Thomas Chabot
| Birthday: 1997-01-30 | Position: D |
| Eligible for draft: 2015 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: 2015 | Height: 6-2 |
| Acquired: 1st Round (18th overall), 2015 | Weight: 180 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2011-12: Thomas Chabot skated in three midget games, including one playoff contest, for Beauce-Amiante Elites Espoir AA midget team as a 15-year-old and played for the suburban Quebec City club’s bantam team. He had no points nor penalties in QMEAA play.
2012-13: Chabot played for the Levis Commandeurs in the Quebec midget AAA league and participated in the Quebec U16 games, skating for Team Blue. He scored 6 goals with 20 assists and 22 penalty minutes in 41 regular season games for Levis. Chabot scored 1 goal with 1 assist and 8 penalty minutes in the Commandeurs’ four-game preliminary series with Jonquiere. He was +1 with 1 assist and 4 penalty minutes in five games at the Quebec Games. Chabot was selected by Saint John in the second round (22nd overall) in the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft.
2013-14: Chabot was one of several 16-year-olds to skate for Saint John in what was a rebuilding season for the Sea Dogs. He scored 1 goal with 21 assists and was -29 with 36 penalty minutes in 55 games. Saint John, two seasons after winning back-to-back QMJHL championships, missed the playoffs after finishing last in the Maritimes Division.
2014-15: Chabot led Saint John defensemen with 41 points in 66 regular season games and skated for the bronze medal-winning Canada U18 squad at the 2015 World Junior Championship. He scored 12 goals with 29 assists and was +6 with 62 penalty minutes as the Sea Dogs finished third in the Maritime Division; losing to Baie-Comeau in five games in a first-round playoff series. Chabot was -3 with 1 assist and 6 penalty minutes in the playoffs. He scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was +1 in seven games for Canada at the WJC. Canada defeated host Switzerland, 5-2, in the bronze medal game. Chabot skated for Team Orr in the 2015 CHL Top Prospects Game and was ranked 16th amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings. He was selected by Ottawa in the first round (18th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Talent Analysis
Thomas Chabot is an agile, puck-moving defender who showed tremendous progress last season with the Saint John Sea Dogs. He is a great skate and passer who will get the puck up the ice reliably and safely, with the vision and hockey smarts to both create and recognize developing scoring opportunities well before his peers. He is not a big hitter, but with a scalable 6-foot-2 frame, that could change in time.
Future
Chabot was one of the better defenders in Senators training camp this fall, and he could make the team as early next season. He returned to the Saint John Sea Dogs for the 2015-16 season. He could join Team Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championships. As one of 13 defensemen who were invited to the National Junior Team Development Camp. He will also compete in the Canada-Russia Super Series in November.
