NHL draft tracker: Julio Billia, Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Julio Billia has had ample opportunity this season to endear himself to those who pull for the underdog.

It's rare for a goalie in his age-17 season to get the 30-40 games many experts believe is necessary for proper development. The soft-spoken St-Léonard, Que., native got that with a young Chicoutimi Saguenéens team that struggled in the second half after moving star Montreal Canadiens prospect Charles Hudon to contending Baie-Comeau for a package of draft picks. That led to Billia, who's on the small side at a listed 5-foot-11 and 168 pounds, often dealing with a heavy shot volume.

Billia, whose Saguenéens are presently down 2-0 to Rimouski in the first round of the playoffs, is well-aware of the NHL's preference for bigger goalies. He's determined to show there's no stigma on smaller masked men.

"For sure the scouts and everybody they say, 'ah, your size' and everything," says Billia, who had a 3.52 average and .894 save percentage while averaging 33.3 shots per night across 41 regular-season games. "I don't think about that. In the NHL you see that there are still some goalies who are 5-foot-10, 5-11. There will always be those goalies. You just have to be better and work harder than everyone else.

"The tall goalies have it easier because the puck can just hit them, almost. I have to be square and also I use my speed to my advantage. And also, I have a good play reading. I add that to my game."

Billia has had his moments in March. His high points include stopping 77-of-83 shots in consecutive starts vs. contenders Baie-Comeau and Rimouski. He also beat Shawinigan 2-1 in a shootout by prevailing in a goalie duel against the estimable Marvin Cüpper, Germany's starter at the past two world juniors.

The young netminder has had Hockey Canada's attention. Billia played for Team Quebec in the world under-17 challenge last season and was on Canada's gold-medal-winning team at the preseason Memorial of Ivan Hlinka under-18 showcase tournament.

"You got to see all the other countries, all the best players, and you got to see the other goalies and see what level they've reached," Billia says of the Hlinka experience. "You just get to see what you have to do to get there."

1. Which NHL goalies do you study closely?

"I like Marc-Andre Fleury from Pittsburgh [Penguins] a lot. Also, another goalie who's my size, he's 5-10, is Jhonas Enroth of Buffalo. I look at him and get inspiration and hope that I can make it to the next level."

2. What other sport did you play growing up and how did it carry over into hockey?

"I used to play soccer, having an Italian background, but once I got to peewee it was all hockey. It was good for my cardio because you run a lot, so that helped."

3. Who has been the most challenging forward you have faced so far in your two seasons in the Q?

"One that's obvious is [current Calder Trophy favourite] Nathan MacKinnon. I didn't play a lot against Halifax, I used to just finish off the games last year because we had a 20-year-old goalie. I had MacKinnon in on me on a breakaway a couple times. He isn't the easiest player to have coming in on you."

4. Who are some people, aside from your parents, ?

"Just all of the goalie coaches I have had — like Marco Marciano, Maxime Vaillancourt who's now the goalie coach for the [QMJHL's] Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and my present goalie coach, [former NHLer] Jimmy Waite. They have all helped me a lot since I was smaller."

5. Part of being a pro is maintaining a strict diet, eating clean, etc., but what's your?

"You mean dessert? Pouding chômeur — it's a treat in Quebec. It's like cake with maple syrup inside and caramel and stuff. It's really good."

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.