QMJHL | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: QMJHL

25Jul

Konrad Abeltshauser(10) Chicago Wolves

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San Jose Sharks‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#163 overall) German-born defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser(10) is expected to make a big splash, which would make sense considering he stands 6’5″ and currently weighs 212 lbs.

He’s starting his pro career with their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks after an impressive four-year run in the QMJHL patrolling the blue line for Halifax Mooseheads.

He won the 2013 league championship in his final season of junior hockey and also went on to capture the Memorial Cup in what was thought to be an outstanding run by the team.

The 21-year old has shown a tremendous offensive upside especially when it comes to setting up goal scoring opportunities.

He finished juniors with 122 assists in 219 games and is already making his presence felt in minor league preseason play.

His 3-year entry level deal with the Sharks takes him through the 2014/2015.

Original story: 9/30-13

In his rookie campaign he would get a very respectable 6 goals and 15 assists in 57 games.

Although he seemed to establish himself as a regular on the farm team’s blue line, he somehow fell out of favor and was listed as a healthy scratch more often than even he thought possible despite putting up a career high 16 assists in 50 contests.

He was reassigned down the ladder to affiliate Allen Americans, possibly asking to be sent so he could play and got right to establishing himself as a force in the lower league.

In just 6 ECHL regular season games he scored 5 goals and 2 assists but really got to work in the playoffs, where in 25 games on the way to the 2015 Kelly Cup Championship he recorded 5 goals and 11 assists (tied for third best) with a +3 rating and 73 shots on net.

With a title in hand, he was set to enter his first restricted free agency but was dealt to St. Louis Blues for a deep draft as the Sharks seemed to be all set with the big blue liner.

The soon-to-be 23-year old was quickly signed to a one-year, two-way extension and will start 2015/2016 with his new farm team Chicago Wolves but one can almost expect the change of scenery is going to do great things for this still untapped, young d-man.

12Mar

Charles Hudon(10) Hamilton Bulldogs

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Montreal Canadiens‘ 5th round pick in the 2012 draft (#122 overall) small-ish, first year center Charles Hudon(10) is an absolute f&ing rocket on skates.

The 5’10” 184 lbs. forward leads AHL rookie scoring with 51 points and his 37 assists are first with a +11 rating.

The former junior hockey 1st round selection was a scoring machine through four years of QMJHL mostly with Chicoutimi Sangueneens averaging 1.16 points per appearance (104-169-273) in 235 games.

He leads Hamilton Bulldogs with his point totals and helpers too.

In 2013 at the end of his playoff run, right before he inked a three-year entry level deal, signed an ato to join their minor league affiliate for the rest of the regular season.

He managed to play in 9 games and got his first pro goal and a couple of assists.

The next season he would be in the parent club’s training camps but when released it was ultimately decided that one more season in juniors would help the youngster continue to develop.

Even though he’s yet to realize an NHL recall he can’t be far off and this is one spark plug that should be able to contribute right away.

The still only 20-year old was his team’s representative at the 2015 AHL All-Star Game and only had a hat trick and an assist to help lead the Western Conference to a 14-12 win and nabbed co-mvp of the game.

14Feb

Emile Poirier(21) Adirondack Flames

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Calgary Flames‘ 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#22 overall) winger Emile Poirier(21) has goal scorer written all over his game.

He comes out of a point per game performance in three years of juniors with Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. He did so well he belonged to the 30/30 club as a sophomore skater and a 40/40 mark in his final campaign before turning pro.

As soon as the ink on the 3-year entry level contract was dry he was ready to jump and sign an ato to join then affiliate Abbotsford Heat for the remainder of the regular season and short playoff run.

He scored 2 goals and 2 assists with a +4 rating in 2 AHL games (3 of those points came in one contest) and added another tally in the postseason.

Ready to go as soon as he was reassigned from training camp to new affiliate Adirondack Flames, the 6’2″ 200 lbs. power forward that never shies away from the rough stuff, started in on the score sheet.

In 40 games he’s potted 14 goals and 16 assists with a +11 rating.

