The 2024-25 QMJHL season is well underway and there’s some guys who are turning scouts’ heads, including mine. Specifically, there’s a lot to like in the QMJHL’s West Division. Blainville-Boisbriand, for what feels like the first time, has a potential Grade-A prospect in Justin Carbonneau. He’s far from alone though. Even others who are eligible for next year’s NHL Draft are already making an impact and producing, such as Rouyn-Noranda’s Lars Steiner.
Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Justin Carbonneau started the season off white-hot with 10 points in his first 4 games, leading CHL draft-eligibles at the time. He’s a big, goalscoring right winger who, despite his size, is a great skater. His straight-line speed is deadly and he has a quick release that he can use while going at full speed. He competes hard and is great on the forecheck. Despite his size, he doesn’t play like he’s 6’3” and needs to play with a bit more physicality. Carbonneau is not exactly a factor in his own end and turns the puck over more than you’d like to see from a star player.
His IQ as a whole is great. He’s a player that can find or create those scoring chances for his teammates despite him being a shoot-first player. Carbonneau can discern what decision is most dangerous for his opponent quickly, which is a trait that will get him very far. He’ll likely be in my top 20 despite the flaws in his game, as the upside and floor of his strengths are too good to knock him down below that.
Xavier Villeneuve, LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Xavier Villeneuve is a small, playmaking defenseman. He’s a great skater, possessing unreal IQ with and without the puck. Villeneuve is arguably the smartest defensive prospect in the Q for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. His offensive instincts kick in more than you’d like to see from a D-man, in the sense that there’s risk driving the play as a defender; but if you play him with a stay-at-home partner, he’ll absolutely thrive. There’s the occasional moment when he turns the puck over because he’s held onto it for too long, but it isn’t a common occurrence.
Villeneuve is very smart with his stick defensively and doesn’t shy away from physicality. He hardly initiates contact, but he won’t avoid it either. He does need to work on his defensive decision-making and he can be a tad aggressive at times where space is left open for an opponent to capitalize on a grade-A scoring chance. There’s still a lot of potential with him though, and he’s got plenty of time to work on his game, as there’ll be another 2 seasons before he hears his name called at the NHL Draft.
Bill Zonnon, RW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Zonnon is a smart, playmaking winger who can skate well. His straight line speed is good with good acceleration to boot. He also has a heavy shot that he can use at that speed. He can throw his weight around well and compete hard, when he feels like it. There are moments where his switch is visibly off. His hands are pretty good and can be used to create space efficiently. He’s effective at both ends, he keeps the puck close when he has it, and he can thread passes from many places that other players can’t. His IQ with the puck is really good. Off the puck, there’s some work to be done, but it can be helped. He has minor issues when the pace of the game is fast. Zonnon thrives on the power play.
I think he’s a good fit in a top 6 at the QMJHL level who can play in both PP and PK situations and he is potentially a 2nd-3rd rounder in this upcoming draft.
Lars Steiner, RW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Steiner is a smaller, playmaking winger who has an okay stride. His straight-line speed is not bad and he has a decent shot that he can use while at that speed paired with okay hands. He also backchecks very quickly and tries his best to help out in his own end, but despite his efforts, is not overly effective. Steiner’s IQ is on-and-off. Despite the incredible production in his first 3 games, there’s clearly an adjustment to be made, not only to a higher level of hockey, but also to a smaller ice surface. When it comes to his IQ, some decisions are great and show that he has professional hockey potential for sure, but other times, you wonder what he’s doing. Steiner has some trouble creating plays.
His ceiling is hard to gauge, as there’s clearly a lot of work to be done despite what stats suggest. It is not entirely at a fault of his own either – reminiscent of Jordan Dumais. I think he’s a good fit in a QMJHL top 6 that can play on the #1 PP.
Philippe Veilleux, C, Val-d’Or Foreurs
Veilleux is a small, playmaking centre who is a slightly above average skater. His straight-line speed isn’t anything to rave about either, nor are his hands at full speed. However, he’s good with his stick on the defensive side, a good passer, and is otherwise average in his own end. Veilleux is not a physical player at all. His IQ with the puck is decent, but without it, it is questionable. It just looks like he’s skating to “skate” sometimes. He has an underrated shot but doesn’t use it enough, instead relying on his playmaking to make an impact. He thrives when the game is slowed down.
I think Veilleux is a good fit in a middle 6 at the QMJHL level and could hear his name called in the middle of the upcoming draft.
Overall, it is another exciting crop of QMJHLers to watch out for this year in the West Division. Check back here at RecruitScouting.com for more coverage of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and beyond as the year goes on.
