QMJHL announces Finalists for eight trophies

The QMJHL is proud to announce today the finalists for eight individual trophies for the 2025-26 regular season. The winners of these Golden Pucks will be announced tomorrow.

(In alphabetical order)

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David-Desharnais Trophy | Most sportsmanlike player combined with effectiveness

• Samuel Beauchemin, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

In his third QMJHL season, Beauchemin posted career highs with 16 goals, 50 assists and 66 points in 64 games, finishing second in scoring for the Western Conference champion Huskies. He was heavily relied upon by head coach Steve Hartley and spent just two minutes in the penalty box.

 

• Alex Huang, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

In his third QMJHL season, all with the Saguenéens, Huang shattered his previous personal best of 40 points by finishing with 70, ranking second among all defensemen. His 11 goals and 59 assists were also career highs. Huang finished second among his peers with a +58 rating and 32 power play points. Used in all situations, the Nashville Predators prospect logged just 14 penalty minutes this season.

 

• Philippe Veilleux, Val-d’Or Foreurs

Veilleux spent much of the season atop the QMJHL scoring race before being edged at the finish line by Maxim Massé. He recorded 96 points, including 43 goals, while serving just 10 penalty minutes. Clearly more comfortable outside the penalty box, he registered 31 power play points (9^th in the QMJHL).

 

Guy-Carbonneau Trophy | Top defensive forward

• Thomas Desruisseaux, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

Desruisseaux enjoyed a career-best season with 76 points (24-52), ranking second on the Saguenéens behind Maxim Massé. Demonstrating his even strength efficiency, only 17 of his points came on the power play, while adding two shorthanded goals. He was the team’s most effective centreman in the faceoff circle with a 57.1% success rate.

 

• Gabe Smith, Moncton Wildcats

Smith broke out this season, improving from 39 to 77 points, good for third on the powerful Wildcats. Of his 34 goals, 18 came on the power play, a league-high. Frequently matched against top opposition, he used his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame to disrupt opponents. He added two shorthanded goals and was Moncton’s most-used centreman in the faceoff circle (1,170 draws), posting a 58.9% efficiency rate.

 

• Thomas Verdon, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Verdon’s 95 points ranked third in the QMJHL, while his 59 assists placed him second. He recorded 36 power-play points (3^rd) and led the league with 10 game-winning goals, helping the Huskies capture the Western Conference title. The 20-year-old veteran also excelled in the faceoff circle (58.8%) and scored three shorthanded goals.

 

Kevin-Lowe Trophy | Top defensive defenseman

• Peteris Bulans, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

Alongside Huang, Tourigny, Lavoie and Bernier, Bulans may not get all the recognition he deserves. Not flashy, but highly effective, as shown by his 40 points and +42 rating. Just two points shy of his career high, the Latvian was a trusted option for Yanick Jean against top opposing lines, late in games and on the penalty kill.

 

• Adam Fortier-Gendron, Moncton Wildcats

When thinking of the Wildcats, names like Desnoyers, Smith, Bleyl and Guimond come to mind. In the shadows, Fortier-Gendron did tremendous work, leading the QMJHL with a +64 rating. He also collected 38 points, including 35 at even strength. In key defensive situations, coach Gardiner MacDougall consistently sent him on the ice.

 

• Félix Plamondon, Shawinigan Cataractes

Plamondon has steadily developed over four years into a reliable defensive presence. His point totals rose from 15 to 21 to 32 over three seasons. Of his 32 points this year, 29 came at even strength. He also posted a +46 rating, far ahead of any teammate. Without being flashy, he became Daniel Renaud’s go-to defenseman to shut down top opponents.

 

Maurice-Filion Trophy | General Manager of the Year

• Gordie Dwyer, Newfoundland Regiment

Dwyer worked hard to help the Regiment finish sixth overall in its inaugural season. Key offseason moves included acquiring Justin Larose and selecting Marek Danicek in the CHL Import Draft—both of whom combined for 160 points. Veteran Dominic Pilote was another strong addition. During the season, Dwyer added Alexis Michaud, Alexis Mathieu, Ryan Dwyer and goaltender Louis-Antoine Denault, stabilizing the crease and helping the team to a top three finish in the East.

 

• Yanick Jean, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

Jean and the Saguenéens had high expectations in 2025-2026, built through the 2022 and 2023 drafts. He made a key move selecting Maxim Schäfer in the CHL Import Draft, then added Tomas Lavoie, Alexis Bernier, Jordan Tourigny, Lucas Beckman, Liam Lefebvre and Mavrick Lachance thanks to in-season trades. Chicoutimi surged in the second half, finishing just one point behind Moncton for first overall.

