By Martin Therriault
Have a great 2026–2027 season, QMHL fans – already!
Although the season doesn’t get underway until September 18, several current and former QMJHL players will be competing in a number of international tournaments over the coming weeks, including the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase.
Which players should you keep an eye on during this preparatory tournament for the World Junior Hockey Championship—featuring Canada, the United States, Finland, and Sweden—running from Sunday through Saturday, Aug. 1, in Windsor, Ontario? To mark the occasion, we’re offering 10 players to watch from each of the four teams.
The 2027 World Junior Championship will take place from Dec. 26, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027, in Edmonton and Red Deer, AB.
Canada
1- Caleb Desnoyers, forward, Moncton Wildcats
The only player in this group to have competed in the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, Caleb Desnoyers helped Canada win the bronze medal with six assists in seven games. This time around, the Moncton Wildcats star will be one of the key offensive threats on a team that will feature eight players from last year’s roster.
U-17 World Challenge, U-18 World Championship, Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, Gilles-Courteau Trophy in 2024–25: Desnoyers knows how to win. He just had an incredible season in Moncton, where he racked up 78 points in just 45 games.
With incredible skills, faceoffs, playmaking, and defensive play, Desnoyers is expected to be one of the most well-rounded players on the Canadian team.
2- Lucas Beckman, goaltender, Cape Breton Eagles
Traded from the Chicoutimi Saguenéens to the Cape Breton Eagles over the summer, Lucas Beckman has the advantage of having helped Canada win the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in 2024 alongside several members of this team. And he just had an incredible 2025–26 season, lifting the Gilles-Courteau Trophy with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
Traded by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar after Christmas, his stats in Chicoutimi speak for themselves: a 13-1-0 record, a .940 save percentage, and a 1.52 goals-against average. Fans of the Canadian junior team will see a very composed goaltender with excellent reflexes and above-average anticipation.
3- William Lacelle, goaltender, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
In 2024, William Lacelle participated in the U-18 Summer National Selection Camp for the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup alongside Beckman. He remained under the microscope of Hockey Canada officials thanks to an excellent 2025–2026 season.
After being traded from the Rimouski Océanic to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada during the trade deadline, the Gatineau native led the QMJHL in shutouts with seven. He also ranked in the top five in all major categories: second in save percentage (.917), fourth in goals-against average (2.49), and fifth in wins (27).
Despite his smaller size, Lacelle more than makes up for it with his incredible explosiveness on his skates and a high level of intelligence. He’s also a fierce competitor, excelling particularly on the glove side.
4- Samuel Meloche, goaltender, Saint John Sea Dogs
At 6’3”, Samuel Meloche will be the tallest goaltender on the Canadian team. This will be his first international experience with Hockey Canada. The new member of the Saint John Sea Dogs finished second in the QMJHL in wins during the 2025–26 season, with 33. Over the past three seasons, he helped his team—the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies—reach the league semifinals with the third-best GAA in the playoffs (2.52).
Meloche is tall, but he also moves very well and can make several spectacular saves in front of the net. His competitive nature is also an asset for the Buffalo Sabres’ prospect.
5- Philippe Veilleux, forward, Val-d’Or Foreurs
Justice has been served for Philippe Veilleux. Although he went undrafted in the NHL draft for the past two years, he finished among the top five scorers in the QMJHL twice during his career: third in 2024–25 with 87 points, and second last year with 43 goals and 96 points in 64 games.
Veilleux may only be 5 feet 10 inches tall, but he excels in every aspect of the game. He has an excellent shot and can deliver sensational passes to his teammates on the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The 19-year-old forward has also shown significant improvement on the defensive end.
6- Xavier Villeneuve, defenceman, Blainville-Boibriand Armada
Well known to Hockey Canada coaching staff. Xavier Villeneuve played a key role in the team’s gold-medal victory at the 2025 World U-18 Championship, recording eight points in seven games. Struggling with injuries during the second half of the last season, he recorded only 38 points in 37 games, but he rebounded in the playoffs with 14 points in 17 games. He helped Blainville-Boisbriand to advance to the QMJHL semifinals.
7- Alex Huang, defenceman, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Alex Huang is another regular at Hockey Canada events, having won gold at the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and the 2025 World U-18 Championship. The Rosemère native had a near-perfect 2025–2026 season, notably helping the Saguenéens win the Gilles-Courteau Trophy for the first time since 1994.
Statistically speaking, Huang finished second among QMJHL defensemen in scoring with 70 points in 62 games. He added to that total during the playoffs, recording 20 points in 19 games.
The Nashville Predators prospect in the NHL stands out for his phenomenal intelligence on the ice. He consistently reads the game well to create scoring opportunities and join the rush, while making brilliant use of his excellent skating ability. Huang has also gained physical strength over the past year, which has further helped him in physical battles along the boards.
United States
8- Tommy Bleyl, defenceman, Moncton Wildcats
Unknown at this time last year, every QMJHL fan knows Tommy Bleyl now. The QMJHL’s leading scorer among defensemen—both during the regular season (81 points in 63 games) and in the playoffs (28 points in 21 games)— even broke Gaston Therrien’s 48-year-old record for points by a rookie defenseman. With 68 assists, he now holds the Wildcats’ record, which led to him being drafted in the first round (31st overall) of the last NHL Draft by the Predators.
Bleyl has represented the United States once on the international stage, at the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. This time, he’ll be looking to impress his coaches for the 2027 World Junior Championship with his exceptional puck-carrying ability, creativity, and quick execution in moving the puck at the blue line. The New York State native has also greatly improved his ability to box out his opponents in front of his net.
9- Jamie Glance, forward, Saint John Sea Dogs
Remember that name. A potential first-round prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft, Jamie Glance will join the Sea Dogs as the leading scorer in the U.S. U18 National Team Development Program, having tallied 56 points in 62 games. He will be one of only three players eligible for the NHL Draft for the first time to be on the United States roster.
A 5-foot-11 winger, Glance is very skilled with the puck and can set up difficult plays for his teammates. He plays with a high level of effort and can drive to the net to create scoring opportunities.
Sweden
10- Torkel Jennersjö, forward, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Torkel Jennersjö has been a regular member of the Swedish national team for several seasons, having played on the U-16, U-17, and U-18 teams. Notably, he was part of the team that won the silver medal at the 2025 U-18 World Championship.
Jennersjö tallied 28 points, including 14 goals, in his first QMJHL season with the Armada. He had a particularly strong playoff run, recording 10 points in 17 games, during which he earned the trust of head coach Alexandre Jacques. Despite standing at 5’10”, the Swedish player brings a high level of intensity to the ice. He can throw his shoulders into the play and drive to the net to pick up rebounds, but he also knows how to stand out with his wrist shot.
