From the Point: Olympiques defenceman Tristan Luneau
Gatineau Olympiques defenceman Tristan Luneau joined Junior Hockey Magazine to discuss the upcoming NHL Draft, the opportunity to showcase himself at the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game later this month, and his dedication toward improving his game:
Junior Hockey Magazine: What is it like to be introduced as the highest-rated prospect from the QMJHL?
Tristan Luneau: I am very grateful. All of the players that are getting drafted this year, we are not looking at (the draft rankings) too much. We are trying to mind our own business, but it is really gratifying.
JHM: How important is it for you to play in the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game?
TL: We haven’t had the same amount of games so it has been difficult to compare. That game will be an opportunity to compare the best prospects and see where everyone is. It will be important for everyone. I am going into it with the same mindset I have in Gatineau where I am trying to represent the team at the game with the two other Olympiques players I am going with.
JHM: Your coach likes your professionalism and respect for the game. What is it about you that makes that stand out as such an important part?
TL: I think it is the culture we have in Gatineau. It is not about me. There are a lot of players in Gatineau who have that mindset. We have great veterans who really respect the game and that translates to me. We are trying to build a culture where everyone respects the game and does the right thing off the ice.
JHM: You spent some time in the offseason working out with Thomas Chabot. What was that experience like?
TL: It was amazing. Seeing what the pros do to be the best in the game – how they prepare, how they manage their energy, their injuries – they find ways to have fun but they also work super hard. It was amazing to be training off ice and to be on the ice with those guys.
JHM: How do you work on your shot every day?
TL: In season, it is a little bit tougher to work on that. I try to stay out in practice to shoot a couple of pucks. But in the summer is when I really shoot the most. I try to shoot around 300 pucks a day. It is something that I really wanted to work on the last two summers because I thought it was one of my biggest weaknesses, so I really worked hard on it.
JHM: How have you seen that work pay off this year?
TL: It has paid off. I think my shot has improved a lot, but there is definitely room for improvement still with my strength of my shot. I am really looking forward to training and getting better at my strength in the gym.
JHM: Give me a scouting report on yourself.
TL: I like to think of myself as a two-way defenceman. I have really improved my defensive play in the last few years, especially with (Olympiques head coach) Louis Robitaille. I am really good at moving the puck, in transition, and in making it easy for the forwards to get out of the zone, to have a fast transition, and to create offense from that. I think my hockey IQ is my biggest strength. I use it to jump in the rush and to find open spaces. It helps me to be creative in the offensive zone.
JHM: What has it been like to play with another NHL Draft eligible teammate in Noah Warren?
TL: He is an amazing player. I have learned a lot from him, especially because I wanted to improve my physicality. That is one of the things he is really good at – using body positioning and using his big size to defend and protect the puck. He is kind of like me where he is a two-way defenceman. He generates offense with his skating. He is probably the best skater I have ever seen. It is impressive the way he moves at 6-foot-6. He has a huge shot too. He is a good two-way defenceman.
