A look at the top QMJHL prospects for the 2023 NHL draft

[Number 57]

Not a very good year with only 1 or 2 potential 1st round picks... here is a top-25 of 1st-time eligible players

#	NAME	POS	TEAM	H	W	GP	PTS
1	Ethan Gauthier	C/RW	SHE	5-11	176	16	22
2	Mathieu Cataford	LW	HAL	5-11	187	15	19
3	Étienne Morin	LD	MON	6-0	183	14	16
4	Tyler Peddle	LW/RW	DRU	6-0	199	15	12
5	Jordan Tourigny	RD	SHA	5-11	164	16	9
6	Cam Squires	RW	CAP	6-0	160	13	14
7	Dylan MacKinnon	RD	HAL	6-2	188	12	2
8	Frantisek Ridzon	RW	QUE	5-9	171	16	5
9	Vincent Collard	C	BC	6-2	195	18	7
10	Maxime Coursol	RW	RIM	6-0	178	16	5
11	Andrei Loshko	C/LW	CHI	6-1	170	17	12
12	Matteo Mann	RD	CHI	6-6	222	8	2
13	Luke Coughlin	LD	RIM	5-10	172	0	0
14	Maël Lavigne	C/LW	BC	6-3	175	18	5
15	Maël St-Denis	C	RIM	6-0	184	17	9
16	Kyle Hagen	G	ROU	5-11	182	6	.911%
17	Pavel Simek	LW	SJ	5-10	148	14	2
18	Jan Sprynar	RW	RIM	6-1	172	16	7
19	Emmanuel Vermette	LW	CHI	6-0	193	12	8
20	Alexis Bourque	RW	BLB	6-1	180	16	3
21	Zigmund Zold	C/RW	VD	6-3	169	17	3
22	Nathan Baril	LW/RW	BC	5-8	166	18	9
23	Émile Perron	LD	BAT	6-0	170	17	4
24	Joseph Henneberry	LW/C	BAT	6-2	183	17	10
25	Justin Larose	LW	VIC	5-9	165	16	9

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[GermanSpitfire]

Only guys I can see having potential to go in the first round are Gauthier, Tourigny, Morin, Peddle, Cataford and MacKinnon.

The only slam dunk on that list is Gauthier.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Quebec Remparts’ Quentin Miller was the only goaltender ranked by the NHL on their first list.

 

[Bubbles]

Quebec Remparts’ Quentin Miller was the only goaltender ranked by the NHL on their first list.

The lack of QMJHL goalies in the NHL is shocking. I wonder what happened?

 

[Intangir]

The lack of QMJHL goalies in the NHL is shocking. I wonder what happened?

The rest of Canada and other countries got better coaching/preparation programs for young players and caught up over time while Québec coaches did not really change their methods as much (luxuriated in past successes and old-timer approaches actually) from the late 1980s until the mid-2000s. And we're still lagging behind while others are continuously improving, hence why there is less talent developed compared to the past.

Historically speaking, at the same time as the overall level of coaching stagnated/declined, the province experienced a major downturn in interest for Hockey (given how expensive it became to play, plus other sports becoming more attractive, like Soccer) which, compounded with other facts like Hockey becoming a more global sport, explains why we don't see many young Québec-born goalies make it to the NHL.

In fact, given that Russia's development system for goalies has become the world's best in the last couple of years/decades (they put a great emphasis on it since the days of Khabibulin being their only good goalie), I expect yet more russian netminders to make their way into the NHL and thrive there before another country implements a more effective development system and takes over for a little while as producer of the best goalies.

And I don't expect that the top of the charts for goalie development will ever belong to Québec again, unless yet more truly major changes happen across all levels of youth hockey in the province.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Ça fait dur!

 

[Wackster]

I think Cataford will be the best of the bunch when it is all said and done

 

[Bubbles]

The rest of Canada and other countries got better coaching/preparation programs for young players and caught up over time while Québec coaches did not really change their methods as much (luxuriated in past successes and old-timer approaches actually) from the late 1980s until the mid-2000s. And we're still lagging behind while others are continuously improving, hence why there is less talent developed compared to the past.

Historically speaking, at the same time as the overall level of coaching stagnated/declined, the province experienced a major downturn in interest for Hockey (given how expensive it became to play, plus other sports becoming more attractive, like Soccer) which, compounded with other facts like Hockey becoming a more global sport, explains why we don't see many young Québec-born goalies make it to the NHL.

In fact, given that Russia's development system for goalies has become the world's best in the last couple of years/decades (they put a great emphasis on it since the days of Khabibulin being their only good goalie), I expect yet more russian netminders to make their way into the NHL and thrive there before another country implements a more effective development system and takes over for a little while as producer of the best goalies.

And I don't expect that the top of the charts for goalie development will ever belong to Québec again, unless yet more truly major changes happen across all levels of youth hockey in the province.

