2026 NHL Draft: QMJHL Produces Two First-Round Picks
Two QMJHL players were selected in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Friday night in Buffalo.
As expected, Gavin McKenna was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ivar Stenberg followed, going to the San Jose Sharks.
The first QMJHL player chosen was Québec Remparts forward Maddox Dagenais, who was selected 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues. Dagenais finished the 2025-26 season with 62 points in 62 games, including 30 goals.
It marks the second consecutive year the Blues have used their first-round pick on a QMJHL player, following Blainville-Boisbriand Armada forward Justin Carbonneau, who was selected 19th overall in 2025.
Then, with the 31st overall pick, Moncton Wildcats defenceman Tommy Bleyl was selected by the Nashville Predators. Bleyl was named the QMJHL Defenceman of the Year and Rookie of the Year, while also earning CHL Rookie of the Year honours after recording an outstanding 81-point season.
Photo : Natalie Shaver
Last year, the QMJHL produced three first-round selections: Caleb Desnoyers (4th overall, Utah), Justin Carbonneau (19th overall, St. Louis), and Bill Zonnon (22nd overall, Pittsburgh).
The second round gets underway Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. Among the QMJHL players to watch are Blainville-Boisbriand Armada defenceman Xavier Villeneuve, Victoriaville Tigres forward Egor Shilov, and forward Liam Lefebvre, who recently won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
As for Jan Larys, ranked fifth among North American netminders, he is expected to be the first QMJHL goaltender selected.
