2021 QMJHL Draft

QcJrhockeyfan

Registered User
Jan 25, 2021
21
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Most are likely only using it for leverage, but it's hard to tell at this point. I hope most of them stay the QMJHL route. I have not really liked the development of most players that left recently.

I don't know...La Starza looking pretty good!
 

dwgs

Registered User
Apr 23, 2019
68
31
Personal question if I may. My kid is eligible for the draft next year, he would prefer the school route, he has heard too many stories of kids getting the short end of the stick in the Q. He is a first line winger on a good team but will probably go 3rd to 5th round. Are the school options significantly weaker in terms of development than major junior? Thanks for indulging me.
 

Wintersun

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Jan 15, 2013
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Montreal
Personal question if I may. My kid is eligible for the draft next year, he would prefer the school route, he has heard too many stories of kids getting the short end of the stick in the Q. He is a first line winger on a good team but will probably go 3rd to 5th round. Are the school options significantly weaker in terms of development than major junior? Thanks for indulging me.

When you say the school route, do you mean the NCAA? Or do you mean prep school?

The development route depends on where your kid plays. Does he play in Quebec? If he plays in Quebec, I'd say it's ideal to at least play in Midget AAA. It's a strong league that develops players well in my opinion. If your kid is decent to good in Midget AAA, he should have USHL/Prep school scouts all over him, and should have decent opportunities to reach the NCAA from there.

If your kid plays in the maritimes, it may not be such a bad idea to go to a prep school.

To be honest, really depends what your kid's end goal is, and you will find people with different opinions on that subject.
 
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dwgs

Registered User
Apr 23, 2019
68
31
Yeah, he plays in Qc. Will play midget this year and then we'll make a decision next spring I guess. He's hoping for prep school leading to NCAA. After more than a year of no real games it's really hard for the kids to know where they stand. Thanks.
 

Double OT

Registered User
Nov 25, 2018
45
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Yes, Ryan Greene and Thomas Bordeleau are others that have done very well going the US route. Those are players of a caliber that can't become bad no matter what.

The Maritimers who do are looking for stronger competition and better development. It’s plain and simple. The Maritimes are behind.
Several 2003’s and 2004’s did go always for 1-3 years and they’re all thriving in the Q.
 

Double OT

Registered User
Nov 25, 2018
45
17
Yeah, he plays in Qc. Will play midget this year and then we'll make a decision next spring I guess. He's hoping for prep school leading to NCAA. After more than a year of no real games it's really hard for the kids to know where they stand. Thanks.

Be careful with the US route unless your open to D3 instead of D1.
We Canadians think it’s a done deal if our kids are good and half smart in school. Not so anymore. The US is so strong now compared to 10-15 years ago. They don’t just hand out $30-45K scholarships to Canadians anymore. Plus they can drop their commitment to your son at anytime. I know of two players who were above average prospects here in the Maritimes who recently lost their Div 1 commitments.
In the meantime those players passed up Q opportunities.
 

Wintersun

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Jan 15, 2013
3,878
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Montreal
The Maritimers who do are looking for stronger competition and better development. It’s plain and simple. The Maritimes are behind.
Several 2003’s and 2004’s did go always for 1-3 years and they’re all thriving in the Q.

I have nothing against maritimers who want to go prep before going the QMJHL route. This turns out pretty well very often. What I find doesn't work out that well is when they develop here and then decide not to go the Q route and instead try to go NCAA.

Just looking at recent Lac St-Louis players...

Van Houtte Cachero struggled big time at 17 in the NAHL. He should have been a solid top 9 winger in the QMJHL if he had gone that route at this point.

C-E Legault had a pretty average USHL season this year. Can't help but think he would have been a top 4 fixture and would have much more chances of being drafted in the NHL. I don't know if his commitment with BU still holds.

Even a guy like Mastrodomenico could have been a top 4 guy on a contending team in Shawinigan this year.

Dovar Tinling played at 17 in the NCAA in Vermont, that was difficult. Can't help but think he'd have had a similar impact to Olivier Nadeau in Shawinigan as well... and would look like a top 3 round draft pick.

Just looking at what Robert Orr is doing (PPG in the Q, looks like a lock to be drafted in the NHL) when he was basically the same level as Van Houtte last year in Midget AAA... Jordan Dumais and Markus Vidicek decided to go the QMJHL route and they're on their way to great junior careers and potentially NHL draft picks... looks like the decision to go the Q route was a good one.

Obviously, La Starza is doing very well in the USHL, and I'm not really worried about Rozzi, he'll be fine.

I don't know. I'm sure you could find good and bad examples on both sides, but I tend to find that players that choose the Q route develop better than when they choose to go for the USHL/Prep - NCAA route... so far.
 