He also was selected to appear in the 2015 All-Star Game and came away with one goal and a pair of helpers in the 14-12 Western Conference win.

It’s a bit of a wonder why the parent club has yet to give the 20-year old a shot at the show but maybe there’s a method to how they groom his development.

30Dec

Tyler Gaudet(32) Arizona Coyotes

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Arizona Coyotes‘ undrafted rookie center Tyler Gaudet(32) has been proving he’s got sauce since he first laced ’em up.

He began as an 18-year old in the QMJHL with Gatineau Olympiques but was dropped back when he failed to produce as a youngster.

The unassumingly large 6’3″ 205 lbs. forward played a couple half seasons in the CCHL with Pembroke Lumber Kings working on his game and eventually signed with Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds a year after his demotion.

He was slow to start but picked it up big in his second campaign with the team scoring 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 OHL games with a +25 rating and continued his hot streak into 9 playoff contests with a pair of tallies and 6 helpers.

Despite earlier uneven play he managed to land himself on the radar of the Coyotes and was signed to a three-year entry level deal before turning pro at the end of 2013/2014.

Arriving for his first development and training camps, the 21-year old showed the big club he was ready to go with an impressive, accountable two-way style game he was developing.

He was reassigned to Portland Pirates at the start of the season and picked up right away.

In 29 AHL games he’s grabbed 4 goals and 4 assists with a +2 plus/minus while helping keeping the club in the picture.

His consistent play has earned him a recall to the NHL.

In his debut he skated 12 even strength shifts for 9:20 of total ice with one shot on net, one hit and was a -1 in the team’s 4-2 victory.

If he can land a spot on the roster, he is easily the type of player that can be great on the penalty kill and help out on the offense too.

28Dec

Yann Sauve(3) Orlando Solar Bears

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Orlando Solar Bears‘ 5th year defenseman Yann Sauve(3) was late to come to the table signing a one-year minor league deal for 2014/2015 two months into the new season.

He was originally a Vancouver Canucks‘ 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft (#41 overall) and in their system for four campaigns, first signing a three-year entry level contract and then an extension for 2013/2014.

The fairly big 6’3″ 215 lbs. blue liner was assistant captain for affiliate Utica Comets, had a career high 13 assists and tied the 14 points he recorded as a rookie, but was also a disappointing -20 plus/minus.

He was recalled to the NHL for the first time since his initial year, when he appeared in 5 games.

In 3 more games as the parent club’s blue line was injury depleted, he again didn’t connect with the score sheet.

He was productive in the QMJHL with Saint John Sea Dog s averaging 20 assists each season and had an unreal +42 rating before he turned pro.

The 24-year old had already played portions of two seasons on reassignment in ECHL teams, so is familiar with the league.

His best run was in 2012/2013, when he had 19 points in 32 games and is off to a good start with a goal and an assist in 5 contests.

On 12/29-14 he has moved back up the hockey ladder for the moment, signing to a pto with Saint John’s IceCaps.

03Nov

Jonathan Marchessault(18) Syracuse Crunch

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Despite basically exploding the score sheet (98 goals, 141 assists, 233 games) in four years in the QMJHL with Quebec Remparts, fourth year right wing Jonathan Marchessault(18) went undrafted, signing his first contract with Connecticut Whale.

Maybe his small stature at 5’9″ 177 lbs. kept the parent clubs away from selecting him but he was able to replicate what he did in juniors in his first pro season putting up 24 tallies and 40 helpers in 76 AHL games, which was best on the team for assists and had him tied for overall points.

For his sophomore campaign he was signed by Columbus Blue Jackets for a 3-year entry level deal on the first day of free agency going into his sophomore campaign.

He spent all but 2 NHL games with affiliate Springfield Falcons connecting for another 21 goals, 46 assists and 77 points, once again leading his team and was second with a phenomenal +20 rating.

Near the end of his second season in the Blue Jackets‘ system he was somewhat surprisingly traded in a mostly minor league transaction to Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was immediately sent to Syracuse Crunch.

Heading in the current hockey year, he had a strong camp going as one of the last cuts to be reassigned.

