With the 2025 NHL draft less than a week away, what better time to take a sneak-peak at the best the QMJHL has to offer.
RW Justin Carbonneau (Blainville-Boisbriand)
Biography
- Birthday: November 25, 2006
- Height: 6-foot-1
- Weight: 192 lbs
- Stats: 62 games, 46 goals, 43 assists
- Ranked the #16 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
While Caleb Desnoyers may have him beat in the draft rankings, in terms of offensive skillset, Justin Carbonneau is the best in class out of the QMJHL.
He boasts an elite shot and puckhandling skill, manoeuvring around defenders with chip plays and slight of hand dekes before ripping it on net, often with success. His passing is special, too, generally boasting solid enough positional awareness in the offensive zone and enough confidencce to make and connect on behind the back no look passes.
Carbonneau's game isn't just all flash, as he's stepped up in his role in the defensive zone as the season has gone on, and boasts a solid frame which he'll use to rhino his way through opposing players.
All of these qualities, alongside his draft class highest 89-point season in the QMJHL would make you think he'd be a Top-3 or Top-5 pick. So, why has he eluded such rankings?
The biggest thing against Carbonneau is his incosistency, Some games he'll make really strong defensive efforts and will track the play as it develops so he can be best positioned to leave on a breakout or help out further, and other times he's on autopilot.
Offensively, he's got some concerns as well. Firstly, when set up in the offensive zone, he'll often shoot from the perimeter. In most of these instances, these are uncontested shots as well. This is really concerning as while his shot will be able to puncture through a junior goaltender, at the next level he's going to need to begin shooting from higher danger areas and focusing more on using his puck-handling and skating to create more scoring chances.
Furthermore, all to often he'll use his physical maturity to his advantage to bully through opposing skaters with the puck, which just won't be possible against more robust and advanced defenders at the next level.
If there's anyone from this QMJHL class that has the potential to be a genuine 90-point, 40-goal guy, it's Carbonneau -- hands down. His skillset is high end, and he's got the physicals to help get him there. What can hold him back from this is his tendancy to play "junior hockey". If he can work his game on becoming more adaptable to pro hockey, there's not much that can stop him from being a flashier Travis Konecny like player.
Projection
- Draft: Pick 9-29
- NHL: First line scoring winger at best, checking forward at worst
Videos to watch:
Justin Carbonneau: Creative, Strong and Confident Hockey - Scouching
G Owen Bresson (Shawinigan)
Biography
- Birthday: September 29, 2006
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Weight: 173 lbs
- Stats: 17 games, .905 save percentage, 2.98 GAA
- Ranked the #16 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Coming over in mid-November due to the NCAA rule change allowing major junior players to commit to Division-I hockey, Bresson found himself a role as the backup goaltender for the Shawinigan Cataractes posting a respectable .905 save percentage through 17 games.
Starting off the season as a longshot draft candidate, and his time in Shawinigan has cemented himself as being worthy of draft consideration.
Bresson is a composed positional goaltender, who plays very well low and is really good along his posts -- not too far stylistically from a Jeremy Swayman. However, Bresson struggles with his speed, which opens up a major weakness on cross crease and royal road plays. Furthermore, he seems to struggle looking through screens and has a tendancy to drop his glove, giving shooters open room to pick top right corner on him.
Already efficient in his routes, if he can improve his speed, he can become a Calvin Pickard like goaltender stylistically. However, with the mid-season move and the lack of a guaranteed starting role next season, it's hard to gauge whether Bresson has the runway that'll get him drafted.
Projection
- Draft: Seventh Round+
- NHL: Fringe NHL goaltender
RW Andreas Straka (Quebec)
Biography
- Birthday: July 4, 2007
- Height: 6-foot-1
- Weight: 192 lbs
- Stats: 53 games, 9 goals, 25 assists
- Ranked the #95 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting
Andreas Straka is a name you may have heard thanks to him pulling of the Michigan in only his first month in the league.
While he boasts impressive puckhandling ability, offense isn't the major selling point for Straka. In fact, it's his play on the other end of the ice.
Straka a high-pace checking game, using both his size and stick to seperate puck carriers from the puck and move the puck up the ice. He was a particularily effective forechecker forcing turnovers and having solid enough passing skill and vision to make plays off of these earned pucks.
Offensively, there's some work to be had. All too often he chooses to play passive game around the perimeter and while his shot isn't great, he could use his puckhandling skill to get closer to the net and shoot in more higher danger areas.
If Straka's to get to the next level and become an NHL checking forward in the mould of a Curtis Lazar, he'll need to improve his edgework and acceleration to become more effective on the rush but also on the forecheck. Additionally, he could learn to improve his faceoffs and play centre more to better give himself a chance at the next level.
Projection
- Draft: Pick 100-160
- NHL: Bottom six checker
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