- Forward of the Month
Rémi Gélinas – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – 12GP, 14G, 6A, 20Pts, +6
The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have been running along quite smoothly with an impressive offense all season long. Acquiring Rémi Gélinas has only bolstered the lineup even more. The 19-year-old from St-Eustache, Quebec made his presence felt in his first full month of action in the ‘Q’, recording a point in every January contest, part of an overall 14-game point streak. Eight of those outings were multi-point efforts, including back-to-back three-point games against the Sherbrooke Phoenix and Moncton Wildcats on the 9th and 11th, respectively. Four of Gélinas’ goals came on the power play, while his first game-winning snipe in the league occurred on January 4 against the Remparts in Quebec.
Gélinas made his way to the QMJHL from the Hawkesbury Hawks, where he averaged nearly two points per game before debuting with the Huskies on December 13. He has committed to Clarkson University for the start of the 2026-27 hockey and academic year.
Honorable mention
Jacob Newcombe – Cape Breton Eagles – 11GP, 11G, 8A, 19Pts, +13
- Defenseman of the Month
Xavier Villeneuve – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada – 10GP, 5G, 11A, 16Pts, +3
The Armada has evolved into one of the hardest teams to stop when in possession of the puck. The player who is perhaps the biggest catalyst for this potent attack is Xavier Villeneuve. The 17-year-old from Les Cèdres, Quebec put together yet another fantastic month, recording at least a point in each of his final eight outings in January. Five of those games in a row featured multi-point efforts from the sophomore blueliner, including a career best four-point effort against the Shawinigan Cataractes on the 24th. On six occasions, Villeneuve recorded a positive +/- rating as the Armada put together an impressive 7-3-0-0 record for the month.
Villeneuve concludes January sitting second in the QMJHL scoring derby among defensemen with 48 points in 43 games. He is already on several scouts’ radar for when he becomes eligible for selection at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Honorable mention
Alexis Bernier – Baie-Comeau Drakkar – 13GP, 5G, 11A, 16Pts, +6
- Goaltender of the Month
Alexis Cournoyer – Cape Breton Eagles – 5-2-0-1, 1.61 GAA, .946 SV%, 2 SO
Looking for a temporary fix in net with Czech starter Jakub Milota away at the World Juniors, Alexis Cournoyer arrived in Cape Breton with three games worth of QMJHL experience. His stay with the Eagles has turned into the experience of a lifetime. The 19-year-old from Trois-Rivières, Quebec allowed one goal or fewer in six of his January starts, including a 28-save shutout against Acadie-Bathurst on the 3rd and a 21-stop whitewash against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens on the 26th. Other highlights included a 34-save victory over Acadie-Bathurst and a 31-stop triumph against Sherbrooke on the 4th and 17th, respectively. Not bad for someone who hadn’t appeared in a QMJHL game in almost two years prior to being dealt to the Eagles!
Entering February, Cournoyer has put together a 7-3-0-1 record since his fateful trade to Cape Breton, finding himself atop the league in GAA (1.48) and save percentage (.950%) while also notching the first three shutouts of his ‘Q’ career.
Honorable mention
Jacob Steinman – Halifax Mooseheads (and Moncton Wildcats) – 4-3-1-1, 2.20 GAA, .940 SV%, 1 SO
- Rookie of the Month
William Lacelle – Rimouski Océanic – 7-0-0-1, 2.45 GAA, .909 SV%
An Honorable Mention for this honor last month, Lacelle has taken the next step in claiming it outright. It’s a reflection of the tear his Océanic club has been on since the calendar turned to 2025. After losing in a shootout to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on the 5th, the 17-year-old from Gatineau, Quebec has been literally unbeatable, allowing two goals or less on five occasions. Among Lacelle’s highlights were a 27-save effort against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on 11th, a game in which he also recorded an assist, and a 23-stop contest versus the Cape Breton Eagles on the 19th. Finally, in perhaps the biggest game for the Océanic to this point in the season, Lacelle steered aside 32 shots in a victory over the Moncton Wildcats on the 25th.
The netminder has put together a spectacular 21-2-0-2 record entering the month of February, while sitting among the league leaders in GAA (2.17) and save percentage (.916%). He will be eligible for selection at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Honorable mention
Matvei Gridin – Shawinigan Cataractes – 11GP, 6G, 9A, 15Pts, +14