Miguel Tourigny, selected in the 7th round of the 2022 draft, decided to go to Slovakia to continue his development this season. Although some experts found this decision somewhat strange, the defenseman took full advantage of this opportunity to perfect his game, which could possibly earn him a spot with the Laval Rocket next year. Known for his exceptional skating and excellent vision, the defenseman continues to be an important asset in the offensive zone. The former Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Acadie-Bathurst Titan defenseman finished as the second most productive defenseman in the QMJHL in 2021-2022 with an impressive 31 goals and 49 assists in 65 games. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/SDRscouting/status/1457034197906989059'> </a></blockquote></div> Slovak journalist Patrik Mitas actually praised the young defenseman's offensive talent: <q>He is one of the best offensive defensemen in our league. His potential is really high. But he'll be able to do even better if he puts in 100% in the gym.</q> In his first year in the professional ranks, the Quebecer collected 6 goals and 20 assists in 43 games, which notably ranks him fifth in scoring for Trencin Dukla. Often paired with 41-year-old veteran Tomas Starosta, Miguel Tourigny also benefits from his teammate's experience to improve defensively. While his offensive skills are undeniable, the Victoriaville native must continue to develop his game in his own territory in order to become a complete defenseman. The main reason that pushed the defenseman to pursue his career in Europe, instead of continuing in the junior ranks, was precisely to work on his defensive deficiencies: <q>Let's not forget that I'm mainly here to improve the deficiencies I had on the defensive side. I've been blamed for them since I was very young, so for sure I'm working a lot with the coaches. I still want to refine my offensive contribution. It's one of my strengths, but it's not quite there yet.</q> There is no doubt that Miguel Tourigny has greatly improved this season and it will be interesting to see how he fares at the Laval Rocket's upcoming training camp. Source : <a href='https://www.tvasports.ca/2022/12/04/ch-ex-star-de-la-lhjmq-miguel-tourigny-devient-un-homme-en-slovaquie' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>TVA Sports</a>