Before we even start this article – the fact that players like Ewan Cleary, Cole Cooper, Nic Devereaux and Liam Noble weren’t drafted is shocking. How does one leave a pair of 6’1 mobile right-handed D on the board? Outsiders won’t understand, but being from NL as a hockey player, you know that being stereotyped as ‘not as good as the next guy’ comes with the territory. When people say ‘Maritimes’ it does not mean Newfoundland by definition. It’s ‘Atlantic provinces’ if you want to get technical! I guess you could say I’m the President of the ‘Chip on his/her shoulder’ club, which is fine.
Here are my Draft Grades. Teams drafted player lists are here .
Side note *** all QMJHL team scouting agencies saw the QC/NB/NS/PE kids more than I did (unless they’re based in NL, which there’s no possible way that is true). My evaluations are based on 5-10 games of action (NL kids much more), and I didn’t do any phone interviews or character checks. Just a fun article reviewing the draft here!
Bathurst Titan – – Draft Grade: B+. Bathurst took a run at the QMJHL title this past year (even though Charlottetown swept them outta town in round 2), which left them without a first or third round selection. Lallier is a good player but is a 2nd year eligible, meaning the Titan will have one less year of development with him. I had a much higher grade on Doucet than Round 6, as he has a pretty good Q Challenge. Bathurst made some tidy picks in the mid-rounds, and went heavy on the energy with a Pitman, Dickson and Poirier finish. Dickson skated to and from the Monctonian in the games I saw, and Poirier is a good skater in their back yard. Mills is a darling of our boy Seth Silver (interview pumping Mills’ tires here)
Baie Comeau Drakkar – – Draft Grade: B+. Poirier jumps into that lineup and scores immediately for the Drakkar – could see a line of Baril-Collard-Poirier doing some damage on the Gaspe Peninsula in short order. I liked Bernier more than Lanthier at the Q Challenge – small skating stride adjustment and Bernier is a first round pick, not a 2nd. Gilbert has a big body in the fifth round, and Diamond is a steady skater in the 8th.
Blainville Armada – – Draft Grade: A-. Blainville didn’t have much draft capital, but they hit on the picks that they did have. L’Italien at 8th overall is like stealing. I also really liked Desjardins at the Q Challenge; he’s a little on the smaller side but skates well and knows where to be on the ice. Savoie was my favourite goalie in the Atlantic Provinces this year in ’06 – landing him in round 6 is good value. James Sanford is not a pretty skater, not the most physically gifted guy, but he’s always around the play and if you took the name bars off the proverbial Q Challenge jerseys, he was as good (or better) than Coen Miller at that event. At pick 152, I’d take that to the bank all day.
Cape Breton Eagles – – Draft Grade: A++. Cape’s first round changes the complexion of their organization. Shields will score, Lavoie will likely be a Team Canada WJC guy (with development) and Desruisseaux can drive a line with his skating and ability to create turnovers. I could see Shields and Dez playing together on opening night, as Shields fills in for Poirier from the Q Challenge for Team Red. Love me some Carson Griffin in the mid-rounds, and Lincoln Waugh in the 3rd is also a good pick there. Dawson Grandy in Round 13? Are you kidding? Value! Now they just need a head coach.
Charlottetown Islanders – – Draft Grade: A. To move up to grab Marcus Kearsey at pick 32 is such a flex. I liked Michaud at the Q Challenge as he is smart and moves the puck well (skating is so-so but in Hulton we trust). Butler in Round 5 will bear fruit; I think a Kearsey-Butler-Michaud top of the 1-3-1 PP in two years time will be similar to a Cormier-Budgell-Guay-Simoneau. Just give it time. Evan Nicholson is a solid 2-way player in Round 10 who plays bigger than his vitals. I liked Duguay in the 7th because of his skating and athleticism. Solid pick there too. In all, the Isles selected 3 Newfs (Kearsey, Butler, and Nolan Avery late). Avery will report to training camp in August and has been putting in considerable amounts of work in the weight room.
Chicoutimi Sagueneens – – Draft Grade: C+. If all of the Sags picks report, this draft is an A. But Ledrew is going prep, Boisvert is tendered to the USHL, Veilleux has openly said he’s on the fence about the QMJHL, and Leroux was seen at Chicago Steel main camp in June. Taking a goalie at 19 was meh, but a lot of the top goalies from Quebec in this class were slated to go in the area where the Sags had no picks.
Drummondville Voltigeurs – – Draft Grade: N/A. The Volts must be very confident in their club the next couple years, as they did not pick until Day 2 and essentially selected the entirety of the Midget Espoir League after Round 8. Drummondville picked up Oscar Plandowski yesterday , adding to a blue line that is loaded with former first round picks including NL’er Matteo Rotondi.
Gatineau Olympiques – – Draft Grade: B-. Gatineau moved some pieces around to obtain Olivier Nadeau from Shawinigan . I said a few years ago on my Twitter that Gatineau would be nasty in 2022-23, and the addition of Nadeau with guys like Dean, Verreault and Luneau will be gross. Expect a heated rivalry between Blainville, Gatineau and Quebec City this season. Gabriel L’etoile in the 6th round is good value, as I liked his skating/grit/compete level at the Q Challenge. Pelletier moves into the starting goalie conversation after Gatineau takes a run at the President’s Cup this spring.
Halifax Mooseheads – – Draft Grade: B+. The hometown Phillips hooks into Moose Country! The Taillefer pick in the 4th round is excellent value from where I sit – I had him late in the first. Halifax really don’t need any of these guys to come in and help them immediately, as they are a potential Q Champion next season. Lou Levesque will be a solid 3-4 line player in the league some day – solid pick in Round 5. Great energy guy at the Q Challenge.
