2023 QMJHL Draft | A first round full of firsts
A breath of fresh air was felt inside Sherbrooke’s Palais des Sports Leopold Drolet on Saturday during the 2023 QMJHL Draft presented by Fenplast.
This might have been the third time the League’s Entry Draft was held in the Eastern Townships since the Sherbrooke Phoenix joined the league, but it was the first time since 2019 that each team, student-athletes, friends, families and spectators were gathered onsite for the occasion.
Many other firsts were registered throught the draft. It was the first time since 2008 that the first two selections came from the same club as the Moncton Wildcats and Chicoutimi Sagueneens turned to the St. Hyacinthe Gaulois from Quebec’s U18 AAA League to kick off the event.
The Sags also became the second team since 1997 to claim three of the first five picks, following in the steps of the Gatineau Olympiques three years ago.
“We had been preparing for this day for a while, having completed trades to land all these valuable picks early in the Draft. We are very happy to add these three prospects to a young group of players who already have played beyond expectations last season,” said Chicoutimi general manager Yanick Jean, whose team finished eighth in the overall standings before exiting the 2023 Playoffs in the opening round against the Rimouski Oceanic.
Speaking of firsts, the sixth pick changed hands twice before the Moncton Wildcats claimed Trois-Rivieres Estacades forward Shawn Carrier. Original holders of that pick, the Drummondville Voltigeurs traded their turn at the microphone along with five more future picks – two first-rounders (2024 and 2025), two second-rounders (2024) and a third-rounder (2023) – to the Sherbrooke Phoenix for the services of forward Ethan Gauthier and a fourth round pick in 2023. Sherbrooke then turned around and sent the sixth pick to Moncton for a pair of first-rounders (13th pick in 2023 and a 2024 pick).
“It’s funny to see what led to my selection. I am very honoured that the Wildcats made all those efforts to grab me and I am very proud to join this organization”, said Carrier.
Shawinigan called the first time out of the day, before trading pick number seven to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, who called Quebec-born defenseman Xavier Villeneuve of the U15 Pittsburgh Penguins on stage.
The first prospect drafted out of the Maritime provinces on Saturday was Nova Scotian forward Cole Chandler of the Dartmouth Steele Subaru who was taken with the 16th pick by the Shawinigan Cataractes. The Cats first completed a trade with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies before selecting Chandler.
The player who made the biggest leap up the ranks from the CSR’s Final List was forward Jeremy Loranger of the Trois-Rivieres Estacades, picked 17th by Shawinigan, up from the 56th spot in the pre-draft rankings.
“A few teams told me they had Jeremy just as high up on their list once we selected him at that time”, said Shawinigan GM Martin Mondou. “This guy is a pure talent and I’m sure that he will have that extra flame burning in him, playing in his home region, in front of families and friends.”
Another player claimed much earlier than planned was defenseman Louis-Alex Tremblay of the Seminaire St. Francois Blizzard, ranked 41st on the CSR Final List and picked 13th by the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
“Louis-Alexandre is a warrior on the ice and has incredible hands. From this year’s class of prospects, he’s possibly the best player you can count on the blue line to run a power play,” said CSR Director Pierre Cholette.
“I saw him play at the U18 Club Nationals and he really impressed me. We have met around sixty prospects and he was one of two players we had on our list,” said Phoenix head coach and GM Stephane Julien, who made a trade earlier on Saturday to move from the club’s previously scheduled first selection in the third round.
Four trades were registered in the opening round.
“Gilles (Courteau) had told me that was going to happen,” said new commissioner Mario Cecchini with a grin.
Only a few weeks into the job, the new boss was also experiencing a personal first in Sherbrooke. “It was a very busy day, and it was very special to see these 15- and 16-year-olds and their parents going through these thrilling moments,” said the Commissioner at the end of the opening round.
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