It’s a far cry from the past, there’s no doubting that.
I think a lot rests on Lafreniere. As should be expected. He turned into a great top six complimentary player last season, a standout at even strength. Does he have enough creativity in his locker to take that next step as a PP mainstay and star scorer? If he does, that’s huge.
Also the bright side - I think Lapierre has a ton of momentum and will shoot up this list quickly. Luneau and Bourque should establish themselves as NHLers this year with top six/top four upside.
And importantly - I think the 2025 draft is shaping up to be a good one for the province, the best in a long time. I think Desnoyers and Guite both could threaten to be lottery picks and Carbonneau is positioning himself not only as another potential first rounder but potentially another top 20 pick. If Quebec produces three top 15-20 picks in what is shaping up to be a good draft crop, that’s a big step in the right direction.
A little victory, for sure, compared to past glories. But a step. Now we need that classic butterfly star in net. A few years ago, Gabriel D’Aigle looked like the phenom that was promised…but he appears to be falling flat, hard, as his draft year arrives. That 6-8 kid Denault is probably worth monitoring though.