The 2024 QMJHL draft took place earlier this month and saw the Quebec Remparts select Maddox Dagenais, son of former NHL-er Pierre Dagenais, with the first overall pick.
This first draft saw the selection of players based in North America, exclusively. But what about the non-North American players? How do they make their way on the continent to play hockey?
Each CHL team is allowed to have two non-North American players in their lineups that can only be acquired through what is called the CHL import draft. This draft is taking place next week, shortly after the NHL draft.
And for the first time since 2021, a QMJHL team owns the first selection in the draft. The Val d’Or Foreurs will have the first-overall pick for the second time in their history.
In 2000, they selected Ivan Huml. The Czech forward never played for the Foreurs, but had a short NHL career with the Boston Bruins before heading back home for a successful career overseas.
Another highlight this year is that Russian and Belarussian players will be eligible to get drafted after import draft bans in 2022 and 2023.
Below is each QMJHL team and their selections in this year’s import draft. There are a total of 120 picks, meaning each CHL team 一 18 in the QMJHL, 20 in the OHL and 22 in the WHL 一 has two picks.
Val d’Or Foreurs: picks 1, 61
Quebec Remparts: picks 4, 64
Saint John Sea Dogs: picks 7, 67
Charlottetown Islanders: picks 10, 70
Gatineau Olympiques: picks 13, 73
Shawinigan Cataractes: picks 16, 76
Acadie-Bathurst Titan: picks 19, 79
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada: picks 22, 82
Sherbrooke Phoenix: picks 25, 85
Chicoutimi Saguenéens: picks 28, 88
Rimouski Océanic: picks 31, 91
Cape Breton Eagles: picks 34, 94
Moncton Wildcats: picks 37, 97
Victoriaville Tigres: picks 40, 100
Halifax Mooseheads: picks 43, 103
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies: picks 46, 106
Drummondville Voltigeurs: picks 49, 109
Baie-Comeau Drakkar: picks 52, 112
This year’s CHL import draft will take place on July 3 at 11 a.m.