Jean-Francois Berube is a 17-year-old goalie who, in 20 games with Montreal Juniors of the QMJHL last season, had a 2.66 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He is 6-foot-1 and was listed as the 10th-best North American goalie by NHL Central Scouting.
Hockey’s Future said about Berube, “J-F Berube caught the eyes of many despite his limited work this season. The big butterfly goaltender is always square to the shooter and moves quickly between the pipes. In fact, some say the only real flaw this Quebec native has is the lack of playing time and exposure.”
Berube played behind Jake Allen, who was St. Louis’ second-round pick last year. Berube did a quick interview on the NHL Network after his selection.
Q: Does your size (6-1) help you as a butterfly goalie?
A: Yeah, of course. I’m a butterfly goalie, so I move pretty fast on my knees and I’m pretty fast on my feet too.
Q: How did you feel your season went?
A: I didn’t have a chance to play a lot because I had Jake Allen in front of me, so I take every opportunity to perform on the ice and it was a good season for me.
Q: What did you learn from him?
A: Just his personality. He’s working hard every day and I try to eat healthy.
Q: What do you know about the Kings?
A: It’s an incredible team and I’m pretty excited to jump on the ice.