
Inside Wheeler’s Shocking Summer 2025 NHL Prospect Rankings: Who’s the True Future Star?
Dumais is a fascinating case study as a 5-foot-8/9 winger whose skating has been a cause for some concern. His extensions through his stride need some cleaning up (they can look stunted and drag at the toe caps), but he’s a harder-working player than he has ever gotten credit for (he doesn’t waste energy when he doesn’t need to, but when there’s a puck to track and a stick to lift he’ll work for it and excelled in the takeaway category in Halifax), with a wide-ranging offensive game that allows him to create offense in a variety of ways at his own pace. He’ll beat you with a quick give-and-go on one shift, a standstill pass or shot on the next, a dance to the high slot on the next and quick hands and quiet determination around the net on the next. He’ll track back and make hustle plays when he needs to. His shot is pinpoint accurate and gets off his blade effortlessly in catch-and-release sequences. He’s surprisingly good along the wall for a small winger. Though he’s not physical, he’ll involve himself when he needs to. He has A-level vision, hands and anticipation. He’s crafty as anything. He plays quickly when there’s a quick play to be made and has a knack for identifying his next pass before he even gets the puck. He finds ways to play pucks into space for himself and escape traffic/congestion under the triangles of defenders with his small-area touch and craft. He always seems to be open in little pockets. He can thread the needle and is a silky saucer passer. He routinely elevates his linemates and does things himself (as evidenced by the uptick in their production and the gap that he still maintains well above and beyond his peers).
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