E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Troy Vance #99

By Eldon MacDonald

99. Troy Vance - “Mr. Monster Mash” - D - USA

Vitals: Size - 6’5”, 203 lb.; Shoots right; Born 2-Aug-93 - Goshen, NY
Team: Victoriaville, QMJHL
Stats: 23-1-3-4-21-(+8) + QMJHL playoffs - 9-1-3-4-4-(+0)

Rankings:
99 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
111 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
198 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (149th North American skater)
Draft result:
135 - Dallas Stars

He did the mash, he did the monster mash.
It was a graveyard smash.
He did the mash, it caught on in a flash.
He did the mash, he did the monster mash.

And if you want to see a real live monster mash, go to the YouTube video below as put up by NHLDraftVideo. The 6’5 monster masher otherwise known as Troy Vance almost escaped the NHL draft this year playing in the EJHL but Alex LePore, a scout for the Dallas Stars, recommended the Pennsylvanian to the Victoriaville Tigres halfway through the year and the other NHL scouts are glad he did.

While Troy thinks of himself as an offensive defenseman, it is his defense that really paid dividends for Les Tigres as they made it to the 2nd round of the QMJHL playoffs after some serious struggles on the blueline earlier in the year. In addition to his monster mash and his defense, Troy has a nice shot, is a good skater and has good hockey sense. I have him as a 4th rounder but I think if NHL scouts take one look at that “monster mash” he could easily be a 3rd.