One of the biggest developments over the last two years is that New Englanders now have good reason to care about the QMJHL.
Why? Since the CHL ruling in November 2024, prospects playing in the QMJHL, OHL and WHL are eligible to play NCAA Division 1 hockey, making it a viable and attractive path for players looking to suit up in college someday.
The QMJHL regular season begins this Friday. When the puck drops, plenty of New Englanders and players with ties to the region will be there.
We already looked at the locals who attended QMJHL training camps.
Now, let's dive into who made it.
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
- Nick Evans (D): Malden, Mass. | 3/13/2007
- Ryan Poirier (D): Salem, N.H. | 9/19/2008
- Matys St-Gelais (F): Seacoast Performance Academy | 2/12/2009
I've always liked Evans as a stout, shutdown defenseman. The Malden Catholic and Kimball Union alum spent last season with the NAHL's Corpus Christi Ice Rays where he had 28 points in 54 games. He's 6-foot-2 and 183 pounds, and is still uncommitted. Poirier, a Harvard commit, spent last season with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers, posting four goals and 10 points in 51 games. The '08 is known for being a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman. St-Gelais, an '09 UMass commit, spent last season with six points between the Newfoundland Regiment and Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
- Logan Brennan (D): Hingham, Mass. | 9/26/2006
- Stefano Pietrantonio (F): Kent | 1/15/2007
Brennan, an '06, has had quite the path. After graduating from Hingham High in 2024, the 6-foot-4 defenseman spent 2024-25 with the NCDC's South Shore Kings before moving to the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts last season, where he had eight points in 48 games. Pietrantonio, a Dartmouth commit, had three points in 27 games for the Armada last season.
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Cape Breton Eagles
- Easton Anello (D): Windsor, Mass. | 1/19/2009
- Jack Broderick (F): Kent | 11/10/2007
- Liam Lefebvre (F): Trinity-Pawling | 5/15/2007
- Tyler Roccas (D): Fairfield, Conn. | 8/7/2008
- J.T. Rothstein (F): Taft | 1/19/2008
Cape Breton features five of the best prep players from the last few years. Anello, a UMass commit, is one of the best '09 defenders from New England. Broderick, a Cornell commit, is fresh off a 45-point season for Kent as one of the best players in the region, while Rothstein, a Harvard commit, notched 35 points for Taft. Lefebvre was a standout for Trinity-Pawling two years ago with 57 points. Last season, the 6-foot-4 winger exploded for 59 points in 59 QMJHL games between Rimouski and Chicoutimi. He was a second-round pick by the L.A. Kings in June's NHL Draft. Roccas got better as the season went on with Salisbury after some bad injury luck the previous two years. At 6-foot-2, the Quinnipiac commit has high upside.
Charlottetown Islanders
- Nolan Duskocy (F): Ellington, Conn. | 1/26/2008
- Jude Herron (F): Fort Kent, Maine | 4/29/2008
Duskocy and Herron both had their first full seasons in Charlottetown last year. Duskocy, a 6-foot-1 UMass commit, had 12 points in 63 games last winter, while Herron, a 5-foot-11 Maine commit, had 17 in 55. One thing to watch with these two: If they have big seasons and break out, they could be intriguing second-year eligibility options for the NHL Draft.
Chicoutimi Saguenéens
- Justin Lee (G): Newton, Mass. | 6/28/2009
- Ryan Hecker (D): Avon Old Farms | 6/27/2008
- Andrew Mohesky (F): South Kent | 2/9/2008
- Josh Phillips (F): Kimball Union | 4/24/2007
- Kasen Walsh (D): Warwick, R.I. | 1/24/2010
The big story here is Walsh, a '10, making it. He's the lone '10 New England native to make a QMJHL team. He's a shutdown defenseman with a great stick.
In net, Lee, an '09, is fresh off starting at Nobles over the last two seasons. Up front, Mohesky was at South Kent last season but missed time due to injury. Phillips, however, tore it up at Kimball Union with 60 points in 36 games and committed to Princeton when the season ended. Hecker is committed to RPI and just won an Elite 8 title with Avon Old Farms.
