With the 2025 NHL draft less than two weeks away, what better time to take a sneak-peak at the best the QMJHL has to offer. 

C Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton)

Biography

• Birthday: April 11, 2007
• Height: 6-foot-2
• Weight: 176 lbs
• Stats: 56 games, 35 goals, 49 assists
• Ranked the #7 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting

In what is a very strong draft class for the QMJHL, by all accounts, Caleb Desnoyers is the premier prospect out of the group. The center from St-Hyacinthe, Quebec brings a matured and all-around game -- one that coaches dream of. Desnoyers seems to pride himself on the little things, winning faceoffs, puck battles and playing a robust defensive game, all while not shying away from physicality. It is rare for a draft prospect to be this far along in these foundational aspects, and that is a true testament to Desnoyers' viability as an NHL player.

While the meat and potatoes may not be the most appetizing selling point, Desnoyers brings a lot of skill as well. He boasts an incredible mind for the game, seemingly always in position. Additionally, he tends to thrive both on the rush, finding and cutting lanes, and in a more meticulous cycle.

Despite only an alright shot, I don't believe he'll have any issues with scoring at the next level. His ability work in front of the net for rebounds and tips, should provide him with ample extra chances. Not to mention, as the league has traded focuses on power and picking corners in shooting for shots along the ice and under the blocker, Desnoyers' has the offensive tool kit to get around this hump.

The only other major criticisms Desnoyers had received this season were playing a fairly low-pace game, as well as thriving more in a support role rather than a true playdriving role. Certainly, he will need to work on improving his skating if he's to get to a high-end level, whether offensively or defensively. As he's so far along in other aspects of his game, he should have the runway to focus on that and likely get it to where it needs to be. Further, the extra weight he'll need to put on to get to a more NHL-level frame should help him produce more powerful strides. As for the other critique, his ability to strip the puck, along with winning puck battles are great indicators that when he does engage the play instead of react to it, he's successful. This will be an area that will need to be further coached into his game.

He has the mould of the kind of player who can seemingly only bottom out as a tenured NHL veteran, becoming a capable, all-situations bottom sixer with an offensive touch barring catastrophe. However, if given the leeway, Desnoyers can truly become a top dog, in the vein of a Nick Suzuki. 

Which ever team drafts Desnoyers, is getting a winner. Someone who has proven, at pretty much every level, he has the capacity to win. That winning mentality, on top of the total package that Desnoyers brings on a nightly basis may just be enough for him to land in the Top 5.

It should finally be noted that while considering all of this, Desnoyers has apparently played through most of the entire season (since November) with two wrist injuries. Given that he's been one of the best players on the faceoff dot and at stick checking, these considerations could very well improve his draft stock even more. Furthermore, his average shot this season may be a result of those injuries, and we could perhaps see an even more lethal Desnoyers in September.

Projection

• Draft: Pick #3-#15
• NHL: High end defensive 2C, with 1C upside

Videos to watch:

Why Caleb Desnoyers Wins Everywhere - EliteProspects

Caleb Desnoyers: Efficiency On Ice - Scouching

Caleb Desnoyers On Why He Models His Game After Jonathan Toews - TSN

G Louis-Antoine Denault - Quebec

Biography

• Birthday: September 26, 2008
• Height: 6-foot-8
• Weight: 205 lbs
• Stats: 41 games, .902 save percentage, 3.13 goals against average
• Ranked the #5 North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting

Over the past decade and a half, the NHL has seen a disappearance in the short goaltender archetype. Rarely are goaltenders under six-foot considered draftable anymore as teams have shifted towards size and frame over speed and technique. As such, the number of enormous goaltenders has exploded recently, with the likes of Utah's Michael Hrabal, Ottawa's Mads Sogaard and Rangers' Talyn Boyko and Hugo Ollas all at 6-foot-7 as recent examples.

However, one draft eligible stands above the rest -- quite literally -- in 6-foot-8 netminder Louis-Antoine Denault. 

