Poirier Set To Take Advantage Of CHL To NCAA Path

RALEIGH, N.C. - When the Carolina Hurricanes selected Justin Poirier in the fifth round of the 2024 draft, the bulk of the buzz surrounded the fact that he was the first 17-year-old to score 50 goals in the QMJHL since Sidney Crosby.

Although he dealt with a few injuries this past season, the forward dazzled again, following up his historical season with a 43-goal campaign and bringing his total to 210 points in 181 junior games.

Now, instead of going back to the Maritimes, where he would have had little left to prove and undoubtedly dominated again, Poirier has the chance to try a fresh challenge this fall: the college game.

Carved by the changing landscape of NIL in the NCAA, it's a new route for development, allowing Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players to make a jump that had previously been outlawed. As a result, the general feeling is that the CHL will shift toward younger talent, and some players will then eventually graduate to a bigger and more pro-like college game, a step taken this week by prospective first overall selection in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Gavin McKenna.

Taking on stronger and more mature competition is exactly what Poirier is looking for as he heads to the University of Maine.

"I spoke with my agent, with (Canes Development Coach Kevin McCarthy), the other coaches here, the development guys, and in order to be ready to play in the AHL or NHL one day, I have to play against older and bigger guys," Poirier said at this month's Development Camp.

Heading to the same program that springboarded Carolina's 2023 first-round pick Bradly Nadeau from a Tier II junior hockey player into a pro in just one season, Poirier also believes there's a major advantage in the shorter college schedule as well.

Instead of playing 68 games and then going on a playoff run, the NCAA game has most schools playing between 30 and 40 games. That means more time in the weight room to get bigger and stronger, a major priority for a player who currently stands at just 5-foot-8, 180 lbs.

"I'll have more time to get in the gym and develop myself," Poirier continued. "Every game is [going to be] like a playoff game. I'll play hard every game and try to be better every game, every shift."

Rod Brind'Amour, who kept an eye on Development Camp at Invisalign Arena, thinks that the newly opened door is going to be extremely beneficial for Poirier and other prospects in the future.

"It's huge. In the past, a kid could be 20 (years old), done in juniors, and done [with his development opportunities]. Now, you can be 20 and a freshman, and play three or four more years at a better level," Carolina's head coach offered on the subject. "The college game is just better than the junior level. It's men, and they train. Everything is just better. It's a step up and it buys kids more time, and it gives us more time to watch the kids develop."

Looking to dial in on some detailed areas of his game, like his outside edge work and his play in small-area situations, Poirier believes that his work ethic will continue to lead him to success in his new chapter.

"I'm young, and I'm already in a short group of guys, but I've already created my own path, and that's why I'm here right now," he said. "I work hard every time I go on the ice and off. I think to go to the University of Maine is the best option for me and for the future of my development."

Appreciative of the feedback received at his second Development Camp, Poirier will look to implement it in his first college season and return to Raleigh an even better player next summer.

"When I get advice, I'm happy about it. Now I know what to apply, even in my own practices at home," Poirier finished with. "You just want to be the best version, hockey and human, and working hard is one of the keys to success."