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Our 20’s – Sherbrooke Phoenix

admin — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:14:54 +0000

Throughout the summer, we’ll be looking back at the QMJHL careers of our 20-year-old players, who will be moving on to new opportunities next season. Today, we feature the graduating players of the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Éloi Bourdeau Bourdeau will not be remembered for his offensive production, but rather for his leadership and outstanding work ethic. A third-round pick of the Phoenix in the 2021 QMJHL Draft, he continued his development with Magog in the U18 AAA ranks and at Champlain-Lennoxville College before earning a full-time role with the Phoenix in 2023-24. Three full seasons later, he leaves the organization with 208 career games played, ranking 13^th in franchise history. While his 39 career points don't jump off the page, they hardly reflect the impact he had in helping establish the culture embraced by the Phoenix and head coach Gilles Bouchard. Olivier Dubois Dubois was selected by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the 11^th round, 190^th overall, of the 2021 QMJHL Draft. He returned to Lévis in the U18 AAA ranks for the 2021-22 season before appearing in 39 games with the Huskies and being traded to Sherbrooke during the summer of 2023. Dubois enjoyed a strong first season with the Phoenix, recording 47 points, before injuries limited him to a combined 62 games over his 19- and 20-year-old seasons. Named team captain in 2024-25, he completed his junior career with 117 points (54 goals, 63 assists) in 185 games. Jean-Félix Lapointe Like Bourdeau, Lapointe finished his junior career with 39 points, though he accumulated them over 191 games. Standing 6-foot-6, the defenceman was considered a long-term project when the Phoenix selected him in the 14^th round of the 2021 QMJHL Draft. And like many long-term projects, his development took time. Lapointe spent one season in U18 Division 1 with Séminaire St-François and another at the collegiate level with Champlain-Lennoxville before earning a full-time spot with the Phoenix in 2023-24. His point totals of 10, 11 and 18 over his three seasons with Sherbrooke reflected a player whose greatest value came in a defensive role, where he made excellent use of his imposing frame.

Our 20’s – Newfoundland Regiment

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:35:56 +0000

Throughout the summer, we’ll be looking back at the QMJHL careers of our 20-year-old players, who will be moving on to new opportunities next season. Today, we feature the graduating players of the Newfoundland Regiment. Justin Larose Larose chose to delay his arrival at the University of Michigan by one year in order to play his 20-year-old season in Newfoundland, and he has no reason to regret that decision. The winger set a career high with 88 points (32 goals, 56 assists), finishing fourth in QMJHL scoring. His 40 power-play points and 292 shots on goal both ranked second in the league. Larose helped the Regiment finish third in the Eastern Conference and reach the second round of the playoffs in the franchise's inaugural season. It was a fitting conclusion to his junior career, as he appeared in 321 QMJHL games, tied for 52^nd-most in league history. A second-round pick of the Tigres in 2021, Larose spent three and a half seasons in Victoriaville before being traded to Drummondville midway through the 2024-25 campaign. During his time with the Tigres, he scored a career-best 38 goals in 2023-24, when the club advanced to the league semifinals. Next stop for No. 9 is the University of Michigan. Émile Perron Reaching the 300-game milestone in the QMJHL is no small feat, and Perron accomplished it in 2025-26, finishing his junior career with 88 points in 313 games. The 6-foot, 175-pound defenceman broke into the league at just 16 years old after being selected eighth overall by the Cape Breton Eagles in the 2021 QMJHL Draft out of the Gatineau Intrépide U18 AAA program. After one season in Cape Breton, Perron moved to Bathurst, where he spent the next three seasons, posting a career-high 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 2023-24. He then moved to Newfoundland, where he recorded 23 points (5 goals, 18 assists) during his 20-year-old season. His deepest playoff run came in 2026, when the Regiment reached the second round before being eliminated by the Armada. The Gatineau native will continue both his studies and hockey career close to home with the University of Ottawa in 2026-27. Blake Pilgrim-Edwards Pilgrim-Edwards was selected by the Cape Breton Eagles in the 12^th round of the 2021 QMJHL Draft but never suited up for the club, as he was acquired by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the summer of 2022 after spending a second season with Subaru Steele U18 AAA. "BPE" developed steadily in Bathurst, posting seasons of 14, 20, and 31 points, before matching that career high with another 31-point campaign in 2025-26 following the franchise's move to Newfoundland. The 5-foot-11, 169-pound energy forward from Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, wrapped up his junior career with 98 points in 228 games. He will continue his career at Maryville University beginning in 2026-27.

Hlinka Gretzky Cup: Brad MacKenzie and Matthew Smith among the coaching staff

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:03:52 +0000

Ryan Oulahen (North Bay Battalion / OHL) will serve as Team Canada’s head coach, while Ryan McDonald (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Brad MacKenzie (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL) and Kyle Chipchura (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL) will join him as assistant coaches

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is pleased to congratulate several coaches and hockey operations staff members from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) who have been named to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team for the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which will be held Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton, Alberta. Ryan Oulahen (North Bay Battalion / OHL), who served as an assistant coach when Canada won gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton, will lead Team Canada as head coach as the country looks to capture its 26th summer U18 gold medal. Oulahen will be joined behind the bench by assistant coaches Ryan McDonald (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL), Brad MacKenzie (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL) and Kyle Chipchura (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL), along with goaltending coach Jeff Harvey (Saskatoon Blades / WHL) and video coach Matthew Smith (Newfoundland Regiment / QMJHL). “We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, Ryan, Brad and Kyle to the staff for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup,” said Alan Millar, general manager of the Program of Excellence. “Each brings a pedigree of coaching experience, particularly in short-term international competition, which will be a tremendous asset as we prepare for the tournament. We’re excited to continue the process of building a team and working with a group of players who will proudly represent Canada and showcase their talent to hockey fans in Edmonton in August.” Oulahen, from Newmarket, Ontario, recently completed his seventh season as head coach of the OHL’s North Bay Battalion and his second season as the club’s assistant general manager. Prior to returning to North Bay, he spent three seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Flint Firebirds and six seasons as an assistant coach with the Battalion. A former Battalion captain during his playing days, Oulahen spent three seasons as a forward with the franchise before being selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round of the 2003 NHL Draft and playing four seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s American Hockey League affiliate. Internationally, Oulahen has won two gold medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, helping Canada capture gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2024 and 2018. He has also served behind the bench at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on three occasions, including as an assistant coach with Canada Red in 2014 and Canada Black in 2015, and as head coach of Canada White in 2017. Additionally, Oulahen served as an assistant coach for Team CHL at the inaugural 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, helping guide the CHL to a series victory over the U.S. National Under-18 Team. McDonald, from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, completed his first full season as head coach of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders in 2025-26, guiding the club to its first 50-win season since 2018-19 and an appearance in the WHL Championship Series. Prior to being named head coach, McDonald served as an assistant coach with the Raiders before being named interim head coach in March 2025. A former WHL forward, McDonald spent five seasons with the Regina Pats and Prince Albert Raiders from 2004-09, appearing in more than 300 regular-season games. Internationally, he won gold as an assistant coach alongside MacKenzie with Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge and also captured silver as an assistant coach with Team Saskatchewan at the 2023 Canada Winter Games. MacKenzie, from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was promoted to head coach of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads in July 2025 and guided the club to the playoffs in his first season behind the bench. He previously served as associate coach with the Mooseheads in 2024-25 after three seasons as an assistant coach with the club. Before joining Halifax, MacKenzie was head coach of the Grand Falls Rapids of the Maritime Hockey League, where he earned MHL Coach of the Year honours in 2020-21. He also won gold as an assistant coach with Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge. Chipchura, from Westlock, Alberta, recently completed his second season as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings after previously serving as the club’s development coach in 2023-24. Prior to joining the Oil Kings’ coaching staff, Chipchura spent two seasons with the Northern Alberta Xtreme of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, including one season as head coach of the U17 Prep team. A former WHL forward, Chipchura spent four seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders and was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2004 NHL Draft. In his final season with the Raiders, he served as team captain and also captained Canada to gold at the 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship. He went on to play 15 seasons of professional hockey from 2006-20, including 482 regular-season games in the NHL. Internationally, Chipchura also served as an assistant coach with Canada White at the 2025 U17 World Challenge. The support staff for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team will also include several representatives from across the CHL:

Head athletic therapist Colton Reiley (Cape Breton Eagles / QMJHL)
Athletic therapist Taylor Cochrane (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
Team physician Dr. Danielle Kelton (London Knights / OHL)
Head equipment manager Andrew MacNeill (Charlottetown Islanders / QMJHL)
Equipment manager J.R. Grant (Windsor Spitfires / OHL)

The coaching staff was selected by Program of Excellence general manager Alan Millar, Yanick Lemay (Drummondville Voltigeurs / QMJHL), assistant general manager of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Benoit Roy, director of hockey operations. Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team will hold a training camp from July 27-30 at NAIT Arena in Edmonton, which will include practices and a game against Sweden on July 30. Canada will also face Czechia on Aug. 1 as part of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup pre-tournament schedule. Canada will open the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Aug. 3 at 5 p.m. MT against Switzerland before facing Slovakia on Aug. 4 and Sweden on Aug. 5 to close out the preliminary round. The tournament will conclude with the medal games on Aug. 8. The roster for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team training camp will be announced at a later date. For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

Our 20’s – Val-d’Or Foreurs

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:08:58 +0000

Throughout the summer, we’ll be looking back at the QMJHL careers of our 20-year-old players, who will be moving on to new opportunities next season. Today, we feature the graduating players of the Val-d’Or Foreurs. Maxime Coursol Coursol made history with the Rimouski Océanic before finishing his junior career in Val-d'Or, where he recorded a personal-best 69 points (25G-44A) in 2025-26. Prior to that, he had played 210 games in a Rimouski uniform, ranking 18^th all-time among the franchise's forwards. The 12^th overall pick in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft, Coursol totaled 203 points (83G-120A) in 261 QMJHL games and helped the Océanic reach both the 2025 QMJHL Final and play in the Memorial Cup tournament. In Val-d'Or, his hockey sense and relentless work ethic made him an ideal complement to Philippe Veilleux and Nathan Brisson. He will study and play for the University of Ottawa in 2026-27. Xavier Daigle Daigle experienced a whirlwind 2025-26 season, moving from the Eagles to the Saguenéens before finishing the year with the Foreurs. His first three QMJHL seasons had been much more stable, producing 20, 24, and 28 points with the Eagles, who selected him 34^th overall in the 2021 QMJHL Draft out of the Lévis Chevaliers U18 AAA program. Daigle appeared in five games with Cape Breton as a 16-year-old rookie before earning a full-time role in 2022-23. His dependable two-way play earned him an opportunity with the University of New Brunswick following a junior career of 97 points in 257 games. Louis-Charles Plourde Like Coursol and Daigle, Plourde will continue his career in U Sports next season with the UQTR Patriotes. He was already 17 years old when the Drakkar selected him 72^nd overall in the 2022 QMJHL Draft. He began the following season in the QJHL with the Princeville Titan, where he excelled with 43 points in just 18 games, earning a recall to the Drakkar. The following year, he helped Baie-Comeau reach the QMJHL Final, where the team fell to Drummondville. His 19-year-old season was by far his best, as he scored 34 goals and 64 points. Then, after just eight games in 2025-26, he was traded to Val-d'Or, where he added valuable offensive depth with 27 points in 32 games. The former Trois-Rivières Estacades U18 AAA standout concludes his junior career with 144 points (72G-72A) in 219 games.

Our 20’s – Victoriaville Tigres

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:00:36 +0000

Throughout the summer, we’ll be looking back at the QMJHL careers of our 20-year-old players, who will be moving on to new opportunities next season. Today, we feature the graduating players of the Victoriaville Tigres. Alexis Bourque A native of Gatineau, Bourque was selected seventh overall by the Armada in the 2021 QMJHL Draft. At just 16 years old, he earned a spot with Blainville-Boisbriand, where he spent two and a half seasons before being traded to Victoriaville. With the Tigres, he reached the semifinals in 2024 and, this season, posted career highs with 21 goals and 42 points as an overager. Only Egor Shilov and Alexey Vlasov recorded more points for Victoriaville. Bourque concludes his junior career with 152 points in 286 games, and will play for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 2026–27. Simon-Pier Brunet A fifth-round pick of the Drummondville Voltigeurs in 2021, Brunet spent the 2021–22 season with Gatineau in the M18 AAA ranks, Las Vegas in the USPHL Premier, and Drummondville (five games) before becoming a full-time Voltigeur in 2022–23.The following season, he was part of an outstanding defensive corps that included Vsevolod Komarov, Mikaël Diotte and Maveric Lamoureux (who didn’t play in the playoffs), helping the Voltigeurs defeat Baie-Comeau to capture the Gilles-Courteau Trophy. A few weeks later, the Buffalo Sabres selected him 123^rd overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. Brunet was traded to Victoriaville in the summer of 2025, and the Tigres quickly named him team captain. After recording 77 points in 218 QMJHL games, the 6'2", 205-pound right-shot defenceman will attend Merrimack College next season. Thomas Paquet Paquet also began his junior career with the Armada before being traded to Victoriaville midway through the 2024–25 season. Unlike Bourque, however, he was a late 11^th-round selection by Blainville-Boisbriand in the 2021 QMJHL Draft. He played two games with the Armada in 2021–22 and 40 more in 2022–23, while continuing to develop his game with the Lévis Chevaliers in the M18 AAA ranks. This season, he also set a career high with 42 points, surpassing his previous best by 16 points. That performance allowed him to reach the 100-point milestone in the Q, in 226 games.

2028 Memorial Cup: it will be Moncton or Quebec City!

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:01:29 +0000

Moncton Wildcats & Québec Remparts named finalists to host the 2028 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that the Moncton Wildcats and Québec Remparts of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) have been selected as the two finalist clubs in the bid to host the 2028 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota. Moncton and Québec were selected by the 2028 Memorial Cup Site Selection Committee, an independent panel of five individuals with extensive experience across the sports landscape. As the first step in the process, the committee reviewed submissions from QMJHL clubs that declared their intent to bid before identifying the two finalist clubs that would advance. Both organizations will now be invited to submit formal written bids, before delivering bid presentations and hosting site visits. The committee will evaluate each bid across four categories: Business Operations; Local Atmosphere, Events & Community Engagement; Event Logistics; and Hockey Operations, before determining the host of the 2028 tournament. The 2028 host city is expected to be announced by the end of October. “The Memorial Cup holds a special place in our game because of the players, fans, volunteers, and communities who bring it to life each year,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “Moncton and Québec are two proud hockey markets with deep connections to this championship, passionate fan bases, strong organizational leadership, and a clear understanding of what it takes to host an event of this calibre. We are confident either city would provide an exceptional stage for the 2028 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, and we thank all of the QMJHL clubs that expressed interest in being part of this process.” “The Moncton Wildcats are thrilled to be named a finalist to host the 2028 Memorial Cup. We look forward to presenting our vision of this major event to the selection committee. We know we have the fans, sponsors, hockey organization, and community support both in the Greater Moncton area and the province to host another successful national championship,” shared R.J. Irving, President of the Moncton Wildcats. “We also have state-of-the-art facilities and an established standard of winning on the ice. With additional events planned in the community to complement the on-ice competition, Moncton will be the place everyone will want to be in May 2028.” “We are very pleased to have been selected as finalists and are very confident that the bid we submit will be strong and meet the expectations of the CHL’s Site Selection Committee,” stated Tommy Castonguay, Vice-President of Operations for the Québec Remparts. “For the past three years, we have expressed our interest in hosting this tournament, which will coincide with our team coming into its own. The work is only just beginning, and we will put everything in place to demonstrate that the Remparts and the beautiful city of Québec are recognized for hosting major events like the 2028 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota.” The Moncton Wildcats and Québec Remparts each boast meaningful connections to the Memorial Cup and a proven track record of hosting major hockey events. Moncton proudly hosted the tournament in 2006, when the Wildcats reached the championship game against the Remparts, and later returned to the Memorial Cup as QMJHL champion in 2010 and 2025. The city has also welcomed several major CHL events, including the 1994 CHL All-Star Challenge, Canada/Russia Series games in 2005, 2017 and 2019, and the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at the Avenir Centre. Québec, meanwhile, owns one of the richest Memorial Cup histories in the CHL. Across the original and current Remparts eras, the club has captured the Memorial Cup three times, winning in 1971, 2006 and most recently in 2023, when the Remparts capped a run of four straight Memorial Cup titles by QMJHL clubs — the longest championship streak by any CHL Member League since the tournament adopted its round-robin format in 1972. Québec City has also served as a frequent stage for the event, staging the 1971 championship and hosting the Memorial Cup tournament in 1991, 2003 and 2015, while welcoming major CHL showcases such as the 2007 and 2017 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Games and Canada/Russia Series contests in 2004 and 2011. The Remparts are also set to serve as one of two host clubs for the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, with Game 2 scheduled for Dec. 2 at Vidéotron Centre. The most recent Memorial Cup was held this past May in Kelowna, B.C., where the Kitchener Rangers defeated the Everett Silvertips 6-2 in the final to capture the third Memorial Cup title in franchise history. With the victory, Kitchener joined the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, Windsor Spitfires, and London Knights as the only clubs to win three Memorial Cup titles since the tournament adopted its round-robin format in 1972. The championship marked Kitchener’s first since 2003, capped a perfect 4-0 run at the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, and extended the OHL’s Memorial Cup winning streak to three straight years following Saginaw in 2024 and London in 2025. Looking ahead, the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota will be hosted by the Guelph Storm of the OHL and staged in Guelph, Ontario, from Thursday, May 20, through Sunday, May 30, 2027. The 107th edition of the tournament will mark the Royal City’s third time hosting junior hockey’s premier championship and will coincide with Guelph’s bicentennial celebrations.

41 QMJHL players attending NHL Development Camps

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:50:50 +0000

Following the NHL Draft in Buffalo this past weekend, where 20 QMJHL players were selected—the league's highest total since 2021—an additional 21 skaters have now earned invitations to NHL development camps, which are currently taking place across the league. The Cape Breton Eagles and Gatineau Olympiques lead the way with three invitees each. For the Eagles, Alonso Gosselin was invited by the Philadelphia Flyers, Noah Jettelson by the Colorado Avalanche, and Elias Schneider by the Los Angeles Kings. Gosselin spent the 2025-26 season with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, while Schneider played for the Shawinigan Cataractes. For the Olympiques, Maxim Dubé is attending the New York Rangers' camp, Michel Myloserdnyy is with the Nashville Predators, and Dylan Allie is participating in the Vegas Golden Knights' camp. Five teams saw two of their players receive invitations: the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (Vincent Desjardins and Torkel Jennersjö), Drummondville Voltigeurs (Jesse Allecia and Owen Keefe), Halifax Mooseheads (Liam Kilfoil and Daniel Walters), Quebec Remparts (Mathias Loiselle and Nikita Ovcharov), and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (Samuel Beauchemin and Benjamin Brunelle). The five other QMJHL players invited to NHL development camps are Marcus Kearsey of the Charlottetown Islanders (Columbus), Cameron Chartrand of the Saint John Sea Dogs (Columbus), Kody Dupuis of the Shawinigan Cataractes (Calgary), Thomas Rousseau of the Sherbrooke Phoenix (Montréal), and Justin Larose of the Newfoundland Regiment (Dallas). Just as they did at the NHL Draft this past weekend with three selections, the Colorado Avalanche proved to be the most generous NHL club in terms of development camp invitations, extending three invites—to Jennersjö, Jettelson, and Loiselle. Quebec-based scout Jérôme Mésonéro undoubtedly played a significant role in those decisions. The Philadelphia Flyers (Gosselin and Beauchemin), Los Angeles Kings (Schneider and Walters), Columbus Blue Jackets (Kearsey and Chartrand), Nashville Predators (Keefe and Myloserdnyy), and Montréal Canadiens (Ovcharov and Rousseau) each invited two QMJHL players to their development camps. _ The 21 players invited to NHL development camps:

