Players To Watch In Upcoming QMJHL Finals
With the Ontario Hockey League final series getting underway tonight, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is awaiting its own championship kick-off tomorrow. The winners of both series, while league champions in their own right, also earn a spot in the Memorial Cup Tournament, where they’ll try to assert themselves as the top team in all of Canadian junior hockey.
While the QMJHL doesn’t feature quite as much star power as its OHL counterpart this year, there are plenty of names taking part in the finals who could be making an impact in the NHL as soon as next season. Behind a stalwart defensive pair and consistent scoring, the Saint John Sea Dogs cruised to a 48-14-5 record in 2016-17, which gave them the regular season crown by a whole nine points over the closest contender. The Sea Dogs’ impressive pace has not slowed down at all in the postseason; they went 12-1-1 on their way to a title berth. Now, Saint John has to get the job done when it matters most, as they know too well what falling short feels like after a semifinal exit last season. Their opposition for the championship is the upstart Blainville-Boisbriand Armanda. The Armada finished second in the West Division behind defending champion Rouyn-Noranda, but had the fourth-best record in the league at 43-19-4. Armed with two elite trade acquisitions, the Armanda charged through the playoffs and capped off their run to the title match-up with an upset over the #3-seed Charlottetown Islanders.
These two teams have been nearly unstoppable in the QMJHL playoffs and are charged up and ready to go. Who should you keep an eye on when the series starts tomorrow?
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada/Columbus Blue Jackets
A player who most hockey fans have heard of by now, Dubois was the third overall pick in the NHL Draft last June by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although many expected that he would make the team out of camp, the Blue Jackets brass felt he was not ready and returned the young center to his junior team, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Although he scored 18 points in his first 20 games of the season, it was far off his pace from 2015-16, when he finished with 99 points in 62 contests. Cape Breton decided to trade Dubois to Blainville-Boisbriand for a package that included two high draft picks. Dubois returned to his high-scoring ways with the Armada, posting 37 points in 28 regular season games and added 21 more through 15 postseason games thus far. Dubois is a well-rounded player with great offensive skill and strong two-way ability. If the Armada hope to knock off the Sea Dogs, Dubois will have to be the difference-maker.
Thomas Chabot, Saint John Sea Dogs/Ottawa Senators
Another star prospect many felt would be in the NHL this season, 2015 first-round pick Chabot has instead dominated the QMJHL since returning from his brief stint – one game played, -2 rating – with Ottawa earlier this season. An excellent possession defenseman who has speed and puck-moving ability, Chabot racks up the points from the blue line. In 34 regular season games in 2016-17, he accumulated 45 points. He also took a brief break to dominate the World Juniors with ten points in seven games as the alternate captain for Team Canada. Yet, he has still been able to take his game up a notch in the playoffs, posting 19 points in 14 games. Not only does that top all defensemen in the postseason, it’s also good enough for ninth overall. Chabot is a difficult player to match up against and will likely continue to score in the upcoming final series as he works to win a championship for the team he has played for since 2013.
Mathieu Joseph, Sain John Sea Dogs/Tampa Bay Lightning
GM Steve Yzerman picked a good one in the fourth round in 2015, as Joseph has been a revelation for Saint John the past two seasons. A multi-skilled winger who apparently was just slow to develop, Joseph went from a 42-point campaign in 2014-15 to 73 last year and 80 this year. Centered by recent Chicago Blackhawks signee Matthew Highmore, Joseph put up career numbers and finished tied for 12th in scoring in the QMJHL. To top off an incredible season, Joseph is second in postseason scoring with eleven goals and eleven assists already through just 14 games. No one has slowed Joseph down thus far and the Armada have their work cut out for them.
Alex Barre-Boulet, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
The only player scoring more than Joseph in the postseason has been Barre-Boulet. Passed up in the NHL Draft last year, the small, shifty center has done just about everything possible to make sure that doesn’t happen again. After scoring 89 points in 65 games last year for the Drummondville Voltigeurs was not enough, Barre-Boulet requested a trade midway through the season to a team with championship hopes in an effort to extend his season. Adding on to his 48 points from Drummondville, he registered 33 points in the Armada’s final 28 games and finished 11th in league scoring with 81 points total. In the playoffs though, he is alone in first by quite a margin. Barre-Boulet has 29 points, including 13 on the power play, in just 16 games. A player with a point to make, unlike many of the top players in the series, Barre-Boulet will perhaps be the most dangerous competitor that Saint John has to face.
