October 3rd, 2025
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 8 vs Charlottetown Islanders 0
Centre D’Excellence Sports Rousseau
By Tyler Ballesteros Willard
#10 D, Owen Conrad
Team: Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL
Height/Weight 6’3”, 210Ibs
Shoots: Left
DOB: March 10th, 2007
Overview:
Owen Conrad is a mobile yet steady defensive defenseman who has shown promising offensive progression. His composure is his greatest asset, consistently staying in position and making smart, simple plays. While his shot isn’t poor, he often misses the net, limiting rebound opportunities—keeping his shots low would improve this. Though not a quick puck handler, he maintains control well but shouldn’t rely on deking unless necessary. His passing is solid, helping Charlottetown transition smoothly into the offensive zone. At 6’3, he moves well for his size, with fluid transitions and long strides that aid his acceleration. Physically, he delivers clean checks but needs to develop more strength and a greater willingness to throw big hits. Defensively, his awareness and stickwork make him difficult to beat, as he excels at poke-checking and intercepting passes. While generally sound in his positioning, he occasionally makes poor pinches, leaving him out of position.
Player Projection
Ceiling: Top-6 Defenseman
Floor: AHL Top-2 Dman
Special Teams: PK2
Production Outlook: 20-25~ Points
Pick Range: 6th-7th round
Strengths:
- Defensive Play and Poised Decision Making: Extremely strong in positioning, stickwork, and defending the rush, making him difficult to beat in one-on-one situations.
- Passing: A strong passer, particularly on breakouts, with the ability to make accurate and quick passes under pressure.
- Skating: Smooth backward skating and solid stride extensions, giving him the ability to transition effectively on the ice.
Weaknesses:
- Shooting: Needs to improve accuracy and intelligence on his shots, particularly from long-range.
- Confidence with the puck: Needs let the game come to him more than him trying to force a play.
- Pace of play: Although very calm under pressure, he lacks urgency to outperform others.
In-game Observations:
- In the ¼ mark in the 1st, although caught on an unlucky break as his stick snapped, he remained calm and as the puck came towards Owen, he kicked it into a safe situation where his partner can get the puck out.
- Near the ¾ mark of the 1st, on the PP, showcased although not hard, but very crisp and accurate puck distribution, making it easy for Tyler Peddle to wire his one-timers hard.
- On the Villeneuve goal, Owen could have been a bit more reserved in positioning and should have backchecked into the play a bit harder.
- Early in the 2nd, Conrad showcased quick and heavy shot mechanics, rang a shot off the post from the point.
- Near ¾ mark in the 2nd, Owen played sound in positioning as he did an excellent job closing Carbonneau’s backhand angle after Carbonneau deked through into the slot.
Skater Ratings:
- Skating: 5
- Puck Skill: 4
- Scoring Ability: 3
- Playmaking Ability: 5
- Hockey Sense/IQ: 6
- Character: 5
- Physicality: 6
- Defensive Play: 7
#72 D, Xavier Villeneuve
Team: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL
Height/Weight: 5’11”, 157 lbs
Shoots: Left
DOB: September 29, 2007
Overview:
When it comes to the future of blueliners from the QMJHL, look no further than Xavier Villeneuve. Xavier is an electrifying offensive-minded defenseman with great agility and dazzling puck-handling abilities up the rush, showing significant potential for the 2026 NHL draft as a 1st round pick. Known for his tremendous confidence in carrying the puck and reading the offensive zone, Villeneuve brings a unique flair to the back end for the Armada as even though he is quite the risk taker, he is excellent at understanding when to take risks for the team’s own good. When looking at offensive defensemen, Villeneuve does an excellent job at utilizing his shot as much as he can to cause havoc, or even score. However, his small size limits his effectiveness in physical battles in the corners as, and he’ll need to add a lot of strength to succeed at the NHL level because even though the league has many smaller players now, the league is now as physical as ever and he will need to get ready to endure long 82 game seasons.
Player Projection
Ceiling: First Pair Offensive Defenseman
Floor: Top-4/5 Offensive Defenseman, PP QB. (If not, unlikely NHL shot)
Special Teams: PP1 Quarterback
Production Outlook: 55–65 Points
Pick Range: Mid 1st Round
Strengths:
- Skating and Edgework: Villeneuve’s agility is elite, with quick pivots and tight turns.
- Puck Skills and Passing: Soft hands make his passing smooth and effective, supporting his offensive style.
- Offensive Awareness: Villeneuve has the confidence and vision to be quite the quarterback from the blue line in any scenario (Not even on the powerplay).
