Road to the QMJHL Entry Draft | January 2022 Prospects
Here are a few of the prospects that caught the eye of our scouts during the past month and who are likely going to hear their names called during the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft presented by Fenplast.
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Coen Miller – Right Wing – Cole Harbour Wolfpack
Coen Miller is an extremely smart player with a gift for offence. As a first-year player, he leads the NSU18MHL in goals, which is no easy task. He has great skill and can use his hands to create chances not only for himself, but his teammates as well.
He has shown his hockey sense and understanding of the game on the offensive side of things, which is evident by the success that he has had as a first-year player in a highly competitive league. He is a difference maker for his team and will be someone to watch as the draft inches closer.
- Taylor P.Burke, Nova Scotia CSR Scout
Elliot L’Italien – Left Wing – Séminaire St-François Blizzard
Eliot is a big-bodied winger (6′1″, 177lbs) with good explosiveness in his strides. He does not hesitate to attack the opposing net and to use his excellent shot when he approaches the crease. He can play on special units, looking for open spaces in front of the net on the power play and blocking opposing shots when short-handed.
While constantly improving, he must work on his consistency game after game to develop his identity, which will undoubtedly be noticed by QMJHL teams.
- Steve Gosselin, CSR Scout
Louka Cloutier – Goaltender – Magog Cantonniers
Louka is a medium-sized goaltender with very good technique and excellent reading of the game. Disarmingly calm, he guards the net with confidence and remains focused in all situations, which inspires confidence in his teammates.
His positioning and save selection make him look bigger in his net. Louka has good hands and the way he moves is precise and on point. His level of competition is always very high.
- Maxime Ouellet, CSR Goaltending Specialist
Justin Lemay – Defenseman – Jonquière Élites
Justin may not be the most flamboyant player, but he plays very efficiently. He keeps his game simple and is very reliable defensively. He has a good skating stride, plays with his head up and makes solid first passes. At 6’ and 175lbs, he also has good size.
However, Justin will need to improve his consistency in terms of game involvement to make it at the next level.
- Katerine Aubry-Hébert, CSR Scout
Mavrick Brunet – Center – Laval-Montréal Rousseau-Royal
Despite a serious injury at the beginning of the season, Mavrick was able to get noticed thanks to his offensive talent. He is a small centerman who handles the puck very well and can create good offensive opportunities for his teammates.
Mavrick’s above average hockey sense allows him to be very dangerous on the power play. Over the years, he will mature physically in order to play in the top 6.
- Daniel Noonan, CSR Scout
Matthew Butler – Center – Pinnacle Growlers
Despite his small stature, Matthew Butler has proven – time and time again – that he can be a highly efficient point producer at any level. Butler relies on a very high hockey IQ and quick lateral movements to excel.
He has nifty hands, an accurate shot and makes players around him better, as shown by his linemates who both find themselves among the NLU18MHL’s top goal scorers this season. Butler commits to defense in all zones and shows the high-end power play vision that teams at the next level covet in an offensive forward.
- Andrew Pearcey, Newfoundland and Labrador CSR Scout
Justin Smith – Defenseman – Kensington Wild
Justin is a left shooting all-around defenseman that can play both the left and right side. He is effective defensively and in killing penalties because of his ability to anticipate plays and win puck battles. A deceptively mobile defenseman, he has good hands and vision that allow him to hold on to the puck while teammates get open for a pass. He likes to carry the puck and can quarterback a power play unit by making good passes and getting his solid wrist shot on net for rebounds.
Although average in size, he is solid physically and is most effective when playing the body and competing in puck battles. Justin must continue getting stronger and improve his speed, while consistently playing a physical but disciplined game.
- Corrado Micalef, Prince Edward Island CSR Scout
Vincent Murray – Defenseman – Gatineau Intrépide
At 6’1’’ and 178lbs, Vincent is a defenseman with a good physique who skates with ease and has good offensive instincts. He knows how to find the shooting lanes and is a threat in the offensive zone. Since the beginning of the season, he has been working on becoming more complete and refining his game in his own zone.
Vincent controls the puck well and his composure serves him well. As he continues to work on the consistency of his execution, his profile makes him a prime candidate among the next draft’s top defensemen.
- Benoît Payment, CSR Scout
Spencer Gill – Defenseman – Moncton Flyers
Spencer Gill is an all-around type of defenseman who plays on the power play as well as the penalty kill. He uses his size (6’2’’, 159lbs) to create time and space in all three zones, which has made him an impact player for his team this season.
Gill has a good vision of the game and always find the perfect breakout pass. He also excels in the offensive zone, where his blue line work is very good, and doesn’t hesitate to play in the open to support offensive plays. Subsequently, he ends up on the scoring sheet on a regular basis. Gill’s development at the U18 level has been impressive.
- André Royer, New Brunswick CSR Scout
Anthony Biakabutuka – Defenseman – Collège Charles-Lemoyne Riverains
The name Biakabutuka is associated with high-level athletes in Quebec. Anthony is rapidly progressing, I would even call it an impressive progression, since the month of August.
He is a defensive defenseman who excels in his own zone and cuts the ice very well. He has an excellent approach to the puck carrier since he is a mobile defenseman with a powerful skating stride. Anthony has the qualities required to find success in the QMJHL.
- Frédéric Simard, CSR Scout