Jakub Zboril, Saint John Sea Dogs/Boston Bruins
Luckily, the Sea Dogs have had an answer for some of the top offensive talent in the QMJHL this year (and last year and the year before that) in Czech defenseman Zboril. A 2015 first-round pick of the Bruins, Zboril is known as one of the best two-way defenseman in the league. A dominant force in the neutral zone, Zboril can carry the puck and fire a hard shot on goal and then speed back to his own end for a hard check as well. In a league that has historically been fast-moving and high-offense, Zboril has helped to keep scoring down in Saint John for the visitors. He also gets on the board himself with 41 points in 50 games this season. One of a number of elite Boston defensive prospects, enjoy Zboril dominating the juniors while you can, because he’ll be turning pro after the season.
Julien Gauthier, Saint John Sea Dogs/Carolina Hurricanes
The rich got richer at the QMJHL Trade Deadline this season as the Sea Dogs acquired 2016 Carolina first-rounder Gauthier from the Val-d’Or Foreurs. A big power forward who isn’t afraid to use his 6’4″, 225-lb. frame, but also has a surprising finesse game, Gauthier is a valuable weapon. However, while he managed to score more than a point per game for both Val-d’Or and Saint John en route to a 51-point season, the Sea Dogs know that Gauthier has more to offer. With 11 points in 14 postseason games, he’s made his presence felt, but if Gauthier plays to his potential in this final series, he could really tip the scales in Saint John’s favor.
How Did The Top Five Picks In The 2016 Draft Class Fare?
As the importance of drafting and developing talent takes precedence in a hard cap league, PHR takes a look at how the first five picks from the 2016 NHL Draft fared nearly a calendar year after their selection.
#1: Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs
It almost seems silly writing about him since the Calder Trophy nominated center has been one of the major reasons the Leafs made the playoffs and have given the Capitals fits. Matthews had 69 points in 82 games (40-29) and was everything the Leafs could have hoped he would be. Matthews scored four goals in his debut, and though he had his share of rookie struggles, looked wise beyond his very young age on the ice. Already in the playoffs, Matthews has four points in five games in the playoffs (3-1) and will certainly lead this team to a contender status in the years to come.
#2: Patrik Laine – Winnipeg Jets
Hardly a consolation prize, Laine is also a Calder Trophy finalist and finished the season with 64 points (36-28) but it was individual performances that garnered attention. Laine registered three hat tricks this season, and in a strictly point-per-game glance, Laine led Matthews and every other rookie this season. Should Winnipeg improve their fortunes, Laine has the game breaking ability to take a talented team deep into the playoffs.
#3: Pierre-Luc Dubois – Columbus Blue Jackets
One of only two players in the top ten to not spend time with the big club, Dubois split time with Cape Breton and Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL. He didn’t disappoint. Combined, the left winger had 55 points in 48 games (21-34) and has been dynamic in the President’s Cup playoffs, posting 14 points (5-9) in 11 games. The Armada are currently in the semi-finals against Charlottetown (trailing 1-0), and if his current performance is any indication, Dubois could find himself breaking camp with the Blue Jackets next fall.
#4: Jesse Puljujarvi – Edmonton Oilers
Puljujarvi was sent down in early January after making the team out of camp, and his numbers in Bakersfield were respectable: 28 points (12-16) in 39 games and the opportunity to play real minutes instead of playing limited time in Edmonton. Puljujarvi appears to be a rising star, and the extra seasoning should help. His play will continue as he was loaned to Finland’s national team to play in the World Championships.
#5: Olli Juolevi – Vancouver Canucks
Juolevi spent the season with the London Knights, racking up 42 points (10-32) in 58 games. His point total matched his 2015-16 results, with the exception of adding a goal. Juolevi scored the game winning goal in the first round of the OHL playoffs against Windsor that sent the Knights onto the second round, where they ultimately lost to Erie in seven games. During their 14 game run, Juolevi had eight points (3-5). The smooth puck moving defenseman was the first blueliner taken in the draft, and could be a candidate to make the team next year as the Canucks will be retooling their roster with more youth.
Forgotten Futures: Checking In On Picks 3-5
While Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine have dominated many of the headlines around the NHL since the moment they put on their respective sweaters on June 24th, 2016 there were other names picked that day that have received much less attention. Matthew Tkachuk has burst onto the scene in Calgary, recording an incredible 41 points in his rookie season (including more assists than either of the top 2) while Jakob Chychrun has steadily improved in the desert and is now logging 20 minutes a night as an 18-year old.