Great post. It's a shame that the great pipeline of Quebec-born goalies has ended. Once Fleury retires and Bernier leaves, I think that's it.

Canada in general hasn't really produced great goalies (maybe Cossa). HC needs to get together and formulate a national development for goalies. Maybe something in the summer in terms of camps or something.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Very weak year for the Q. I’d say you got the right players at the top, but I’d place Gauthier and Cataford lower than you have them.

 

[Vachon23]

Great post. It's a shame that the great pipeline of Quebec-born goalies has ended. Once Fleury retires and Bernier leaves, I think that's it.

Canada in general hasn't really produced great goalies (maybe Cossa). HC needs to get together and formulate a national development for goalies. Maybe something in the summer in terms of camps or something.

Their is Gabriel D’aigle that is coming though. He is eligible in 2025

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Their is Gabriel D’aigle that is coming though. He is eligible in 2025

Fleury was drafted in 2003.

D’Aigle isn’t draft eligible until 2025.

That’s a 22 year difference.

What other prominent goalies have come out of the Quebec league in that time frame?

Jonathan Bernier? Fucale? Jake Allen? Even him, he is from NB...

 

[Czechboy]

Sprynar is better than he's shown. Not a first rounder but not a bust either.

 

[Bubbles]

Fleury was drafted in 2003.

D’Aigle isn’t draft eligible until 2025.

That’s a 22 year difference.

What other prominent goalies have come out of the Quebec league in that time frame?

Jonathan Bernier? Fucale? Jake Allen? Even him, he is from NB...

Sam Montembeault. Fucale was hyped but will top out as an AHL goalie.

 

[Teaspoon salami]

Fleury was drafted in 2003.

D’Aigle isn’t draft eligible until 2025.

That’s a 22 year difference.

What other prominent goalies have come out of the Quebec league in that time frame?

Jonathan Bernier? Fucale? Jake Allen? Even him, he is from NB...

Hopefully Devon Levi sees his potential

 

[Number 57]

Hopefully Devon Levi sees his potential

Levi is an interesting case since he spent 3 years in Midget. He didn't want to play in the Q since he was going to US college. It will be interesting if he basically becomes the only good NHL goalie from Quebec since Fleury. Could it be that there is a problem with developing goalies in the QMJHL?

There are quite a few high profile names that simply never amount to anything from the Q. Recently I can think of Coulombe, Mercer and Gravel that were hyped, all went undrafted. Every year you have quality goalies drafted high in the Q draft, but they never develop into legit NHL prospects. Those who turn pro, like Mandolese, don't seem to be able to take it into the next gear to make the NHL.

Montembeault is a unicorn at this point.

 

[nbwingsfan]

I think Morin squeaks into the 1st rd when all is said and done.

Since about mid way last season to now he’s been a force and taken his game to a new level lately

 

[WeThreeKings]

Levi is an interesting case since he spent 3 years in Midget. He didn't want to play in the Q since he was going to US college. It will be interesting if he basically becomes the only good NHL goalie from Quebec since Fleury. Could it be that there is a problem with developing goalies in the QMJHL?

There are quite a few high profile names that simply never amount to anything from the Q. Recently I can think of Coulombe, Mercer and Gravel that were hyped, all went undrafted. Every year you have quality goalies drafted high in the Q draft, but they never develop into legit NHL prospects. Those who turn pro, like Mandolese, don't seem to be able to take it into the next gear to make the NHL.

Montembeault is a unicorn at this point.

There's a problem with developing goalies in Canada period. When your options for the next Olympics are Hart, Jarry and Binnington there's a giant f***ing problem.

It's pretty obvious what that problem is but Hockey Canada has shown how much of a dinosaur organization they are recently. Hopefully the regime change leads to fundamental changes at the development levels, as well.

 

[Lap2000]

The only players I see in Round 1 possibilities are Cataford and Gauthier. I think by and large this year is a very strong year elsewhere and that will push some out of the draft. I'd add Patterson to the bottom of that list. Other then that i don't see any other players having any possibility of getting a nod.

 

[Bubbles]

There's a problem with developing goalies in Canada period. When your options for the next Olympics are Hart, Jarry and Binnington there's a giant f***ing problem.

It's pretty obvious what that problem is but Hockey Canada has shown how much of a dinosaur organization they are recently. Hopefully the regime change leads to fundamental changes at the development levels, as well.

It's a HUGE problem that basically no one is paying attention to. Minus MAF, the last 5 Vezina winners were non-Canadians. Add Blackwood to your list and it's mediocrity at that position.

Comes down to money always. Europeans are willing to spend money on goalie programs, while HC is spending money on lawsuits.

 

[Tanknation]

I don't trust drafting from the QMJHL as it's weak, aside from the odd player or obvious superstar.