After back-to-back years without a prospect selected in the first round of the NHL Draft, 2025 saw three QMJHL players hear their names called on opening night in Los Angeles. With what appears to be another strong class, we may see history repeat itself at the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo.

Xavier Villeneuve (LHD) – Blainville Boisbriand Armada: 35GP 6G 30A 36PTS

The consensus top QMJHL prospect in 2026 is Xavier Villeneuve. The Armada defenceman has some of the flashiest offensive tools in recent memory. Last year, he scored over a point per game, earning him honours as the QMJHL’s top defenceman, before earning the power-play quarterback role on both of Canada’s units at the U18s, where he helped them win gold. Villeneuve was also one of the biggest standouts at the CHL vs USA Prospects showcase. Villeneuve is a legitimately great skater, both in straight-line speed and agility. He maneuvers the blue line with ease, dancing around defenders to find lanes. He is a magician with the puck and has the strongest puck-handling ability of any defender in the class, with the ability to deke into highlight-reel plays. Although he does not have eye-popping goal totals, Villeneuve has a good release and can beat goalies clean. He has excellent hockey IQ, which allows him to hold his own defensively. The knock on Villeneuve is no fault of his own, as he stands at just 5’11”, which may cause him to slide down NHL teams’ draft boards. If he is to fall, a team may be getting the steal of the draft.

Egor Shilov (C) – Victoriaville Tigres: 40GP 21G 35A 56PTS

Following the theme of flashy players is Egor Shilov of the Victoriaville Tigres. The Russian-born center made the jump to North America last season, where he dominated U16AAA before making an impact as a rookie for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. Shilov’s impressive USHL stint earned him the third overall selection in the 2025 CHL Import Draft. Shilov has had no difficulty transitioning to the QMJHL, as he leads the Tigres in scoring, with the 7th most points league-wide. Similar to the OHL’s Nikita Klepov, Shilov is an exceptional playmaker in the zone with a lightning-fast release. His defensive game is not the strongest right now, but he has a solid work ethic and is tasked with penalty killing. Shilov will take his talents to Boston University next season, where he’ll further his development.

Maddox Dagenais (C) – Quebec Remparts: 41GP 18G 15A 33PTS

The other first-round hopeful is Maddox Dagenais. The Montreal native finished his U16 career with the Quinte Red Devils, where he dominated OMHA, scoring over two points per game. Dagenais elected to go with the QMJHL development path, where the Quebec Remparts selected him first overall in 2025. The big, strong centerman dominated out of the gate with 9 points in his first 5 games, but he has yet to reach that level of production since. Dagenais has a strong shot, and he is not afraid to use it, with the 5th most shots in the QMJHL at 178 on the season. He uses his fame fairly well to shield pucks and win battles. Dagenais was cut from the Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster this summer, but has looked his best in big games since then. He scored a goal and the shootout winner at the QMJHL Prospects Game, before being one of the bigger standouts at the CHL vs USA Prospects Challenge. With good size and skill, teams will likely see Dagenais as a player that they can mold and develop into an effective NHLer.

Lars Steiner (RW) – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies: 22GP 10G 11A 21PTS

Lars Steiner was regarded as one of the very best QMJHL prospects heading into the year, after scoring over a point per game as a QMJHL rookie in 2024-2025. His stock has slightly slipped this season, as after sustaining an injury early in the year, he saw a slight dip in production. Steiner had a fairly strong World Juniors in 2026, scoring just under a point per game, earning his recognition as one of Switzerland’s top three players at the event. Steiner has the skills you would expect from a player of his stature at around 5’10”, but he also plays physical for his size. The late-born 2007 is a strong skater in transition and has a lethal release in the zone. Like Villeneuve, he could fall due to his size, but he remains one of the top talents from the QMJHL.

Tommy Bleyl (RD) – Moncton Wildcats: 40GP 7G 41A 48PTS

Tommy Bleyl has been one of the biggest draft risers this season, jumping up from an early-season “C” (4th/5th round candidate) grade from NHL Central Scouting to the 35th-rated North American skater. The New York native turned heads in the Wildcats’ development camp and preseason with his silky skating. Bleyl has only improved as the season has gone on, taking the lead in scoring among defencemen over fellow top prospect Xavier Villeneuve and Nashville Predators prospect Alex Huang. His biggest strength, both offensively and defensively, is his maneuverability, which he uses to walk the line and close gaps on attackers. An initial knock on Bleyl was his size, entering the year just under 5’11”, but he has since grown to the 6’ mark. Bleyl will join fellow 2026 top defensive prospect Chase Reid at Michigan State next fall, forming what should be one of the most exciting back-ends in college hockey.