Moncton Wildcats – – Draft Grade: B. It’s not that I didn’t like some of Moncton’s picks because I do. It’s just the timing of the picks that slides their draft grade a little lower. Eli James in the 5th round is a little rich for me, especially with guys like Savoie, Boudreau, and the Mount Academy goalies still on the board in the later rounds. Not saying James isn’t a good goalie – I’m just saying that there was value to be had 2-3 rounds later who were around the same ability. Seth Silver is now a Moncton Wildcats fan, as he is the biggest Riley Sampson fan boy outside of Cape Breton West. Gabe Smith has excellent individual skill and is huge – I thought that Moncton were going to draft the big Riverhawk when they traded up to 14 actually.
Quebec Remparts – – Draft Grade: C-. Similar to Drummondville, Quebec didn’t get up to the podium for quite some time but they didn’t have to. The Remparts were very good this past year, and will be in the mix to win again in 2022-23 that is for certain. Carter Hynes as the last pick in the draft is a steal though – Hynes was OK at the Q Challenge; there’s no one who can look me in the eye and honestly tell me that Vincent Murray is 200 players better than Carter Hynes after what I saw at the Q Cup.
Rimouski Oceanic – – Draft Grade: C-. Love me some Quinn Kennedy at 9. Liked Cote at 60th. Liked Lamarche at 76th. Liked Diamond at 208. Gill at 5, sure. Outside of that, I wasn’t seeing the same game. But guess what? I’m the one blogging and they are the ones making the decisions. My opinion doesn’t mean sweet f^*k all!
Rouyn Noranda Huskies – – Draft Grade: A. Rouyn’s first 5 rounds were as good as anybody’s in this draft. Love me some Bill Zonnon at 6, that guy can play. Carbonneau has first round talent. Beaunoyer played well at the Q Challenge and Connor Arseneault – assuming he reports – is exceptional value in Round 4. I also see something in Beauchemin at pick 78. Justin Smith in the 7th is tremendous value – Smith was on a weak team this year, but that shouldn’t have effected his stock. Rouyn will need a separate goalie room at training camp – 3 tendies in one draft is a big investment.
Saint John Sea Dogs – – Draft Grade: B- Another team with 0 picks in the first 2 rounds, but get a player in Jeremie Richard who I can see playing in the league a long while in the 4-6 D slot. I was also surprised to see Beaudoin fall to round 9; I had him going multiple rounds earlier than that. I wanted to see Alex Pelletier in their mid-rounds, too… but nope. Biakabatuka in the 10th is incredible value if he reports; he’s a big kid with a family pedigree.
Shawinigan Cataractes – – Draft Grade: A. Lacerte at 22 is right on the money; a reliable player in all zones who Q Cup Team White coaches had out in every important scenario in April. Brunet skates well, Langevin was one of the better goalies at the Q Cup, and Yuzik at pick 84 might be the pick of the draft (outside of Kearsey at 32 or L’italien at 8). Yuzik is a big winger with hands – I’m not sure why he fell to this spot, but I have a strong hunch he outperforms his ADP. Lemay at pick 75 is also tremendous value. I would have flip-flopped the Brunet and Yuzik picks (Yuzik in 3rd, Brunet in 5th) but hey. Tomato tomatoe.
Sherbrooke Phoenix – – Draft Grade: C-. One cannot knock Coen Miller’s in-season production, and yes, he does have a little Kucherov in his game (finds open space with the puck very well, and sniper). But Matty Butler straight outplayed him inside and out at the Q Challenge and to see them go 30 picks apart is too rich for me. People will argue that Miller is bigger, which somehow makes him a better prospect but my response is the same every time – Miler plays like he’s 151. Butler plays much bigger than his size. Case closed on that. But back to Sherbrooke’s draft – very few picks, Doucet is very quick and Mcneil is yet another one from Jeff Lewis’ stable in Rothesay. The Riverhawks had a big draft, no? (Smith, Kearsey, Mcneil all in the top-70). Good on ya down there Lewie, one of the good guys in hockey.
Val D’or Foreurs – – Draft Grade: N/A. Reason why I’m giving them an N/A here is I really didn’t see enough Magog this year to give them an accurate rating.
Victoriaville Tigres – – Draft Grade: B. D’Aigle is a franchise-changing goalie at 2, and I really like the pick of Mburanumwe at 51. 6’2 righty who’s mobile, liked him at the Q Challenge a lot. I also liked him at his CSR ADP and did an article on it. Samy Filion is also a good addition at pick 118, I think he could be a middle or bottom-6 winger at the Q level with development. Similar style player to Conor Davis (north-south plus skaters, strong in net front) but selected 27 picks later so good value.
Draft Rankings by team
Cape Breton – A++
Charlottetown – A
Rouyn – A
Shawinigan – A
Blainville – A-
HFX – B+
Baie Comeau – B+
Bathurst – B+
Moncton – B
Victo – B
SJ – B-
Gatineau – B-
Chicoutimi – C+
Rimouski – C-
Quebec City – C-
Sherbrooke – C-
VDO – N/A
Volts – N/A
Related Content
Summer ’22 Games Playlist (2023 QMJHL Draft eligibles and 2022 QMJHL Draft picks in action) – – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wooYLJ9-KoY&list=PL9OgJxIdKeNJfGO1mfIAQj3-Zd9LKrYX1
2022 Q Draft Central Article – Summary of all work done on players during the 2021-22 season – – https://vhghockey.ca/2022-qmjhl-draft-central/