QMJHL Players of the Month | March 2022
- FORWARD OF THE MONTH
William Dufour – Saint John Sea Dogs – 13GP, 11G, 16A, 27Pts
The Sea Dogs are gearing up for an extended playoff run and one of the players firing on all cylinders as the final month of the season approaches is star winger William Dufour. The 20-year-old from Quebec City, Quebec turned the league on its ear in March, finding the scoresheet in every game, recording eight multi-point outings and highlighting the month with four-point performances on the 6th and 12th against Halifax and Moncton, respectively. Additionally, the fourth-year veteran recorded a +/- rating of +14 and notched a pair of game-winning goals.
Dufour, a fifth-round selection of the New York Islanders at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, leads the league in goals with 46 and shares top spot in the points race with 94. The next point he records will be the 200th of his QMJHL regular season career.
Honorable Mention
Zachary Bolduc – Quebec Remparts – 12GP, 14G, 8A, 22Pts
When the Quebec Remparts acquired Zachary Bolduc last June, big numbers like the ones he posted in March were exactly what they had in mind. The 2021 St. Louis Blues first-rounder posted eight multi-point games, sniped a pair of hat tricks – six of the 39 tallies he’s recorded so far this season – and finished the month with back-to-back game-winning goals. In addition to finding himself fourth in the Q in goals scored, Bolduc sits second on the Remparts with 75 points in 51 games.
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- DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH
Kale McCallum – Val-d’Or Foreurs – 15GP, 8G, 13A, 21Pts
The Val-d’Or Foreurs are taking their first steps back to the top of the league standings and Kale McCallum is making sure the club is getting off on the right foot. The 20-year-old from Quispamsis, New Brunswick is enjoying a phenomenal campaign, highlighted by a month that saw him record seven multi-point outings and an eight-game point streak to kick March off. In addition, the third-year veteran posted the first two-goal game of his Q career while sniping three powerplay markers during the month.
McCallum, who had recorded 24 points in 80 regular season games with the Saint John Sea Dogs entering this season, has obliterated those totals in Val-d’Or with 54 points in 54 games entering the month of April.
Honorable Mention
Noah Laaouan – Charlottetown Islanders – 14GP, 4G, 13A, 17Pts
One of several players driving the Islanders to the top of the QMJHL standings, Noah Laaouan continues to deliver results in P.E.I. Included in his successful month was a seven-game point streak, five multi-point games and a pair of game-winning tallies. In addition, the veteran blueliner took care of business in his own zone, recording an even or better +/- rating in 12 of his 14 contests. Laaouan enters the final full month of the regular season as a top five scorer among league defensemen.
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- ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Patrik Hamrla– Rimouski Oceanic – 4-2-0-0, 1.75 GAA, .929 SV%, 1 SO
Much like the Oceanic as a whole, Patrik Hamrla has taken his game to a whole new level in the latter stages of the 2021-22 season. The 18-year-old from Zlin, Czechia, finished the month on a three-game win streak and posted a save percentage of .900% or higher in all but one of his five March contests. Hamrla finished the month on a high note, stopping all 18 shots he faced for his first career QMJHL shutout in a victory over Victoriaville on the 27th.
A third-round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Hamrla spent last year in both the Czech Pro and Under-20 ranks, while also being named to the national roster for the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Honorable Mention
Cam Squires – Cape Breton Eagles – 14GP, 8G, 6A, 14Pts
Cam Squires is coming down the stretch as one of the more dynamic freshmen in the league. Entering March with 12 points, Squires more than doubled his season output thanks in part to a five-game point streak that featured his first QMJHL hat trick in a victory over the Sagueneens on the 10th. A second-round selection of the Eagles at the 2021 QMJHL Draft, Squires spent last season with the Bishop Kearney Selects in the American U15 AAA ranks.
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- GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Antoine Coulombe – Shawinigan Cataractes – 4-4-0-0, 1.99 GAA, .932 SV%, 1 SO
The Shawinigan Cataractes continue to battle for top spot in the Western Conference as the regular season winds down. Keeping them within striking distance is the outstanding work of Antoine Coulombe. The 20-year-old from Montmagny, Quebec allowed two goals or less in six of his eight starts during the month. The savvy netminder’s highlight came on March 19, when he stopped all 25 shots he faced in regulation and overtime before earning a 1-0 shootout victory over Victoriaville. His focus between the pipes allowed him to register a save percentage of .917% or higher in six of his eight outings last month.
A second-round selection of the Cataractes at the 2018 QMJHL Draft, Coulombe has posted 19 wins and three shutouts up to this point. His 2.65 GAA and .909% save percentage represent new career bests for the fourth-year veteran.
Honorable Mention
Jan Bednar – Acadie-Bathurst Titan – 7-2-0-1, 2.28 GAA, .928 SV%
The Titan has earned points in ten straight games and Bednar has been a central figure in that success. Going without a regulation loss during the month, the Czech netminder allowed three goals or less in all but one of his March appearances, posted four games of 30 saves or more and, at one point, reeled off six consecutive victories. His fantastic work sees him enter April in a three-way tie for most goaltender wins (22) and in a tie for fourth in save percentage (.911%).