Weaknesses:
- Physicality and Balance: Building strength is an absolute must for him to him to be more durable.
- Defensive positioning and decision making with the puck in his own end.
- Discipline: Needs to be mindful of how he possesses himself, especially how he handles external factors.
In-game observations:
- On his first shift of the 1st period, received the puck from the back of his own net, waited a bit too long for the play to develop. Because of it, performed a very risky pass. Moments later, he showed great activation as he moved his feet and broke the puck out quick. Just shortly after exploded for a breakaway though Gladu made the save.
- Near the halfway mark of the 1st, while at the o-zone blueline, Villeneuve showcasing rapid footwork and head movement. Although his shot was blocked, Xavier continuously forced the opposing forward to keep guessing.
- On Armada’s 2nd goal, on the PK, after Nobert got the puck in the o-zone, he passed it over to a flying Villeneuve where with elite anticipation, dangled the wazzoo through the opposition to go backhand top shelf for a highlight reel goal. Passed the ¾ mark of the 2nd, he performed that exact same deke, instead, he crisply passed it over to a wide-open Nobert which he roofed it, giving Armada a 5-0 lead and Villeneuve’s a primary assist.
- Halfway mark of the 2nd, on the PK, Villeneuve chased the opposition a bit too hard, because of it, an opposing forward took advantage of his positioning and got a dangerous shot in the slot.
- Times in this game where he would show his rapid acceleration, though he needs to be sound when using his energy as he gets tired later on in his shifts.
- Late in the 2nd, on the PP, Villeneuve showing his crisp passing again as he laid it perfectly into Carbonneau’s wheelhouse for an easy one-timer to hammer home for a 6-0 lead and another primary assist.
Skater Ratings:
- Skating: 7
- Puck Skill: 7
- Scoring Ability: 5
- Playmaking Ability: 7
- Hockey Sense/IQ: 6
- Character: 5
- Physicality: 3
- Defensive Play: 4
#15 D, Bo Damphousse
Team: Armada Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL
Height/Weight 6’1”, 180Ibs
Shoots: Right
DOB: October 21st, 2007
Overview:
Bo Damphousse is a well-rounded defenseman for the Armada, known for his strong skating, stick positioning, and defensive awareness. His standout skills include excellent puck control, actively defensive stickwork defending the rush, and displaying excellent one-on-one defense, particularly in rush situations. While his backward skating and stride offer power, he needs to improve acceleration. His passing, especially on breakouts, is truly a key asset to offensive game due to how great the transition of play it becomes; however, his shooting accuracy needs quite a bit of work in order for decently offensive chances to come his way due to the fact he shoots high. He is physically pretty solid, Damphousse plays responsibly but could improve his physicality in some areas, like boxing out opponents in-front of the net. Projected as a late 1st round pick to early 2nd round in the 2026 NHL Draft, he has the potential to be a top-pairing or elite 3-4 mobile shutdown defenseman with high end penalty-killing traits with a straight hockey mind playing the game in a simple way, but the right.
Player Projection
Ceiling: 4-5 Puck Moving Defenseman
Floor: 7th D
Special Teams: PK2
Production Outlook: 20-25~ Points
Pick Range: Mid 3rd Round-4th Round
Strengths:
- Defensive Play: Extremely strong in positioning, stickwork, and defending the rush, making him difficult to beat in one-on-one situations.
- Passing: A strong passer, particularly on breakouts, with the ability to make accurate and quick passes under pressure.
- Skating: Smooth backward skating and solid stride extensions, giving him the ability to transition effectively on the ice.
Weaknesses:
- Shooting: Needs to improve accuracy and intelligence on his shots, particularly from long-range.
- Physicality: Could be more consistent in using his body to box out opponents and prevent screens.
- Positional Awareness: Although plays square when defending the rush, he does chase the puck carrier on many occasions in his own end.
In-game observations:
- In the later stages of the 1st period, displayed great consistency and calmness in the way he was distributing the puck, especially with his breakout passes are controlled and crisp to ease the transition of play.
- Near the ¼ mark of the 2nd, Damphousse shown that he has grown his confidence and being patient at the o-zone blueline spinning away from the opposition, then shooting the puck low through traffic, leading to a primary assist on Armada’s 4th goal.
