Though the QMJHL has not been on the same level as its Western and Ontario counterparts in terms of recent NHL draft talent, the Q certainly is no slouch in the developmental department. After boasting 3 first-round picks in 2026, the league will look to repeat their success at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Centers

Though there is no Caleb Desnoyers up top, center depth is one of the key strengths of the 2026 QMJHL class, with two potential first-rounders followed by a crop of potential middle-six contributors.

Maddox Dagenais – Québec Remparts

Maddox Dagenais leads the way for QMJHL centers this season. 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 his production staggered as he battled injuries. Dagenais appears to have found his footing of late, as he has produced well over a point per game in the new year. Dagenais is the best pure shooter out of the QMJHL this season, with a blistering shot which he has used to score two hat-tricks since the calendar flipped over to 2026. Though he is a high-volume shooter, Dagenais has also made strides in the playmaking department this year, helping build a well-rounded offensive arsenal. He also already possesses a pro-level frame at 6’3”, which certainly does not hurt his draft stock. Dagenais has also raised his play in big moments this season, scoring 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. If he can continue his hot start to 2026, Dagenais could shoot up draft boards come June. 

Egor Shilov – Victoriaville Tigres

Egor Shilov is far and away the flashiest draft-eligible QMJHL center. 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. It has been a seamless transition to the QMJHL this season for Shilov, who currently sits atop the draft-eligible scoring leaderboard with 72 points in 52 games played. 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. He is very much a boom-or-bust prospect, but if he hits, he could be a major steal in the late first to early second round.

Oliviers Murnieks – Saint John Sea Dogs

Oliviers Murnieks was touted as one of Latvia’s top draft prospects in recent memory after dominating Latvia’s second division of pro hockey and scoring just under a point per game in the top division while earning a selection to the U18 national team, all at the ripe age of 15. 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 in the nation’s history. As a double underager at the event, Murnieks tied for second in team scoring with 4 points in 5 games, while leading the squad in plus/minus with a positive 4 goal differential. 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 account for Murnieks, as the Sea Dogs remain in the QMJHL’s bottom four teams for a fourth consecutive season. He is running out of time to change his trajectory this season, as an injury has kept him out of the lineup in February, and the Sea Dogs are on the brink of playoff elimination. 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.

Romain L’Italien – Cape Breton Eagles

Romain L’Italien is one of the more under-the-radar names out of the QMJHL this season, coming in at 122nd on NHL Central Scouting’s latest North American rankings. The 2024 4th overall pick has broken out in a big way this season, already doubling his totals 2024-2025 with 3 games in hand. L’Italien is a strong presence out front, with fast hands for deflections and a good ability to find rebounds. He rounds out his offensive game with strong puck-handling and vision. With an average size of 6’1”, L’Italien projects to stay up the middle at the next level.

Thomas Rousseau – Sherbrooke Phoenix

Thomas Rousseau entered the season with high expectations after leading QMJHL true-rookies in scoring last season, before tallying 3 assists in 4 games for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The breakout is yet to come for Rousseau, as he has only seen slight improvement in his numbers this season, leading to his fall in NHL draft rankings.  The St-Eustache native is a fairly balanced scorer, with strong finishing and playmaking. His NHL projection is a little murky, as a smaller center who has also spent time on the wing in his young career. 

Wingers

The QMJHL winger department is dominated by import players this season, with flashy European scorers serving as the league’s top draft-eligible prospects at the position.

Lars Steiner – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

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. The Swiss winger has been better of late, scoring 11 points through the first 8 games of February. Steiner also had a fairly strong World Juniors in 2026, where he was recognized as one of Switzerland’s top three players after scoring just under a point-per-game at the event. While Steiner has the skills you would expect from a player of his stature at around 5’10”, there is an underrated physical aspect in his game, as he is not shy of contact around the boards. The late-born 2007 is a strong skater in transition and has a lethal release in the zone. He could fall due to his size, but he remains one of the top talents from the QMJHL.

Oleg Kulebyakin – Halifax Mooseheads

Oleg Kulebyakin 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 the St. Petersburg native leads the team in points, 4 ahead of second place. The 5’11” winger is an elusive skater who loves to change direction on the rush, and he handles the puck on a string with ease. In the zone, Kulebyakin has a zippy release both with the possession and on the one-timer. He will follow in the footsteps of fellow Russian and Calgary Flames prospect, Aydar Suniev, with a commitment to the University of Massachusetts. 

Alexey Vlasov – Victoriaville Tigres

Alexey Vlasov has formed a sensational duo alongside fellow draft-eligible teammate Egor Shilov, as Vlasov sits just behind his countrymen in scoring with 69 points in 53 games played. The Chelyabinsk native torched 16U AAA last season, scoring over two points per game, before graduating to the USHL level, where he scored around a half point-per-game as a true rookie for the Sioux Falls Stampede. Like Shilov, Vlasov is one of the flashiest prospects in the class. He can stick-handle in a phone booth, with the ability to rifle the puck. Despite his stellar production, there are concerns about his NHL production as a 5’9” winger who does the majority of his damage on the power play.

Nikita Ovcharov – Quebec Remparts

Nikita Ovcharov follows the theme of highly-skilled Russian wingers in the 2026 class. The Lipetsk native is off to a strong start to his North American career, notching 40 points in 53 games for a middle-of-the-pack Remparts offence. Though he is more of a natural playmaker, Ovcharov can still rip the puck. His production, combined with a solid frame at 6’1”, 193 pounds, helped Ovcharov reach the 102nd spot on the most recent Central Scouting North American rankings.

Defencemen

Though it is not the deepest class of defenceman, the QMJHL boasts a ton of flashy talent up top, who could develop into stars at the next level.

Xavier Villeneuve – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

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 top-notch 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. Unfortunately, an injury has kept Villeneuve on the shelf since early January, and there is some uncertainty around his return date, with it being well past the “day to day” label he was given over a month ago. 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.

Tommy Bleyl – Moncton Wildcats

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 been far and away the best defenceman in the QMJHL this season, with a double-digit lead in scoring. 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. With his scorching start to 2026, Bleyl could take over poll position as the QMJHL’s top draft-eligible defenceman come June.

Charlie Morrison – Quebec Remparts

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 their showdown with the USA at the Prospects Challenge. His stock continues to rise, recently being rated 29th amongst North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Goalies

It has been a great year for draft-eligible goaltenders in the QMJHL, with two of the league’s top netminders dominating their draft years.

Jan Larys – Drummondville Voltigeurs

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 Drummondville remain a top Western Conference contender for a third consecutive season. Larys stands at an already projectable 6’3”, and with his age, has room to grow in the future. 

William Lacelle – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

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 0.921SV%, which ranks just 0.01 behind Rudy Guimond for second place league-wide. 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 before the QMJHL deadline. If he can return to the Memorial Cup, this time as a starter, Lacelle would have plenty of eyes on him in Kelowna. With a late 2007 birthday, Lacelle could also push for Team Canada’s third goaltending spot at the 2027 World Juniors. 

Though the QMJHL class is not as deep as its OHL or WHL counterparts, it is possible the most fun of the CHL leagues. With flashy skills and boom-or-bust names, the 2026 QMJHL draft-eligible group will be very exciting to monitor come June.

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