The QMJHL transaction market has been rather quiet since it opened last Sunday, and one organization in particular appears to have the first dominoes that could then topple the others by the Jan. 6 deadline: the Gatineau OIympics.
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Piques general manager Serge Beausoleil currently has both hands on the wheel as he officially still has three key players in his lineup: defenseman Tristan Luneau and forwards Samuel Savoie and Alexis Gendron.
Rumor has it that the former will end up with the Victoriaville Tigres after the World Junior Hockey Championships, provided the Anaheim Ducks agree to return him to the junior ranks so he can finish the season there.
The return is expected to be astronomical and will allow the Olympics to lay the foundation for a rebuild into which it dived with both feet this year. However, this transaction can only be confirmed after the conclusion of the World Cup.
Savoy advances
As for Savoie and Gendron, we should know beforehand, but both files contain certain uncertainties. Their future is part of what is stalling the market right now.
Savoie suffered a broken femur during the Chicago Blackhawks' recent training camp and has just started walking again, but still hasn't put on skates.
While still in Chicago, Savoie will spend the holidays with his family in New Brunswick before returning to the Hawks' fold to continue his rehabilitation. They won't bring him back to the QMJHL until they feel he's ready to play again.
If the 19-year-old forward gets healthy again, he could prove to be a big asset to an up-and-coming team. But his health remains a question mark.
Will Gendron come back?
Gendron has been playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers' farm club, since the start of the season. However, he did not play in all of the team's games and a return to the QMJHL seems more and more plausible. His representatives Pat Brisson and André Ruel recently held discussions with Flyers general manager Daniel Brière on the subject. A decision should be made soon.
Should he return, Gendron would be the most sought-after 20-year-old player on the market.
“There are very big clubs that call us about Savoie and Gendron. It is 100% certain that they will be exchanged by the end of the transaction period and we have no intention of waiting until the limit just to trigger a bidding war,” Beausoleil confirmed to the Journal.
Therefore, once Gendron's status is clarified, he will be dealt with quickly. The market should then become active for other 20-year-old players, particularly in the case of Israel Mianscum at Sherbrooke or Milo Roelens at Bathurst.
The first dominoes?
These two pieces could set the tone for the future, but we perhaps shouldn't expect an avalanche of transactions when there are only a few players currently available on the market.
“There are only a few players available in our league this year and the players are very balanced. Anyone can surprise. In addition, teams like Quebec, Gatineau and Val-d'Or want to make the playoffs, so they don't want to weaken too much. “Everyone is cautious at the moment,” said Tigres general manager Kevin Cloutier, who declined to comment on the information that Luneau was traveling with his team.
Will they leave? from here 6th January?
Alexis Gendron Marc DesRosiers-QMI Agency
With Tristan Luneau likely to land in Victoriaville and Quentin Miller set to land in Rimouski, here are the players who will draw the most interest from QMJHL teams between now and January 6th.
Samuel St-Hilaire, goalkeeper, Sherbrooke Phoenix
Samuel St-Hilaire Dominic Chan / QMI Agency
The Beauceron goalkeeper is currently with Junior Team Canada and a transaction involving him could not be confirmed before the end of this competition on January 5th. The Drummondville Voltigeurs are a team often mentioned in his case, but a well-informed source told us the chances of him leaving Sherbrooke are slim. However, you should never say never.
Kassim Gaudet, left winger, Quebec Remparts
Kassim Gaudet Marcel Tremblay / QMI Agency
The Remparts captain continues to stir up rumors even as several hockey players expect him to stay in Quebec. General manager Simon Gagné made no secret of the fact that the phone was ringing and he would be on call until the end, but the Red Devils will want to keep veterans on the team following the departures of Vsevolod Komarov, Mikaël Huchette and Quentin Miller.
Samuel Savoie, left winger, Gatineau Olympics
Samuel Savoie DIDIER DEBUS SCISSORS/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
Samuel Savoie's health will determine what happens next, but everything indicates that his rehabilitation process is taking its course and going well. There probably isn't another player of Savoie's caliber in the QMJHL. He is able to produce offensively but, above all, to disrupt the opponent in various ways.
Alexis Gendron, Right Wing, Gatineau Olympics
Alexis Gendron AFP
The Olympics waived first- and third-round picks and forward Elliot Ogonowski in December 2022 to acquire Gendron's services, but had the unpleasant surprise of seeing him start the season in the American Hockey League. He doesn't play much there and would have a big impact on the QMJHL if he returned. After all, he scored 55 goals in 63 games last year.
Israel Mianscum, left winger, Sherbrooke Phoenix
Israel Mianscum Photo provided by Vincent Lévesque-Rousseau / Phoenix de Sherbrooke
The 1.90 m tall, 90 kg striker is one of the reasons for the Sherbrooke Phoenix's “surprising” successes this season. He has 50 points in 32 games so far this season and could be a big asset to an up-and-coming team. Teams that miss the Alexis Gendron derby will definitely turn to Mianscum.
Jonathan Fauchon, center, Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand
Jonathan Fauchon Photo provided by Trevor MacMillan / Halifax Mooseheads
Another 19-year-old striker will likely return as a 20-year-old next year. Fauchon is the Armada's offensive leader, having 36 points in 31 games so far this season. If they decided to trade him, the Armada could likely receive interesting pieces in the coming years to support young Justin Carbonneau, Alexis Bourque, Vincent Desjardins and Mateo Nobert.