We took a look at former prep players and locals in the USHL on Monday. Now, it's time to turn our attention to the QMJHL.
In years past, a story like this would've been laughed off. Before the CHL ruling, players couldn't play in the QMJHL (or the OHL and WHL) and be eligible to play NCAA Division 1 hockey. New England prospects, who the QMJHL has regional rights to, rarely went north to the QMJHL.
Now it's different. Players can go to those leagues and still play Division 1 college hockey.
This is the first full season since the CHL ruling, so it's interesting to see how locals are faring on a new frontier. The QMJHL is typically a higher-scoring league than the USHL.
Through just over a month of action, here are 15 players starting strong.
Let's dive in.
Jesse Allecia, Drummondville Voltigeurs
In his second season of junior hockey, Allecia is off to a great start with seven goals and 12 points in 15 games. The highlight so far was a hat trick against Sherbrooke on Sept. 26. From New York City, Allecia mostly played his fall hockey for the Yale Junior Bulldogs and spent 2020-22 with Deerfield before moving to Salisbury for 2022-24. The forward is committed to New Hampshire.
Tommy Bleyl, Moncton Wildcats
Bleyl had a massive start to the season with two goals and five points in his first four games. He's since cooled off a bit, but still has eight points over 12 games played. The Cushing alum can fly, and was rightfully given a 'C' rating by NHL Central Scouting, deeming him a fourth- or fifth-round candidate for June. At 6 feet and 160 pounds, the Michigan State commit has fairly good size and outstanding skating for a defenseman.
If Tommy Bleyl isn’t on your NHL Draft radar, get him on there now. He’s been dazzling with Moncton so far and has only gotten better throughout the preseason. Former Cushing defenseman is an MSU commit pic.twitter.com/TElcSL2Sfz
— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) September 7, 2025
Rian Chudzinski, Moncton Wildcats
Chudzinski has missed some time this season, but still has five goals in the nine games he's played. The Boston University commit was a force for Dexter Southfield last winter and previously played at St. Sebastian's. He was given a 'C' rating by NHL Central Scouting. Chudzinski should finish the season around a point per game as he gets settled in junior hockey.
Alex Donovan, Saint John Sea Dogs
Donovan was red hot in October with three goals and seven points in the month's first five games. So far, he has eight points in 15 games. The Darien, Conn., native left the region for his 14U season with Shattuck-St. Mary's in 2021-22 and stayed there through last season. He's committed to Denver.
PREP PREVIEWS: Deerfield | St. George’s | Brunswick | Winchendon | Salisbury | Choate | Nobles | Kent | Holderness | Dexter Southfield
Rudy Guimond, Moncton Wildcats
Guimond, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, is 6-4-0 this season with a 2.97 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage. The Taft alum made waves last season when he moved from the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders to Moncton and went 16-0-0 to close out the regular season before going 8-1-0 in the playoffs en route to a championship. Guimond won a Large School tournament title at Taft after being the best netminder in the region in 2023.
Jude Herron, Charlottetown Islanders
In his first full season in Charlottetown, Herron is showing improvements with three goals and nine points in 13 games. Despite missing time in October, he still put up six points in seven games (yes, go ahead and laugh, 13-year-old readers). Herron, a forward, is committed to Maine and was formerly a South Kent standout before heading to Charlottetown right after the CHL ruling last year.
Owen Keefe, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Incredibly, Keefe is in his fourth season of junior hockey since he was tendered by the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks and left Malden Catholic in 2022. For the Voltigeurs, he has a goal and eight points through 15 games. The '06 defenseman from Saugus, Mass., is committed to Northeastern.
Liam Kilfoil, Halifax Mooseheads
Kilfoil is off to a great start in his third season with Halfiax, posting three goals and 14 points in 12 games. The Northeastern commit starred for Mount St. Charles' 14U team before moving to Salisbury in 2022-23, where he had 18 points in 25 games. The '07 forward had 46 points in 62 games last season.
Liam Lefebvre, Rimouski Océanic
Just one year after notching 21 goals and 57 points in 25 games for Trinity-Pawling, Lefebvre has kept up the production with five goals and 12 points in 13 games. The Vermont commit is a 6-foot-3, 203-pound forward who got a 'C' rating from NHL Central Scouting. He's from Montreal and played three seasons at Trinity-Pawling.
READ MORE:Â Prep players leaving early for juniors, part 1Â |Â Prep players leaving early for juniors, part 2Â |Â Prep players leaving early for juniors, part 3
Cam Minella, Halifax Mooseheads
Minella has been really good as an '09 in the QMJHL, scoring a goal and tallying five points in 16 games. I'm not a big plus/minus guy either, but Minella is a plus-1. The defender was a standout at Brunswick last season with 37 points in 34 games. The Darien, Conn., native was also a longtime Mid Fairfield star.
Teddy Mutryn, Moncton Wildcats
This isn't much of a surprise, given that Mutryn was mulling the jump to Boston College for this season. Despite missing some time, the Norwell, Mass., native has three goals and eight points in nine games. Mutryn was a longtime member of the Boston Junior Eagles and St. Sebastian's. He spent last season with the USHL's Chicago Steel and was picked in the third round by the San Jose Sharks in June.
Nicolas Petrut, Gatineau Olympiques
Petrut is Gatineau's leader in points with 12 in 17 games. The Quebec native made the move to New England in 2022 to play for Salisbury and the Avon Regals. In 2023-24, Petrut notched 24 points in 27 games for the Crimson Knights. The forward went to Gatineau last year and posted seven goals and 21 points in 34 games.
Niko Tournas, Moncton Wildcats
Tournas has been a force so far for Moncton. The Redding, Conn., native has 10 goals and 17 points in 13 games. Tournas' junior hockey experience has been a rollercoaster, taking him all over the map — five points in 41 games for the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in 2023-24, 74 points in 56 games for the NAHL's Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks last season — but he seems to be hitting his stride now. An '06, he's committed to New Hampshire.
Connor Towle, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
The former Hotchkiss standout has only played four games, but has been stellar in all four, posting a 2.65 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Towle, a Fairfield, Conn., native, is still committed to Holy Cross.
READ MORE: 17 former prep players, locals who are starting strong in the USHLÂ
C.J. Watroba, Charlottetown Islanders
Watroba, a forward, has been terrific for the Islanders so far with six goals and 11 points in 19 games. He was fairly hot in October with six goals in 13 games. The West Springfield, Mass., native was a top player for Pope Francis (MIAA) before moving to Kimball Union and winning an Elite 8 title in 2024 and a Small School trophy last March. He's committed to Merrimack.