Blainville-Boisbriand	Vincent Desjardins - Ottawa
	Torkel Jennersjö - Colorado
Cape Breton	Alonso Gosselin - Philadelphia
	Noah Jettelson - Colorado
	Elias Schneider - Los Angeles
Charlottetown	Marcus Kearsey - Columbus
Drummondville	Jesse Allecia – NY Rangers
	Owen Keefe - Nashville
Gatineau	Maxim Dubé - Ottawa
	Michel Myloserdnyy - Nashville
	Dylan Allie - Vegas
Halifax	Quinn Kennedy - Utah
	Daniel Walters - Los Angeles
Newfoundland	Justin Larose - Dallas
Québec	Mathias Loiselle - Colorado
	Nikita Ovcharov - Montréal
Rouyn-Noranda	Samuel Beauchemin - Philadelphia
	Benjamin Brunelle - NY Islanders
Saint John	Cameron Chartrand - Columbus
Shawinigan	Kody Dupuis - Calgary
Sherbrooke	Thomas Rousseau - Montréal

_ Click here to see the 20 QMJHL players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft

QMJHL teams add 38 players during 2026 CHL Import Draft

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:21:39 +0000

The 2026 CHL Import Draft was held earlier today and QMJHL teams selected a total of 38 players that were born in European countries. The Halifax Mooseheads, who acquired the second overall selection in a trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar yesterday, got things started by using that pick to claim 17-year-old Austrian forward, Paul Sintschnig. The Rimouski Océanic was the next QMJHL representative to speak, opting to select Czechian winger Maxmilian Mares with the 5^th overall pick. The only other QMJHL squad to select inside the Top 10 was the Gatineau Olympiques, who used the 8^th overall pick on Russian-born forward Ilya Pautov. For the second straight year, the CHL Import Draft consisted of three rounds as the CHL enters its second season with three import player spots available on each club’s roster. However, new rules were in effect for this year’s draft: 20-year-old import players were eligible to be selected in any round, while 16-year-old import players could only be selected in the first round. CHL clubs can carry a maximum of one 16-year-old import player per season. That player cannot be traded or replaced by another import player during his 16-year-old season. If a 16-year-old import player is released to another level of hockey during the regular season or deleted from a club’s roster, that club will be limited to two import players for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. In the end, every QMJHL team added two players in the first two rounds of this year’s CHL Import Draft. The only QMJHL teams to select players in the third round of the draft, however, were the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Charlottetown Islanders – all other clubs having filled their import player roster spots by then. _ VIEW ALL 2026 CHL IMPORT DRAFT PICKS HERE

NHL Entry Draft: 20 QMJHL prospects selected in 2026

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 20:49:53 +0000

A total of 20 QMJHL players were selected in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the league’s highest total since 2021 (24). In addition, for the first time in five years, 10 prospects from the Cecchini Circuit cracked the NHL’s Top 100.

