The 2025-2026 QMJHL season began yesterday in St. John’s. Tonight, all 18 teams will be in action. Here are 10 players to watch this season!
- Caleb Desnoyers, Moncton
Desnoyers will remember the 2024-25 season for a long time. Not only did he finish fifth in QMJHL scoring, with 84 points in only 56 games, but he won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy and the Guy-Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP. This convinced the Utah Mammoth to draft him fourth overall last June. Troubled by a wrist injury, Desnoyers won’t play until November. But after that, watch out! He is aiming for a spot on Canada’s national junior team.
- Justin Carbonneau, Blainville-Boisbriand
In the opinion of many, Carbonneau could win the scoring championship, after finishing second last year with 89 points. The Armada’s number 8 will be the leader on a powerful squad and could very well score 50 goals (46 last year). Acquired this summer from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Bill Zonnon (83 points) is another forward to watch in Boisbriand.
- Xavier Villeneuve, Blainville-Boisbriand
NHL Central Scouting recently confirmed Villeneuve’s spot among the league’s top prospects after selecting him among the Top 12 players who’ll suit up in the QMJHL Prospects Game, held on October 21 in Sherbrooke. Entering his third season with the Armada, he has just been named the league’s Top Defenceman (Émile-Bouchard Trophy), after a 62-point campaign. He should do even better this season, as he aims to be selected in the first round of the next NHL Draft.
- Maxim Massé, Chicoutimi
Maxim Massé was limited to 47 games last season due to injury, but he scored 33 goals and picked up 59 points. A projection of those results oer 64 games would have given him 45 goals and 80 points. The Saguenéens should be better as a whole this year and Massé, their offensive pillar, should also perfrom better. The sky is the limit.
- Tomas Lavoie, Cape Breton
Recently named captain of the Eagles, Lavoie will be in his fourth season and had 55 points in 60 games last year. Depending on the Eagles’ early-season performances, the Utah Mammoth prospect could be THE biggest name being circulated during the holiday trade period. Lavoie is a big, solid defenceman who has excelled both offensively and defensively.
- Alexis Bernier, Baie-Comeau
One could practically copy and paste Lavoie’s paragraph. Bernier, a Seattle Kraken prospect, is also versatile and could also be in high demand around Christmas time. He had 46 points in 59 games in 2024-25 but is still recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee. Another name to watch in Baie-Comeau is Lucas Beckman, who should once again be one of the top goaltenders in the league.
- Rudy Guimond, Moncton
Speaking of goaltenders, Guimond, after his prowess in 2024-25 (24-1-0-0 record, season and playoffs combined!), has all the tools to aim for this year’s Patrick-Roy Trophy. Especially since, at 20 years old, he is more mature than ever and is playing behind a very good Wildcats team once again.
- Philippe Veilleux, Val-d’Or
Passed over in the most recent NHL Entry Draft, Veilleux will want to prove to the 32 teams in the Bettman circuit that they made a mistake. Third in QMJHL in scoring last year with 87 points, he hopes to do even better with the improved Foreurs. Defenceman Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte, at 17, will also be talked about in Val-d’Or.
- Lars Steiner, Rouyn-Noranda
Like Xavier Villeneuve, Steiner is considered a first-round prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft and will participate in the QMJHL Prospects Game on October 21. He just had 60 points in 57 games as a rookie. The Huskies won’t be as strong as last year, but Steiner will have plenty of ice time to showcase his skills! Egor Shilov of the Tigres and Maddox Dagenais of the Remparts are two other forwards to watch for the upcoming NHL Draft.
- Alexis Joseph, Saint John
At 6’4″ and 215 lbs (already!), he has an early edge to succeed. The first overall pick in the most recent QMJHL Draft totaled 56 points in 42 games last year at the U18AAA level. The Sea Dogs are young, but super talented, and Joseph is obviously a centerpiece of their bright future. He is eligible for the NHL Draft only in 2027.
