The QMJHL has become a hot topic around New England since the CHL ruling. Players are now able to play in the CHL and still be eligible for NCAA Division 1 hockey.
That means another junior hockey path is open. For New Englanders, that's the QMJHL — the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has regional rights to the six states.
In June, 37 locals were selected in the QMJHL Draft.
Some QMJHL teams are currently in the middle of their rookie camps and training camps, while others will start in the coming days.
Many teams have rookie camps. From there, players can make it to main camp and have a chance to make the real team. Other teams don't have rookie camps and instead just have a main camp, where they evaluate everyone. Just because someone is on the roster for an upcoming camp does not mean they won't be back in New England with their prep or full-season team.
For others, however, they may make their QMJHL team and stay. We don't know who that will be yet.
Players are organized with their name, latest team and date of birth.
Let's dive in.
Baie-Comeau Drakkar: Training Camp
- Max Gagnon (F): Tilton, 6/14/2007
- Stephen Pinette (F): Hillside School, 6/15/2009
- Declan Wotton (F): Seacoast Performance Academy, 5/16/2009
Training camp began on Aug. 16. They have their first preseason game against Chicoutimi on Tuesday, with camp running through this Friday. Gagnon was brought to camp as a free agent, while Wotton (4th round) and Pinette (8th round) were selected in June's draft.
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada: Training Camp
- Zachary Gill (D): Salisbury, 5/6/2008
- Nate Watson (D): Berkshire, 3/16/2007
Training camp began Aug. 18 and runs through Aug. 23. Gill was a fifth-round pick in June, while Watson was picked in the 10th round back in the 2023 QMJHL Draft.
READ MORE: The CHL ruling's impact on Aug. 1
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles: Training Camp
- Easton Anello (D): Williston Northampton, 1/19/2009
- Blake Burke (F): Westminster, 5/18/2006
- Owen Burke (F): Westminster, 4/22/2008
- Noah Jettelson (D): Taft, 3/13/2006
- Caiden Pellegrino (F): St. Mark's, 2/10/2009
- Kris Soja (D): Nobles, 3/11/2008
- Connor Towle (G): Hotchkiss, 3/27/2006
The Screaming Eagles' camp began on Friday and runs through Aug. 26. Most notably among this crowd, Owen Burke, Pellegrino, Anello and Soja project to be legitimate, impact players in prep this winter. If they were to make Cape Breton and stay, they would leave a hole behind on their prep teams back home.
Charlottetown Islanders: Training Camp
- Jake Doherty (F): Hotchkiss, 9/2/2007
- Nolan Duskocy (F): BK Selects, 1/26/2008
- Jude Herron (F): Charlottetown Islanders, 4/29/2008
- Aiden MacIssac (D): Lawrence Academy, 1/11/2007
- Aidan Patton (F): Hotchkiss, 6/26/2007
- Will Rob (D): Holderness, 8/2/2007
- Brady Sloper (D): Belmont Hill, 5/21/2008
- C.J. Watroba (F): Kimball Union, 2/2/2007
Islanders training camp began on Sunday and runs through Aug. 22. Most notably among this crew, Herron played for Charlottetown last season, leaving South Kent midseason and posting 11 goals and 15 points in 40 games. He's committed to Maine.
Chicoutimi Saguenéens: Training Camp
- Hugo Daniel (F): Omaha (USHL), 8/18/2007
- Luca Desjardins (F): Salisbury, 8/29/2009
- Derrick Huang (G): Rivers, 6/8/2007
- Justin Lee (G): Nobles, 6/28/2009
- Jordan Rittenberg (G): Salisbury, 2/24/2008
- Cole Sabourin (F): Mount St. Charles, 1/23/2008
- Ben Short (F): Winchendon, 5/14/2008
- Gryphon Watson-Bucci (F): Trail (BCHL), 8/28/2006
- Will Zygulski (D): Culver Military Academy, 9/23/2008
Camp runs from Monday through Aug. 22, before the Saguenéens veteran players make their first appearance at practice the following week. The big storyline here: Huang, Lee and Rittenberg project as three reliable starters in prep this coming season.
