QMJHL prospects Desnoyers, Carbonneau, Zonnon discussed on 'NHL Draft Class' podcast

The 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 27-28 at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The first round will be held June 27 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), with rounds 2-7 on June 28 (Noon ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Caleb Desnoyers could one day be "that Patrice Bergeron or Jonathan Toews-type player," according to NHL Central Scouting Senior Eastern scout Jean-Francois Damphousse.

"The compete level is high and when you match it with the skill level that he has," Damphousse told the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "The hockey sense, the willingness to battle in front of the net or on the wall, he's a special player. I mean, he could be that Bergeron or Toews, where he can be used anywhere in the lineup, produce offense, but also be very effective at shutting down opponents."

Desnoyers (6-foot-1, 178 pounds), an 18-year-old forward with Moncton in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, is No. 7 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. He finished tied for fifth in the QMJHL with 84 points (35 goals, 49 assists) in 56 regular season games and leads the playoffs with 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 15 games.

Damphousse also evaluated Blainville-Boisbriand right wing Justin Carbonneau (6-1, 191), No. 16 on Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, and 6-2, 187-pound Rouyn-Noranda right wing Bill Zonnon (No. 31) as possible first- or second-round picks in the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

"[Carbonneau] is a natural goal scorer, has a great shot release, can beat goals from distance with his quick release in stride or his one-timer on the power play," he said. "With Zonnon, I like the quickness and agility in tight and his ability to make plays with pace."

Co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale also discussed two of the top QMJHL goalie prospects and a few dark horse candidates to watch in this episode with Damphousse.

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