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Double OT

Registered User
Nov 25, 2018
45
17
I have nothing against maritimers who want to go prep before going the QMJHL route. This turns out pretty well very often. What I find doesn't work out that well is when they develop here and then decide not to go the Q route and instead try to go NCAA.

Just looking at recent Lac St-Louis players...

Van Houtte Cachero struggled big time at 17 in the NAHL. He should have been a solid top 9 winger in the QMJHL if he had gone that route at this point.

C-E Legault had a pretty average USHL season this year. Can't help but think he would have been a top 4 fixture and would have much more chances of being drafted in the NHL. I don't know if his commitment with BU still holds.

Even a guy like Mastrodomenico could have been a top 4 guy on a contending team in Shawinigan this year.

Dovar Tinling played at 17 in the NCAA in Vermont, that was difficult. Can't help but think he'd have had a similar impact to Olivier Nadeau in Shawinigan as well... and would look like a top 3 round draft pick.

Just looking at what Robert Orr is doing (PPG in the Q, looks like a lock to be drafted in the NHL) when he was basically the same level as Van Houtte last year in Midget AAA... Jordan Dumais and Markus Vidicek decided to go the QMJHL route and they're on their way to great junior careers and potentially NHL draft picks... looks like the decision to go the Q route was a good one.

Obviously, La Starza is doing very well in the USHL, and I'm not really worried about Rozzi, he'll be fine.

I don't know. I'm sure you could find good and bad examples on both sides, but I tend to find that players that choose the Q route develop better than when they choose to go for the USHL/Prep - NCAA route... so far.
I have nothing against maritimers who want to go prep before going the QMJHL route. This turns out pretty well very often. What I find doesn't work out that well is when they develop here and then decide not to go the Q route and instead try to go NCAA.

Just looking at recent Lac St-Louis players...

Van Houtte Cachero struggled big time at 17 in the NAHL. He should have been a solid top 9 winger in the QMJHL if he had gone that route at this point.

C-E Legault had a pretty average USHL season this year. Can't help but think he would have been a top 4 fixture and would have much more chances of being drafted in the NHL. I don't know if his commitment with BU still holds.

Even a guy like Mastrodomenico could have been a top 4 guy on a contending team in Shawinigan this year.

Dovar Tinling played at 17 in the NCAA in Vermont, that was difficult. Can't help but think he'd have had a similar impact to Olivier Nadeau in Shawinigan as well... and would look like a top 3 round draft pick.

Just looking at what Robert Orr is doing (PPG in the Q, looks like a lock to be drafted in the NHL) when he was basically the same level as Van Houtte last year in Midget AAA... Jordan Dumais and Markus Vidicek decided to go the QMJHL route and they're on their way to great junior careers and potentially NHL draft picks... looks like the decision to go the Q route was a good one.

Obviously, La Starza is doing very well in the USHL, and I'm not really worried about Rozzi, he'll be fine.

I don't know. I'm sure you could find good and bad examples on both sides, but I tend to find that players that choose the Q route develop better than when they choose to go for the USHL/Prep - NCAA route... so far.
Totally agree, We are on the same page.
There’s many examples of Maritimers who do well pursuing NCAA but there’s not many.
There would more Quebec based players who succeed because of history/connections but also because development and competition is stronger all the way up so players are better prepared.

My point was more about Maritimers going away in bantam and midget to prep schools or other leagues to better prep themselves for the Q.
Many have and they’re excelling in the Q now.
 

Wintersun

Registered User
Jan 15, 2013
3,878
1,328
Montreal
Totally agree, We are on the same page.
There’s many examples of Maritimers who do well pursuing NCAA but there’s not many.
There would more Quebec based players who succeed because of history/connections but also because development and competition is stronger all the way up so players are better prepared.

My point was more about Maritimers going away in bantam and midget to prep schools or other leagues to better prep themselves for the Q.
Many have and they’re excelling in the Q now.

Yes, I have no issue with that. Players like Dean, Greene, Huckins, Plandowski, Nause, Reynolds, Dumais have all done it and they've developed very well.
 

QcJrhockeyfan

Registered User
Jan 25, 2021
21
7
Be careful with the US route unless your open to D3 instead of D1.
We Canadians think it’s a done deal if our kids are good and half smart in school. Not so anymore. The US is so strong now compared to 10-15 years ago. They don’t just hand out $30-45K scholarships to Canadians anymore. Plus they can drop their commitment to your son at anytime. I know of two players who were above average prospects here in the Maritimes who recently lost their Div 1 commitments.
In the meantime those players passed up Q opportunities.
It must have been verbal commitments. Once signed if they are no longer in the mix the get the good old red jersey (practice squad). But get to keep the scholarship
 

archie

Registered User
Apr 5, 2018
60
6
When you say the school route, do you mean the NCAA? Or do you mean prep school?