READ MORE: Players leaving early for the CHL?
Drummondville Voltigeurs: Rookie Camp
- Gavin Callahan (D): Mount St. Charles, 4/12/2008
- Cooper Campbell (D): Lovell Academy, 9/20/2008
Rookie Camp began Aug. 12. While the region only has two players at this camp, Callahan and Campbell are two highly rated defensemen. Callahan has long been a reliable puck-mover, while Campbell's stock is just starting to rise, as he turned heads at USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp this summer.
Gatineau Olympiques: Prospects Camp/Main Camp
- David Bosco (F): Belmont Hill, 2/8/2008
- Ethan Cox (F): Nobles, 1/25/2006
- Louis-Thomas Bédard (D): Seacoast Performance Academy, 10/20/2007
- Cam Kovary (F): Little Caesars, 8/2/2008
Prospects Camp began Aug. 13, while Main Camp began Aug. 17. On Sunday, the team announced that Bosco, Bédard and Kovary wouldn't continue to Main Camp. Bosco, a recent Harvard commit, went for a few days to check out Gatineau, but has his sights set on the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the USHL. Another note: Cox wasn't at Prospects Camp, as he signed with the Olympiques over the summer.
Halifax Mooseheads: Training Camp
- Will Bent (F): Halifax Mooseheads, 3/12/2008
- Justin Chiras (D): Halifax Mooseheads, 6/5/2007
- Nico Ciardiello (F): Avon Old Farms, 11/10/2008
- Paulo Gualberto Jr. (F): Mount St. Charles, 4/9/2009
- Liam Kilfoil (F): Halifax Mooseheads, 3/21/2007
- Cam Minella (D): Brunswick, 8/29/2009
- Sam Ryan (F): Boston Hockey Academy, 2/2/2009
Mooseheads camp began Sunday and runs through Aug. 24. Bent, Chiras and Kilfoil all played for Halifax last season. Notably, Bent (Mount St. Charles) and Chiras (South Kent) left their teams halfway through the season to play in Halifax. Two names to watch here are Minella and Gualberto. Minella (2nd round) and Gualberto (3rd round) were high picks in June's draft.
Moncton Wildcats: Rookie Camp
- Tommy Bleyl (D): Cushing, 12/1/2007
- Danny Buckley (F): St. George's, 6/30/2006
- Rian Chudzinski (F): Dexter Southfield, 12/30/2007
- Isaac Davis (F): Northstar Christian Academy, 1/27/2009
- Cam Holyoke (D): Chicago Mission, 1/24/2009
- George Lovell (F): Lovell Academy, 8/6/2007
- Grayden Robertson-Palmer (F): Phillips Andover, 8/29/2007
- Danick St. Pierre (F): Seacoast Performance Academy, 5/13/2008
- Noah Survilas (F): Dexter Southfield, 12/27/2008
- Spencer Thornborough (F): Governor's Academy, 6/22/2008
- Jacoby Weiner (G): Kent, 6/19/2008
- Colin Yandle (D): Catholic Memorial, 10/15/2009
Rookie Camp began Aug. 14, while the main training camp begins Monday. The only two locals from Rookie Camp to be returned to their previous team before Main Camp were St. Pierre and Holyoke. Joining this slew of New Englanders at Main Camp are Teddy Mutryn (Norwell, Mass.), Niko Tournas (Redding, Conn.) and Rudy Guimond (Taft and a Harvard commit).
READ MORE: 7 takeaways from 37 locals chosen in the QMJHL Draft
Newfoundland Regiment: Training Camp
- Chase Anderson (G): Phillips Andover, 3/30/2006
- Xander Boutilier (F): Kimball Union, 7/13/2008
- Luca Campo (G): Kimball Union, 4/10/2008
- Joseph Covelluzzi (F): Cushing, 1/15/2009
- Max Dineen (F): Cushing, 7/5/2006
- Ty Hymovitz (F): Thayer, 2/13/2008
- Jacoby Palmer (D): Woodbridge, 8/9/2009
- Moussa Seydi (D): St. Mark's, 5/14/2007
Training Camp began on Sunday. The Regiment, in their first season, have preseason games running through Aug. 28. An interesting name to watch here is Covelluzzi. He was picked in the fifth round and was one of the best '09s in prep last season. He's a good litmus test to see just how many prep players make the move to the QMJHL.