There were three other names taken between Laine and Tkachuk, and though their respective fan bases surely haven’t forgotten about their prized assets, drooling over the potential they bring while combing through box scores—that is if anyone combs through box scores anymore—the rest of the league might have. As we head past the trade deadline many teams look towards the future, hoping for a brighter sunrise next season and looking at comparables for their expected draft position this summer.
5th Overall Pick – Olli Juolevi (VAN)
The first defenseman picked in the draft was Olli Juolevi from the London Knights. The smooth skating defender that was heralded as a future #1 who could play in any situation has had an excellent, if a little underwhelming season for the Knights in 2016-17. Playing on a great team in front of a great goaltender, Juolevi has continued to rack up assists while being a main part of one of the stingiest defensive teams in the OHL. The Knights have allowed just 165 goals this season and Juolevi is one of the reasons why.
With 39 points in 49 games, he continues to produce in junior hockey, though a little less can be said about his performance at the World Juniors. Captaining a Finnish squad that was without almost all of their key players—including one we will speak of later—Juolevi didn’t impress much through the preliminary round. After his coach got fired midway through the tournament, Juolevi stepped up a bit but still finished with just two points in six games.
It’s hardly enough to judge him on, but Vancouver Canucks fans were likely hoping to see him take over the tournament all by himself and drag the Finnish team to the medal round. They should however be excited about the prospect that London will be in the OHL playoffs starting later this month, where Juolevi will try for a second crack at the Memorial Cup.
PHR Originals: 1/9/2017-1/15/2017
It’s been an interesting week in the NHL, and here at PHR we’ve had some excellent original features:
- Nate Brown took at look at the top five picks from last summer, and how they’ve fared so far in their young careers. With Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine off to huge starts in the NHL (though Laine is now facing a concussion), it’s an interesting look at players like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Olli Juolevi, both of whom stayed with their junior clubs this year.
- I took a look at the shootout, and where teams would be if it was eliminated. Though teams would leapfrog each other if those points were taken away, it sure would close up some gaps.
- Brian La Rose released our annual mid-season UFA power rankings, in two parts (here and here). Based on votes from all of the writers at PHR, Kevin Shattenkirk took home the trophy of the #1 UFA. The rest of them are very interesting though, with writers ranking the field quite differently.
- Brian also continued his series re-drafting the 2005 class. This time it was the 28th overall selection, which Devin Setoguchi handily won.
- Brett Barrett took a look at the biggest one-for-one trades in the past decade. Inspired by the Taylor Hall–Adam Larsson/P.K. Subban–Shea Weber monster day we experienced last summer, some of the swaps have been the epitome of “blockbuster deal”
- And just a few hours ago I looked at Philadelphia’s struggles heading into their mandated bye week. The team lost 5-0 today to the Washington Capitals and are at risk of falling out of a playoff spot this week.
How Are The 2016 Draft Picks Doing? Picks #1-5
Now more than ever, the NHL is a draft and develop league. While trades and key free agent signings are still an important part of the game, gone are the days where core players could be obtained for a few draft picks and low level prospects. The key to building a solid franchise foundation is drafting well. If gifted with a top five pick, the pressure in the salary cap era is even more stifling.
With the 2017 NHL Draft just over six months away, it’s always interesting to see how the 2016 picks are doing following their selections. Some like Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, really need no introduction. The contributions to their respective teams have been significant, and talked about during the first half of the season. Here are the top five picks in order, and what they’ve been up to since being drafted last June.
#1 overall pick: Auston Matthews
What else is there to say? The Toronto Maple Leafs picked the Arizona native and they haven’t been disappointed. Nearly a point-per-game player, Matthews has 36 points (21-15) in 40 games and despite a goal scoring drought a few months back, Matthews has hit his stride. A knack to score big goals and showing a strong two-way game as well, Matthews is the backbone of a Toronto rebuilding project that includes a lot of exciting young players. The future is looking very bright in hockey’s mecca.
#2 overall pick: Patrik Laine
The Winnipeg Jets knew they were getting a good player in Laine, but just how good wasn’t revealed until the regular season began. Laine has netted two hat tricks this season and until Matthews heated up, there was significant discussion that Laine could be the choice for the Calder Trophy for league’s best rookie. Though a concussion sidelined him, Laine was also nearly a point-per-game player with 37 points (21-16) in 42 games. He still leads all rookies in goals and points.
