2023 QMJHL Draft

[Craig Ludwig]

QMJHL teams employ an assistance for education for teams to make sure kids are doing their work...kids have to grow up fast in sports and players are before being drafted by a QMJHL are asked for school marks...teams want mature players even at 16 years old i know this because i was with Gatineau Olympiques for a LONG time as a scout.

as for the prep school most kids have to decide between U18 hockey or prep school usually not QMJHL or Prep. so if you going the it is hard to juggle all this route, kids going prep school have to juggle a new environment, new friends, no family around, either billets or living at the prep school so that is sometimes a lot of kids 14 to 16 to juggle with school, hockey, new everything....when if they stay and play U18 they are home, familiar area, it takes stress off. There is no clear cut way right or wrong way to go...I was speaking from experiences that I witnessed in my years...

Great insight, appreciate it. To me though, the ultimate path, if kid is good enough, is Prep School to get U.S Exposure, then Division 1 College. If you go to the Q, that is no longer an option. But kid has to be really good to get to Division 1. If you can do that, you are well set in terms of contacts later in life for work because the odds that you make it in the NHL are slim to none..

 

[Lap2000]

Great insight, appreciate it. To me though, the ultimate path, if kid is good enough, is Prep School to get U.S Exposure, then Division 1 College. If you go to the Q, that is no longer an option. But kid has to be really good to get to Division 1. If you can do that, you are well set in terms of contacts later in life for work because the odds that you make it in the NHL are slim to none..

I think the one opinion I see with a lot of parents is that education is better in the US. Canadian education is actually pretty decent and universities are very good in Canada in general. There are world class schools here. Going qmjhl and then getting another ride at a Canadian university for 4 or 5 years playing a sport you love until your about 26 years old is a hell of a ride for a hockey career as well as a kick ass education. Prep schools in the US for girls is the best decision as we don’t have the population but for boys there are many ultimate paths.

 

[Prospect Tracker]

I had the chance to take a look at a QMJHL draft analysis of the 2017 to 2021 drafts. They identified every player selected who played at least 100 games in the league for drafts 2017-2018-2019. For 2020-2021, they picked up players who played at least 100 games or currently playing in the QMJHL.

Round 1: 96% (99% if you include NCAA committed)
Round 2: 84% (91% if you include NCAA committed)
Round 3: 60% (64% if you include NCAA committed)
Rounds 4 to 6: 41%
Rounds 7 to 9: 19%
Rounds 10 to 14: 10%

So we can consider that picks in first 2 rounds are considered blue chips. After that, you have to earn your way big time.

 

[QCM18AAA]

Any thoughts on upcoming Canada Winter games ? I only know the Quebec team players, quite a lineup and like any other provinces, probably good players missing...never perfect! Such a great experience for the selected players.

 

[TJHKY]

Team Nova Scotia will play against BC, AB, ON, it is really tough for them.
Team New Brunswick will play against MB, QC, SK. It is not bad.
Team PEI and Team NL will battle in basement, hope they can be top 2 in the division to advance next round.

 

[Big Daddie]

Team Nova Scotia will play against BC, AB, ON, it is really tough for them.
Team New Brunswick will play against MB, QC, SK. It is not bad.
Team PEI and Team NL will battle in basement, hope they can be top 2 in the division to advance next round.

I wonder how Team Nova Scotia got so lucky as to draw three of the strongest teams in the country ? Did they do extremely well in the last Games such that they have to play the better teams ? Just wondering how that decision was made .

 

[Big Daddie]

I was a scout in the QMJHL for 15 or more years...i have dealt with this issue and have seen impacts on the plus and negative side.....it is not cut and dry and most times the kids that decide to stay in U18 in their province end up being just as good as the ones that went USA route...sometimes the USA route is not always the best, going to a strong program a player that has good potential gets lost on a team that is taking the best kids from many stats or provinces and the kid does not develop like he should...at tournaments such as U17 or Canada Games, the kids that play USA route are no better than the kids who stayed and played U18...

as for the school part of it...if a kid stays to play NCAA IF he gets a scholarship the family is still paying big money because not everyone gets a full one...USA schools are waaaay more expensive than Canadian.....in the QMJHL they have a program set up that if the kid plays 2 full years in the QMJHL then University is fully paid for....

to me unless my kid is Sidney Crosby, or Nathan Mackinnon and a big team like Shattuck comes calling with full paid for prep fees than IMO staying put is a great option and it almost seems like going USA route is a bragging right more for the parents than the kid. That said Shattuck route did not work out well for top 2024 NHL Prospect and 1st overall WHL pick Berkley Catton, he left USA route to come back to Canada last year to play U18 in Saskatchewan. I saw guys like Yasin Cisse be a guy who was being looked at as 1st overall in the QMJHL draft and went USA route and you never heard of him again.

