A lot of New Englanders were picked in Saturday's QMJHL Draft. While there weren't any natives taken in Friday's first round, 48 locals went from Rounds 2-12.
It was the second QMJHL Draft since the CHL ruling, which allowed prospects playing for CHL teams to be eligible for NCAA Division 1 hockey.
There was no question that QMJHL teams would pounce on New Englanders. There were QMJHL scouts and executives at New England hockey events all season.
It's clear they put that scouting to good use.
Let's dive into some big takeaways from a huge draft.
How the numbers compare to last year
Last year, 37 New Englanders were snagged in the draft. It was the first draft after the CHL ruling. It felt like a lot.
This draft blew last year's out of the water.
It's undoubtedly due in large part to QMJHL teams recognizing the high level of interest among New Englanders and being more open to drafting them — no question about that. And in future seasons, my guess is the number will always be around 48.
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But there were also more players taken this year because the New England '10s are a deeper birth year than the New England '09s. Thirty-one '10s were snagged this season, while only 21 players from the 2009-birth year were taken last season.
How many players were taken from each birth year?
It's always interesting to see how many players were taken from each birth year. Obviously, the first-year eligibles are the focus. But for the '09s, who were in their second year of eligibility, it was about taking players who fell through the cracks last year.
With the '08s and '07s, it's typically about getting players in as soon as possible.
- '10s:Â 31 (64.58 percent)
- '09s:Â 8 (16.67 percent)
- '08s:Â 4 (8.3 percent)
- '07s:Â 4 (8.3 percent)
Last year, 37.83 percent of the New Englanders picked were second-year eligible ('08s). It's not crazy, however, that fewer second-year eligible players were picked in this draft since last year's draft was the first that QMJHL teams figured they had a legitimate chance at bringing in New Englanders. Only the best of the best usually got picked in QMJHL Drafts before the ruling, so there were more '08s to pick from last season.
What is pretty stark: way more third- and fourth- year eligible players were taken this year than last, when only one '07 and one '06 were taken.
That's likely because there were better older players on the board. But it also could be QMJHL teams realizing they can draw talent over from the USHL.
And, don't underestimate the Niko Tournas (Redding, Conn.) effect. After resurrecting his career in the NAHL in 2024-25, the '06 went in the 10th round to the Moncton Wildcats last season and led the team in goals (43) and put up 74 points en route to being a surefire pick in June's NHL Draft.
Both local U.S. NTDP-bound players were picked within the first three rounds
Former St. Sebastian's do-it-all center Jack Queally (Milton, Mass.) went off the board in the second round, going 33rd to the Halifax Mooseheads. Former Belmont Hill star Sam Lee (Woburn, Mass.) didn't have to wait much longer. Moncton nabbed him in the third round with the 54th pick.
So, what does it mean? Are Queally and Lee skipping their NTDP U17 seasons for the Q?
No, that won't be the case. Both are excited to go to the NTDP and project to be good players out in Plymouth, Mich.
But due to star forward Carter Meyer (Winchester, Mass.) asking for a release from the NTDP to play for the QMJHL's Québec Remparts, Halifax and Moncton were undoubtedly doing their due diligence just in case things change over the next 12 months.
"If you look in the last few years, a lot of players have left [the NTDP], so in talking to him from the very beginning, we weren't trying to talk him out of the development program," Mooseheads assistant general manager Allie MacDonald said after the draft. "We presented Option B. And I think as time went on, talking to his parents, talking to the agent himself, Halifax grew on him. It's his call — we don't put any pressure on kids to make that decision. He'll probably go to the development camp, but he knows, much like a lot of players this year who jumped back into our league after the season was over, that this is Option B and he'd like to be here."
Best sleepers and value picks
For me, sleepers and value picks can only be picked in the back half of the draft, which is Rounds 7-12. So I'm letting that guide me.
There were a few in the seventh, especially among the '10s. Getting guys like Brendan Martin (Dedham, Mass.) and Colin Walsh (Framingham, Mass.) in that spot is fantastic value. I was stunned that it took until the seventh round for a team to select Avon Old Farms forward Ethan Gingeleskie (Avon, Conn.). That was a phenomenal pick-up for the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
In the eighth round, three '10s went who I thought were going to go earlier: forwards Michael Barrett (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Jameson Needham (Woburn, Mass.), as well as defenseman Jake Donatelli (Barrington, R.I.).
