Sunday, June 7, 2026

More notes from draft weekend

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL
HALIFAX - Here are some assorted notes (not Saint John Sea Dogs related) from this weekend's Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Entry Draft.

First, here's a look inside Scotiabank Centre. The vibes were good and Halifax, unsurprisingly, was a great host. It's almost too bad the weather was so nice as it likely kept some fans outside rather than coming inside to the free event.


The draft continues to be a very fun and entertaining event. Hopefully the league continues to ignore the NHL's lead and keeps things going the way they are for years to come.

Some additional notes...
  • Max Brien of Fall River, NS was the first Atlantic Canadian to be selected, going 10th overall to the Rimouski Oceanic. Only three players from outside Quebec were picked in the first-round: Brien, Damian Norris of Middle Cove, NL and Lawrence Williams of Kings Head, NS.
  • The Halifax Mooseheads went (somewhat) local with the 20th overall pick, selecting Jack Cameron from the Weeks Major Midgets – a teammate of Lawrence Williams. Cameron was ranked 15th by QMJHL Central Scouting.
  • Good first-round for goaltenders.
  • Former Eagle and current Ottawa Senator Drake Batherson announced Cape Breton's second-round pick.
  • Cape Breton selected Samuel Nowlan 28th overall, who was the first New Brunswicker taken. A Saint-Grégoire, NB native, Nowlan spent last season with the Detroit Little Caesars program.
  • The first American came just after Saint John's second-round pick. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies picked defenseman Tyler Poti of the Sandwich, MA at 32nd overall. That was immediately followed by the Mooseheads taking Milton, MA native John Queally at No. 33.
  • The highly touted Zaac Charbonneau, who was ranked third by QMJHL Central Scouting but was previously tendered by the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks, went 39th overall to the Gatineau Olympiques. Charbonneau is from the Gatineau area and the Olympiques are reportedly interested in hosting the 2028 Memorial Cup. We'll see what happens.
  • The Mooseheads selected American goaltender Jack Fichthorn with the 43rd overall pick. A Darien, CT native, Fichthorn spent last season with the USHL's Sioux City Muskateers. A 19-year-old, he is committed to Sacred Heart University.
  • The Moncton Wildcats didn't make their first pick until 54th overall when they selected American forward Samuel Lee. Elite Prospects has him committed to the USNTDP this coming season.
  • Justin Graf, who will turn 19 next week, was taken 55th overall by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. He played last season with the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and is a Harvard University commit.
  • Émile Roelens, the brother of former QMJHL players Métis Roelens and Milo Roelens, was taken 56th overall by the Oceanic. He played last season in France.
  • Moncton Flyers defenseman Matteo Roy was selected 70th overall by the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. He was the first Flyer taken. Five were picked in total.
  • At 81st overall, Fredericton Caps defenseman Cater Giberson was picked by the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
  • The Wildcats dedicated their 90th overall selection to Paul Boutilier, who passed away a few weeks. Boutilier, who was a defense consultant with the Wildcats, was formerly a Sea Dogs assistant coach and consultant. Moncton chose forward Luke McGuire with the pick.
  • Sean Dwyer, the son of Newfoundland Regiment head coach and general manager Gordie Dwyer, was selected in the seventh-round by Moncton.
  • Halifax selected defenseman Jake Donatelli – the brother of Max Donatelli – in the eighth-round. Max attended Sea Dogs training camp as a free agent last season and remains on the team's protected list. 
  • The Charlottetown Islanders selected Bodan McFadden in the 10th-round. He was the first and only player from Rothesay Netherwood selected.
  • Matthew Gagne, the son of Remparts general manager Simon Gagne, was taken in the in 12th-round by Quebec.
  • JP Montgomery, the son of the St. Louis Blues' Jim Montgomery, was picked in the 11th-round by Halifax.
  • The Wildcats selected Moncton Flyers forward Miguel Duplessis with the last pick of this year's draft.
  • Only two players from the Saint John Vito's were picked: Brock Lyons by the Sea Dogs and Liam Bowles by the Islanders.
  • The Mooseheads selected eight American players – including five straight from rounds two through four.
  • We knew this was going to be a big draft for American players – and it was. Nearly a fourth of the players picked this year – 50 of the 206 – were from the United States.
  • 10 players from the Lévis Chevaliers and nine from the Saint-Eustache Vikings were drafted.
  • A few other insights from this draft class:
    • Shortest: Shawinigan's Eli Lachance at 5'4"
    • Tallest: Rimouski's Emile Roelens at 6'5"
    • Lightest: Sherbrooke's Noah Mazzola at 130 lbs
    • Heaviest: Drummondville's Jaxson Fleming at 256 lbs
    • Youngest: Monctons' Mason Stonacek (Dec. 26, 2010)
    • Oldest: Cape Breton's Evan Jones (Feb. 9, 2007)
  • Next year's draft will be held in Victoriaville.
  • Unrelated to the draft: on average, I travel to Halifax roughly once per month throughout the year. Saturday was the first time a black bear ran in front of me on the highway.
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