Rheault's
first season wearing the Skating Friar featured a team-high
11 goals.
Key
Statistics: Jon Rheault shared the Providence team
lead in goals as a rookie with 11, finishing third on the
team in points with 19 in 36 games. Only four Hockey East
freshmen had more than his 12 conference points. Although
he was ranked 82nd among North American skaters eligible for
the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by Central Scouting, Rheault was
surprisingly overlooked on draft day.
What
He Does: Rheault has a good all-around game, seeing
time in both power-play and penalty-killing situations, but
he's most noteworthy on the Friars for his offensive gifts.
He's a strong skater with good hands, and an ability to not
only create chances but finish them off as well.
The
Bigger Picture: New Providence coach Tim Army has
vowed to open up the Friars' offensive game, which has to
be music to Rheault's ears. A more aggressive offensive style
should produce more chances, and he has the skill to add considerably
to his already impressive freshman goal total. While they
have yet to meet in person (classes begin next week), Army
has let Rheault know by phone how important his contributions
will be to the team's hopes of a turnaround from last year's
seventh-place Hockey East finish.
Providence
head coach Tim Army on Rheault: “Our leading
scorer had 30 points last year (Chris Chaput), and we've got
to get more than that. We've got a lot of guys who are capable
of more offense in the lineup, but when you look at Jon and
Colin McDonald, those are two guys who I really expect a lot
out of.”