Read more
Snapshots: Outdoor Games, Devils, Dubois
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced today that the NHL expects to hold three outdoor games next season, reports ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun. The NHL is already exploring Ottawa as one potential site given the city hosted the first ever NHL hockey game—something the NHL wants to commemorate in its 100th anniversary. Montreal and Columbus also deserve serious consideration as they remain the most prominent and climate-ready locales yet to host an outdoor game. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights may garner some consideration if the NHL wants to give the franchise some supplemental exposure.
- The New Jersey Devils are without both Travis Zajac and Jacob Josefson tonight against the Boston Bruins. Both forwards are out with undisclosed illnesses. Zajac leads the Devils in scoring with 8G and 16A in 37 games. Josefson, however, only has 2A in 16 games. Finally, defense prospect Steve Santini makes his NHL debut tonight. Santini is scoreless in 15 games for the Albany Devils so far this season.
- Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Pierre-Luc Dubois was demoted off of Canada’s top line at the World Junior Hockey Championships prior to tonight’s Quarter-Final game against the Czech Republic, reports Scott Wheeler. The 3rd overall pick in 2016 has 0G and 4A in the tournament so far, but has not impressed the Hockey Canada coaching staff. Dubois is having an excellent year in the QMJHL, scoring 6G and 12A in 20 games so far this season. The top line now consists of Colorado Avalanche prospect Tyson Jost, New Jersey Devils prospect Blake Speers, and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome.
Pierre-Luc Dubois Will Be Traded In QMJHL (Updated)
(2:10pm): While no details on the return package have emerged, Jeff Marek of Sportsnet relays a tweet from Jerome Berube, the head scout in Quebec for HockeyProspect.com, citing the depth of young talent the Armada has along with owning Sherbrooke’s first-round pick, which as of now would be a top-five selection. The suggestion being the Armada has the assets necessary to pry Dubois away from Cape Breton.
Meanwhile, Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch tweeted that a trade of Dubois was expected, and that the trade to the Armada puts the Blue Jackets prospect in a better situation that should allow the talented pivot to play meaningful hockey deep into the QMJHL season.
(11:59am): Columbus Blue Jackets third overall pick and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) star Pierre-Luc Dubois will be traded when the QMJHL trading period begins, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie.
Dubois will be moving from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
More to come…
*Glen Miller contributed to this post.
NHL, Stakeholders Discuss Possible Change To Draft Age
Could the NHL change the draft age from 18 to 19?
TSN’s Bob McKenzie spoke about the possibility on Tuesday night’s edition of Insider Trading. Former third-overall-pick Pat LaFontaine is leading a group of stakeholders that includes the NHL, NHLPA, CHL, USHL, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, and NCAA to discuss a “whole new development model.”
According to McKenzie, the model would go from age five to age 20, and would include changing the NHL Draft-eligible age to 19, with “some obvious exceptions for exceptional players.”
The system would likely feature an expanded version of the CHL’s Exceptional Player Status. Normally, players aren’t eligible to play in the WHL, OHL, or QMJHL (the CHL’s three leagues) until they’re 16. However, there is a process (outlined extensively by McKenzie here) where players deemed exceptional can begin to play Major Junior at age 15. Players and their families apply to the CHL and Hockey Canada, and the player is examined on and off the ice to determine if he truly is exceptional. So far, only six players have ever applied, with John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, and 2018-eligible Joseph Veleno being successful candidates. The first thee on that list went first overall in their OHL and NHL draft years, while Day went fourth in the OHL draft was a third-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2016. While it’s still early in his career, McKenzie noted that “some were questioning whether he was as blatantly exceptional as Tavares, Ekblad or McDavid.”
Changing the NHL Draft age would drastically change the way the draft is conducted. Looking back over the past two drafts, top selections like McDavid, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Patrik Laine would likely have been able to still be drafted at age 18. All four of them have been successful in their rookie seasons, and were clearly NHL-ready at age 18/19. While McDavid was a CHL exceptional-status player, the other three played NCAA, Swiss National League, and Liiga in their draft years. The NHL and other stakeholders would need to find a way to coordinate with all leagues to determine which players are truly exceptional and deserve to be drafted at age 18.
