Let the games begin.
The games at the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League entry draft, that is.
The annual event goes Saturday, 11 a.m. AT, in Shawinigan, Que., and Charlottetown Islanders head coach and general manager Jim Hulton is licking his chops.
He’s in a tasty spot, too, with the fourth overall pick, courtesy of a 2015 trade with Val-d’Or. And is open to offers for the pick, sort of, maybe, depending on what comes his way.
“It’s kind of like going into a game, there’s an adrenaline rush,” Hulton said. “It’s not carved in stone we’re keeping the pick nor is it carved in stone we’re trading the pick. The one thing you learn quickly in this league is to prepare for any possible scenario.”
Ultimately that fourth pick would produce a starter for the Isles future. The team returns many of last season’s semifinal team and plugging in a top-shelf talent only bolsters an already solid roster.
Last year’s draft produced Isles rookie of the year Brett Budgell, who joined the team in middle of the season, and Sea Cow native Brad Morrissey, whose future is cloudy with the Isles. Left-winger Drew Johnston could also draw into the mix next season.
Hulton said most likely any offer for the pick would feature more draft picks, but he’s not prepared to move too many players from his stable.
“There are more guys untouchable than available,” he said.
Chicoutimi has the first overall pick, followed by Saint John, Shawinigan, Charlottetown and Sherbrooke.
Hendrix Lapierre from Gatineau, Que., is the top-ranked player in the draft according to Q Central Scouting. Top d-man William Villeneuve is ranked second overall. Magog teammate Patrick Guay is third. Fourth is blue-liner Jeremy Poirier from Chateauguay. Mavrick Bouque of Trois-Rivieres rounds out the top five.
Charlottetown has the 32nd pick in the second round, thanks to a pick from Gatineau acquired in the Alex Dostie trade two seasons ago, and a third-round pick (41st). Six more Isles picks dot the lower rounds.
That nothing carved in stone philosophy for Hulton and assistant GM and associate coach Guy Girouard is real. Neither will choose a player who doesn’t fit into the type of team that brain trust prefer to ice regardless of draft position.
“After the number one pick everything is up in the air. The whole league is fluid,” Hulton said.
Either way, Hulton is sure of the plan his scouting team, led by Trevor Birt and Allan Cusson, has drawn up. And he’s prepared to stick to it.
“It really doesn’t make any sense to deviate. We’re confident in our list.”
The trade period opened Friday and among the notable moves were Mitchell Balmas, a former Islanders forward and recent Memorial Cup champ with Acadie-Bathurst, going home to Cape Breton. The Titan received Ryan MacLellan and first and second round picks for Saturday’s draft.
The Memorial Cup champs also moved Jordan Maher and Antoine Morand to Halifax for first and third round picks in 2018, a first in 2019 and a third in 2020.
Victoria moved out 40-goal scorer Maxime Comtois to Drummondville for first and third rounders in 2018, and first and second round picks in 2019.
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DRAFT ORDER
First round selection order at the 2018 QMJHL draft Saturday in Shawinigan, Que.
1. Chicoutimi; 2. Saint John; 3. Shawinigan; 4. Charlottetown (from Val-d’Or); 5. Sherbrooke (from Moncton); 6. Rouyn-Noranda (from Baie-Comeau); 7. Chicoutimi (from Cape Breton); 8. Saint John (from Gatineau); 9. Acadie-Bathurst (from Sherbrooke); 10. Cape Breton (from Charlottetown); 11. Shawinigan (from Quebec); 12. Halifax (from Rouyn-Noranda); 13. Val-d’Or (from Victoriaville); 14. Acadie-Bathurst (from Drummondville); 15. Saint John (from Rimouski); 16. Chicoutimi (from Halifax); 17. Val-d’Or; 18. Moncton (from Shawinigan).