The development route depends on where your kid plays. Does he play in Quebec? If he plays in Quebec, I'd say it's ideal to at least play in Midget AAA. It's a strong league that develops players well in my opinion. If your kid is decent to good in Midget AAA, he should have USHL/Prep school scouts all over him, and should have decent opportunities to reach the NCAA from there.

If your kid plays in the maritimes, it may not be such a bad idea to go to a prep school.

To be honest, really depends what your kid's end goal is, and you will find people with different opinions on that subject.
 

archie

Registered User
Apr 5, 2018
60
6
Agree for the most part but some strange logic on the strength of Leagues in the last four years the
Maritime League has faired reasonably well at the telus cup with a first and second place finish not a sign of any shortfalls
 

Wintersun

Registered User
Jan 15, 2013
3,878
1,328
Montreal
Agree for the most part but some strange logic on the strength of Leagues in the last four years the
Maritime League has faired reasonably well at the telus cup with a first and second place finish not a sign of any shortfalls

I don't know. I'm quite used to seeing weak Quebec Midget AAA teams easily beat strong Maritimes teams at the Midget AAA challenge that happens every year in December. Quebec Midget AAA clearly stronger.
 
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ATLHockeywatcher

Registered User
Feb 25, 2020
104
41
No surprise that Peddle and Nadeau were selected as well given some of the speculation around them wanting to keep US paths open for consideration. MacKinnon also went very late.
 

Wintersun

Registered User
Jan 15, 2013
3,878
1,328
Montreal
3 good def from Qc was drafted
Oliver Beaulieu (Ester-Blondin)
Beck Majdell (Montreal)
Mathieu Wener (CCL)

Yeah.. had Beaulieu as a top 5 guy in the draft, so that sucks a bit. Think Wener is a first round to at worst second round talent as well, and Majdell is a top 3 round guy too... Kinda sad.

I predict MacKinnon will play in the Q.
 

Qmjhlscout10

Registered User
May 28, 2021
5
0
I would say that overall, surprisingly, the players that are really badly ranked are mostly the New Brunswick guys.

The Quebec guys are off as well. I'd say some of the highest upsides in the draft are listed in round 3. I'd say the strength of the third round on their list is probably higher than their first round.

I don't think the draft will look like the CSR list anyway, last year I thought Coen Strang was a second round pick, he was listed rounds 6 to 8, then went in the second round like I thought he should.

Half the guys in the first four rounds are looking at the NCAA right now I hear, so the draft could look really strange anyway because of the uncertainty of some players coming to the QMJHL.
Would definitely have to agree with this. No doubt NB guys got the short end of the stick. Winning ACC both years by long shot proves the strength of the NB core. Good to see Mackinnon and Nadeau ranked in the first round could add gendron to that round as well. Ryan I could see could go second round if not high third. He isn’t talked about much on this but I love the way he plays the game. Allen I haven’t seen in awhile due to covid. Patterson definitely was most affected I wonder what CSR didn’t see in him. Definitely a second to early third rounder IMO.
 

Wintersun

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Jan 15, 2013
3,878
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Montreal
Would definitely have to agree with this. No doubt NB guys got the short end of the stick. Winning ACC both years by long shot proves the strength of the NB core. Good to see Mackinnon and Nadeau ranked in the first round could add gendron to that round as well. Ryan I could see could go second round if not high third. He isn’t talked about much on this but I love the way he plays the game. Allen I haven’t seen in awhile due to covid. Patterson definitely was most affected I wonder what CSR didn’t see in him. Definitely a second to early third rounder IMO.

To me, he is a clear cut first round guy. He must have killed the CSR scouts dog or something to be ranked where he is.

To me, their list is 100% focused on tools and hockey sense seems to have barely been evaluated.
 
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Qmjhlscout10

Registered User
May 28, 2021
5
0
To me, he is a clear cut first round guy. He must have killed the CSR scouts dog or something to be ranked where he is.

To me, their list is 100% focused on tools and hockey sense seems to have barely been evaluated.
I would want to see how you rank the NB guys compared to the CSR list. How different it is.
 

Wintersun

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Jan 15, 2013
3,878
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Montreal
I would want to see how you rank the NB guys compared to the CSR list. How different it is.

On my list, I have the following players in each round:

R1 : Pattersson (6 to 8), MacKinnon (1), Nadeau (1), Gendron (2)
R2 : Pelletier (2), Ryan (3), Allen (3), Collette (6 to 8)
R3 : Martin (6 to 8)
R4 : Topilnickyj (2), Lounsbury (4)
R5 : Bellamy (9+), Morin (5), Dickie (6 to 8)

So fair to say that overall I find the NB guys fairly underrated (and to be honest, the guys that played in PEI/Mount are not ranked as high as they should either in my opinion. The NS guys were given a lot of love on the CSR list imo).
 

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