Identified by many as the next great star of Quebec hockey, will Alexis Joseph have the impact of Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard and John Tavares in the junior ranks where they had obtained the status of exceptional player?
Aged 14 (he celebrated his birthday on June 16), the Lanaudière Pioneers forward will make the leap directly into the M18AAA next season with the Esther-Blondin College Phénix.
In the history of the QMJHL, only Joseph Veleno has achieved exceptional player status and made his debut at age 15 with the Saint-Jean Sea Dogs.
Endowed with a good skate, a powerful shot and a vision described as exceptional, Joseph also benefits from a size of 6 feet 2 inches and 174 pounds for a young person of his age.
Upgraded this year in the M15AAA Elite, Joseph finished fourth in scoring with 65 points (43 goals and 22 assists) in 30 games with the Lanaudière Pioneers.
” Something special ”
In May 2022, he wowed the gallery at the Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec with 17 points in five games. He had led his team, which represented the Montreal Canadiens, to the highest honors in the AAA category by scoring the goal in overtime in the last game.
“Alexis may be the next McDavid or Bédard, but no one can predict whether it will be a good decision to upgrade him in the M18AAA, says his coach Daniel Turbide right away. He already has the physique of the NHL, but he remains a child. »
“Alexis has an innate sense of attack as well as reading and anticipation that is truly superior to almost any player,” continued Turbide. He is able to anticipate two photos in advance what the image will be. If we compare with the internet, its frequency is at very high speed while the others are at high speed. He has something special. »
“People come to see him play. He’s big, he’s spectacular and he’s got skills. Yes, he is an exceptional talent, but you have to see in the long term. »
“Quite exceptional”
After a career of 1060 games in the NHL which spanned from 2005 to 2019, Jason Pominville is back in the country where he shares his knowledge with young people.
He notably led Joseph to the Tournoi pee-wee de Québec as well as a few times last season when he acted as an assistant at Turbide as well as at the Jeux du Québec in Rivière-du-Loup where the Lanaudière region won the gold medal .
explosive player
“He’s a great prospect and it’s pretty exceptional what he’s doing,” said the former Buffalo Sabers and Minnesota Wild forward, who has always played in his age group. He’s the size of an NHL player; he has a QMJHL shot and he is very explosive unlike young people of his size. His greatest strength is his attack instinct. Also, when the stakes are high, he finds ways to perform. »
“He’s really improved his puck handling this year, adding the Sabers’ 2nd round pick in 2001. He’ll always be a scorer, but he’s also a good playmaker. which will help. »
Beyond skills, Pominville highlights Joseph’s attitude.
“When you talk to him, you don’t think he’s 14. He is very mature physically and mentally. He’s a young man who comes from a good family and is very serious on and off the ice. It marked me the number of questions he asked in the pee-wee. The others had no choice but to stay focused.
McKinnon as a role model
Joseph is trying to emulate Colorado Avalanche star forward Nathan McKinnon.
“He dominates offensively; he is able to counter the best opposing players; he has character and can play hard. This is the type of player I would like to be like. »
His performance at the Tournoi pee-wee de Québec confirmed to him that he had a certain talent. Joseph started hockey at the age of three with his father.
“I realized that it was worth making every effort to become the best player possible. As for my future, I try not to worry too much about it. I live in the present moment and we will see if the opportunity to play at 15 in the QMJHL presents itself. »
While he still wants to improve his defensive game, Joseph is pleased with the progress made over the past two seasons.
“With Jason, he made me realize the importance of details like the placement of my stick and my body. When a guy like Jason talks to you, you listen. This year, Daniel made me understand the game differently. He used me shorthanded. I have improved defensively and I want to continue in this direction. »
“I will not be intimidated”
In May 2022, Alexis Joseph and his teammates won the International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. Pictured, Joseph holds the trophy (right) after scoring the winning goal in extra time.
