Tristan Luneau tops 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft presented by Fenplast
The Canadian Hockey League family continues to grow as another 256 players were welcomed with the completion of the 2020 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft presented by Fenplast.
For the first time in league history the process was held virtually with opening round selections announced on Friday night followed by another 13 rounds of picks made on Saturday.
The 256 selections across 14 rounds primarily featured 2004-born talents from across Quebec and Atlantic Canada and totaled 136 forwards, 89 defencemen, and 31 goaltenders pulled from 96 different teams.
Quebec led all provinces with 176 players selected including 14 in the first round, followed by Nova Scotia with 33 players chosen in total including two first rounders. New Brunswick had 26 players selected in total highlighted by three of the top 16 picks which hasn’t happened since 2008 plus a fourth pick at number 20. Prince Edward Island was represented by nine players, Newfoundland and Labrador had five players, there were five American choices, and two players who played overseas. An additional 36 talents from south of the border will be selected on Monday June 8 in the third annual American QMJHL Entry Draft.
Tristan Luneau, a 16-year-old defenceman who played for Les Estacades de Trois-Rivières was selected first overall by the Gatineau Olympiques. The 6’1”’ and 182lb rearguard scored 30 points over 37 regular season games in Midget AAA this season and also represented Canada as an alternate captain winning bronze at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. He’s known for his explosive skating, puck moving ability, and skill at both ends of the ice. He’s also the first of nine defencemen chosen in the first round which represents the highest total since 10 were taken over 20 picks in 2014.
We caught up with the first overall pick of the 2020 #QDraft presented by @Fenplast, @TristanLuneau of the Gatineau @LesOlympiques!
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) June 6, 2020
“It’s a really exciting moment,” Luneau said. “I can’t really find the words to explain how honoured and proud it is to be selected by the Gatineau Olympiques. To wear the colours, black and white, it’s an amazing feeling and I’m really proud and honoured.”
Luneau’s selection was just the start of a historical day for the Olympiques. Not only was it the club’s first time ever making the first overall pick, but they made four of the first eight selections after acquiring additional picks through transactions on and before draft day. The last time a club has opened the draft with as many picks was 2006 when the Rimouski Oceanic chose second, fifth, sixth, and eighth overall.
The Olympiques used the second overall pick to select Antonin Verreault of Les Viking de St-Eustache where he scored 48 points in 39 games. The top ranked forward may be undersized at 5’7” and just 150lbs but is widely regarded as one of the smartest players in his age group with elite vision and playmaking ability.
Centreman Samuel Savoie of the Moncton Midget AAA Flyers and defenceman Noah Warren of Les Riverains du Collège Charles-Lemoyne were chosen by the Olympiques with the fourth and eighth overall picks respectively.
Le premier attaquant sélectionné du #RepêchageLHJMQ 2020 présenté par @Fenplast, Antonin Verreault nous a livré ses commentaires après avoir été repêché au 2e rang par @LesOlympiques de Gatineau!
— LHJMQ (@LHJMQ) June 6, 2020
The Saint John Sea Dogs were the next team to make a selection and used the third overall pick on centre Leighton Carruthers of the Halifax Macs. The power forward with puck skills and a heavy, accurate shot, scored 37 points in 35 games this season which ranked fourth in the Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League this season. He was the first of two Sea Dogs picks in the first round with defenceman Nathan Drapeau chosen 15th overall from Les Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame.
Rounding out the draft’s top five is defenceman Evan Nause who was chosen by the Quebec Remparts. He’s a highly regarded rearguard born in 2003 who was actually picked last season at number six by the Val-d’Or Foreurs but did not report to the club.
The first of two goaltenders selected in the first round was Vincent Filion, a teammate of Luneau’s in Trois-Rivieres, chosen sixth overall by Val-d’Or. Nicolas Ruccia of Le Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal, was picked 17th overall by the Cape Breton Eagles. The Eagles were part of the last draft that saw two netminders picked in the opening round when they chose Kevin Mandolese at number 13 behind Olivier Rodrigue at third overall to the Drummondville Voltigeurs back in 2016.
The Olympiques, Sea Dogs, Victoriaville Tigres, Drummondville Voltigeurs, and Halifax Mooseheads all made multiple first round picks.
Les Chevaliers de Lévis are the only team to have three players selected in the opening round including Tigres picks Pier-Olivier Roy, a defenceman chosen seventh, Nathan Morin, a forward chosen 19th, plus centre Jonathan Fauchon picked 10th overall by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
The third player selected in the 2020 #QDraft presented by @Fenplast, Leighton Carruthers shared his impressions after being drafted by the @SJSeaDogs!
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) June 6, 2020
Some notable QMJHL Entry Draft bloodlines include goaltender Charles-Edward Gravel of the Mississauga Senators chosen 26th overall by the Armada. He’s the cousin of Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Alexis Gravel. Another goaltender chosen in the draft’s second round was Riley Mercer of the Tri-Pen Osprey who went 31st overall by the Voltigeurs. He’s the younger brother of Chicoutimi Sagueneens forward and top 2020 NHL Draft prospect Dawson Mercer who was also picked by the Voltigeurs back in 2017. They may not be blood, but Thomas Begin who was chosen in the seventh round by the Sherbrooke Phoenix, is the billet brother of team captain Samuel Poulin.
18 of the draft’s first round 20 picks will be eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft with the exception of Nause who is a top 2021 NHL Draft prospect, and Drapeau whose late birthday make him eligible in 2023.
The QMJHL Entry Draft follows the Western Hockey League’s Bantam Draft which took place on April 22, and the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection on April 4.
Check out full results of the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft or watch the livestream replay on the league’s official YouTube channel.