CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Jacob Squires was in the stands three years ago to watch young hockey players take their first steps into junior hockey.
Saturday, he’ll join that fraternity.
The 16-year-old Charlottetown native is one of the top-ranked Islanders for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft in Quebec City. He attended the 2016 draft at the Eastlink Centre after finishing a baseball practice.
“It was pretty cool seeing those players’ dreams come true, and I am really excited for mine, too,” Squires said Wednesday.
Zach Biggar, a 16-year-old from Portage, also remembers that draft well.
He recalled Noah Dobson going sixth overall to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Biggar used Dobson as a role model as the Summerside native excelled through his junior career, which now includes back-to-back Memorial Cups and being a first-round pick by the NHL’s New York Islanders.
Biggar and his family travelled to Quebec City on Wednesday. They were planning on doing some sightseeing and shopping on Thursday and Biggar had a few meetings planned for Friday.
“It’s great they’re all here. They have been with me the whole ride, playing hockey,” Biggar said. “It’s nice to have everyone here for the draft and enjoy it with them.”
Squires left for La Belle province on Thursday with his family.
“It’s going to be really special for me, my family and my friends,” he said. “They’ve sacrificed a lot for me, so just to be there with my family it’s going to be really exciting.”
Both players are known as good two-way defencemen. They played against each other in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major Midget Hockey League but were teammates on Team P.E.I. at the Canada Games in Red Deer, Alta., and the Gatorade Excellence Challenge, a QMJHL draft showcase, in April in Boisbriand, Que.
It has been a memorable year for both first-year midget players.
Biggar was a workhorse for a Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild team that won the Monctonian, the Island championship and finished second at the Atlantics. They also became the first Atlantic Canadian team to make the playoffs at the CCM Midget AAA Challenge in Chicoutimi, Que.
“It was pretty remarkable all those tournaments and games with the Wild,” Biggar said. “From start to finish, it was pretty fun.”
Squires was a lynchpin for a young Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride squad. The team hosted the Atlantics and showed they deserved to be there, knocking off Moncton in the opening game with Squires scoring twice in the third period and assisting on another as the Pride erased a 4-2 deficit heading to the final 20 minutes to win 5-4. They went 2-1-1-0 at the tournament.
“The Atlantics were really exciting for the Pride,” Squires said. “Everyone just believed. I think that really helped me as a player, being able to go in there and play with confidence.”
Both players acknowledged the draft is something they have been looking forward to for a few years.
“During the year, you just kind of set it aside and just want to play hockey,” Biggar said. “Now that it’s here, you’re pretty excited and anxious to see what’s going to happen on the draft day and where you might go.”
Squires and Biggar said they have considered both the major junior and the NCAA university route and will wait to see how Saturday plays out. Squires had spoken with each QMJHL team while Biggar had discussions with 16 of the 18 squads as of Wednesday.
Related links:
• Islanders eligible for QMJHL draft
Need to know
Here’s a look at two of the top-rated Islanders for Saturday’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft:
Zach Biggar
Who – A 16-year-old from Portage.
Size, Position – Five-foot-11, 172-pound defenceman.
2018-19 team – Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild.
Central scouting ranking – 44.
Self-appraisal – “I’m a two-way defenceman. I make good passes in my own end to break out and jump up in the rush when the offence is there.”
***
Jacob Squires
Who – A 16-year-old from Charlottetown.
Size, Position – Six-foot-one, 180-pound defenceman.
2018-19 team – Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride.
Central scouting ranking – 58.
Self-appraisal – “I can contribute on the offensive side of the puck as well as the defensive side. I like to create offence from the back end and join the rush or create the rush. . . I think I am sound defensively. I think my biggest asset is my hockey IQ.”
Previous top Islanders
A look at players who were the top Islanders selected during the past five Quebec Major Junior Hockey League drafts.
2018
D Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats. 20th overall (second round).
D Charlie DesRoches, Saint John Sea Dogs. 32nd overall (second round).
2017
F Brad Morrissey, Charlottetown Islanders. 53rd overall (third round).
F Declan MacEachern, Rimouski Oceanic. 98th overall (sixth round).
2016
D Noah Dobson, Acadie-Bathurst Titan. 6th overall (first round).
D Chris McQuaid, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. 31st overall (second round).
2015
F Carson MacKinnon, Rimouski Oceanic. 61st overall (fourth round).
F Jeremy McKenna, Moncton Wildcats. 86th overall (fifth round).
2014
D Sebastien Cormier, Moncton Wildcats. 152nd overall (ninth round).
D Parker Ronahan, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. 172nd overall (10th round).
Here is a look at the Islanders on central scouting’s list for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft:
Position, player 2018-19 team
Third round
D Zach Biggar Kensington
Fourth round
D Jacob Squires Charlottetown
Sixth to eight rounds
F Jack Campbell Kensington
F Connor Keough Notre Dame
D Matt McQuaid Kensington
Ninth to 12th rounds
F Landon Clow Kensington
F Alex Graham Charlottetown
D Michael McQuaid Newbridge Academy
D Reid Vos Charlottetown
F Isaac Wilson Kensington
13-plus rounds
F Max Chisholm Charlottetown
F Noah Griffin Charlottetown
F Riley MacDougall Mount Academy
F Dixon MacLeod Kensington
D Seth MacLeod Charlottetown
F Sam MacNeill Charlottetown
F Lucas Parsons Kensington
G Josh Smith Kensington
G Aiden Williams Western