Charlie Morrison (LHD) – Quebec Remparts: 23GP 2G 6A 8PTS

Charlie Morrison is one of the QMJHL’s more intriguing stories for the 2026 NHL Draft. Initially passed on in his QMJHL draft season, Morrison was the highest-drafted re-entry in the 2024 QMJHL draft, as the Remparts selected him in the middle of the second round. The Miramichi native has far from the flashiest totals, but under the hood is a very effective two-way defender. Morrison has good size at 6’3”, with strong skating and hands for his frame. Quebec trusts him in all situations, logging heavy minutes on the power play and penalty kill, while being the team’s top matchup defender against opposing top lines. Morrison’s strong play earned him a selection to team CHL for the CHL vs USA Prospects Challenge. His stock continues to rise, recently being rated 29th amongst North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Olivers Murnieks (C) – Saint John Sea Dogs: 28GP 6G 12A 18PTS

Olivers Murnieks was touted as one of Latvia’s top draft prospects in recent memory after dominating Latvia’s second division of pro hockey, before scoring just under a point per game in the top division while earning a selection to the U18 national team, all at just 15 years old. He made the transition to North America as a 16-year-old last season with the Sioux City Musketeers, where he outscored fellow 2026 top prospect Nikita Klepov. Murnieks caught eyes at the 2025 World Juniors, where he centered Latvia’s top line, helping them upset Canada for the first time. As a double underager at the event, Murnieks tied for second in team scoring with 4 points in 5 games, while having a team high plus 4 rating. This all earned him the 6th overall selection in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, joining the Saint John Sea Dogs. Though his game is more well-rounded and two-way based, the jump to the QMJHL has been a challenging one for Murnieks, as he has been unable to produce the flashy numbers many expected. Situation should be taken into for Murnieks, as the Sea Dogs remain in the QMJHL’s bottom four teams for a fourth consecutive season. While he has had a down year, there is still a player to be developed inside Murnieks, and with a Boston College commitment down the line NHL teams may be willing to take a mid-round flier on the Latvian.

Oleg Kulebyakin (LW) – Halifax Mooseheads: 41GP 22G 23A 45PTS

Rounding out the skaters in the top ten is another flashy Russian forward in Oleg Kulebyakin. The St. Petersburg native played his first full year in North America in 2024-2025, splitting time between U16AAA, U18AAA, and the USHL. Despite being held pointless in 6 USHL games, the Halifax Mooseheads took a chance on the winger with the 9th pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft. This decision has paid off for the Mooseheads so far, as Kulebyakin leads the team in points, 9 ahead of second place. The 5’11” is an elusive skater who loves to change direction on the rush. He handles the puck on a string with ease. In the zone, Kulebyakin has a zippy release both with the possession and off one-touch. He will follow in the footsteps of fellow Russian and Calgary Flames prospect, Aydar Suniev, with a commitment to the University of Massachusetts. 

Jan Larys (G) – Drummondville Voltigeurs: 22GP 16W 2.85GAA 0.908SV%

2026 is a strong class for QMJHL goalies, and Jan Larys is the one to lead the pack. The Ostrava native had a strong pre-draft season in Czechia, posting a 0.927 save percentage (SV%) in U17s and a 0.917SV% in U20 play. Larys was rewarded with a first-round selection by the Drummondville Voltigeurs at the 2025 CHL Import Draft. Despite being just 17 years old, Larys stole the starter’s crease for the Voltigeurs, helping lead them to first place in the QMJHL’s Western Conference, currently ahead of the pre-season favourite Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Larys stands at an already projectable 6’3”, and with his age, has room to grow in the future. 

William Lacelle (G) – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada: 29GP 17W 2.64GAA 0.919SV%

Narrowly behind Larys is fellow netminder William Lacelle. The Gatineau native was a first-round selection of the Rimouski Oceanic in 2023 and has blossomed into one of the league’s top netminders. Lacelle helped hold down the crease for Rimouski last season, as they prepared to host the 2025 Memorial Cup. After posting an impressive 0.909SV% in 2024-2025, Lacelle has improved his numbers this season with a 0.919SV%, good for third among goalies with at least 10 games played. Lacelle will have a huge opportunity to prove himself in the back half of the season, as he was traded to the pre-season favourite Blainville-Boisbriand Armada at the deadline. If he can return to the Memorial Cup, this time as a starter, Lacelle will have plenty of eyes on him in Kelowna. With a late 2007 birthday, Lacelle could push for Team Canada’s third goaltending spot at the 2027 World Juniors. 

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