Wild first round at the 2016 QMJHL Draft

Charlottetown, PEI – It was an action-packed first round at the 2016 QMJHL Draft in Charlottetown as the trades came fast and furious.

In what would prove to be the only thing that went according to plan on this busy morning, no one was shocked to see the Halifax pounce on top-ranked Benoit-Olivier Groulx with the No. 1 pick. The talented forward was all smiles as he slipped on his jersey for the first time.

“I’m very honored to be chosen by the Mooseheads, they are a first class organization. I’m very excited to make my QMJHL and I’m ready to work hard this summer to be ready,” said Groulx.

The Mooseheads apparently were just getting warmed up for a busy day. The Halifax braintrust then wheeled and dealed, acquiring the No. 2 pick from Baie-Comeau in exchange for picks No. 7, No. 16, No. 24 this year and a first rounder in 2017.

The Mooseheads then marched up to podium once again to this time select Cole Harbour’s Jared McIsaac at No. 2, a local product who was the consensus top rated defenceman in this year’s draft.

“There are no words, I’m very excited and humbled by this. I live right across the bridge from Halifax and you always dream of playing for your hometown,” said McIsaac.

At No. 3, the Drummondville Voltigeurs got their hands on the top-rated goalie in this year’s harvest, Olivier Rodrique. After a tough year between the pipes for the Voltigeurs, this blue chip prospect fits in well with the club’s needs.

“This is an incredible moment for me. I will never forget this. This is really the best moment of my life so far,” said Rodrigue.

The moves then continued, as Chicoutimi and Sherbrooke swapped picks and a player which led to the Sags picking No. 4. That pick was then immediately sent to Drakkar who ended up selecting speedy forward Gabriel Fortier from the Lac St. Louis Lions.

“I’m very happy to be selected by Baie-Comeau. The fact they made a move to pick also feels good. I’m looking forward to training camp and giving all I’ve got,” said Fortier.

In what was the theme of the first round, the deals continued.

Slated to pick next, Acadie-Bathurst instead dealt their No. 5 pick to the Armada for their No. 6 and a third rounder next year. Blainville-Boisbriand president, GM and coach Joel Bouchard then had something else up his sleeve as he walked over to the Drakkar’s draft table to work out a deal with Baie-Comeau. That No. 5 pick was then sent to Baie-Comeau for No. 7 and a second rounder in 2018.

So after all that, the Drakkar found itself back on stage and this time selected forward Xavier Bouchard, the son of Rouyn-Noranda GM/Coach Gilles Bouchard.

“This is an incredible feeling, I’m happy to join the Drakkar organization. It was great to see what the Huskies did for their 20^th anniversary season this year and now I will look to do the same for Baie Comeau with their 20th,” said Bouchard in reference to his dad’s incredible year in Rouyn-Noranda.

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan heard a roar from the crowd then chose local PEI defenceman Noah Dobson at No. 6. The skilled blue-liner’s interesting path to the QMHL saw him play in Europe for FC Salzbourg.

At No. 7, the Armada selected Mathias Laferriere from the Lac St. Louist Lions. The talented forward and Montreal native won’t have to travel far to join the Armada.

The Sagueneens and their new leadership group led by Marc Denis then walked onto the stage to welcome Samuel Houde out of College Esther Blondin at No. 8.

The Drakkar were then back at it for the No. 9 pick which was their third one of the first round, selecting rugged forward Shawn Element from the Trois-Rivières Estacades.

This year, the first round included 19 picks instead of the usual 18 due to a unique rule. Since Cape Breton was unable to come to an agreement with their first-rounder from a year ago and were compensated for that with a pick in this year’s draft, this time only five spots lower than where they selected in 2015. That translated into a No. 9 pick that was dealt by the Screaming Eagles to the Baie Comeau Drakkar.

Other picks:

10) Anderson MacDonald, forward, Saint John (NB) – Sherbrooke Phoenix

11) Olivier Mathieu, forward, Magog (MAAA), Saint John Sea Dogs

12) Xavier Bernard, defender, Chateauguay (MAAA), Drummondville Voltigeurs

13) Kevin Mandolese, goaltender, College Esther-Blondin (MAAA), Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

14) Andrew Coxhead, forward, Dartmouth Steele Subaru (NS), Quebec Remparts (acquired from Cape Breton)

15) Jeremy Bucheler, defender, Lac St-Louis (MAAA), Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (acquired from Moncton)

16) Édouard St-Laurent, forward, Levis (MAAA), Baie-Comeau Drakkar

17) Cédric Desruisseaux, forward, Trois-Rivieres (MAAA), Victoriaville Tigres

18) Marc-Olivier Alain, defender, Seminaire St-François (MAAA) Charlottetown Islanders

19) Evan Mackinnon, forward, Dartmouth Steele Subaru (NS) Rouyn-Noranda Huskies