent 2006-07 playing in Quebec’s junior A ranks and was ignored his first time through the NHL draft. But he came to Northwood this past season and produced 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points in 43 games.
Suddenly, the 18-year-old found himself on the radar of NHL scouts. He was ranked 123rd among North American scouts by Central Scouting.
“He skates well, he can make plays, and he’s pretty solid at both ends of the ice,” Leach said. “I’m not going to say he’s going to be unbelievably offensive right now, but he’s got some skills and a feel for the game.”
Leach said Cayer, who is a natural center but can also play on the wing, projects as a physical third-liner who can contribute offensively.
“He’s a strong power up-and-down player, just a good strong skater,” he said.
Johan Franzen and Tomas Kopecky are the closest to big, bruising types the Red Wings have uncovered at the draft. But many others haven’t quite panned out, partly because they haven’t picked higher than 19th overall in 15 years.
Among the picks that haven’t panned out are Ryan Barnes, Tomek Valtonen, Adam DeLeeuw, Ken Davis and Jimmie Svensson and Francois Senez.
The Red Wings hope Cayer breaks the mold.
“We’ll let him sit and develop,” Leach said. “He’s got to get stronger, and we’ll see where he’s at in three or four years’ time.”
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