35 QMJHL players named to NHL Central Scouting ‘Players to Watch’ List for January
On Friday, the second NHL Central Scouting’s list of the season was released and it contains some of the top prospects to watch ahead of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
In total, 35 QMJHL players have already garnered the attention of scouting experts. Among the group, a trio of forwards received an “A” grade as potential first round picks, including Rimouski’s Zachary Bolduc, Shawinigan’s Xavier Bourgault and Halifax’s Zachary L’Heureux.
Four QMJHL goaltenders have their names appearing on January’s list, including Blainville-Boisbriand’s Olivier Adam, Gatineau’s Emerik Despatie, Victoriaville’s Fabio Iacobo and Quebec’s William Rousseau. Six European-born prospects selected at the CHL Import Draft also appear on the list, with the highest ranked being Shawinigan’s Lorenzo Canonica.
With six of their players listed by the NHL Central Scouting services, the Gatineau Olympiques lead all QMJHL franchises with the most prospects to watch, just ahead of the Halifax Mooseheads and Quebec Remparts who have four each.
Take note that players receiving an “A” rating are projected to be first round selections, players with a “B” rating are projected as second or third round picks, while a “C” rating indicates a candidate for rounds four to six.
Here are the QMJHL players on the initial NHL CSS list:
A | BOLDUC, ZACHARY – RIMOUSKI – C
A | BOURGAULT, XAVIER – SHAWINIGAN – C
A | L’HEUREUX, ZACHARY – HALIFAX – LW
B | CANONICA, LORENZO – SHAWINIGAN – C
B | DEAN, ZACH – GATINEAU – C
B | HUCKINS, COLE – ACADIE-BATHURST – C
B | MALATESTA, JAMES – QUEBEC – LW
B | NAUSE, EVAN – QUEBEC – LHD
B | PLANDOWSKI, OSCAR – CHARLOTTETOWN – RHD
B | REYNOLDS, PETER – SAINT JOHN – C
B | ROBIDAS, JUSTIN – VAL-D’OR – C
B | ROY, JOSHUA – SAINT JOHN – RW
B | WHYNOT, CAMERON – HALIFAX – LHD
C | ADAM, OLIVIER – BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND – G
C | BELLIVEAU, ISAAC – GATINEAU – LHD
C | BIASCA, ATTILIO – HALIFAX – C
C | BIGGAR, ZACH – ACADIE-BATHURST – LHD
C | BRABENEC, JAKUB – CHARLOTTETOWN – C
C | DESPATIE, EMERIK – GATINEAU – G
C | HINDS, TYSON – RIMOUSKI – LHD
C | IACOBO, FABIO – VICTORIAVILLE – G
C | KASHNIKOV, EVGENII – GATINEAU – LHD
C | KIDNEY, RILEY – ACADIE-BATHURST – C
C | LANDRY, MANIX – GATINEAU – C
C | LESSARD, MARSHALL – VAL-D’OR – RW
C | MACDONALD, CAMERON – SAINT JOHN – C
C | MARJALA, VILJAMI – QUEBEC – LW
C | MIANSCUM, ISRAEL – SHERBROOKE – LW
C | NADEAU, OLIVIER – SHAWINIGAN – RW
C | ORR, ROBERT – HALIFAX – RW
C | PROKOPENKO, ALEXEI – GATINEAU – C
C | ROUSSEAU, WILLIAM – QUEBEC – G
C | TOURIGNY, MIGUEL – BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND – RHD
C | TRENHOLM, CONNOR – CAPE BRETON – C
C | TRUDEAU, WILLIAM – CHARLOTTETOWN – LHD