Drummondville Voltigeurs
- Cooper Campbell (D): Cohasset, Mass. | 9/20/2008
A lot of eyes will be on Campbell this year. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound defenseman becomes eligible to be picked in the 2027 NHL Draft, and there's a lot to like. Sure, he only had eight assists in 40 games for Drummondville last season. But with more comfort in the QMJHL, a college commit still eluding him and him getting stronger, he should be set for a big season.
Gatineau Olympiques
- Nicolas Petrut (F): Salisbury | 12/14/2006
Petrut was a standout at Salisbury from 2022-24. Since then, he's been with Gatineau, putting up 21 points in 34 games in his first season and 33 in 61 in his second. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward is still uncommitted.
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Halifax Mooseheads
- Will Bent (F): Concord, Mass. | 3/12/2008
- Jack Fichthorn (G): Darien, Conn. | 5/10/2007
- Paulo Gualberto (F): Barnstable, Mass. | 4/9/2009
- Carson Mertz (G): Coventry, R.I. | 2/19/2008
- Cam Minella (D): Darien, Conn. | 8/29/2009
- Evan Nee (F): Arlington, Mass. | 8/12/2007
- Jackson Smail (F): Milton, Vt. | 5/31/2008
- Brady Smith (D): Taft | 6/12/2007
How about two locals in net for Halifax? Both Fichthorn and Mertz were brought in during the offseason. Fichthorn left Westminster early last season to play for the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers, notching a 3.57 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage, and committed to Sacred Heart. Mertz, who is still uncommitted, put up a 2.34 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 29 games for the BCHL's Blackfalds Bulldogs last season.
The Mooseheads actually have an intriguing group of forwards up front. Bent, Nee, Smail and Gualberto are all candidates to break out. The same is true for Minella, a potential star on defense, as well as Smith, who enters Halifax after graduating from Taft.
Moncton Wildcats
- Chris Baird-Gajdos (D): Salisbury | 1/25/2008
- Jake Boguniecki (D): Orange, Conn. | 4/22/2009
- Myles Brosnan (D): Winchester, Mass. | 10/19/2007
- Rian Chudzinski (F): Needham, Mass. | 12/30/2007
- Shayne Gould (D): Princeton, Mass. | 4/7/2007
- Will Manchuso (F): Concord, Mass. | 1/9/2008
- Noah Survilas (F): Winthrop, Mass. | 12/27/2008
- Spencer Thornborough (F): Boxford, Mass. | 6/22/2008
- Niko Tournas (F): Redding, Conn. | 2/17/2006
- Jacoby Weiner (G): Riverside, Conn. | 6/19/2008
Yeah, this is basically Team New England for the second straight year. The big story is on defense, with Moncton bringing in three of the best defensemen in their birth years. Boguniecki arrives after leaving the U.S. National Team Development Program, Brosnan after graduating from Dexter and Gould after leading USHL defensemen in points last season (51). All three are dynamic. Boguniecki and Brosnan are known for two-way play, while Gould is a master puck mover. They should thrive in Moncton.
Newfoundland Regiment
- Matthew Frost (F): South Kent | 9/11/2006
- Ty Hymovitz (F): Needham, Mass. | 2/13/2008
Hymovitz was slated to play his senior year at Thayer, but had a fantastic training camp and made the roster. At 6-foot-1, Hymovitz is a do-it-all center who is somehow uncommitted. Undoubtedly, a strong winter for Newfoundland should lead to a Division 1 commitment. His game should translate well to the Q.
Frost was at South Kent from 2021-23, getting drafted first overall in the USHL Phase 1 Draft by the Waterloo Black Hawks in 2022. He's a former BC commit who has bounced around junior hockey since 2023.
Québec Remparts
- Egan Beveridge (F): East Kingston, N.H. | 1/11/2007
- Blake Cash (F): Hampton Falls, N.H. | 5/9/2008
- Carter Meyer (F): Winchester, Mass. | 4/10/2009
- Freddy Meyer (D): Winchester, Mass. | 10/16/2007
Hm, I wonder what the big story is here. Oh, that's right: Carter Meyer. All eyes will be on the younger Meyer after he left the NTDP to play with his older brother in Québec. Carter Meyer is a potential lottery pick in next year's NHL Draft. He's already clearly making friends with opposing teams up there.
