Jun 08 Montreal Juniors Make Big Splash at 2010 QMJHL Draft

The Montreal Juniors Hockey Club made quite a splash in Drummondville, where the 2010 QMJHL draft was held. They only started drafting in the 3rd round, but their hoarding of first and 2nd round picks were traded in for some key players that will surely get them off to a great start in the 2010-11 season.

 First off, the Juniors traded their 6th round pick in 2012 to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for  20 year old d-man Francis Meilleur. At 5'11", 180lbs Meilleur scored 6 goals and 36 assists in 68 games played last season. His strength, however is to bolster the blue line as he boasted a plus/minus rating of +26. 

Next on the list, the Juniors had some unfinished business with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. You will recall they acquired both the 2010 and 2011 first round picks from Drummondville last season in the Jake Allen trade. They gave those picks back to the Voltigeurs in exchange for 19 year old defenseman Charles Landry and 19 year old forward Philippe Lefebvre. 

Lefebvre, property of the Montreal Canadiens, is capable of scoring 25-30 goals and garnering anywhere from 55-70 points. Last season he scored 26 goals and 29 assists, giving him 55 points in 66 games played, with a plus/minus rating of +21. 

Landry, a defensive defenseman posted 6 goals and 24 assists in 68 games played with a plus/minus rating of +40. 

Montreal then traded their 2nd round pick to the Gatineau Olympiques for 18 year old, European centre Denis Kindl. Kindl, a native of the Czech Republic is listed at 5’11”, 180 lbs and potted 17 goals and 20 assists in his rookie year. 

But wait, there’s more. 

Montreal then traded forward Loic Poudrier and young defenseman Dillon Donnelly, who was acquired last season in the Alex Wall trade, to the Shawinigan’s Cataractes. Montreal also gave up their own 1st round pick in 2010, as well as their 4th round pick in 2011 in order to acquire defenseman Charles-Olivier Roussel. 

Finally, with the riskiest, and most talked about trasnsaction of the day, the Juniors traded their first ever draft pick and sophomore forward Guillaume Asselin as well as their first round pick in 2011 to the Chicoutimi’s Saguenéens in return of the rights for centre and recent Montreal Canadiens 1st round draft pick, Louis Leblanc. The Juniors also got a 3rd round pick in 2011. 

Asselin, while he had a good rookie season, scoring 18 goals and 19 assists, put up similar numbers in his 2nd season but showed no real signs of improvement and lacked a willingness to “muck it up” in the corners. He was also relatively invisible in the Juniors’ short-lived postseason. He had also been sent to the showers after the 2nd period of one particular game for what coach and GM Pascal Vincent described as a lack of effort.

When I say the Juniors received “the rights” for Louis Leblanc, it’s because Leblanc, a Harvard student, has mentioned on more than one occasion that he had no intention of joining the QMJHL, opting to further his studies and hockey development with the Crimson. The Juniors are hoping that Montreal, rather than Chicoutimi is liable to entice Leblanc home. Leblanc led Harvard in goals and scoring in his rookie season with 11 goals 12 assists, 23 points in 31 games

The Juniors will have this season as well as next to entice him to play in Montreal. If not it is reported that the Juniors will receive a compensatory pick if Leblanc does not join the team.

The Juniors now hold the rights to 3 Montreal draft picks: Leblanc, Lefebvre and Alexander Avtsin, however I wouldn’t hold my breath, waiting for Avtsin to make his way to the “Q”.

With core players like captain Nicolas Chouinard, Jeremy Gouchie, Trevor Parkes and Louis-Marc Aubry one year older and wiser, as well as LA Kings prospect and starting goalie Jean-Francois Bérubé still with the team, these new additions will surely make this the juniors' most promising season to date.

When they finally did start picking prospects in the 3rd round, here’s what it looked like: