SHERBROOKE – The opening hour of the 2015 QMJHL Draft saw fans in attendance at the Palais des sports Léopold-Drolet in Sherbrooke get treated to a few surprises.

While no one was shocked to see the Saint John pounce on the freshly-available Joseph Veleno with the first overall pick thanks to Hockey Canada granting the youngster his tag as a player with exceptional status.

The next selection belonged to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan who caused the first surprise of the day by nabbing Antoine Morand who was actually ranked No. 2 heading into the draft according the QMJHL’s scouting department.

“It’s a long way from home for me, but I don’t see that as a negative. It’s just the opposite, actually. Sean Couturier and Bruno Gervais came to speak to me. Sean told me about his junior days and we talked for a long while. They immediately made me comfortable,” said Morand.

The player who was ranked No. 1 didn’t have to wait very long to hear his name called as Maxime Comtois was chosen by the Victoriaville Tigres at No. 3.

“I knew full-well that this could happen. Being picked first, second or third doesn’t make much difference to me. I was chosen by a very good organization. I really liked my first contact with team management. They were very welcoming and I already can’t wait to my jersey at training camp,” explained Comtois.

Forward Shane Bowers of the Halifax McDonald’s then found out that wouldn’t be travelling very far as he was picked by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. With their other first-round selection, Marc-André Dumont’s club scooped up forward Peyton Hoyt.

The Val-d’Or Foreurs were determined to acquire an impact goalie in this draft and they did exactly that. GM Alexandre Rouleau swapped his top picks in 2015 and 2016 to the Gatineau Olympics to move up to No. 5 as they picked Dereck Baribeau of the Séminaire Saint-François.

“I had a feeling the Foreurs were interest in me following our pre-draft meeting, but I never thought they would trade up to get me. It’s really flattering,” admitted Baribeau.

Peyton Hoyt (6^th, Cape Breton); Arnaud Durandeau (7^th, Halifax) and Louis-Filip Côté (8^th, Rouyn-Noranda) were the next players chosen.

Then despite being ranked at No. 13, Magog Cantonniers goalie Alex D’Orio was picked ninth overall by the Saint John Seadogs.

10) Cédric Paré, Forward, Commandeurs de Lévis – Saint John Sea Dogs

11) Antoine Crête-Belzille, Defenceman, Séminaire Saint-François – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

12) Joel Teasdale, Forward, Collège Antoine-Girouard – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

13) Shawn Boudrias, Forward, Collège Esther-Blondin – Charlottetown Islanders

14) Jocktan Chainey, Defenceman, Estacades de Trois-Rivières – Shawinigan Cataractes

15) Alex-Olivier Voyer, Forward, Cantonniers de Magog, Rimouski Océanic

16) Alexander Krief, Defenceman, Lac Saint-Louis Lions, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

17) Jérémy Groleau, Defenceman, Commandeurs de Lévis, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

18) William Poirier, Forward, Grenadiers de Châteauguay, Drummondville Voltigeurs

19) Keenan MacIsaac, Defenceman, Rothesay Netherwood, Chicoutimi Saguenéens