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11/25/07-Hockey
Bourbonais earns high marks from NHL scouts
By Mike Rosenbaum of The West Bloomfield Eccentric
In three years at Orchard Lake St. Mary's Clinton Bourbonais played on two state championship hockey teams, serving as a team captain last season, all while achieving top-flight grades in school. So being on anybody's "B-list" is an unusual position for Bourbonais.
Except that this B-list belongs to the National Hockey League's Central Scouting Bureau.
Bourbonais, a high school senior this year, left St. Mary's in order to further his hockey education with the Traverse City North Stars of the North American Hockey League, the same team another ex-Eaglet star, Patrick Nagorsen, played for the previous two years. Through his first 15 games this season, Bourbonais, a forward, had three goals and four assists, including one power play goal and one shorthanded tally.
Recently, Bourbonais earned a spot among Central Scouting's "Players to Watch" in advance of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. A-list players are considered as likely first- or second-round draft choices. B-list players, including Bourbonais, are potential third through fifth-round picks.
"That's a pretty big deal," said North Stars head coach/general manager Anthony Palumbo, in a statement. "The NHL draft is one that really places a premium on potential, and I think they see the same thing in Clinton that we do: He's a straight-up playmaker. He has a lot of skill, and his ability is very appealing to the NHL scouts, obviously."
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Bourbonais is one of four NAHL players on Central Scouting's watch-list.
He's yet to select a college, but his 4.0-plus grade-point average should make him attractive to Ivy League coaches, should Bourbonais be inclined in that direction.
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