Team QMJHL selected for Canada-Russia series

Julien Gauthier and Pierre-Luc Dubois, two top prospects for the 2016 NHL Draft, were among the 23 players picked for Team QMJHL in the 2015 CHL Canada-Russia Series.

Team QMJHL will play Team Russia in the final two games of the series, Nov. 17 in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, and Nov. 19 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The games are used by Hockey Canada as an evaluation tool for picking the team that will play for Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Gauthier, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound right wing, has seven goals in 10 games for Val-d'Or and he earned an A rating from NHL Central Scouting in its September players to watch list. Last season he had 38 goals and 73 points in 68 games, and 10 points in 17 QMJHL playoff games.

Dubois, a 6-2, 202-pound left wing, leads Cape Breton with six goals and 13 points in 12 games. Dubois also earned an A rating from Central Scouting.

Two other players picked for Team QMJHL received C ratings: Halifax forward Maxime Fortier and Shawinigan defenseman Samuel Girard.

In addition, two players picked in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft were selected for the team. Saint John defenseman Thomas Chabot was taken by the Ottawa Senators with the 18th pick, and Shawinigan left wing Anthony Beauvillier was chosen 28th by the New York Islanders.

Halifax coach Dominique Ducharme will coach Team QMJHL. Ducharme will also be an assistant for Canada at the 2016 WJC. Drummondville coach Martin Raymond will be an assistant coach and an assistant for Canada at the WJC. Rouyn-Noranda coach Gilles Bouchard will be an assistant coach for the game in Rouyn-Noranda, and Moncton coach Darren Rumble will be an assistant coach for the game in Halifax.

The six-game Canada-Russia Series starts with two games between Team Russia and Team WHL, Nov. 9 in Kelowna, British Columbia and Nov. 10 in Kamloops, British Columbia. There will also be two games between Team Russia and Team OHL, Nov. 12 in Owen Sound, Ontario, and Nov. 16 in Windsor, Ontario.

Rosters for Team WHL, Team OHL and Team Russia will be released at a later date.

Follow Adam Kimelman on Twitter: @NHLAdamK

GOALTENDERS: Mason McDonald, Charlottetown (Calgary Flames); Samuel Montembeault, Blainville-Boisbriand (Florida Panthers)

DEFENSEMEN: Guillaume Brisebois, Acadie-Bathurst (Vancouver Canucks); Alexandre Carrier, Gatineau (Nashville Predators); Thomas Chabot, Saint John (Ottawa Senators); Samuel Girard, Shawinigan (2016 NHL Draft eligible); Jeremy Lauzon, Rouyn-Noranda (Boston Bruins); Olivier Leblanc, Cape Breton (Florida Panthers); Nicolas Meloche, Baie-Comeau (Colorado Avalanche); Jeremy Roy, Sherbrooke (San Jose Sharks)

FORWARDS: Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Val-d'Or (Philadelphia Flyers); Daniel Audette, Sherbrooke (Montreal Canadiens); Jean-Christophe Beaudin, Rouyn-Noranda (Colorado Avalanche); Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan (New York Islanders); Clark Bishop, Cape Breton (Carolina Hurricanes); Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton); Julien Gauthier, Val-d'Or (2016 NHL Draft eligible); Maxime Fortier, Halifax (2016 NHL Draft eligible); Julien Nantel, Rouyn-Noranda (Colorado Avalanche); Francis Perron, Rouyn-Noranda (Ottawa Senators); Joey Ratelle, Drummondville (2016 NHL Draft eligible); Anthony Richard, Val-d'Or (Nashville Predators); Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi (Carolina Hurricanes)