Prospect Watch: Jean-Francois Berube

RinkRoyalty will be reviewing the progress of Los Angeles Kings prospects every Wednesday as the season continues into full swing.

This week’s edition of Prospect Watch takes a look at goaltender Jean-Francois Berube.

The 6’1, 177 pound, 26-year-old goaltender is in his second full season with the Los Angeles Kings American Hockey League affiliate the Manchester Monarchs.

Berube played his junior hockey for the Montreal Juniors of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Berube’s first year with the Juniors was the 2008-2009 season. Berube played 20 games for the Juniors that year, posting a 2.89 goals against average (GAA), and a .900 save percentage (SV%).

Berube’s style as well as his quickness in the net caught the eye of professional scouts, because after one season of junior hockey Berube was drafted. Berube was picked by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round, 95th overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

In 2009-2010 season Berube returned to the Juniors, though he came up to play three games for Manchester, in which Berube had a 2-1-0 record, with a 3.67 GAA, and a .855 SV%.

For the 2010-2011 season Berube played only for the Juniors. In 50 games Berube posted 2.62 GAA, and a .902 SV%. Every season the young goaltender from Repentigny, Quebec improved his play and his numbers. It is a trend that has follow him into his professional career.

From 2011-2013 Berube played in the East Coast Hockey League for the Ontario Reign. In 2011-2012 Berube posted a 2.87 GAA and .907 SV%. The next season Berube continued to improve with a 2.24 GAA and a .910 SV%.

In 2012-2013, Berube improved his numbers in the short span of the playoffs. Over 10 games, Berube’s numbers were 2.07 GAA, and .914 SV%, improve by 0.17 GAA, and .004 SV%.

Last year, the 2013-2014 season, Berube played exclusively for the Monarchs. Playing in 48 games, Berube had a career year, posting personal bests in both categories, a 2.37 GAA and a .913 SV%. Berube’s record of 28-17-0-2, put him third in the AHL in wins. Berube also had a career high with 4 shutouts.

Jean-Francois Berube was resigned to a two-year $650,000 contract by the Kings in July of 2014. With this signing the Kings made the decision to continue a tradition of great goaltending. Signing Berube is part of that tradition and future that recently was re-started with the world’s best, and Kings current, goaltender Jonathan Quick.