Wild's Donovan Arsenault ranked 27th overall for QMJHL draft

Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild forward Donovan Arsenault, left, carries the puck behind the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights' net during the 2019-20 major midget hockey season. - Jason Malloy

Donovan Arsenault is the top-ranked Islander for next month’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft.

The Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild forward was ranked 27th overall in the league’s central scouting list released on Thursday. It is an independent list compiled by experienced scouts under the direction of director Patrick Desrosiers. Each team composes their own list based on reports from their area scouts.

Arsenault, a Richmond native, had 55 points (30 goals and 25 assists) in 39 games this season to lead the Wild in scoring.

Duncan Ramsay, a Halifax defenceman who played with The Mount Academy Saints in Charlottetown, was ranked 24th overall.

Duncan Ramsay, 15, is a six-foot-two, 170-pound defenceman who played for The Mount Academy Saints in Charlottetown in 2019-20.

A trio of forwards from the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights were next among the Islanders ranked.

Simon Hughes, Colby Huggan and Cameron MacLean were ranked 34, 57 and 58, respectively.

Hughes had 42 points (17, 25) in 38 games, Huggan had 37 points (12, 25) in 33 games and MacLean had 15 points (7, 8) in 14 games after playing the first half of the season at Stanstead College in Quebec.

Knights' goalie Jack Howatt was ranked in the sixth to eighth round section while Wild defencemen Kieran Rennie and Isaac Vox were pegged in the ninth to 12th round section.

The online list can be downloaded here

Tristan Luneau, a six-foot-one, 182-pound defenceman, was the top-ranked prospect.

“The Trois-Rivières native is a quick and explosive skater who can easily break away from pursuers,” said the QMJHL release. “Scouts seem (unanimous) in saying that his hockey IQ is off the charts.”

Saint-Eustache Vikings forward Antonin Verreault, who is ranked second, is tagged as the best offensive player of the draft. He had 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points in 39 games last season.

Michael Mastrodomenico of the Laval-Montréal Rousseau-Royal rounds out the top three.

Moncton Flyers centre Samuel Savoie is the top Maritimer at fourth overall after recording 56 points in 37 games last season while centre Luke Woodworth, who had 67 points in 34 games while playing for the South Shore Mustangs, was the top Nova Scotian at seventh. Goalie Riley Mercer is the top-ranked player from Newfoundland and Labrador. The Tri Pen Osprey netminder is ranked 43^rd overall.

Ten forwards, seven defencemen and a goalie are in the top 18, which is the normal number of picks in the first round. This year, there are two compensation picks as two 2019 first-rounders didn’t report to the QMJHL.

The draft will take place online this year for the this first time in league history. The first round is slated for Friday, June 5, with the remaining rounds occurring the following day.

The Gatineau Olympiques have the first, second and fourth overall selections. The Charlottetown Islanders will pick 22nd overall, the second pick in the second round, with a selection acquired in the Keith Getson trade with the Halifax Mooseheads.
They traded their own pick to Chicoutimi in August for defenceman Oscar Plandowski.

Islanders ranked in the 13 and up section were (in alphabetical order):