Skater Ratings:
- Skating: 6
- Puck Skill: 4
- Scoring Ability: 3
- Playmaking Ability: 5
- Hockey Sense/IQ: 6
- Character: 5
- Physicality: 5
- Defensive Play: 7
#11 F, Matt Gosselin
Team: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL
Height/Weight: 5’7”, 168Ibs
Shoots: Right
DOB February 14th, 2006
Overview:
Matt Gosselin is a high-motor, two-way center known for his defensive reliability, strong positioning, and relentless compete level. Though undersized, he compensates with explosive edgework and smart support play in all zones, frequently aiding breakouts and engaging in puck battles through timing and anticipation rather than physical strength. Offensively, he plays a simple game—his shot lacks power, but he generates chances through smart positioning, rebound creation, and crisp, accurate passing. However, he struggles with puck control under pressure and can rush decisions, particularly when space tightens. On the power play, he’s learning to exploit soft coverage areas but must focus on consistently putting pucks on net rather than aiming for perfection. Defensively, he truly excels on the penalty kill with strong gap control, fearless shot blocking, and disciplined reads. His compete level stands out every shift, consistently backchecking hard and sacrificing his body when needed. What really helps out his defensive play mentioned earlier is his explosive edges. Although he does not get the most power from his stride, his quick footwork allows him to explode quickly in order to win puck battles.
Player Projection
Ceiling: NHL Bottom-6 / Penalty Kill Specialist
Floor: AHL Top 6 Forward
Special Teams: PK
Production Outlook: 15–25 Point Energy Forward
Pick Range: Undrafted Free Agent
Strengths:
- Versatility: Acts as a great sponge for his teammates. All over the place/always involved in the play.
- Defensive Awareness: Consistently positions himself well and disrupts plays with interceptions and shot blocks.
- Compete Level: Willingness to do anything for the team (Blocking shots, getting involved hard in puck battles).
Weaknesses:
- Shooting Consistency: Needs to improve his mechanics to develop more power, most importantly, his mentality of getting shots on goal and not overly perfecting it yet.
- Size: Although great involvement on the forecheck, he gets muscled off very easily.
- Consistency in puck skills: Although showcases great 1-on-1 ability against the goaltender, he needs to be crisper with his hand movement when controlling the puck on the rush.
In-game Observations:
- On the first powerplay of the 1st period, Gosselin although not the cleanest, won a key offensive zone faceoff to Vincent Desjardins, leading to a quick Carbonneau one-timer goal and ultimately, a secondary assist.
- On Armada’s 4th goal, Gosselin used his work ethic and edgework to get through the opposition and pot home the rebound.
- Throughout this game, especially on the PK, played patiently persistent in the defensive end as although he could be a bit more reserved, as at the right place at the right time in getting the puck out.
- Just as PK ended, Gosselin joined hard on the rush and crashed the net hard which led to him almost scoring as he redirected the puck on goal.
Skater Ratings:
- Skating: 6.5
- Puck Skill: 4.5
- Scoring Ability: 4.5
- Playmaking Ability: 4.5
- Hockey Sense/IQ: 6.5
- Character: 7
- Physicality: 4
- Defensive Play: 7
#88F, Nolan Duskocy
Team: Charlottetown Islanders, QMHL
Height/Weight: 6’2, 190 lbs
Shoots: Right
DOB: January 26th, 2008
Overview:
Nolan Duskocy is a forechecking power forward in the making with a projectable frame, a heavy shot, and a hardworking mentality. Despite limited usage for the Islanders, he consistently made the most of his shifts with his energy, speed, and puck pursuit. His forechecking stands out as a defining feature—using long, powerful strides and a strong motor to pressure defenders into mistakes or penalties. Although not fast hands, he has the puck controlled. Duskocy owns one heavy wrist shot, combining a quick release with deceptive mechanics that allow him to shoot in motion, he will however need to work on his follow through mechanics as his shots go a little high on certain occasions. When discussing about his playmaking, he needs a lot of work. Not so from the perspective of making a crisp pass, but having a strong visual of the game as he doesn’t always understand how to not only position himself, but have a sense of trust in where his teammates are going to be. Defensively, his game remains inconsistent. While his positional awareness is sound, his backchecking effort can vary—especially when trailing the play. His skating overall is solid for his size, especially in straight lines, but his lateral quickness and pivoting need refinement.
Player Projection
Ceiling: Bottom-Six Checking Forward who can shoot.
Floor: AHL Top-6 Forward
Special Teams: PP2 (Shooter Role)/PK2 “Possibly”
Production Outlook: 10~ Goals, 25~ points
Pick Range: 150th-175th Overall
Strengths:
- Compete Level in the Offensive Zone and on the Forecheck.
- Physicality: Needs to get stronger to be more imposing on the forecheck physically speaking.
- His Speed and Acceleration: Shows powerful and explosive stride with full leg extensions.
