AWH Prospect Profile: Brett Lernout

AWH PROSPECT PROFILE: BRETT LERNOUT

Welcome to a new focus that AWH will be taking on from now on, AWH Prospect Profiles. Within these articles, we will dig out as much data and knowledge as possible to bring you as much information as a fan can get about franchise prospects. Hopefully you enjoy reading these as much as we enjoy putting them together!

BRETT LERNOUT

• Born: 24th of September, 1995 (19 years old) in Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Height/Weight: 6’4″ /205 lbs
• Shoots: Right
• Selected: 73rd overall in the 2014 draft
• Twitter account: @BrettLernout
• Twitter handle: “Live. Laugh. Lernout. #4 swift current broncos Montreal Canadiens prospect.”
• Played for: Winnipeg Sharks (Bantam AAA), Winnipeg Warriors City (Midget and Midget AAA), Steinbach Pistons (MJHL), Saskatoon Blades (WHL),  and Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
• Hockey Idols: His Father and brothers
• Wearing #37 for the Hamilton Bulldogs, the same number Gabriel Dumont used when playing with the Habs. Dumont now uses #40 with the Bulldogs. Brett also wore #4 while with Swift Current.

STATS:

•  Available at Elite Prospects here, or eventually at Hockey Reference here.
• Career Totals in WHL: 205 GP, 23 G, 43 A, 66 Pts, 214 PIM, -11

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view of the complete draft board after the completion of the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

INTERESTING FACTS:

• Was Alternate Captain with the Swift Current Broncos before getting the call to Hamilton.
• Won the MMHL Championship with the Winnipeg Warriors City (2011-12)
• Hockey Future has a brief history of his progression here.
• Although he’s primary known as a great defender, the Hockey Future’s Pat Paeplow notes “His big shot has become a key component of the Swift Current power play”, which indicates some offensive potential.
• Within the same article, Paeplow ranks Brett as the 16th best Habs Prospects.
• Habs Eyes On The Prize wrote an article about Brett and how experts saw his skills develop here. Interestingly, they question whether Montreal should have waited until the 4th rd to grab him. In hindsight, it seems like he’s done alright so far since he’s moved up fairly quickly.
• Is friends with ex-team mate Dillon Heatherington, a 2nd rd selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He says the following about him:
  • “Dillon is a great leader and someone I’ve watched to try to be like,” Lernout says. “He works really hard and is a good guy to have in the room. It’s good to watch how hard he works and the little things he does to get to see what it takes to get to that level.”
• Obviously was a Jets fan while growing up in Winnipeg.
• Asked what he would do if he wasn’t playing Hockey, Brett states that Volleyball would be his next avenue.
• Worked at a Golf course to stay in shape in the summer.
• Names Chris Pronger as his favourite role model.

Once drafted and signed by the Habs, he Tweeted the following:

ANALYSIS:

Brett Lernout is a physical defenceman who knows his role and is willing to work hard to fulfil that role in its entirety. So long as he continues to develop his puck moving abilities as much as we hear and uses his size to his advantage, there’s little doubt that he’ll make an impact in the NHL in the future. The Habs have some great puck moving defencemen and could use some more physicality to keep the front of the net clear for Carey Price, so the sooner he gets to Montreal – along with Jarred Tinordi – the better.

Watching videos of his hits and looking at his overall tendencies, he seems to be a D in the mould of Craig Ludwig. Someone that’s going to force the other team to play with their heads up when they cross the blue line and will force the play to the corners of the defensive zone. Ludwig was approximately the same size and was a great asset to the Habs D. If Brett can emulate his successful career, the Habs will have done well with their 3rd rd pick.

Moving on to another skill Brett has, which will attract some people and deter others, is his ability to fight. He’s not afraid to drop the gloves and I know he’ll be there to defend the stars should he make it to the big club. Here are a few of his fights:

What I like most about the fights, particularly the first, is that they come after he imposes his physicality onto the other team, which shows us his ability to throw his weight around. He didn’t go out there and look for the fight, it came to him. I doubt he’s looking to become an enforcer of any sort while in Hamilton, or eventually in Montreal, but it’s a nice tool to have in the toolbox in case you need it. That tool is something that’s not easily found today, so I’m certain it will be something the Habs are happy to bring in.