QMJHL (@QMJHL) on X A former basketball player, 6'8'' goaltender Louis-Antoine Denault has the size, skills and athleticism that clubs look for at the #NHLDraft! @quebec_remparts | #MeetTheFuture

In many ways, Denault plays like you'd expect a lanky 6-foot-8 goaltender would. He's not very athletic, but is generally able to compensate thanks to his longer limbs when covering the bottom of the net. Furthermore, he's not a very fast goaltender either. As such, along with his gifted physical frame, Denault opts for a blocking approach.

Blocking-style goaltenders do work at the next level, with goaltenders such as Linus Ullmark and Ben Bishop thriving with that approach. However, given the lesser emphasis on using his hands to absorb shots, it can be a problem if the goaltender struggles with rebounds, which Denault does.

Much like the similarly unrefined Joshua Ravensbergen (Prince George, WHL), who is ranked as high as a potential first rounder by a fair few scouts, Denault was never drafted to the CHL, instead joining the Remparts as a walk on ahead of the 2023-24 season. With his size and play, it's almost a shoe-in that he gets drafted. However, we'll see if he gets afforded the same luxuries as Ravensbergen.

Unlike Ravensbergen, however, Denault was on a much younger and weaker team. Despite this, he was able to pot a slightly higher save percentage, with a .902 compared to the projected first rounders .901. The Remparts should be in position to be a more capable squad next season, and a likely contender for Denault's overage season in 2026-27, giving him a pretty strong runway and developmental environment moving forward.

Ultimately, if Denault wants to get to the NHL -- he's got a lot of work to do. He lacks any true dynamic traits that would indicate any major potential upside. However, his frame is a strong bedrock to build a game around and he's got generally strong tracking and positioning. If he can improve his footwork and speed, and improve his reaction times, he could very well get to the level of a NHL regular goaltender.

Projection

• Draft: Fourth-Sixth Round
• NHL: Backup at best, otherwise organizational depth

Never want to miss out on any QMJHL news? Be sure to follow The Hockey News' QMJHL page.

D Eduard Bondar (Val-d'Or)

Biography

• Birthday: January 31, 2007
• Height: 6-foot-5
• Weight: 194 lbs
• Stats: 54 games, 3 goals, 9 assists
• Ranked the #147 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting

Last season, one of the draft prospects that had quickly endeared themselves to me was Gatineau's Jan Golicic. Golciic was a massive, relatively smooth skating defenseman, with the tools and displaying flashes of becoming a dominant shutdown defenseman. Golicic was drafted by the  Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round last year, and this season was the QMJHL's premiere defensive stahlwart.

This year, on my viewings of Eduard Bondar, it's tickled a similar itch. The massive right shot blue liner has been a fundamental defensive piece on an otherwise offense-forward Val-d'Or Foreurs team. In particular, his defensive prowess comes from a combination of a strong stick and impressive four-way mobility for his size. However, Bondar isn't unwilling to use his imposing size against his opponents if necessary. 

These carries up the ice show a level of confidence and underlying ability that you frankly do not see in the offensive zone, where his skillset is just not quite there. 

While he lacks in the production department compared to Golicic at the same point, his ability to move the puck up the ice with confidence is a key trait. As a personal analytical anecdote, with the way that the NHL has evolved -- a transitonal game as a shutdown defenseman is a non-negotiable for consistent NHL minutes barring an elite defensive skillset.

By the season's end, the young Foreurs squad was oozing with talent and finesse as each of their young stars were coming into their own. Unlike Nathan Brisson and Philippe Veilleux, two draft eligibles I'll get to later, Bondar wasn't given consistent top line minutes throughout the year. With two overagers leaving on the blueline, those opportunities should be more readily available to him as the team is prepared to take a step into contention.

All-in-all, Bondar's play style and overall skillset, bodes well for a potential NHL future. He'll need to work on timing his gaps and his puck skills to truly get there but becoming a Derek Forbort type defenseman is not out of the question.

Projection

• Draft: Fourth-Sixth Round
• NHL: Bottom pair shutdown defenseman, penalty kill specialist

Never want to miss out on any QMJHL news? Be sure to follow The Hockey News' QMJHL page.