Québec Remparts forward Carter Meyer has been given an “A” grade by NHL Central Scouting in its preliminary rankings for the 2027 NHL Draft. “A” indicates the potential to be a first-round selection. Photo by JONATHAN ROY /SUPPLIEDArticle contentAs the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League nears the quarter mark of its regular season, the evaluation process for players in multiple age groups is kicking into overdrive.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentArticle contentWithin a two-week span, the league held its Top Prospects Game for the 2027 NHL Draft, NHL Central Scouting released its preliminary players to watch list for that draft, and the top 16-year-old players are heading to Oakville, Ont., for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. There is optimism that the 2027 NHL Draft could be special for the “Q,” but recent history also tells us not to read too much into a small sample size.Article contentArticle contentNHL Central Scouting releases its preliminary list each year, with players assigned letter grades: “A” indicates the potential to be a first-round selection, “B” projects a player to be chosen in the second or third round, “C” the fourth or fifth round, and “W” the sixth or seventh round. While the QMJHL trails behind its Canadian Hockey League counterparts – the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League – when it comes to producing drafted talent, there may be an uptick in high-end talent on display. The recent preliminary ranking gives four QMJHL skaters an “A” rating, whereas only two skaters earned that honour in the fall of 2024 and 2025.Article contentMAKING THE GRADEArticle contentIn Saint John, forwards Alexis Joseph and Jamie Glance have been given “A” grades. Also earning the distinction are Québec forward Carter Meyer and Halifax defenceman Malik L’Italien. But creating a list this early is an inexact science. Last fall, Victoriaville’s Egor Shilov and Blainville-Boisbriand’s Xavier Villeneuve were given “A” ratings. But come draft day, it was Québec’s Maddox Dagenais (St. Louis) and Moncton’s Tommy Bleyl (Nashville) who heard their names called in the opening round. Villeneuve went 34th overall to Chicago, while Shilov was chosen nine picks later by Colorado.Article contentArticle contentThe projections for the 2025 NHL Draft released in the fall of 2024 were more accurate. Moncton’s Caleb Desnoyers (Utah) and Blainville-Boisbriand’s Justin Carbonneau (St. Louis) were both selected in the opening round, while Rouyn-Noranda’s Bill Zonnon was also chosen by Pittsburgh. Things weren’t so good at the 2024 draft, where the lone early projected first-rounder, Chicoutimi’s Maxim Massé, fell to the third round, and no QMJHL talent was projected to go in the opening round.Article contentArticle contentIf there is a primary candidate to follow in the footsteps of Zonnon, Dagenais, and Bleyl and jump into the first round, it would be Québec forward James Scantlebury. Heading into weekend play, he ranked second in league scoring with 22 points (to underscore the early-season success of Val-d’Or’s Philippe Veilleux, who has been bypassed by NHL clubs in consecutive years, he leads the scoring race by nine points). Scantlebury was given a “B” rating.Article contentThe arrival of Meyer and Scantlebury in Québec has been a massive shot in the arm for the Remparts. Both forwards were selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft but elected to wait until their 17-year-old campaigns to join the “Q.” Meyer followed a more traditional path for his fellow Americans, playing with the U.S. National Development Program before reporting to the Remparts. While he has been outscored by his teammate, Meyer, who is committed to Boston University, has collected more than a point per game and ranks among the top five in the rankings of several other scouting services.
QMJHL eyes higher-than-average number of first-round picks for NHL draft
