Under the Microscope | November’s QMJHL Prospects

During each month of the regular season, QMJHL scouts provide us with reports on some of the top prospects for the upcoming QMJHL Entry Draft presented by Fenplast.

Here is their analysis of the prospects for the month of November.

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Alexy Blanchette – Defenseman – Jonquière Élites

Blanchette is a young right-handed defenseman who has an impressive build for his age and a strong physical presence when on the ice. Although he has only picked up one point this season, his defensive role is essential to the team’s structure. He is known for his strong positional play, his ability to cut off passing lanes, and his good reading of the game.

His physicality and disciplined defensive play allow his coaches to use him often to neutralize opposing forwards. Blanchette also moves the puck well, which helps him get the offense going with clean breakouts.

• Daniel Noonan, CSR Scout

 

Nathan Boulanger – Goaltender – Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix

Boulanger is a goaltender with good size and good speed.  He is an athletic player who has good explosion in his legs. Reactive in his net, his hands work well in front of his body. He has the ability to recover quickly after making the initial save, but sometimes gets up too fast, not taking enough information when the rebound is close to the net. While it can be hard for him to challenge shooters with screens in front of him, he is known as a netminder who’s poised and in control when moving within his crease.

Boulanger has very good individual statistics in terms of both save percentage and goals-against average this season, despite sharing the net with a veteran on a team that sits in the middle of the overall standings in Quebec’s U18 AAA League.

• Maxime Ouellet, CSR Goaltending Specialist

 

Liam Bowles – Defenseman – Saint John Vitos

Bowles is a defenseman with a good combination of size and speed that makes him a threat on both sides of the puck. He’s a strong skater, which allows him to join the rush and create scoring chances on one end, while being able to come back on defense quickly. He uses his 6’1’’ and 182-pound frame to protect the puck and win battles in his own zone. A physical player, he won’t be intimidated by anyone and will finish his hits every time he can.

Bowles is a very mobile player who moves well along the blue line in the offensive zone, which helps him find open lanes to deliver hard shots on net. These skills, along with his rushing abilities, could make him an asset on the power play. Overall, his hard work and relentless playing style brings energy to his team and is always noticed when he steps on the ice.

• David Landry, New Brunswick CSR Scout

 

Chase Cleary – Forward – Collège Notre-Dame Albatros

Following a productive season at the U15 AAA Elite level, where he scored 22 goals and racked up 32 points in 30 games, Cleary is keeping up his momentum with 17 points in 26 games so far in his rookie season with the Albatros. He possesses excellent speed, with and without the puck, as well as good vision, which allows him to not only generate scoring chances for himself, but also to create opportunities for his teammates.

Although he still needs to strengthen the physical aspect of his game, his technical skills make him a creative and dynamic player. He has very interesting potential for years to come.

• Frédéric Lévesque, CSR Scout

 

Morgan Flemming – Forward – Valley Wildcats

Flemming is a big, skilled forward who skates well and has a great shot and release. He has already shown the ability to put the puck in the net in his rookie season in the NSUM18MHL, amassing 16 goals in 25 games, good for 4th in the League.

A smart player with a good hockey IQ, he is creative with the puck on his stick and a threat to score every time he enters the offensive zone. He has all the tools to be a gifted goal scorer at the next level, which makes him an exciting player to watch heading into the 2026 Draft.

• Taylor P. Burke, Nova Scotia CSR Scout

 

Noah Hackett – Defenseman – Kensington Wild

Hackett is a solid defender that skates well and is a good passer. Although defensive minded, he has a good shot and can contribute offensively. Confident in his abilities, he has shown very good anticipation to break up his opponent’s plays. He is very good at not giving up the blue line, using his stick well and always seeking opportunities to deliver solid hits.

Defensively, Noah is both physical and strong in corner battles or in front of the net. He is willing to block shots and is effective at taking away shooting lanes. While his confidence to step up in the play is a strength, he needs to have better awareness of the coverages behind him. With improvements in his foot speed, Hackett should have all the tools to become a reliable two-way defenseman at the next level.

• Corrado Micalef, Prince Edward Island CSR Scout

 

Joey Lackman – Defenseman – Lac St-Louis Lions

Lackman possesses several qualities for a defenseman who excels at breakouts. His mobility and speed allow him to make excellent zone exits. In addition, his anticipation combined with good positioning make him a difficult defenseman to play against.

In addition to being good at cutting off passing lanes in all three zones, Lackman provides his teammates with adequate support when they are on offense. A good leader, his presence on the ice and in the locker room is greatly appreciated by everyone around him.

• Benoît Payment, CSR Scout

 

Noah O’Connell – Forward – Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix

Presenting himself as a power forward who is effective at both ends of the ice, O’Connell shows interesting potential. Increasingly effective at recovering the puck, he’s learning how to use his 6’2″ frame to his advantage to win battles along the boards.

That said, we would like to see him improve his decision-making speed with the puck, in order to avoid dead plays and convert them into clearer scoring opportunities. With quicker shots on goal, effective transitions, and improved game reading, O’Connell will become a much more complete player.

• Jérémie Bergeron, CSR Scout

 

Damien Roy – Forward – Magog Cantonniers

Roy is a left-handed forward with good size. He stands out for his ability to use his frame to effectively protect the puck in difficult situations, while facilitating puck retrievals in the opposing zone. His presence in front of the net allows him to seize scoring opportunities or to create space for his teammates.

In addition to his physical attributes, Roy is highly skilled. He is able to stickhandle the puck to allow his teammates to gain time to get open. It will be interesting to see how he continues to progress throughout the season.

• Jean-Pierre Belzil, CSR Scout

 

Jayden Tillman – Defenseman – Bishop Kearney Selects 15’s

Tillman is a young Nova Scotian currently in his second season with the Bishop Kearney Selects program in the state of New York. A right-handed defenseman, he is very well built and an excellent skater, combining power, speed, and agility. He is a tough defenseman to get around and difficult to play against.

Tillman has an excellent shot, which he releases with both power and accuracy. In fact, it’s a shot we’d like to see him use more often. The young defenseman plays with confidence and exudes a certain presence when on the ice. With his style and maturity, he will undoubtedly be a closely watched defenseman for the upcoming draft.

• Pierre Cholette, CSR Director

 

Samuel Williams – Defenseman – East Coast Blizzard

Sam Williams is a left-handed defenseman who leverages his strong hockey IQ to excel offensively, defensively, and in transition. He consistently challenges opposing forwards by holding a tight gap and using his skating ability and active stick to close plays early. In his own zone, Sam shows confidence and poise with the puck, making smart first passes that create clean breakouts.

Williams also demonstrates strong decision-making on the offensive blue line, finding open ice and keeping plays alive while under pressure. He will continue to grow physically and develop his strength, giving him many of the tools needed to become a reliable two-way defenseman at the next level.

• Marcus Power, Newfoundland and Labrador CSR Scout