With the 2025 NHL draft just a week away, what better time to take a sneak-peak at the best the QMJHL has to offer.
G Lucas Beckman (Baie-Comeau)
Biography
- Birthday: August 23, 2007
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Weight: 194 lbs
- Stats: 52 games, .914 save percentage, 2.65 GAA
- Ranked the #2 North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting
Joining the Drakkar from U18 AAA play mid way through last season, Lucas Beckman quickly showed himself to be promising goaltender for the 2025 NHL draft. The 6-foot-2 netminder posted three shutouts and tallied a .938 save percentage over nine games to end his rookie season.
He showed so much talent, that the contending Drakkar bought into the hype, trading would be overager Charles-Eduard Gravel to open up the starting gig for the young netminder.
Posting a .914 save percentage, tied for third highest among QMJHL starters, the stats have backed him up this season, but what about his on ice play?
Beckman is a positionally strong goaltender with strong play reading. When combined with his consistently square framing, Beckman is one of the toughest goaltenders to beat clean.
While many of Beckman's attributes are advanced for his age, his game shows wrinkles as well. Namely, Beckman's skating. While he tends to have a good ability to pivot, and can be an adequately fast goaltender, for whatever reason Beckman struggles with generating power off of pushes. It is of note that it's not like Beckman is underweight either at 6-foot-2, 194 lbs.
This specific issue can and likely will really hurt him if he's on a weaker team, that gives up more cross creases as well as cuts in front of the net, but also at the higher level as the game speeds up.
Furthermore, while Beckman plays fairly conservatively in the crease, there is one area where he plays very aggressively and that's in handling the puck. All too often, Beckman either chooses to play the puck as opponents are forechecking too hard or makes area passes that end up on the opposing team's stick.
He'll need to pick and choose his spots, as well as, his targets better in the future for it not to be a crutch at higher levels.
Despite these issues, Beckman is one of the most complete goaltenders in from the Q's draft class, let alone the NHL's. If Beckman dedicates the next six or seven years towards improving his pushes to even an adequate level, he should be a consistent NHL goaltender barring any other issues arising.
Projection
- Draft: Pick 60-120
- NHL: Tandem goaltender (1A/1B)
LW Philippe Veilleux (Val-d'Or)
Biography
- Birthday: March 26, 2007
- Height: 5-foot-9
- Weight: 165 lbs
- Stats: 64 games, 40 goals, 47 assists
- Ranked the #91 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Finishing third in points in the entire league, and second among draft eligibles with 87 (40+47), Philippe Veilleux has been absolutely dominant this year and despite his play on a weaker Val-d'Or team, no less, he just hasn't gotten the credit you'd expect from a player of his calibre.
Offensively, he's dynamic. Boasting an above average shot and passing, with an even stronger brain to pair, Veilleux is one of the most dangerous players in the QMJHL in the offensive zone. However, he's hardly a one-zone player, showing strong ability to carry the puck up the ice on the breakout as well.
Veilleux has what it takes to be a 50-point player at the NHL level from his offensive skills alone.
However his crux is his diminuitive stature at 5-foot-9, matched with below average skating for that size. Being short is already a major knock against players of any position in hockey, but with it comes the expectation of being a high end skater and Veilleux just isn't that.
This limits his likelihood of achieving that upside heavily as there just aren't many even above average skill guys at his height who become NHL regulars. These players do exist, such as Justin Danforth (Columbus, 5-foot-8) and Yanni Gourde (Tampa), but are more so the exception and not the norm.
Furthermore, just last season, we saw 50+ goalscorer Justin Poirier (Baie-Comeau), a player with similar issues but a much stronger shot fall to the fifth round to Carolina because of his size and speed package.
Additionally these players tend to end up playing in forechecking roles, and are expected to work for pucks in the corners and physically engage themselves, two things that Veilleux avoids doing.
The skill and brains are there to become a scorer at the next level, however there are rightly many concerns that could hold him back from even getting there.
I think the best path forward for Veilleux is a longer development curve through the NCAA after his QMJHL career, prioritizing strength and skating. With additional mass, he should be able to get to an above average skater. Furthermore, he'll need to engage in murky waters more if he wants to give himself the best chance at a pro career.
Projection
- Draft: Pick 65-180
- NHL: Anywhere from middle-six to AHL
C Nathan Quinn (Quebec)
Biography
- Birthday: August 29, 2007
- Height: 5-foot-10
- Weight: 168 lbs
- Stats: 54 games, 17 goals, 29 assists
- Ranked the #66 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Given his small stature and lacking skating, it's no surprise that I'm about to compare Quinn to the aforementioned Veilleux situationally.
While Quinn is a center and has an extra inch on Veilleux, his offensive game is less defined as Veilleux's. However, his defensive commitment, willingness to engage physically and his success in both aspects really help with raising his floor and NHL likelihood.
Whereas Veilleux is almost bound to a top nine or bust projection, Quinn has the defensive ability and smarts to make it as a bottom sixer. Not to mention, his added bonus of carrying a fairly solid offensive toolkit as well.
The concern here is whether he'll follow in the footsteps of similarily statured Vincent Desjardins last season and get passed on entirely in the draft. This shouldn't be the case as Quinn has a fair bit more credibility among scouting circles, however it is still a possibility.
Projection
- Draft: Pick 65-180
- NHL: Bottom six centre with penalty kill
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