QMJHL focuses on recruitment and development

Press Release

VICTORIAVILLE, Friday, June 3, 2011 – Prior to the start of the special draft session, the Commissioner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Gilles Courteau, briefly put into perspective the challenges facing the major junior hockey circuit and the initiatives which are ongoing to ensure its continued success.

"I believe that the 2010-11 season was one of our best ever. We worked hard to offer our fans a high quality brand of fast and intense hockey in which our players demonstrated their talent and competitiveness. The high quality of our programs, our professional staffs and the resources which they can count on all played very important roles."

"The Canadian Hockey League will once again prove this year why it is the best development league in the world at the next NHL Entry Draft with approximately 50% of the players picked originating from the CHL. The QMJHL will be well-represented with two of the League’s superstars in Sean Couturier and Jonathan Huberdeau likely to be selected among the top five."

"Obviously, the QMJHL will always face challenges, but our success is dependent on how we face those challenges. Our goal is to stay on top with programs designed to maximize our recruitment and development practices. With that objective in mind, we created a new position for Marc Fortier, our new Director of Recruitment, whose mandate will be to meet with players and their parents and detail the benefits of our programs. As a former QMJHL and NHL player, Marc has a unique opportunity to offer information and insight to prospects wishing to make a sound and educated decision. Moreover, we created the first ever QMJHL Under Armour Combine in which our future hopefuls got the opportunity to experience rigorous on-ice and off-ice testing combined with workshops focused on hockey development and life skills."

"Our short term goal is to create development camps in Quebec, the Maritimes and the North Eastern United States. The camps will help us offer players superior development workshops while giving them insight and information on our programs and our League. They will include specialized on-ice tutoring as well as off-ice workshops designed, among other things, to prepare draft-eligible players for pre NHL draft interviews."

"Internally, and starting next year, our entry draft will be expanded to include fourteen rounds instead of twelve with each of our teams obligated to select two American-born players. This initiative will help us expand our reach into the United States. Also starting next year, 15 year-old players will be eligible to be drafted in the first eight rounds instead of in the first five rounds."

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)