Guillaume Brisebois wants to win in his final season of junior hockey and he thinks that can happen this year with the Charlottetown Islanders.
The Islanders acquired the defenceman from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday during the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft.
“I’m really pumped about it,” he said Sunday. “I really think that there’s going to be a great team (there) next year.”
Brisebois is a six-foot-two, 190-pound mobile blue-liner who turns 19 in July. He was a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2015.
“We think we’ve just acquired, arguably, one of the top-five defencemen in the league,” Isles general manager Jim Hulton said. “I think it sends a statement to our fans that we weren’t content with just winning a round.”
The Islanders paid a steep price to get Brisebois and 19-year-old defenceman Jake Barter. Going to Acadie-Bathurst is defenceman Luc Deschenes, a second-round pick in 2017 and a first-round pick in 2018.
“You have to give to get and we certainly didn’t want to have to give up Luc Deschenes,” Hulton said. “When you look at what was paid at the deadline this year and the last two years, the prices only go up.”
The picks are the Islanders, but the team has Baie-Comeau’s second in 2017 and Val-d’Or’s first in 2018 from the David Henley trade.
Orwell Cove’s Kris MacDonald was an assistant coach with the Titan in 2014-15. He called Brisbois a great kid, who was a pleasure to coach.
“It’s a big statement by the Islanders, getting a defenceman of that quality,” MacDonald said. “I’m sure he’ll come in here and log some big minutes and do the job for Charlottetown.”
There are a couple of variables for the Islanders next season with the possibility of forwards Daniel Sprong and Samuel Blais turning pro.
“We’ll see with Daniel and Samuel,” Brisebois said. “If they’re coming back, I think we’re going to have a really good team.”
Brisebois was taken fifth overall at the 2013 QMJHL draft ahead of Henley, Sprong, Will Thompson, Alexandre Goulet and Deschenes.
After three losing seasons with Acadie-Bathurst, the Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., native asked for a trade.
“I think I just needed a new start,” he said. “I really want to win. (This is) my last year in junior.”
Brisebois will head to Vancouver on June 30 for the Canucks rookie camp.
“We think he’s probably going to have the best year of his career,” Hulton said.
While Brisebois shoots left, Barter is a righty.
“He’s a veteran presence, who is a defender first and foremost,” Hulton said. “He was a difficult player to play against.”
The two acquisitions capped off a busy Saturday as the Islanders drafted 17 players, including three Island natives.
Most of the draft picks won’t play in Charlottetown next season, but there are doors open for them to make their case in training camp.
Hulton said the team drafted Kyle McGrath, a right-winger from St. John’s, N.L., and centre Matthew Barron, who played for his father Laurie with the Yarmouth Mariners in the junior A circuit this season. Both are older than some of the other players drafted.
Hulton said they were able to address both the short-term and the future during the weekend.
“Our top-three picks were all in (the) top-30 of our list,” he said. “We trust the guys that are out there all winter. . . Their track record I think has been very successful the last few years.”
The team also announced the signing of Gregor MacLeod after the draft. He had 46 points in 48 games with the Campbellton Tigers of the junior A circuit last season. He turns 18-years-old on Tuesday.
Guillaume Brisebois
Who – One of the newest additions to the Charlottetown Islanders.
How acquired – Charlottetown traded defenceman Luc Deschenes, a second-round pick in 2017 and a first-round pick in 2018 to Acadie-Bathurst on Saturday for Brisebois and 19-year-old defenceman Jake Barter. Brisebois turns 19 in July.
Stats
Season GP G A Pts.
2013-14 60 3 16 19
2014-15 63 4 24 28
2015-16 52 10 16 26
Guillaume Brisebois wants to win in his final season of junior hockey and he thinks that can happen this year with the Charlottetown Islanders.
The Islanders acquired the defenceman from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday during the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft.
“I’m really pumped about it,” he said Sunday. “I really think that there’s going to be a great team (there) next year.”
Brisebois is a six-foot-two, 190-pound mobile blue-liner who turns 19 in July. He was a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2015.
“We think we’ve just acquired, arguably, one of the top-five defencemen in the league,” Isles general manager Jim Hulton said. “I think it sends a statement to our fans that we weren’t content with just winning a round.”
The Islanders paid a steep price to get Brisebois and 19-year-old defenceman Jake Barter. Going to Acadie-Bathurst is defenceman Luc Deschenes, a second-round pick in 2017 and a first-round pick in 2018.
“You have to give to get and we certainly didn’t want to have to give up Luc Deschenes,” Hulton said. “When you look at what was paid at the deadline this year and the last two years, the prices only go up.”
The picks are the Islanders, but the team has Baie-Comeau’s second in 2017 and Val-d’Or’s first in 2018 from the David Henley trade.
Orwell Cove’s Kris MacDonald was an assistant coach with the Titan in 2014-15. He called Brisbois a great kid, who was a pleasure to coach.
“It’s a big statement by the Islanders, getting a defenceman of that quality,” MacDonald said. “I’m sure he’ll come in here and log some big minutes and do the job for Charlottetown.”
There are a couple of variables for the Islanders next season with the possibility of forwards Daniel Sprong and Samuel Blais turning pro.
“We’ll see with Daniel and Samuel,” Brisebois said. “If they’re coming back, I think we’re going to have a really good team.”
Brisebois was taken fifth overall at the 2013 QMJHL draft ahead of Henley, Sprong, Will Thompson, Alexandre Goulet and Deschenes.
After three losing seasons with Acadie-Bathurst, the Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., native asked for a trade.
“I think I just needed a new start,” he said. “I really want to win. (This is) my last year in junior.”
Brisebois will head to Vancouver on June 30 for the Canucks rookie camp.
“We think he’s probably going to have the best year of his career,” Hulton said.
While Brisebois shoots left, Barter is a righty.
“He’s a veteran presence, who is a defender first and foremost,” Hulton said. “He was a difficult player to play against.”
The two acquisitions capped off a busy Saturday as the Islanders drafted 17 players, including three Island natives.
Most of the draft picks won’t play in Charlottetown next season, but there are doors open for them to make their case in training camp.
Hulton said the team drafted Kyle McGrath, a right-winger from St. John’s, N.L., and centre Matthew Barron, who played for his father Laurie with the Yarmouth Mariners in the junior A circuit this season. Both are older than some of the other players drafted.
Hulton said they were able to address both the short-term and the future during the weekend.
“Our top-three picks were all in (the) top-30 of our list,” he said. “We trust the guys that are out there all winter. . . Their track record I think has been very successful the last few years.”
The team also announced the signing of Gregor MacLeod after the draft. He had 46 points in 48 games with the Campbellton Tigers of the junior A circuit last season. He turns 18-years-old on Tuesday.
Guillaume Brisebois
Who – One of the newest additions to the Charlottetown Islanders.
How acquired – Charlottetown traded defenceman Luc Deschenes, a second-round pick in 2017 and a first-round pick in 2018 to Acadie-Bathurst on Saturday for Brisebois and 19-year-old defenceman Jake Barter. Brisebois turns 19 in July.
Stats
Season GP G A Pts.
2013-14 60 3 16 19
2014-15 63 4 24 28
2015-16 52 10 16 26