Barrett's power forward style and Needham's play-driving abilities make them both prime QMJHL candidates down the road. For Donatelli, his elusiveness and puck-moving abilities should make him a good QMJHL fit in the future.
If Ryan Poirier (Salem, N.H.) ends up in the QMJHL with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, that's a great get for the eighth round. The Harvard commit is a dynamic skater.
I was also surprised Cushing forward Chase Warsofsky (Northboro, Mass.) didn't go until the 10th round, getting taken by the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
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When it came to '10s, did QMJHL teams pick USHL picks later?
It's always interesting to see if QMJHL teams take into consideration where players were selected in the USHL Phase 1 Draft.
In the USHL Phase 1 Draft, the first locals weren't picked until the fourth round. Let's take a look at players taken between the fourth and eighth rounds in the USHL Phase 1 Draft and how that compares with where they were taken in the Q.
- Owen Frick | USHL: Round 4 | QMJHL: Round 6
- Carter Felt | USHL: Round 4 | QMJHL: Round 3
- Colin Walsh | USHL: Round 4 | QMJHL: Round 7
- Jameson Needham | USHL: Round 4 | QMJHL: Round 8
- Austin Wu | USHL: Round 4 | QMJHL: Not drafted
- Kasen Walsh | USHL: Round 5 | QMJHL: Round 5
- Sam Fishbone | USHL: Round 5 | QMJHL: Round 4
- Mason Stonacek | USHL: Round 6 | QMJHL: Round 6
- CJ Sawyer | USHL: Round 6 | QMJHL: Round 3
- Ryan Porter | USHL: Round 7 | QMJHL: Round 5
- Robert Dekleine | USHL: Round 7 | QMJHL: Round 5
- Nick Ware | USHL: Round 8 | QMJHL: Round 4
- Owen Lundin | USHL: Round 8 | QMJHL: Not drafted
So overall, not really — it was all over the place. I don't think there's enough to say QMJHL teams avoided certain players until later due to where they were picked in the USHL Phase 1 Draft.
What I do find interesting, however, is that Winchendon defenseman Tyler Poti (Sandwich, Mass.) was picked in the 15th round in the USHL, but the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies were quick to jump on him Saturday, snagging him in the second round with the 32nd pick.
North Jersey Avalanche forward Joey St. Laurent was another example. The Greenland, N.H., native also went in the 15th round in the USHL. The Newfoundland Regiment took him in the third round on Saturday.
Who were the '10 snubs?
Somehow, St. George's forward Cam Daigle (East Greenwich, R.I.) went undrafted in the USHL and QMJHL, which is insane. I thought he'd be a great value add in the QMJHL Draft for sure. He showed well at the QMJHL USA Showcase in April and was productive all winter. Not picking him is a miss.
Other '10s I'm surprised weren't taken: Jackson Luedke (Ridgefield, Conn.), T.J. Petropoulous (Brockton, Mass.), Austin Wu (Dedham, Mass.), Owen Lundin (Bolton, Mass.) and Ethan Machado (Wayland, Mass.).
Who were the '07-09 snubs?
I'm pretty surprised that Brunswick forward Colton Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.), an '09, wasn't taken. He showed well at the QMJHL USA Showcase in April and has been trending up.
No QMJHL team took '08 Tommy Wilkinson (Duxbury, Mass.), which is surprising. He was picked very early in the USHL Phase 2 Draft this year — third round to Cedar Rapids — but I'm still surprised no Q team took a flier in the event he doesn't go to the RoughRiders.
Both were inside my top six '07-09 forwards to watch for the QMJHL Draft.
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On defense, I'm stunned that Hotchkiss defenseman Ethan Hung (Lakeville, Conn.) wasn't taken. Hung was fantastic at New England District Camp and has the size and ability to be a great QMJHL defenseman down the road. Future Dexter defenseman Ryder Bisson (Holden, Mass.) was also someone I thought a QMJHL team would snag.