On Friday night, during the first round, Maddox Dagenais of the Québec Remparts was selected 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues, while Tommy Bleyl of the Moncton Wildcats went 31st overall to the Nashville Predators. On Saturday, Xavier Villeneuve of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada became the first QMJHL player selected, going 34th overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. The defenceman, who was ranked 18th among North American skaters, recorded 38 points in just 37 games after his season was shortened by injury. QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year Egor Shilov, of the Victoriaville Tigres, was then selected 43rd overall by the Colorado Avalanche. Fresh off winning the Gilles-Courteau Trophy with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Liam Lefebvre followed at 46th overall, heading to the Los Angeles Kings. Oleg Kulebiakin of the Halifax Mooseheads became the third QMJHL forward selected in the second round, going 52nd overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The first goaltender from the QMJHL selected was Danai Shaiikov of the Gatineau Olympiques, chosen 67th overall by the New York Rangers, who also selected Québec Remparts defenceman Charlie Morrison 10 picks later. Rian Chudzinski of the Moncton Wildcats (82nd overall, Anaheim Ducks) and Louis-Félix Bourque of the Drummondville Voltigeurs (91st overall, Ottawa Senators) helped the QMJHL place 10 prospects in the NHL Draft’s Top 100 for the first time since 2021. The Colorado Avalanche selected three players from the QMJHL, while the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning each selected two. The Québec Remparts and Moncton Wildcats led all QMJHL clubs with three players drafted apiece, followed by the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Halifax Mooseheads and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies with two each. All 20 QMJHL players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft 1. Maddox Dagenais, F, Québec Remparts – 16th overall, St. Louis Blues 2. Tommy Bleyl, D, Moncton Wildcats – 31st overall, Nashville Predators - 3. Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada – 34th overall, Chicago Blackhawks 4. Egor Shilov, F, Victoriaville Tigres – 43rd overall, Colorado Avalanche 5. Liam Lefebvre, F, Chicoutimi Saguenéens – 46th overall, Los Angeles Kings 6. Oleg Kulebyakin, F, Halifax Mooseheads – 52nd overall, Tampa Bay Lightning - 7. Danai Shaiikov, G, Gatineau Olympiques – 67th overall, New York Rangers 8. Charlie Morrison, D, Québec Remparts – 77th overall, New York Rangers 9. Rian Chudzinski, F, Moncton Wildcats – 82nd overall, Anaheim Ducks 10. Louis-Félix Bourque, F, Drummondville Voltigeurs – 91st overall, Ottawa Senators - 11. Olivers Murnieks, F, Saint John Sea Dogs – 124th overall, Buffalo Sabres - 12. Alexandre Taillefer, D, Québec Remparts – 135th overall, Winnipeg Jets 13. Florent Houle, F, Sherbrooke Phoenix – 147th overall, Utah Mammoth - 14. Lars Steiner, F, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – 171st overall, St. Louis Blues 15. Benjamin Cossette Ayotte, D, Val-d'Or Foreurs – 179th overall, Nashville Predators 16. Dylan Dumont, F, Drummondville Voltigeurs – 188th overall, Buffalo Sabres - 17. Shawn Carrier, F, Halifax Mooseheads – 195th overall, Colorado Avalanche 18. Alexandre Raymond, G, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – 215th overall, Colorado Avalanche 19. Louis-Antoine Denault, G, Newfoundland Regiment – 217th overall, Florida Panthers 20. Max Vilen, D, Moncton Wildcats – 218th overall, Tampa Bay Lightning

2026 NHL Draft: QMJHL Produces Two First-Round Picks

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:31:09 +0000

Two QMJHL players were selected in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Friday night in Buffalo. As expected, Gavin McKenna was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ivar Stenberg followed, going to the San Jose Sharks. The first QMJHL player chosen was Québec Remparts forward Maddox Dagenais, who was selected 16^th overall by the St. Louis Blues. Dagenais finished the 2025-26 season with 62 points in 62 games, including 30 goals. It marks the second consecutive year the Blues have used their first-round pick on a QMJHL player, following Blainville-Boisbriand Armada forward Justin Carbonneau, who was selected 19^th overall in 2025. Then, with the 31^st overall pick, Moncton Wildcats defenceman Tommy Bleyl was selected by the Nashville Predators. Bleyl was named the QMJHL Defenceman of the Year and Rookie of the Year, while also earning CHL Rookie of the Year honours after recording an outstanding 81-point season. Last year, the QMJHL produced three first-round selections: Caleb Desnoyers (4^th overall, Utah), Justin Carbonneau (19^th overall, St. Louis), and Bill Zonnon (22^nd overall, Pittsburgh). The second round gets underway Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. Among the QMJHL players to watch are Blainville-Boisbriand Armada defenceman Xavier Villeneuve, Victoriaville Tigres forward Egor Shilov, and forward Liam Lefebvre, who recently won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. As for Jan Larys, ranked fifth among North American netminders, he is expected to be the first QMJHL goaltender selected.