While the above mentioned players would still have been drafted at 18, elite prospects like Dylan Strome, Mitch Marner, Noah Hanifin, Jesse Puljujärvi, and Pierre-Luc Dubois may have been forced to wait an extra year, depending on the rules set out. As it stands now, several teams have issues with how the NHL-CHL agreement is laid out, as it forces 19-year-old draft+1 players to either play in the NHL or CHL when the AHL may be the best for their development. Strome is a current example: he’s posted 129 and 111 points in his last two years in the OHL and has nothing to gain from returning to junior, where he will dominate and potentially learn bad habits because of how dominant he is at that level. Strome has just one assist in six NHL games this year, and would be well-served by 40 games in the AHL to learn the pro game. That’s currently prevented by the NHL-CHL agreement. On one hand, it’s easy to see that CHL teams don’t want to lose their brightest stars before they absolutely have to, but at the same time it may not be in the player’s best interests to go back to junior. Changing the draft age to 19 could alleviate this issue, with drafted players only playing one more year of junior, at most, before turning pro.
LaFontaine and the stakeholders will meet again on Wednesday. On Insider Trading, McKenzie said they’ll “need to get some traction soon if it’s going to happen.”
The NHLPA would also need to agree to the change in collective bargaining when the current CBA expires in 2022 (both sides can opt out two years early). Convincing the Players Association that players will have to wait an extra year before making an NHL salary could be a tough argument, but it will be interesting to see how the discussion goes over the next little while.
Columbus Returns Dubois To Juniors
On the eve of their home opener, the Columbus Blue Jackets have announced they they have sent 2016 3rd-overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois back to his junior team, the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. A high pick in his first pro experience, Dubois did not stick out in the preseason; still, many expected him to stay with the Blue Jackets, at least through the ten-game “tryout” period. Instead, the 18-year-old center will head back to juniors without an NHL game under his belt.
The Blue Jackets selection of Dubois with the #3 pick was believed to be a reach by many. However, that only added fuel to the fire for those who believed that Columbus really saw something in the young scorer. Having traded Ryan Johansen last season, it is no secret that the Jackets are on the hunt for a franchise center. It was believed that they planned on having Dubois step right into that role. In four preseason games though, Dubois was held without a point and was a -4, with the consensus being that he looked over-matched with the pro game. Rather than get a longer look this season, Columbus has elected to send Dubois back to Cape Breton, where he scored 99 points last season, and hope that he comes to camp next year ready to earn an NHL spot.
In a corresponding mover, the Blue Jackets have recalled Alexander Wennberg from Cleveland of the AHL. The 22-year-old will now play Dubois’ role of young center looking to be a difference-maker on a team without much depth and ability down the middle.
Snapshots: Cowen, Werenski, Heatherington
The long and contentious Jared Cowen saga seems to finally have an end date put in place, as the arbitration hearing has been set to determine whether the Toronto Maple Leafs were actually able to buy out the defenseman. Toronto successfully bought Cowen out earlier this summer, but the NHLPA has filed a grievance and contends that they were not allowed to do so, due to Cowen’s continuing injured status.
On October 19th, according to Bob McKenzie, an arbitrator will decide whether to uphold or reverse the buyout. If Cowen wins, he would be due his $4.5MM salary, where as if the buyout was upheld, he’d earn just $750K this season and next.
For the Maple Leafs, that $3.75MM in savings would help the rebuild even further, as they’ve used their financial power to gain assets (or, usually, rid themselves of burdens) over the past few seasons. Cowen underwent hip surgery this summer and won’t be ready for any kind of hockey until February at the earliest.
- For the Blue Jackets, this season holds a lot of promise. One of the biggest stories will be the debut of Zach Werenski, the team’s top prospect (outside of perhaps Pierre-Luc Dubois). As Werenski gets ready to make his preseason debut on Thursday, he wrote a piece for NHL.com describing the journey he’s taken so far. “I’m trying to make the NHL. It’s a little nerve-wracking, I won’t lie, but I feel confident that I can make it happen,” he writes, being honest with himself and the reader instead of spouting bravado. Werenski certainly seems ready; he joined the Lake Erie Monsters late last season, and led them with 14 points in the playoffs en route to a Calder Cup victory.
- Still with Columbus, Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch reports that Dillon Heatherington has suffered a fractured wrist and will be out 6-8 weeks. A second-round pick in 2013, he was set to continue his development at the AHL level this season. Aaron Portzline, also of the Dispatch, adds that fellow prospect Keegan Kolesar has undergone hernia surgery and will be out at least six weeks. Kolesar scored 61 points in 64 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL last season, and will head back for one more year.