- Dangerous wrist shot: Shows subtle yet very quick hand rotation in his shot.
Weaknesses:
- Compete level on the backchecks: Needs to develop a stronger mentality when the opposition is attacking and defend.
- Skating Mechanics: Lateral Movement: Needs to develop some flexibility in his crossover and pivots.
- Offensive Awareness/Visions: Needs to develop a stronger sense of his surroundings in the offensive zone.
In-Game Observations:
- Displayed good compete level trying to win puck battles with the use of his speed throughout the game, especially the strong consistency on the forecheck.
- Just passed the halfway mark of the 1st, did a great job on the backcheck interfering the pass, he should have however go up closer to the point so he could either be an option along the boards, or if the defenseman received the puck, be in position to block a shot.
- Throughout the game, displayed lack of confidence in carrying the puck. Should have shown confidence with the puck by carrying it more instead of just doing dump and chase plays.
- Although hasn’t gotten many puck touches in the 2nd, Nolan did do a good job by placing himself position as a primary option for his defensemen to break the puck out to.
Skater Ratings:
- Skating: 7
- Puck Skill: 4.5
- Scoring Ability: 5.5
- Playmaking Ability: 4
- Hockey Sense/IQ: 4.5
- Character: 6
- Physicality: 6.5
- Defensive Play: 4.5
#16 D, Nikita Voyaga
Team: Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL
Height/Weight 6’3”, 207Ibs
Shoots: Left
DOB: October 16th, 2007
Overview:
Nikita Voyaga is a mobile yet steady defensive defenseman who leverages his size to his advantage greatly. His physicality is his greatest asset, consistently punishing his opponents all over the ice. While his shot isn’t poor from the power perspective, he often misses the net, limiting rebound opportunities—keeping his shots low would improve this greatly by following through on his shots. When it comes to his puck handling, he really needs to develop confidence by first showing composure when carrying the puck as he doesn’t always handle pressure well. His passing is solid, helping Charlottetown transition smoothly into the offensive zone, but where its lacking is his defensive awareness with the puck as not always mindful of where the opposition is and can get burned because of it. At 6’3, he moves well for his size, with fluid transitions and long strides, though needs to improve greatly his quickness in his footwork. Defensively without the puck, his awareness and stickwork make him difficult to beat, as he excels at poke-checking and intercepting passes. While generally sound in his positioning, he occasionally makes poor pinches, leaving him out of position. He does need to be cautious about his discipline.
Player Projection
Ceiling: Top-6 Defenseman
Floor: AHL Top-4 Dman
Special Teams: PK2
Production Outlook: 15~ Points
Pick Range: Mid 5th-Late 6th round
Strengths:
- Defensive Play without the puck: Extremely strong in positioning, stickwork, and defending the rush, making him difficult to beat in one-on-one situations.
- Passing: A strong passer, particularly on breakouts, with the ability to make accurate and quick passes under pressure.
- Physicality: Tremendously imposing on the opposition, a menace when boxing out the opposition and throwing heavy checks along the boards.
Weaknesses:
- Shooting: Needs to improve accuracy and intelligence on his shots, particularly from long-range.
- Confidence with the puck, especially in his own end: Needs let the game come to him more than him trying to force a play, needs to be mindful of his surroundings.
- Discipline: Needs to be mindful of his actions with his stick and when getting involved in scrums.
In-game Observations:
- In the ¼ mark in the 1st, although a shot that was considered slightly high, he did hit the net as he showcased when he follows through with his shot, he doesn’t miss and creates a chance with traffic in front.
- Near the ¾ mark of the 1st, Nikita laid a thunderstruck of a hit on Vincent Collard along the boards, imposing his strength at the blueline. This created momentum for the Islanders when it came to bringing the pace of play up.
- Throughout the game, although he performed the right technique on how to pinch effectively, he needs to be cautious on the number of times he does it as there were a few occasions he got burned for it and had to waste energy by backchecking hard.
- A few times in the 2nd where he was not cautious defensively with the puck and performed no look passes. As a result, they were intercepted and what happened was that he got intercepted, one of them led to a goal for Armada.
- Throughout the game, showed crisp passing when he is following through on them as they come out flat and hard which aids the quickness of transition of play.
- When facing the puck carrier, he needs to play man on man coverage and has to keep his feet moving, one occasion, Carbonneau deked through him and Nikita was flat footed.
Skater Ratings:
- Skating: 5.5
- Puck Skill: 3
- Scoring Ability: 3.5
- Playmaking Ability: 4
- Hockey Sense/IQ: 4
- Character: 5
- Physicality: 7
- Defensive Play: 6
