Road to the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft – April Prospects
Caylen Blake – Forward – Mount St.Charles Academy 15U
Caylen Blake has exceptional speed and uses his edges to get to the net when he gains a step on a defender. He was granted exceptional status last season to play in the NLU18MHL as an under-ager for the Western Kings. A highly skilled player, Blake is very dangerous when he has the puck in open space.
The forward scored one of the nicest goals of the Atlantic Challenge Cup tournament back in October, an overtime end-to-end goal that showcased his skating and ability to beat players in 1-on-1 situations. Blake will likely be a high selection during June’s QMJHL Entry Draft.
- Andrew Pearcey, Newfoundland and Labrador CSR Scout
Jean-Samuel Daigneault – Defenseman – Collège Charles-Lemoyne Riverains
Jean-Samuel is a left-handed defenseman with good size and good skating ability. He’s the kind of player who distributes bodychecks that destabilize his opponents. Effective in the defensive zone, he uses his size and mobility to win battles along the boards and get the puck out quickly. As the years go by, he will mature physically, and this will enable him to be even more effective.
Daigneault made great progress throughout the year, both in terms of puck control and decision-making during breakouts. He’s a player with great potential.
- Jean-Pierre Belzil, CSR Scout
Louis-Félix Gagnon – Defenseman – Séminaire Saint-François Blizzard
Louis-Félix Gagnon is a left-handed blueliner who is mobile and who plays a lot of minutes in every game. He has a very good reading of the play and is particularly effective during his team’s breakouts. A reliable defenseman, he is used regularly on the power play and when shorthanded, as well as at the end of periods.
Gagnon can be described as a complete defender, who is used for both offensive and defensive missions. He could certainly become a great acquisition for any team at the next level.
- Frédéric Lévesque, CSR Scout
Jacob Gouchie – Defenseman – Moncton Flyers
The right-handed defenseman is the complete package on the blue line. Standing at almost 6’1’’ and 200 pounds, he uses his size well to clear the front of his net and to keep players on the outside. Even at that size, Gouchie can skate with anyone in the league. He has good top-end speed and agility, paired with solid puck control that allows him to carry it from end-to-end with relative ease. Gouchie has elite vision and delivers crisp, accurate passes out of his zone to facilitate the breakout.
He can be used in all aspects of the game. He’s a scoring threat on the power play with his heavy shot from the point or he can move the puck well to set up his teammates. He’s also a polished defender who can break up dangerous scoring opportunities with his active stick and strength. He’s always aware of where everyone is on the ice, which helps him to be an effective penalty killer.
- David Landry, New Brunswick CSR Scout
Joshua Henry – Defenseman – Rothesay Netherwood School U18
Joshua is a very intriguing prospect. He is a big and imposing defenseman at 6’2” and 180lbs. He skates well and has great speed, which he often uses to join the rush and carry the puck into the offensive zone.
The blueliner has a long reach and can be difficult to play against when he is moving his feet and using his stick and size to his advantage. He has a lot of exceptional tools at his disposal and, with a little more poise and simplicity in his game, he could become a high-upside draft pick this year.
- Taylor P. Burke, Nova Scotia CSR Scout
Tynan Lawrence – Forward – Shattuck St.Mary’s U16 AAA
Tynan is an elite left-handed center with above-average offensive skills. He’s as good a playmaker as he is a goal scorer. His efficiency rate on face-offs is close to 60%, but he occasionally plays on the wings, which allows him to exploit his wrist shot, which he releases with vigor and without warning. Lawrence continually faces the play, finding himself on the right side of the puck at all times.
His feet remain in constant motion, allowing him to compensate for a slight lack of explosion that will be remedied by gaining strength. He doesn’t hesitate to take a check to complete his plays, and his puck control and time of possession make him a scoring threat at all times. Defensively, he constantly backchecks to support his teammates in the defensive zone. Tynan has all the tools needed to quickly become an impact player at the next level.
- Pierre Cholette, CSR Director
Declan MacLauchlan – Forward – Charlottetown Knights
Declan is considered as an offensive-minded forward. He has a quick release, is a good passer and has shown the ability to contribute offensively, with the majority of his goals being scored at even strength. Declan engages in puck battles and does not hesitate to go to the net. He has very good puck-handling skills and quickly gets open in the offensive zone to become a scoring threat.
The main areas MacLauchlan needs to improve in are his skating, upper-body strength, and defensive play. Declan is a very skilled player with upside potential that makes him a good bet to play at the next level once he’s matured physically.
- Corrado Micalef, Prince Edward Island CSR Scout
Jayden Plouffe – Forward – Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix
Jayden Plouffe is a very talented player, a proud competitor, who is energetic and possesses a lot of character. It’s rare to find all these qualities in a single player of his age. Offensively speaking, he’s always on the move, enabling him to break free from his opponents’ coverage.
Thanks to his superior vision and playmaking skills, Plouffe is often used at the point on the power play. Very creative, he distributes the puck well to his teammates and possesses a powerful, precise shot.
- Daniel Noonan, CSR Scout
Antoine Proulx – Goaltender – Lévis Chevaliers
Antoine is a smaller sized goaltender that has shown a strong positioning game in front of his net. He is almost always square to the shooter and that allows him to play bigger than his size. His hands react well in front of his body on high shots, which makes him efficient on the initial shots.
Proulx works really hard in his lateral movements, trying to beat the pass with good T pushes and to get set before the shot is fired. He plays with a lot of consistency in his game, showing these qualities every time he hits the ice. His main weakness is that, at times, he can have a hard time locating pucks through traffic.
- Maxime Ouellet, CSR Goaltending Specialist
Thomas Rousseau – Forward – St-Eustache Vikings
Thomas stands out thanks to his commitment level and hard work at both ends of the rink, which make him a reliable player. He knows how to position himself well on the ice, which allows him to generate good scoring chances. He has a strong understanding of the game that leads him to make sound decisions with and without the puck. Although he’s not necessarily the biggest, he’s not afraid of physical play.
Used in all situations by his coaches this season, Rousseau raised his game in the playoffs in the absence of a few key veterans. He’ll need to continue working on his physical strength, but he’ll definitely become a valuable asset to a QMJHL team.
- Katerine Aubry-Hébert, CSR Scout
Dylan Rozzi – Forward – Lac-St-Louis Lions
The U15 scoring champion last year, Dylan has carried his momentum to the U18 level this season. His statistics don’t lie; he finished tied with Jayden Plouffe as the top scorer among players born in 2008. Dylan demonstrated the full extent of his talent, notably his excellent sense of anticipation, which makes him a feared opponent when it comes to retrieving pucks in both the neutral and offensive zones.
Rozzi’s offensive flair allows him to create many opportunities, both for himself and his teammates. He has ultra-fast hands and can be used at the point on the power play. His scoring ability is undeniable, and he even manages to be a threat on the penalty kill. He is constantly working to improve all aspects of his game.
- Benoît Payment, CSR Scout