Archive photo, Didier Debusschere
At only 14 years old, Alexis Joseph will evolve in the M18AAA circuit next season unless there is a huge surprise. A total of 30 players have obtained this exceptional status since the 2009-2010 season and none last year.
There will be nothing new for Joseph who has been upgraded since 2008 except for the 2021-2022 season where he wanted to play in the International Pee-wee Hockey Tournament, which he had not been able to do. last year. due to the pandemic which had forced the cancellation of the event.
“I want to earn a spot in the U18AAA this year and I’m going to give everything to be part of the team,” said the 6’2″ and 174-pound forward. I will not be intimidated. Because my opponents will be bigger, my parents are more worried than me. »
Joseph believes he can compete with players older than him, but he has no intention of landing with Esther-Blondin’s Phénix with his big hooves.
“I’m not going to come to training camp with the mentality that I’m the best. I want to improve along the way and become a dominant player at the end of the season. »
Hockey Quebec will tighten the screw
Senior hockey director and head of the Excellence program at Hockey Quebec for the M18AAA, Marcel Patenaude will have to decide when the Phénix submits its request for exemption in August. While he has no doubts about the talent of the Mascouche hockey player, he warns that the rules will be tightened starting this year.
“In the past, we tried to help teams that lacked players in certain positions and wanted an upgrade at all costs, but that’s over. There have been a few instances over the past few years where we have been accommodating. It would have been beneficial if Emmanuelson Charbonneau (2018-2019) and Benjamin Amyot (2021-2022) played in their age group instead of making the jump to M18AAA at 14 years old. »
The report on the development of hockey in Quebec, tabled in the National Assembly last May, sounded.
“Marc Denis’ report asked to pay particular attention to the revaluation at 14 years old, recalled Patenaude. I won’t lose my reputation by allowing the upgrade if I think it’s the wrong decision. We were accommodating in the past. When it’s going to be no now, it’s going to be no. »
Status granted too easily
General manager of the M18AAA circuit, Yannick Gagné believes that exceptional status is granted too easily.
“Of the 30 players who have been upgraded since 2009, Joseph Velleno and Nicolas Roy had exceptional status, but not the others,” he said. Alexis Lafrenière amassed 90 points at age 14 in the Bantam AAA. We let him dominate and he was never outclassed. Exceptional players, there is one every 20 years. If a player got 250 points, I could understand him making an exception, but that’s not the case. »
Don’t like the upgrade
Coach of Alexis Joseph last season with the Pioneers of Lanaudière, Daniel Turbide does not like going upmarket.
“It is important not to skip a step. At our end of season meeting, I was honest with Alexis and his parents. I don’t believe in upgrading. In a career, there are stages that only time can pass. No one can predict how this will turn out. It’s a tossed quarter. »
What future for the upgraded?
Among the 14-year-old players who have moved to U18AAA since the 2009-2010 season…
5 PLAYERS HAVE REACHED THE NHL
Nicholas Roy
File photo, Martin Chevalier
Joseph Veleno
Photo archive, AFP
Samuel Poulin
Photo archive, AFP
Thomas Bordeau
File photo, Reuters
Elliott Desnoyers
File photo, USA TODAY Sports
11 PLAYERS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE NHL
› Joseph Veleno
› Jeremy Gregoire
File photo, Martin Chevalier
› Jeremy Roy
Photo archive, AFP
› Nicholas Roy
› Jeremy Poirier
› Lucas Mercuri
› Elliott Desnoyers
› Thomas Bordeleau
› Xavier Simoneau
›Samuel Poulin
› Tristan Luneau
› Noah Warren
Archive photo, Didier Debusschere
SOME PLAYERS WHOSE EXPERIENCE HAS NOT BEEN CONCLUSIVE
› Philippe Forcier never reached the QMJHL
› Emile Bourque played three games in the QMJHL
› Olivier Desroches did not play in the QMJHL at age 19
› Philippe Venne did not play in the QMJHL at 18 and 19
journaldemontreal