Québec Remparts: Rookie Camp/Main Camp
- Elliott Lennon (G): Deerfield, 3/5/2008
- Freddy Meyer (D): Rivers, 10/16/2007
- Ryan Staples (F): Surrey (BCHL), 2/24/2006
- Andrew Waugh (F): Belmont Hill, 3/31/2006
Remparts Rookie Camp began Aug. 11 and ran through Aug. 16. Intra-squad games will be on Monday and Tuesday of this week, which will begin the Main Camp. Rivers defenseman and recent BU commit Freddy Meyer already has a highlight reel play under his belt.
Rimouski Océanic: Training Camp
- Oliver Czaja (F): Brunswick, 9/19/2007
- Kyle Greene (F): Milton Academy, 11/29/2006
- Indiana Grossbard (F): Avon Old Farms, 12/21/2007
- Owen Kailher (F): Mount St. Charles, 4/7/2009
- Liam Lefebvre (F): Trinity-Pawling, 5/15/2007
- Matt Vohra (F): St. Paul's, 11/17/2006
Océanic camp was last week. Vohra, Grossbard and Kailher have already been reassigned to their former teams.
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
- None
Saint John Sea Dogs: Training Camp
- Everett Baldwin (D): St. George's, 1/17/2007
- Egan Beveridge (F): Saint John Sea Dogs, 1/11/2007
- Max Donatelli (F): St. George's, 6/15/2007
- Alex Donovan (F): Shattuck-St. Mary's, 4/8/2007
- Oskar Drabczynski (D): Avon Old Farms, 2/13/2008
- Matas Janulis (D): Lawrence Academy, 11/19/2008
- Dylan Krayer (F): Saint John Sea Dogs, 3/12/2007
- Matthew Krayer (F): Saint John Sea Dogs, 10/22/2008
- Brian McFadden (D): Thayer, 1/8/2008
Like Moncton, Saint John could be a good candidate for New England hockey fans looking to root for a QMJHL team. Training Camp began on Saturday, with preseason games beginning on Tuesday. Beveridge and both Krayer brothers played for Saint John last season.
Shawinigan Cataractes: Training Camp
- Alexis Gagné (F): Kimball Union, 6/12/2008
- Kamden Jackson (G): Seacoast Performance Academy, 3/4/2009
Cataractes camp begins Monday. The only New England native is Jackson, who was picked by Shawinigan in the sixth round of June's draft. Gagné put up 14 points in 35 games with Kimball Union last winter and was taken in the 11th round by Shawinigan in June's draft.
Sherbrooke Phoenix: Rookie Camp/Training Camp
- Kurt Beck (D): Arlington High, 4/2/2009
- Justin BriseBois (G): St. Mark's, 6/12/2007
- Kaiden Donia (D): Groton, 1/16/2008
- Andrew Martin (F): Brooks, 8/16/2008
- Parker Stockseth (G): Seacoast Performance Academy, 12/9/2008
- Hampus Vandenberg (D): Brunswick, 4/24/2008
Sherbrooke's Rookie Camp was last week, while Training Camp begins this week. The only cuts between the two were Vandenberg and Martin.
Val-d'Or Foreurs: Training Camp
- Alex Strug (F): Mid Fairfield, 5/1/2009
Strug is the lone local at camp, which began on Monday. Strug, who stood out for Mid Fairfield last season, was picked in the 11th round of June's draft.
READ MORE: What is life like inside the QMJHL?
Victoriaville Tigres: Rookie Camp/Training Camp
- Matt Hines (D): Dexter Southfield, 6/10/2008
Tigres Rookie Camp began on Aug. 12, while the main camp began on Monday. Hines is the lone local. The Dexter Southfield defenseman is a free agent invite.
