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We continue with our series profiling the breakout NHL drafted players, already affiliated with a franchise, since the start of the season. This week Charles Lassonde and Benoit Belanger, our two very active scouts in the QMJHL, more often than not, found in a rink, detail the players on the rise this season. Several key additions to the Canada’s World Junior team are included in Elliot Desnoyers, along with linemates Mavrik Bourque and Xavier Bourgault.
If you would like to read the previous entries in this column from the CHL by Brock Otten and Vince Gibbons, you can find the top OHL prospects here as well as the top prospects in the WHL here.
Once you have read those, you will want to check out Brock Otten’s preview of Team Canada’s roster, which we have left unlocked on the website for all to enjoy here. Look for much more World Juniors content at www.mckeenshockey.com prior to the tournament and throughout on the site.
The McKeen’s team are scouting and writing about prospects all season long and provide in-depth reports on our website: www.mckeenshockey.com
Prospects in the News: QMJHL prospects delivering on mid to late round bets for NHL teams
By Benoit Belanger and Charles Lassonde
Elliot Desnoyers – C/LW – Halifax Mooseheads (Philadelphia Flyers)
Desnoyers, a former fifth round pick of the Flyers in 2020, has returned to the QMHJL to play what looks like to be his final QMHJL season (he has signed his first professional contract). Since playing for the Mooseheads, Desnoyers has been lights out offensively. He scored 49 points in 2020-21 to finish the season seventh in the scoring column of the QMJHL (not bad for a guy who was drafted as a defensive minded player). This year, he was named the captain of Halifax and he has been the heart and soul of this team. Each player who had a stint with him seemed get a boost by Desnoyers. Prior to the World Junior Championship, he was on a higher pace (1.57 PPG vs 1.32 PPG) than last year with 36 points in 23 games (16 goals and 20 assists). Desnoyers just can do it all on the ice, playing a 200-foot game style and in all situations (PK, PP, Last minute). He’ll be highly valuable for Team Canada U-20, as they’ll have a versatile player on hand. It’s probably the reason why he made the team, as they were already loaded with offensive players. Elliot, on the other hand, will bring something different and play a defensive role (while being able to contribute offensively).
Zach L’Heureux – LW – Halifax Mooseheads (Nashville Predators)
The most recent 27th overall selection in the NHL Draft, L’Heureux has returned to the QMJHL after a long training camp with Nashville. The feisty left winger has been proven to be the real thing since the beginning of the season. He has significantly upgraded his point-per-game production and has currently delivered a slightly better stats line than his current teammate (Elliot Desnoyers) with 38 points in 23 games. Again, this year, L’Heureux has been true to himself, as he was suspended for four games in November. Since the incident, the big winger has been on 11-game point streak (10 goals and 11 assists). The fact that he didn’t get an invitation at Canada’s final camp must have been a great motivation for him.
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Mavrik Bourque – C – Shawinigan Cataractes (Dallas Stars)
Bourque is currently the only player who averages over two points per game in the QMJHL (Only one player has more PPG than Bourque this season in the whole CHL). Yes, he only played 10 games this season, but the fact he stayed longer at training camp with the Dallas Star plus a shoulder injury who caused him to miss the whole month of November, have cut his momentum. Off a great start in December (two goals and six assists in two contests), Bourque has been invited to represent his country at the 2022 World Junior Championship (U-20). Ultimately, he has made the final cut and most likely will pivot the first line, completing a line with his Shawinigan’s teammate, Xavier Bourgault, and the young phenom, Connor Bedard. Bourque will bring speed, vision and poise to this line and with the outstanding playmaking abilities Bourque possesses, you have to be excited about what this line will create offensively.
Hendrix Lapierre – C – Acadie-Bathurst Titans (Washington Capitals)
After playing a stint of six games in the NHL at the beginning of the season (and getting his first NHL goal), Lapierre has been sent down to the QMJHL. Being dealt to Acadie-Bathurst during the summer, Lapierre wore his new colors for the first time in mid-November. Before leaving for Team Canada’s final camp, he had amassed 14 points in nine games (two goals and 12 assists). As the numbers suggest, Lapierre is a pass-first mentality center, who displays poise with the puck, vision and playmaking. Surprisingly for many, he didn’t make the final cut of the team. To explain why Team Canada upper management decided to go with other players than one who had some experience in the NHL, I would just say that the chemistry between Bourque and Bourgault might have been a big part of this decision, but having seen a some of the training camp, other players have been better than him, or a better fit than him for the team.