NCAA or Major Junior is probably one of the biggest decisions a young player will have to make !!!! At 15 or 16 , I don't know how that decision can be easily made . My son was fortunate enough to have that choice and went the NCAA route . I can tell you it was a decision he will never regret . He got to play against a Hall of Famer , Marty St. Louis , Tim Thomas and Marty Turco as well as playing with Jeff Halpern , assistant coach with Tampa . To say these were unique experiences would be an understatement and to receive a degree from a prestigious US university was icing on the cake . I can recall reading an article on Eric Lindros who was asked what his biggest regret in hockey was and his reply was that he wished he had gone the NCAA route . He said the friends he had who went that route thoroughly enjoyed the friends and experiences they shared over four years . If you have the talent , you will make it no matter where you are . Something to think about for sure but education MUST be foremost in your mind . It has to be so much more complicated to get the quality education you need to succeed at the university level . High school kids find it difficult enough to do well when they are in school every day . What is it like to be missing classes while you are on the road ? Has to be a major challenge !!! A big decision has to be made by these young men who certainly don't have the maturity yet to handle such a major life choice . I wish them the best in their decision making process .

 

[TJHKY]

I wonder how Team Nova Scotia got so lucky as to draw three of the strongest teams in the country ? Did they do extremely well in the last Games such that they have to play the better teams ? Just wondering how that decision was made .

Team Nova Scotia should be # 6 last time.
For Pool A, #1,4,5,8 (Team NB #8)
For Pool B #2,3,6,7 (Team NS #6)
For Pool C #9-13 (Team PEI #9, Team NL #10)

 

[scoutman1]

NCAA or Major Junior is probably one of the biggest decisions a young player will have to make !!!! At 15 or 16 , I don't know how that decision can be easily made . My son was fortunate enough to have that choice and went the NCAA route . I can tell you it was a decision he will never regret . He got to play against a Hall of Famer , Marty St. Louis , Tim Thomas and Marty Turco as well as playing with Jeff Halpern , assistant coach with Tampa . To say these were unique experiences would be an understatement and to receive a degree from a prestigious US university was icing on the cake . I can recall reading an article on Eric Lindros who was asked what his biggest regret in hockey was and his reply was that he wished he had gone the NCAA route . He said the friends he had who went that route thoroughly enjoyed the friends and experiences they shared over four years . If you have the talent , you will make it no matter where you are . Something to think about for sure but education MUST be foremost in your mind . It has to be so much more complicated to get the quality education you need to succeed at the university level . High school kids find it difficult enough to do well when they are in school every day . What is it like to be missing classes while you are on the road ? Has to be a major challenge !!! A big decision has to be made by these young men who certainly don't have the maturity yet to handle such a major life choice . I wish them the best in their decision making process .

there is no right and wrong way...that said each kid as different experiences. I have seen kids get ruined in the USA route and I have seen kids not be given the chance in the USA route....but i have also seen that here as well in the U18 routes...it depends on the kid too, sounds like your son was mature enough to have that route work for them, where as other kids are not mature enough and need more parent guidance to keep them on the track they need.

 

[Craig Ludwig]

Great points, I just think that if you play in the Q and play for a team like Chicoutimi or Val D'Or, it's tough to keep up with your education based on the amount of travel. But if a kid is disciplined enough, and that would be a select few I think, they work tirelessly on their studies on those long road trips where there will be tons of distractions. After that, if grades are really good, go to McGill. That is a really tough path though.

I do think it would be an easier education path if you're attending a Boston College, Harvard, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State.

 

[TJHKY]

Any update lately?

