November’s QMJHL Players of the Month
The QMJHL has announced its Players of the Month for November:
Forward of the Month
Justin Ducharme (Val-d’Or Foreurs) | 9GP, 11G, 4A, 15Pts
As expected before the season began, the Val-d’Or Foreurs have been a force to be reckoned with to start the year. One of the leaders of this charge is, naturally, the guy who wears the “C”. Justin Ducharme has been a scoring machine, starting the month on a five-game goal scoring streak that included a pair of hat-tricks and one two-goal performance. Overall, the 20-year-old from Mirabel, Que., scored three game-winners, recorded a plus-eight rating, and completed November with an unbelievable 36.7 percent shooting percentage. Ducharme sits tied for third in the QMJHL with 12 goals on the season, four of which have been game-winners and three that came while shorthanded, both tops in the circuit. Ducharme was a free agent invite to NHL training camp with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019.
Defenceman of the Month
Jeremie Poirier (Saint John Sea Dogs) | 7GP, 4G, 6A, 10Pts
Another year, another offensively charged season for Jeremie Poirier. The 18-year-old from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., posted points in six of seven November outings, three of which were multi-point affairs. The highlight of the month for the third-year veteran came at home against the Halifax Mooseheads on November 14 when Poirier recorded just the second hat trick by a defenceman in Sea Dogs franchise history. Poirier completes the 2020 portion of the schedule tied for fourth in league scoring among blueliners with 16 points in 15 contests. A third-round selection of the Calgary Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft, his three powerplay tallies lead the Sea Dogs.
Goaltender of the Month
Olivier Adam (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada) | 4-0-0-0, 1.25 GAA, .957 SV%, 1 SO
When the 2020-21 campaign commenced, the goaltending fortunes of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada were an unknown. Fast forward to the start of December and many of those questions have been answered, as Olivier Adam currently sits undefeated. The 18-year-old from Drummondville, Que., allowed three or fewer goals in each of his four starts, stopping 30 or more shots in two of them. He finished the 2020 portion of the campaign on a high note, stopping all 24 shots he faced against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens for his second career shutout. A sixth-round selection of the Armada in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, Adam has achieved a .914 save percentage or better and allowed three goals or fewer in his past six starts. The goaltender currently sits second in the league in goals-against average (2.00) and save percentage (.935%) and fourth in victories (six).
Rookie of the Month
Robert Orr (Halifax Mooseheads) | 5GP, 3G, 4A, 7Pts
Where else would you expect to see a player who goes by the name Bobby Orr but at the top? That’s exactly where the 17-year-old from Beaconsfield, Que., finds himself, headed into the extended break in a three-way tie for the rookie scoring lead with 13 points in 15 games. Orr recorded points in each of the Mooseheads’ five games during November, including back-to-back multi-point contests to start the month. Strong at both ends, he recorded a plus-five rating over hose five games. Originally selected by Saint John in the fifth round of the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft as a scoring star from the Lac-St-Louis Lions in the Quebec Major Under-18 ranks, Orr has hit the ground running since his acquisition by the Mooseheads during the offseason, including a recent promotion to the club’s top line.
