QMJHL Entry Draft one month away; key upcoming dates

RDS

The 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft is officially one month away.

This year's draft will take place June 6-7 at Quebec City's Videotron Centre. The first round will take place the night of Friday, June 6 while the remaining rounds will be held the following day.

After winning the draft lottery, the Saint John Sea Dogs hold the first overall pick. Saint John last picked first overall back in 2019 when they selected forward Joshua Roy – a draft that was also held in Quebec City. 

While Roy turned out to be a very good junior player, he didn't turn into a very good junior player until he departed Saint John. The Sea Dogs will be looking for better fortune with the top pick this time around.

The top two players available are widely considered to be forwards James Scantlebury and Alexis Joseph. But after Scantlebury's decision to sign a USHL tender agreement with the Chicago Steel, you have to think Joseph is now the leading candidate to go first overall.

Joseph has been on scouts' radars for years, even generating buzz about potentially getting exceptional player status. Listed at 6'4" and 192 lbs at 15-years-old, Joseph posted 23 goals and 33 assists in 42 games with the Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix in the Quebec under-18 ranks this past season.

Saint John also owns the 10th overall pick. The team is also expected to acquire an additional first-round pick prior to the draft.

The QMJHL Entry Draft isn't the only event coming up that's worth keeping an eye on. Here's a quick look at some key dates.

May 10-TBD: 2025 Gilles Courteau Trophy final

May 23 - June 1: 2025 Memorial Cup

Late May: 2025-26 QMJHL schedule release

June 6-7: QMJHL Entry Draft

June 27-28: NHL Draft

July 2: CHL Import Draft

Mid-August: QMJHL training camps open

Mid-August: QMJHL pre-season begins

Mid-September: QMJHL regular season begins

Last year's QMJHL schedule was released on May 27. The year prior it was released on May 31.

Training camps and the QMJHL's pre-season will begin in mid-August. Based on last year's schedule, the QMJHL will likely begin its regular season on Sept. 19.