Cash is an interesting prospect. The UNH commit is a speedy winger who had a nice year at Cushing last season with 31 points in 33 games. His breaking out as an '08 in the QMJHL is something to keep an eye on.
Rimouski Océanic
- Ted Drury (F): St. Mark's | 11/8/2007
- Phin Howard (D): Newton, Mass. | 1/30/2008
- Edouard Lord (G): Phillips Andover | 10/28/2006
- Caiden Pellegrino (F): Uxbridge, Mass. | 2/10/2009
- Tommy Saulnier (G): Medfield, Mass. | 2/15/2008
Rimouski might as well be called St. Mark's North, with Drury, Howard and Pellegrino, all former Lions, playing for the Océanic this coming season. The big name to watch is Pellegrino, who is fresh off ranking second in New England prep for points (75). He should be a top center for Rimouski and a legitimate 2027 NHL Draft prospect.
In net, Lord and Saulnier were two of the best goalies in prep last season. They should battle for Rimouski's net this winter.
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Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
- Thomas Boisvert (F): Mount St. Charles | 1/14/2010
- Liam Connelly (D): Medfield, Mass. | 5/28/2009
Boisvert was the No. 1 pick in the QMJHL Draft earlier this year, setting himself up to be a star in Rouyn-Noranda. He posted 55 goals and 134 points in 62 games for Mount's 15O team last season. He should step right in and be impactful.
Connelly making it is a bit of a surprise since Rouyn-Noranda didn't draft him. He is, however, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman. He got some solid playing time for Rivers last winter.
Saint John Sea Dogs
- Alex Donovan (F): Darien, Conn. | 4/8/2007
- Oskar Drabczynski (D): Easton, Conn. | 2/13/2008
- Jamie Glance (F): Stratham, N.H. | 9/23/2008
While Saint John may not have the most New Englanders, they're not short on high-end locals. Donovan, who recently committed to Providence College, put up 25 goals and 53 points in 63 games for the Sea Dogs last season. Adding Glance to an already-strong forward core is wild. The Boston University commit had 23 goals and 56 points in 62 games for the NTDP's U18 team last winter, and is at Saint John for some more seasoning. He enters the season as a projected first-round pick in the NHL Draft come June.
Drabczynski has always been one of my favorite two-way defensemen in New England. The former Avon Old Farms standout and Harvard commit had 10 points in 44 games last season.
Shawinigan Cataractes
- Kamden Jackson (G): Manchester, N.H. | 3/4/2009
Sure, Jackson is the only local tie for Shawinigan, but he should have a huge impact. He was a dynamo for Williston Northampton last season, leading the region with a .945 save percentage. He's a phenomenal netminder who is a 2027 NHL Draft candidate.
Sherbrooke Phoenix
- Kurt Beck (D): Arlington, Mass. | 4/2/2009
- Kaiden Donia (D): Townsend, Mass. | 1/16/2008
- Jack Fitzpatrick (F): Canton, Mass. | 10/22/2007
- Andrew Martin (F): Wakefield, Mass. | 8/16/2008
- Noah Mazzola (D): Lynnfield, Mass. | 4/24/2009
- Mason St. Louis (F): Old Greenwich, Conn. | 1/16/2008
- Parker Stockseth (G): Blandford, Mass. | 12/9/2008
Sherbrooke boasts an impressive array of local talent. Up front, Martin has plenty of upside after being a moderate producer at Brooks. Fitzpatrick is 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, and just seems to be scratching the surface. St. Louis is the most polished of the bunch. He boasts two high-producing seasons at Brunswick and is committed to Dartmouth.
On defense, Donia and Mazzola are Quinnipiac commits, while Beck is committed to Providence College. Beck has the most upside, as his skating, physicality, and puck-moving skills are still raw. Donia and Beck are arriving from prep, while Mazzola lit it up for Seacoast Performance Academy's 16U team with 94 points in 61 games.
Stockseth, a UMass commit, split time last season between the NAHL's Danbury Junior Hat Tricks and Sherbrooke.
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Val-d’Or Foreurs
- None
Victoriaville Tigres
- None
