He can either skate the puck out of the zone or makes a good first pass. Said Canucks GM Jim Benning of Brisebois: “The first thing is his mobility is really good and he’s smart and boxes out. “I’ll just try to give my best every day and be an example on and off the ice.” Brisebois has twice won medals with Canada, winning gold at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and bronze at the 2015 Under-18 world championship. “I’ll just offer my experience to the young guys and be there for them,” he said.

When you are older you have more experience so it’s easier to be more confident.” Brisebois said he embraced the challenge of being captain – something he’d done in minor hockey – and looks forward to it in the coming season. I need to be more confident to be more offensive, but I think I can do it. “I need to work harder and be stronger in the one on one battles and I think I can bring more offence in my game so this year I’ll work on it.

“I need to work in the gym for sure to get stronger. “I need to improve my physical aspect for sure,” said Brisebois, who estimates he wants to be at about 195 pounds when he turns pro. He’s mobile and played on the power play for a struggling Acadie-Bathhurst team that had six 16-year-olds, but finished with a modest four goals and 28 points in 63 games. “But it was a players’ vote that decided it, so it gave me confidence to be the leader.” Brisebois knows he needs to fill out physically and also grow the breadth of his game. “It was a surprise, because I was only turning 17 and there was a 20-year-old guy in the locker room, so I was a bit nervous at the beginning,” said Brisebois, a reed-thin, 6-foot-2, 175-pound defenceman who was selected with the Canucks’ 66th pick in the NHL draft.

It’s easy to see why his teammates on Acadie-Bathhurst of the QMJHL selected him as their captain at the beginning of last season, despite his young age. Not so much for his on-ice performance – though he was fine for a kid who doesn’t turn 18 until next week – but he’s certainly well-spoken and mature beyond his years. Looking back at the Canucks development camp last week at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island, one of the more impressive young prospects was Guillaume Brisebois.

Manage Print Subscription / Tax ReceiptĬanucks' Brisebois just as impressive off the ice.

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