The 23-year old is off to a mightily quick start with 2 goals and 5 assists in 6 contests, earning him a one game call-up.

He has yet to record a point in the show but is still waiting for longer stint with the big club and that should happen if he continues on the pace he’s at.

See related: 11/3-11

23Oct

Jonathan Drouin(27) Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#3 overall) left wing Jonathan Drouin(27) played a pair of AHL games for minor league affiliate Syracuse Crunch after breaking his thumb early in training camp workouts and getting reassigned to start his pro career.

He scored the game-winning goal in his debut and added a pair of assists the next night. He also had a +4 rating.

That was all the parent club needed to see before he was recalled to the NHL.

He was scheduled to be a healthy scratch after a long day of travel but was inserted into the lineup and skating 22 shifts for 16:01 of total ice time with a -1 in a 3-2 loss.

The next night he added to his totals, recorded his first big league point, an assist and came away with a +1 in an overtime victory.

At only 5’11” 186 lbs. he is thought of as the whole package.

He recorded over 100 points in his last two seasons of the QMJHL with Halifax Mooseheads, where he won a Memorial Cup and league championship in his second season.

The 19-year is poised to have an outstanding rookie campaign on a team stacked with offensive talent.

02Oct

Mathieu Brodeur(6) Chicago Wolves

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Former Arizona Coyotes‘ 3rd round pick in the 2008 draft (#76 overall) biggie defenseman Mathieu Brodeur(6) was left unqualified going into a second restricted free agency after the one year extension on his three-year entry level deal was up.

At 6’6″ he’s certainly one very large man on the ice but weighing only 215 lbs. he still seems like he has some more room to completely fill out that frame.

His skating style is a bit awkward with all that size that maybe that’s an area a little more muscle would help.

He certainly fires a decent number of shots at net from the point but maybe he has let it fly even more.

In 176 AHL games the fifth year blue liner only has 8 goals and 30 assists, which ain’t half bad, all with minor league affiliate Portland Pirates.

The 24-year played most of his rookie season in the ECHL with Las Vegas Wranglers.

He signed his first contract after three campaigns in the QMJHL Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, where he had a some offensive prowess in the assist department with 25.

For 2014/2015, he signed a one-year deal to join Chicago Wolves.

He’s going to have to bring it.

18Apr

Lukas Sedlak(28) Springfield Falcons

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ 6th round pick in the 2011 draft (#158 overall), Czech Republic-born rookie center Lukas Sedlak(28) had himself a decent first year with minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons.

He appeared in 54 AHL games scoring 8 goals and 6 assists with a -1 rating.

The 6′ 209 lbs. skater played like a power forward and got his share of dings throughout the regular season.

He’s been in a few training camps with the parent club since he was selected and was grabbed in the 1st round of the CHL import draft by Chicoutimi Sangueneens to put his game on display in North America.

He already had four seasons of junior hockey in his home country and arrived somewhat late to these shores as an 18-year old and would turn pro after only two campaigns putting up 32 goals and 47 assists in 98 games in the QMJHL.

Signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2015/2016, he should compete for an NHL roster spot in his sophomore campaign.

A strong showing for the now 21-year old in the Calder Cup Playoffs will definitely help his chances.

07Mar

Mathieu Brisebois(25) Rockford IceHogs

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Undrafted rookie defenseman Mathieu Brisebois(25) undergoes an address change in his first pro season.

He was traded from Phoenix Coyotes‘ prospect system on reassignment to affiliate Portland Pirates to Chicago Blackhawks‘ farm club Rockford IceHogs.

The somewhat undersized 5’11” 190 lbs. blue liner played in 28 AHL games picking up a goal and three assists with a -5 on a cellar dwelling team but was also a healthy scratch on more than a few occasions.

In his fourth year of QMJHL with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies he led the league in goals, assists and points by a d-man and continued on a similar tear in the playoffs.

The 21-year old signed a three-year entry level deal that keeps him under contract through 2015/2016.

It will be interesting to see if he can parlay his junior hockey finish into producing on the score sheet at the next level.

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