And the top rookies so far are…
At the halfway point of the season, let’s have a look at the players who could win the Rookie of the Year award, which went to Émile Guité of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens last season.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: there’s clearly one favorite so far, and that’s Lars Steiner of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Chosen 46th overall in the most recent Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, the 17-year-old Swiss leads all QMJHL rookies with 36 points (in 29 games), 22 assists, a +11 differential, 10 power-play goals and 10 power-play assists. He also ranks second in goals (14) and shots (105).
His 10 power-play goals also put him in first place in the entire QMJHL, tied with 20-year-old veterans Sam Oliver (Drummondville) and Justin Côté (Québec).
Matvei Gridin, of the Shawinigan Cataractes, is perhaps the only one who poses any threat to Steiner in the Rookie of the Year race, or at least for Offensive Rookie of the Year (Michel-Bergeron Trophy) honors.
The Calgary Flames’ first-round pick in 2024 sits first among rookies in goals, with 15, and shots, with 113, and is second in points (35), assists (20) and power-play assists (7). However, at 18, Gridin is a year older than Steiner, which could work against him.
Another name to keep in mind is Zachary Morin of the Saint John Sea Dogs. Morin, who started the season in the USHL before joining the QMJHL a few weeks before the NCAA rule change was confirmed, has 24 points (10-14) in 25 games.
Aged 17 and considered a potential first-round NHL draft pick in 2025, Morin ranks third among rookies in goals, assists, points, differential and shots.
Rousseau and Cossette-Ayotte
Thomas Rousseau also has a good season with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Selected 13th overall in the most recent QMJHL Entry Draft, he currently has 20 points (9-11) in 31 games, as well as a 53.3% efficiency in the face-off circle (3rd among rookies). So far, he’s the top scorer of the entire 2024 draft class.
Speaking of the 2024 class, defenseman Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, drafted second overall, is impressing with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, who are 16th in the overall standings.
That hasn’t stopped Cossette-Ayotte from dominating his team with a +10 differential – only five players in Val-d’Or have a rating higher than 0 – and he has 10 points (2-8) in 26 games.
Among rookie defensemen, only Carlos Handel of the Halifax Mooseheads, Charlie Morrison of the Québec Remparts and Maddox Labre of the Victoriaville Tigres have more points than Cossette-Ayotte, with 11.
Of the group, the Foreurs’ number 7 is the only one born in 2008.
The first netminder since 2008?
Baie-Comeau Drakkar goaltender Lucas Beckman shouldn’t be ruled out of the race either. True, no goaltender has won the Rookie of the Year award since Olivier Roy with Cape Breton in 2008, but Beckman is doing everything in his power to put an end to this drought.
Beckman is among the QMJHL’s Top 10 in all goaltending statistics with a 14-10-0-0 record, a 2.54 GAA, a .915 save percentage and a league-high three shutouts.
William Lacelle has also blanked the opposition three times and has put up impressive numbers with Rimouski (13-1-0-1, 1.98 and .921), but the fact that he has only suited up in 15 games could put him behind Beckman.
The biggest challenge for any player, let alone a rookie, is consistency. Whoever has the most in the second half of the season may very well walk away with the coveted Rookie of the Year award!