 

[FrozenPonds]

Not many scouts going to NL to watch U18AAA games in person and don't know if Monctonian / IceJam / Atlantics is a large enough sample size for teams to take the risk, along with the home sickness stuff, unless they were absolute standouts.

Seems like better options for NL kids is US prep or stay in home province (as long as kids are improving) and then make the transition to BCHL/AJHL if possible.

Of five 2006 NL kids Q drafted last year, Kearsey is only one playing Q, 2 in US prep, 1 with Notre Dame and other U18AAA in NL. 07s seem to be a deeper group (no high end) so more may get drafted but unsure how many would make roster spot. Reegan Hiscock who played 3 yrs of U18AAA in NL then this year with Grizzles and NCAA next year, this seems to even more rare for NL kids than those rarely drafted/play Q.

End rant and btw Heave Away Me Jollies

What is the deal with suggesting the BCHL/AJHL to players? I mean, I know "advisors" do it all the time as there is a compensation piece to it but quite frankly, the majority of players who are "sent" to the BCHL already have their scholarship offers. Not all..but the majority. Don't get me wrong..the BCHL is a fine league and is very well administered. The MHL could use a few pointers from that league to start building their brand.

 

[Lap2000]

What is the deal with suggesting the BCHL/AJHL to players? I mean, I know "advisors" do it all the time as there is a compensation piece to it but quite frankly, the majority of players who are "sent" to the BCHL already have their scholarship offers. Not all..but the majority. Don't get me wrong..the BCHL is a fine league and is very well administered. The MHL could use a few pointers from that league to start building their brand.

While some players may have scholarship offers, they are too young to play there and be effective in many cases. BCHL and Junior A gets them to man strength. In other cases it's a notch down from the CHL which some kids benefit from.

 

[FrozenPonds]

While some players may have scholarship offers, they are too young to play there and be effective in many cases. BCHL and Junior A gets them to man strength. In other cases it's a notch down from the CHL which some kids benefit from.

Agreed...but I still do not understand the push for players to the BCHL. Again, there is a hidden financial aspect to it in some cases, not all, but some to push these kids there. There is a great little league known as the MHL that could provide everything needed. And...being on the east coast, it is in close proximity to HE and several ECAC and Atlantic Hockey teams.

 

[scoutman1]

Agreed...but I still do not understand the push for players to the BCHL. Again, there is a hidden financial aspect to it in some cases, not all, but some to push these kids there. There is a great little league known as the MHL that could provide everything needed. And...being on the east coast, it is in close proximity to HE and several ECAC and Atlantic Hockey teams.

MHL does not have the skill that the BCHL has...that seems to be the best developmental Jr A league in Canada for players going NCAA route...and that goes right back to the time Paul Kariya time

 

[FrozenPonds]

MHL does not have the skill that the BCHL has...that seems to be the best developmental Jr A league in Canada for players going NCAA route...and that goes right back to the time Paul Kariya time

Correct..the MHL doesn't have the skill that the BCHL has. Neither do a lot of leagues! It will remain that way when kids are told it is "the best place" to play. Like I said, they do things right and there are some best practices that the MHL could potentially use to bolster its appeal to kids. But if you look at the rosters of BCHL teams, you are lucky if 1/2 the roster actually hail from BC. As stated, there is a financial "piece" for advisors to send kids to the BCHL. No secret there.

 

[LeProspector]

Who is in contention for #1 next year?

 

[Wintersun]

Who is in contention for #1 next year?

Tynan Lawrence and Dylan Rozzi seem like the early top guys but not many guys separating themselves.

 

[peter26]

Tynan Lawrence and Dylan Rozzi seem like the early top guys but not many guys separating themselves.

What's your top 20?

 

[Wintersun]

What's your top 20?

Not going to give a top 20 ranked, but I can give you some of the names I would consider to be high up on my list...

Among defenders, I'm liking Murphy and Pelletier from the KV Kings and Batchilder from Eastern Express from the Maritimes. Liking Logan Foote's potential too. In Quebec, I'm liking Dylan Caron, Thomas Morin, Cam Chartrand, Cruz Scanzano, Noah Boily, Alexandre Taillefer, Nathan Birch, Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, Brandon Delarosbil and Jean-Samuel Daigneault.

For forwards, I'd add the other two guys from Lac St-Louis in Yared and Santini to Rozzi. Jayden Plouffe and Romain Litalien are up there, Lygitsakos and Lottin from Mauricie are very good but on the smaller side. Liking the potential on Charles-Albert Pouliot, Benjamin Olivier and Justin Thibault as well. From the maritimes, you've got Lawrence, the top scorers from the Gulls, Wolverines and the Storm that have looked solid to me. Grady Burns has looked good in my viewings.

Not sure yet on the quality of the forwards for this draft to be honest, but I'm seeing a good quantity of defenders with good junior potential I guess.

 

[peter26]

Not going to give a top 20 ranked, but I can give you some of the names I would consider to be high up on my list...

Among defenders, I'm liking Murphy and Pelletier from the KV Kings and Batchilder from Eastern Express from the Maritimes. Liking Logan Foote's potential too. In Quebec, I'm liking Dylan Caron, Thomas Morin, Cam Chartrand, Cruz Scanzano, Noah Boily, Alexandre Taillefer, Nathan Birch, Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, Brandon Delarosbil and Jean-Samuel Daigneault.

For forwards, I'd add the other two guys from Lac St-Louis in Yared and Santini to Rozzi. Jayden Plouffe and Romain Litalien are up there, Lygitsakos and Lottin from Mauricie are very good but on the smaller side. Liking the potential on Charles-Albert Pouliot, Benjamin Olivier and Justin Thibault as well. From the maritimes, you've got Lawrence, the top scorers from the Gulls, Wolverines and the Storm that have looked solid to me. Grady Burns has looked good in my viewings.

Not sure yet on the quality of the forwards for this draft to be honest, but I'm seeing a good quantity of defenders with good junior potential I guess.

I think these are almost all big and tall defensemen, the opposite of the 07's.

As for the QC forwards, there is a lack of playmakers amongst the 08's IMO.

 

[Wintersun]

I think these are almost all big and tall defensemen, the opposite of the 07's.

As for the QC forwards, there is a lack of playmakers amongst the 08's IMO.

The really good playmakers in the 08s are very small i.e. Florent, Lygitsakos, Lottin

At least, as you said, the good defenders seem to have some size in this age group which isn't the case with the 07s at a position where size and strength matters quite a bit.

 

[peter26]

The really good playmakers in the 08s are very small i.e. Florent, Lygitsakos, Lottin

At least, as you said, the good defenders seem to have some size in this age group which isn't the case with the 07s at a position where size and strength matters quite a bit.

It might end up as a really stronger year for defensemen than forwards, at least for the moment.

 

[SWNBhockey]

I mostly see the NB 08 kids a few below that will be interesting to see how they develop over the next couple of years.

D:
Murphy
Pelletier
Gouchie
Arbeau
Rogerson
Gill

F:
Lawrence
G. Burns
W. Clark
McIllwraith
Deschene
Somers
Doyle

G:
Leger
Green
Paris

 

[scoutman1]

Not going to give a top 20 ranked, but I can give you some of the names I would consider to be high up on my list...

Among defenders, I'm liking Murphy and Pelletier from the KV Kings and Batchilder from Eastern Express from the Maritimes. Liking Logan Foote's potential too. In Quebec, I'm liking Dylan Caron, Thomas Morin, Cam Chartrand, Cruz Scanzano, Noah Boily, Alexandre Taillefer, Nathan Birch, Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, Brandon Delarosbil and Jean-Samuel Daigneault.

For forwards, I'd add the other two guys from Lac St-Louis in Yared and Santini to Rozzi. Jayden Plouffe and Romain Litalien are up there, Lygitsakos and Lottin from Mauricie are very good but on the smaller side. Liking the potential on Charles-Albert Pouliot, Benjamin Olivier and Justin Thibault as well. From the maritimes, you've got Lawrence, the top scorers from the Gulls, Wolverines and the Storm that have looked solid to me. Grady Burns has looked good in my viewings.

Not sure yet on the quality of the forwards for this draft to be honest, but I'm seeing a good quantity of defenders with good junior potential I guess.

Max Hanley is the top defender from Nova Scotia...i am not sure his intentions yet as he is playing USA prep this year.