2010-2011 MONTREAL JUNIORS - LOOKING LIKE THE TEAM TO BEAT

In terms of making trades the Montreal Juniors were the most active team at the QMJHL entry draft last weekend. The Juniors acquired 6 very significant players while giving up only 3 active players from their roster (+ draft picks). Here's a quick summary of the players sent packing and those being received:



Departed Players (position - name - sent to):

• F - Guillaume Asselin - Chicoutimi


• F - Loic Poudrier - Shawinigan


• D - Dillon Donnelly - Shawinigan
  

Acquired Players (position - name - received from):

• F - Louis Leblanc - Chicoutimi


• F - Philippe Lefebvre - Drummondville


• F - Denis Kindl - Gatineau


• D - Charles-Olivier Roussel - Shawinigan


• D - Francis Meilleur - Cape Breton


• D - Charles Landry - Drummondville
  

Not one of these players are considered insignificant. If all report to training camp Montreal will have a scary strong team, possibly the team to beat heading into the start of next season.

In order to give you a picture of the team's depth next season, consider this; Montreal will have a strong group of 20 year old players to lead the team. Choinard and Meilleur are locks. Then they'll choose to keep either Jeremy Gouchie or Chris Thorne as their 3rd over ager.

Keep looking down the roster; should both Louis-Marc Aubry and Trevor Parkes be drafted this June, Montreal could have as many as seven NHL owned players in their lineup:

• G - Jean Francois Berube - drafted by the LA Kings in 2009


• D - Charles-Olivier Roussel - drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2009


• F - Louis Leblanc - drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2009


• F - Alexander Avtsin - drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2009


• F - Philippe Lefebvre - signed by the Montreal Canadiens in 2009


• F - Louis-Marc Aubry - ranked 87 NA for 2010 NHL entry draft


• F - Trevor Parkes - ranked 197 NA for 2010 NHL entry draft

While Berube, Roussel, Lefebvre, Aubry and Parkes are sure bets to play next season, there's no guarantee that Leblanc and Avtsin will. As the summer continues I'll keep my eyes open for news on these two players.

As it stands today, here is the best case scenario Montreal Juniors roster for the 2010-2011 season:

Forwards (LW / C / RW):

1st line: LEFEBVRE (19) / LEBLANC (19) / AVTSIN (19)

2nd line: SHERBATOV (19) / AUBRY (19) / PARKES (19)

3rd line: GOUCHIE (20) / KINDL (18) / CHOUINARD (20)

4th line: ROUX (18) / FONTAINE (19) / ROSE (19)

Extra forwards: 2nd-EURO / LAPOSTOLLE

Defense Pairs:

1st unit: ROUSSEL (19) & MEILLEUR (20)

2nd unit: LANDRY (19) & OUELLET (17)

3rd unit: NARBONNE (18) & PROVOST (18)

7th defenseman: BELANGER (18)

Goaltenders:

Starter: BERUBE (19)

Back-up: MARCOUX (17)