 

• Taylor MacDougall, Moncton Wildcats

Junior hockey is said to be cyclical—but not for the Wildcats. After winning the Gilles-Courteau Trophy in 2025, Moncton became just the ninth team in QMJHL history to win back-to-back regular season titles. While core players remained, MacDougall strengthened the roster with additions like Tommy Bleyl, Niko Tournas, Teddy Mutryn, Kuzma Voronin and Rian Chudzinski, plus key in-season pickups like Evan Dépatie, Max Vilen and Gavin Cornforth. A winning culture is clearly being built in Moncton with the MacDougalls.

 

Michael-Bossy Trophy | Top professional prospect

• Tommy Bleyl, Moncton Wildcats

Bleyl finished second among rookies with 81 points in 63 games, a QMJHL rookie defenseman record. His 68 assists led the league. Among defensemen, he outpaced Alex Huang by 11 points. Eligible for this June’s NHL Entry Draft, many experts now project him as a first-round pick.

 

• Maddox Dagenais, Québec Remparts

After missing 21 games as a rookie, Dagenais broke out this season with 62 points in 62 games. He led his team with 10 power play goals and 25 power play points, while his 273 shots on net ranked fourth in the league. He is ranked 18^th in North America by NHL Central Scouting for the upcoming Draft.

 

• Egor Shilov, Victoriaville Tigres

Shilov led all rookies and finished seventh in league scoring with 82 points in 63 games. He ranked second among rookies with 32 goals and third with 31 power play points, while winning 54.8% of his faceoffs. He is projected as a potential first-round NHL pick.

 

Michel-Bergeron Trophy | Offensive Rookie of the Year

• Alexis Joseph, Saint John Sea Dogs

Joseph ranked sixth among all rookie skaters with 60 points (24-36) in 54 games as the only 16-year-old in the top six. He added 18 power play points and a rookie-leading four shorthanded goals. He will be eligible for the NHL Draft only in 2027.

 

• Egor Shilov, Victoriaville Tigres

Shilov led all rookies and finished seventh in league scoring with 82 points in 63 games. He ranked second among rookies with 32 goals and third with 31 power play points, while winning 54.8% of his faceoffs. He is projected as a potential first-round NHL pick.

 

• Alexey Vlasov, Victoriaville Tigres

Vlasov ranked 10^th in the QMJHL with 80 points in 64 games. His 44 goals ranked fourth overall and first among rookies. He also ranked third with 16 power play goals and fifth with 33 power play points. He was ranked 108^th in North America on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

 

Paul-Dumont Trophy | Personality of the Year

• Caleb Desnoyers, Moncton Wildcats

Had he not missed 19 games due to a wrist injury, Desnoyers could very well have contended for the scoring title this season, as evidenced by his 1.73 points-per-game average (78 in 45). Beyond the numbers, Desnoyers has been an outstanding ambassador for the Wildcats and the QMJHL, taking part in numerous interviews, community engagements, and social media appearances. No one has been more in demand in the media than the Utah Mammoth’s fourth overall pick in 2025.

 

• Alexis Joseph, Saint John Sea Dogs

Slowly but surely, Joseph is getting used to all the attention that comes with being the first overall pick in the QMJHL in 2025 and a potential top selection at the 2027 NHL Draft. Brilliant on the ice at just 16 years old, with 60 points in 54 games, Joseph has been just as impressive in the classroom, being named the Sea Dogs’ Student-Athlete of the Year and earning a spot among the 18 nominees for the Marcel-Robert Trophy, awarded to the QMJHL’s top student-athlete. He has been a role model on and off the ice.

 

• Glenn Stanford, Newfoundland Regiment

If the Regiment’s inaugural season was a success, it is in part thanks to its President, Glenn Stanford. Very familiar with the St. John’s market and the game of hockey—having worked in the AHL and ECHL, among others—Stanford and his team led the Regiment to a record-setting inaugural season in QMJHL history with an average of 5,233 spectators per game. On the ice, the Regiment finished third in the Eastern Conference and sixth overall. There is a genuine QMJHL buzz in St. John’s, and Stanford is at the heart of it.

 

Raymond-Lagacé Trophy | Defensive Rookie of the Year

• Tommy Bleyl, Moncton Wildcats

Bleyl finished second among rookies with 81 points in 63 games, a QMJHL rookie defenseman record. His 68 assists led the league. Among defensemen, he outpaced Alex Huang by 11 points. Eligible for the NHL Draft this June, many experts now project him as a first-round pick.

 

• Jan Larys, Drummondville Voltigeurs

The third-most used rookie goaltender, Larys led all first-year netminders with 26 wins (26-10-1-1). He ranked second among rookies with three shutouts and a .908 save percentage, and third with a 2.86 GAA. He played a key role in Drummondville’s strong season and ranks fourth among North American goaltenders listed by NHL Central Scouting.

 

• Malik L’Italien, Halifax Mooseheads

Selected third overall in 2025, L’Italien was the third-most productive rookie defenseman, behind Bleyl and Everett Baldwin. Unlike them however, he is just 16 years old. Among Mooseheads blueliners, only veteran Owen Phillips recorded more points. Despite his age, he contributed on both Halifax’s power play and penalty kill.