A media tour, a visit to the Bell Centre, a presentation to the crowd: we guess that the seven QMJHL players invited to a promotional tour have already experienced worse Tuesdays.
Posted at 9:01 p.m.
It was indeed a day of interviews for the four players considered to be the QMJHL’s best hopes for the next draft, as well as for three young people who already belong to the Canadiens, and who play in the Courteau circuit: Joshua Roy, Xavier Simoneau and William Trudeau.
Everyone seemed to be having a good time, even Simoneau, who was doing the said tour with a protective boot on one foot, the result of a sprained ankle suffered last week.
But from the height of his 20 years, Simoneau wisely reminded us of his reality: “It’s an ankle injury, I’m not dead! »
There is context behind that statement, though. Simoneau was drafted in 191and rank by the Habs, in 2021. It was his third year of draft eligibility. He was ignored for the first time at 18, then again at 19, despite collecting 89 points in 61 games.
The problem: his size (he’s 5’7″), and the injuries that can come with it. “There are people who think I had 18 concussions. But no. Only one “, he launched to the colleague Alexandre Pratt in January 2020.
Now he is out of the game for the third time this season. His first two absences – for upper-body injuries – were brief, but this one will be four to six weeks, depending on his diagnosis. “I’m aiming for four weeks,” he says.
Except that between that, Simoneau was one of the most productive players in the QMJHL. In 35 games, he scored 18 goals and 44 assists for 62 points.
Average points per game, QMJHL, 2021-2022
Mavrick Bourque: 2.05
Joshua Roy: 1.95
William Dufour: 1.82
Xavier Simoneau: 1.77
“It seems like there hasn’t been a year where I haven’t had bad luck, but it’s out of my control,” he laments.
“Everywhere in hockey, there are injuries. Even junior guys who signed contracts in the NHL, they got hurt and got their chance. I control what I can and right now I can’t control anything except my healing. It’s an ankle injury, I’m not dead. In four weeks, I will regain my form and I will be the same Simoneau who has always played hockey. »
Like Harvey-Pinard?
He himself raises the question of the contract, because it will arise soon.
Simoneau is in the same situation as Rafaël Harvey-Pinard two years ago. He was drafted at 20 and will therefore be able to make the leap to the pros next season. Except that the Canadian holds his rights for another season.
The case of Harvey-Pinard was settled by a compromise: he had signed a one-year contract, but for the American League only, so as not to add to the Canadian one more contract in the 50 to which each team is entitled. . A few months later, Harvey-Pinard signed his entry contract in due form.
This is undoubtedly the avenue that the Habs will prioritize. But the young man is much more productive than Harvey-Pinard had been in his 20th year (78 points in 62 games). Not that the points are proof of everything, but in a negotiation, they can give more power.
So it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds. With his offensive instincts and his sense of hockey among his strengths, he has what it takes to please the new administration of the Canadian.
“At the beginning of the year, I had two objectives: to win cups and sign my first professional contract, he says. Of course, the goal of any player is to play in the National League. Not that the contract is on my mind, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. »
Equipped to stay up late
The “cups” Simoneau is talking about are the President’s Cup and the Memorial Cup. His team, the Charlottetown Islanders, will be among the favorites. Their 31-9-5 record earns them first place overall in the QMJHL.
If Charlottetown goes a long way, they will be two hopefuls for the Canadiens to take advantage of it: Simoneau and William Trudeau, defender drafted at 113and rank in 2021.
Under the circumstances of recent years, a long run in the playoffs would be good for everyone, since the Memorial Cup has not been postponed since 2019.
“Two years ago, we didn’t even have a playoff,” Trudeau said. Last year, it was different and this year, it’s a bit of a return to normal. Everyone is looking forward to it and it will be exciting hockey. »