Joshua Roy – LW – Phoenix Sherbrooke (Montreal Canadiens)
After waiting five rounds to hear his name in the last NHL Draft, Joshua Roy worked harder during the summer to get ready. A player who has always been enormously successful in his youth, the Canadiens were taking a low risk bet by selecting him at rank 150. Bet they feel they are winning that wager right now, as we are seeing again the Joshua Roy who smashed the Bantam and Midget AAA leagues at 14 and 15 years old. He lost almost 25lbs and this has allowed him to gain cardiovascular capacity and speed. First off, he had a very good rookie camp, having just blown 18 candles on his birthday cake in August. He left a great calling card during his time with the Canadiens, a solid effort he continued with his junior team in Sherbrooke. Prior to receiving an invitation to the Team Canada junior selection camp for the World Junior Championship, he was at the top of the league in scoring. He continues to wreak havoc on the powerplay with his excellent checking, but he also makes some great plays for his teammate Xavier Parent. Powerplay remains his bread and butter. However, having regained more dynamism this year, he is bringing more and more offense in 5-on-5 situation. Here is one for whom the change of situation (trade) at the Christmas break last year was good. He hasn’t missed the scoring sheet just four times this season, showing great consistency.
Zachary Bolduc – LW/C - Quebec Remparts (St.-Louis Blues)
Expectations were high in Québec for the native of Trois-Rivières. May be too much? Because some would say he is not producing as much as expected. Still, he currently has 15 goals, 20 assists for 35 points in 29 games. There was certainly a period of adaptation for him after being traded from the Rimouski Oceanic to the Quebec Remparts during the summer. He lacks consistency at times, but he continues to improve his game over 200 feet. Note that he is currently on a 10-point streak in his last five games (four goals and six assists). It should also be noted that his offensive production at 5-on-5 is among the best in the league, he only has seven powerplay points. He may not be the one who will carry the team on his back, but he is a centerpiece of this organization. The Remparts will be one to watch for the title, both this year and next. It will be interesting to follow Bolduc’s contribution to this success.
Xavier Bourgault – RW – Shawinigan Cataractes (Edmonton Oilers)
Selected 22nd in the 1st round of the 2021 NHL draft by the Edmonton Oilers, Xavier Bourgault had a very interesting first professional camp. His strong start to the season earned him an invitation to the Team Canada junior selection camp for the World Junior Championship, where he managed to grab a spot alongside his linemate in Shawinigan, Mavrik Bourque. His excellent skating, his hockey sense and his devastating shot will help bring offense to Team Canada as with the Shawinigan Cataractes. This is possibly Bourgault’s last season in the QMJHL, who will be 20 years old in 2022. He will want to add more points to his 42 already scored this season (22 goals and 20 assists in 24 games). The Nadeau / Bourque / Bourgault trio is probably the best line in the QMJHL this season.
Olivier Nadeau – LW/RW – Shawinigan Cataractes (Buffalo Sabres)
The 6’ 2” 198lb winger continues to impress with his vision and skills as a passer and playmaker. After hearing his name in the 97th place (4th round), a little before his good childhood friend and former teammate Joshua Roy, the young man from Lac-Etchemin had his first experience with the Buffalo Sabres. He continues to have progress with his skating, which has always been his biggest question mark. There has also been an evolution and improvement in his shot, which is much stronger and powerful than in the past. A good size player who isn’t afraid of getting his nose dirty in traffic and capable of being a playmaker, the Sabres have definitely made a good bet with the Cataractes player. He is currently in seventh place in QMJHL scorers with 45 points in 30 games (17 goals and 28 assists). His intelligence in his game makes him a good reliable player in defensive situations as well.
