Florent Houle Emerges as a Potential Late-Round Win for Utah
Utah’s rookie camp included several highly regarded prospects, but fifth-round pick Florent Houle was the one who made the strongest impression. Drafted from the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix, Houle has opened the season with five points in two games, including a two-goal outing. The article frames him as a possible late-round success for general manager Bill Armstrong.
Houle was chosen in the fifth round after playing for Sherbrooke in the QMJHL. Utah has previously drafted several players from that league, including Gabe Smith, Caleb Desnoyers, Tomas Lavoie and Maveric Lamoureux. At Sherbrooke, Houle is currently the only skater on the roster selected by an NHL club, and the team has not advanced deep in the playoffs or produced established NHL stars.
During Utah's rookie event in San Jose, he was the lone member of the team's six recent draft choices to appear in every game. He did not record a point there, but his physical checking, puck pursuit and passing stood out, especially alongside Yegor Borikov and Owen Allard. He began this season with five points in two games, including a two-goal performance.
Count words: first paragraph: Houle(1) was2 chosen3 in4 the5 fifth6 round7 after8 playing9 for10 Sherbrooke11 in12 the13 QMJHL14. Utah15 has16 previously17 drafted18 several19 players20 from21 that22 league23, including24 Gabe25 Smith26, Caleb27 Desnoyers28, Tomas29 Lavoie30 and31 Maveric32 Lamoureux33. At34 Sherbrooke35, Houle36 is37 currently38 the39 only40 skater41 on42 the43 roster44 selected45 by46 an47 NHL48 club49, and50 the51 team52 has53 not54 advanced55 deep56 in57 the58 playoffs59 or60 produced61 established62 NHL63 stars64. Second: During65 Utah's66 rookie67 event68 in69 San70 Jose71, he72 was73 the74 lone75 member76 of77 the78 team's79 six80 recent81 draft82 choices83 to84 appear85 in86 every87 game88. He89 did90 not91 reco
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